TO MY SISTERS IN THE NETHERLANDS

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

My dear sisters in the Netherlands, As Salaamu Alaikum,

I listen intently to news of your current situation for I know and understand how strenuous and difficult it can be to live in a non-Muslim country. You are my sisters in Islam and I pray and feel for your well being although we have never met. As your Muslim sister I feel compelled to communicate to you in the only way I can, from afar, as to the conflict that has arisen about your current struggle to wear niqab. Al hamdulillah, Allah has placed love in your heart for modesty. Al hamdulillah Allah has given you the ability and strength to stand up for what you believe.

I, as you, love my niqab, and treasure the true freedom and protection it brings to my life. We have chosen this form of dress in order to please Allah alone, and because of this choice it is easy for all people to distinguish us as Muslims. InshaAllah this choice will bring us rewards and blessings from Allah, but with it comes tremendous responsibility. As we are clearly associated with Islam, everything we do will be seen by those around us…we are quite literally ambassadors of our beautiful deen. We don’t even have to speak. Our actions, our behavior, will all undoubtedly be one of the major factors actively educating all people about who Muslims are and what Islam is.

With this in mind I view your situation from afar and I see, from the outside, something which perhaps you are unable to see from where you stand. I see a conflict which appears to be escalating unnecessarily. When living in a non-Muslim society we mustn’t allow ourselves to harbor the mentality of victims. Yes, we suffer many hardships and injustices but my message to you is this, for the sake of Allah, take those hardships and rather than letting the actions and abuses of others propel further conflict and division, use them to build trust, mutual respect, and well-being between you and the non-Muslims around you.

Ask Allah for the strength and wisdom that Muhammad (peace be upon him) displayed at Hudaybia. When Muhammad (peace be upon him) sat with the Meccans to write a treaty of peace, the scribe began to wrote the contract between Muhammad the Prophet of Allah and the Quraish. The negotiator sent to represent the Quraish insisted that he remove it as they did not believe he was the Prophet of Allah. Subhan Allah, our beloved Prophet’s wisdom was so great. He did not get offended, angry, or defensive and insist upon what he knew to be true. He understood the potential benefits behind making a compromise in an area that was not necessarily compulsory. He knew he was the Prophet of Allah, he didn’t need to insist, and insisting in this circumstance may have escalated and promoted more conflict.

My sisters, I know and understand what you are feeling. My suggestion for you is this: Let us for a moment try to completely put ourselves in the shoes of those who want you to remove your niqabs. According to my understanding, they are saying they want you to uncover you faces only, for the sake of improving security, and their society. Al hamdulillah, they are not asking you to take of your hijabs as we know that wearing hijab is obligatory for Muslim women. Most of us know that there are differing views amongst the scholars about whether or not niqab is obligatory. Of course, it is your decision but I would like to suggest that you, my sisters, consider both your surrounding environment as well as what turbulent times we are living in. In one of the most liberal environments in the world, a woman’s face will most likely not be thought of as sexual as there are some women there who expose themselves completely. In addition, we are living in a time when terrible things are being done in the name of Islam to innocent Muslims and non-Muslims all over the world. If we sincerely take some time to put ourselves in their shoes and try to understand their reasons for asking you to take off your niqabs, considering the country’s environment and their security fears, their concerns seem to be valid.

It is a time for wisdom, patience, and understanding. My sisters, in the end, it is of course your decision. But as your sister and fellow niqabi, I would suggest that, for the sake of Allah, you rise above this conflict and remove your niqabs. I know it is a difficult sacrifice. Allah knows what is in your hearts. Allah knows you are strong, free, capable women. Take this chance and publicly explain to the world that while Islam is a religion of obedience and submission to God it is also a religion of moderation and wisdom. Muslim women will always wear our hijabs, it is a duty to our Lord that we freely abide by and will not compromise, but we will take off our niqabs as a sincere and meaningful gesture of peace. We will pray to Allah that this gesture of understanding promotes trust, goodwill, and respect between us and our community. Stand up and as Muslims be ambassadors for Islam, peacemakers, bridge builders, and leaders. Be the ones with the strength of character to show your sincere goodwill toward those you live amongst, Muslim and non-Muslim alike.

May Allah guide us all to His straight path in these confusing and difficult times. May Allah help you and aid you my sisters.

As Salaamu Alaikum

Sakeena Marie

THE MOST TRUSTWORTHY HANDHOLD

Islam – a deen of true beauty and light

Built upon a foundation of tawhid (monotheism)

“And your Ilah is one Ilah. La ilaha Ilah Huwa, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.” (2:163)

An ummah - gradually turned away from the simplicity and purity of tawhid

Descended into darkness

Suffering
Hardship
Humiliation
Weakness
Inability and Ignorance

Defeat

Oh ummah – one by one – let us again reach out and grasp the single most important concept of our deen.

“Your Ilah is One Ilah.” (16:22)

To grasp tawhid - To cling to tawhid we need a proper understanding of its deep meaning

…and the ways in which we deviate from tawhid

Many recognize that Allah, The Creator of The Universe, is one without partner

Islam adds and emphasizes that Allah is not a part of His creation

None of His creation shares in His power

Allah alone
Is the Creator of all things

He is The One
Who provides sustenance

He is The One
Who determines life and death

Allah alone
Causes everything to happen

None share in His dominion

None share in His power

We Muslims have let this go

We loosened our grasp on tawhid

Why? How?

We turn to Allah’s creation to protect us

Amulets, necklaces, good luck charms, statues, symbols, trinkets, horoscopes, and fortune tellers…

Many are the dark deceptions of shaitan

Beware! Shaitan lures us away from tawhid by beautifying and adorning the wrong way

How many of us hang ayat of The Qur’an around our neck – believing that the object itself, a piece of metal, paper, or cloth will protect us?

Allah alone is our protector

How many of us believe that hanging the symbol of a blue eye, name, will protect us from Shaitan and the evil eye? We wear it and hang it in our homes…

Anything we wear seeking protection from that rather than Allah…is an act of shirk.

“Those whom they invoke besides Allah have not created anything, but are themselves created.” (16:20)

How many of us play with the idea that someone will tell us how our day or month will turn out and avidly read our horoscopes?

Allah, The All-Aware, only He possesses the knowledge of the future.

How many of us declare ‘haram’ to things which Allah has not made haram?

How many of us declare ‘permissible’ what Allah has not made permissible?

Do we raise ourselves, the word or judgment of a human, above the word of Allah?

Somehow we convince ourselves…
Its ok…
Its only for fun…
Its not a big deal…

What about in the eyes of Allah?

We cry over the state of our ummah

Yet we cannot even purify ourselves and our own lives from shirk

“Verily, my wali (protector) is Allah, who has revealed The Book, and He protects the righteous.” (7:196)

The purpose of creation is to worship Allah

Can we…will we free ourselves from shirk with respect to our worship?

Devoting our worship only to Allah

Asking forgiveness directly from Allah alone

No partners

No intermediaries

“Iyaka na’abudu wa iyaka nasta’een”
“You alone we worship and you alone we ask for help”

How many of us pray to someone who died long ago – asking them for help, intercession, or forgiveness?

Allah needs no intermediaries for He sees and hears everything

“Verily those who you call upon besides Allah are slaves like you.” (7:194)

When the things in our lives become more important or beloved to us than Allah…

Even that is a form of shirk

Think about it…

Our jobs, our children, spouses, wealth, power…

Where does our devotion and love for Allah fit in?

“And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allah as rivals (to Allah). They love them as they love Allah. But those who believe love Allah more than anything else…” (2:165)

Our devotion is first to Allah

Our worship is only for Allah and none else

Beware! Shaitan wishes to lead us far away

Shaitan deceives us by justifying and beautifying the wrong way

“Worship Allah alone and avoid (keep away from) taghut (false deities). Travel through the land and see what was the end of those who denied the truth.” (16:36)

We cry to Allah about the state of our ummah

Yet, we will not even purify ourselves, our worship, and our lives from shirk

Follow the guidance of Allah

The All-Mighty, The All-Wise

Allah does not share in the attributes of human beings

Allah is unique in every way

He is beyond our imagination

Allah’s attributes are unlike anything in our experience

The All-Knowing – His knowledge is unlimited, neither learned nor acquired, encompassing all things without increase or decrease

SubhanAllah

Humans’ knowledge is so limited – increasing and decreasing, subject to forgetfulness

We mustn’t attribute to Allah the characteristics of His creation

- The Most Magnificent - The Loving - The Just - The Most Merciful -
- The Guardian of Faith - The All-Knowing - The Oft Pardoning - The One -

Allah, The Most Great, says:

“Allah! None is worthy of worship but He, The Ever Living, The One who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His permission? He knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them in the Hereafter. And they will never encompass anything of His knowledge except that which He wills. The pedestal of His throne extends over the heavens and the earth and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is The Most High, The Supreme. There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the right path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever believes in taghut (anything worshipped other than Allah) and believes in Allah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower. Allah is the wali (protector) of those who believe. He brings them out from darkness into light. But as for those who disbelieve, their auliya (supporters and helpers) are taghut (false deities and false leaders), they bring them out from light and into darkness. Those are the dwellers of the fire, and they will abide therein forever.” (2:255-257)

Let’s fear Allah and keep our duty to Him

Only then can we stop crying for our ummah