Does modest fashion have to be so serious?
Salaam my lovelies! I hope you are all doing well inshallah. I know I haven’t posted in a long time. It is not because I don’t love to write; I really do. I LOVE that my writing has resonated with so many readers and that I get the most lovely comments on my posts. However, the divisiveness in our little hijabi blogger community has left me shaken. As you remember, I viewed being a hijabi blogger as a chance for Muslim women to regain our narrative back. Modest fashion is a part of that, but I also wanted to blog about other Muslim American topics such as raising good Muslim children, having a healthy Islamic marriage and even where to get good halal food.
However, it seems that there are a lot of trolls who persist in tearing hijabi bloggers to shreds. I have written about this before, but I will actually share an incident that has bothered me immensely. We all know how I have my Follow Friday posts on Hijabi Life. I actually posted a Follow Friday post on a sister named Imaan Ali who used to blog on a blog called The Hijablog. We all know hijab is an extremely personal experience and that there are ups and downs in everyone’s faith. So for hijabi bloggers to document our lives is very hard to begin with. So you can imagine how much backlash Imaan got for making the very personal decision to take her hijab off.
Here is the thing: She is still the same person. She is still a human being. Do you really think trolling her or any bloggers who admired her will really change the situation? I know she is not the first hijabi blogger to take her hijab off (Winnie Detwa also received backlash for taking her hijab off too). However, I don’t expect her to be the last. How terrible is it that we are so quick to bash the bloggers we so ardently adored? Personally, I don’t want to be adored. I want to be able to share my own thoughts and feelings in the hopes that it provides some souls a little comfort in their own lives. I think it is wrong how we have quickly made hijabi bloggers the end all be all. Please avoid taking bloggers on as idols. I don’t think a single blogger wants to be idol worshipped like a celebrity is in Western culture. And if there is a shred of pride from cult status, then we as bloggers need to be aware that showing off is so dangerous that it’s like the black ant on the black rock in the night with no moon. It can sneak up on you like this.
And here is my quandary: Should I keep blogging about hijabi fashion? I feel like it has taken on more baggage than I was aware of. It also limits my writing. I want to be able to write and help others. With the situation in Gaza, I can’t help but feel silly to write about just modest fashion. I would like to share more Islamic/DIY/political posts though. If you agree or disagree, please let me know. I am not asking you readers to all agree with me, but I do think that we need to have some more tolerance and forgiveness in our own hearts. The way we treat others in this world is how God will treat us when we meet him. Let us have more mercy.
Hijabi Life 
Oh, Minara! You should grow a thicker skin if you plan on keeping your blog and discussing political issues. I think it is a good idea and beautiful message to our society. Muslim women are active in the community and have strong views and voices. Your voice should be heard. I strongly wish that you keep writing about fashion (I got so many tips from you blog), yummy treats (I did not get a chance to try ur recipes yet but it always looked delicious), and add a new colon about society (your views, tips and etc.). You are a lawyer and definitely have some tips to share with us 🙂 you have a kind heart and sound mind, keep writing, you do it very well, MashaAllah 🙂
Minara, thanks for sharing these precious thoughts. I can tell you really care about blogging and mashaAllah have reached a really great audience. As with any good deed we do, it’s all about renewing the intentions. If you feel like writing about hijab and fashion is helping others then continue that, and if you feel more passionate about Gaza on other days, that is important to share too! I personally like when topics like these are integrated so that we as Muslim women are not demoted to just one aspect of our personalities (eg: looks, activism, etc.) but rather we are seen as a whole. I like what you said about reclaiming the Muslimah narrative and I think you should keep writing about whatever you’re passionate about since your voice is an important part of that narrative! Jazak Allah khair for all that you do 🙂
Sallams Minara! I do love reading your blog, but of course, I totally see where you’re coming from! Have you seen this documentary yet? It was done by a friend, and I think you’ll find a lot of the issues you raise in it. Stay strong sister! http://vimeo.com/95521643
I used to be an avid blogger and have also found it difficult to navigate some of these same issues. Staying positive can be a real challenge. That being said I think you should give yourself permission to blog about whatever you feel on any given day. I personally like to see a wide variety of topics on a blog and think it will only enrich what you have going on here already.
Unfortunately people are sometimes just ignorant OR they don’t really understand how it works. How the mind works and how some things are meant to happen for a reason. I for one once decided to take it off and then three years later started wearing it with confidence and passion, Alhamdoulillah. We should not be judgemental, but we should help eachother out and be there for one another. That’s missing in our ummah sometimes.
I completely understand some of your thoughts on this – it does seem somehow superficial and against the spirit of hijab at times, and it also plays into the culture of materialism to some extent – wanting the latest styles, and brands of hijab, full face of makeup etc. I do enjoy fashion and try to dress modestly but don’t think it should be the main focus.
Your website is called Hijabilife.com which is an indication that you could write about anything related your life including your voice and opiinion. It is your blog and you have the right to talk about about anything. If you think it would do good in outside the world,by all mean,go for it. 🙂
About fashion; Yes there are certain notion that some hijabi seem to focus on it more as materialism than the spiritual; but then, we really dont know how they think unless we talk to them. I mean like I remember I saw a hijabi carrying in such high fashionable vibes that I was questioning ” Has she gone far?” . But surprising when azaan was called she ran off to prayer room and Prayed. She have more Salah punctuality than me. Here I was thinking how hijabi fashion was doing a numbered that I forgot for a second that performing Salah at a right time is most supreme of all at that particular time instance. If one keep calling to Allah and show us a right direction, Allah will show us. Everything is so personal between us and Allah. Hence I decided to stop thinking about how fashion is doing this or that and rather I am trying to see what is right and wrong for me and change accordance to that.
I guess what I am saying, I really dont care what people think about certain trend. I may observe and all, but I wont snarl about it. At the end of the day what have you done to question of yourself is what Allah want to see; not on question of some people.
Anyways, you off course can write about other things!!! If something bother me about some of your post I will stay quiet. If it interested I will talk about it. That is how I do. 🙂
Masha’Allah you have such a beautiful blog, I’m new to wordpress, as I just created my own blog on here…. Minara I love your thoughts and opinions, they are completely valid in this society and everything you have said is 100% true!
u just need to keep going with ur though. hijabi or not modest will never be so far. Even hijab and mode can be mix very well right.