Request From "Islamic Fashion"

I made a quick style tip post the other day about putting your 'useless' scarves together to create a properly covered hijab look and someone called Islamic Fashion wanted to know how to get the above look that I was talking about so I have put together perhaps the most simplified hijab tutorial (if you can even call it that..) in the world. Hope it helps Islamic Fashion and that you like my amazing paint pics :D

1. Wrap a long narrow scarf shayla style (quite tightly) or put on an Al Amira one-piece if you prefer:

2. Wrap a bigger pashmina-style scarf around this but really loose and pin into place at the sides. I pin my scarves with those small gold safety pins from the inside so you can't see them and they don't slip out but you can use staright pins if you like them better:

This is what my hijab ends up looking like It's slightly different to the one up top but I prefer this style as it's not so tight so a lot more comfortable if you're wearing it all day. Sorry about the white-out, I don't wana be on the big scary net lol:

Believe it or not, I wore this for several hours the other day and it didn't slip off or anything and looked exactly the same when I got home :D What makes it better than some other loose hijab styles is that you know your neck, ears and chest are completely covered by the shayla underneath. Hope you like it!

There Is No Such Thing As "Wife Beating" In Islam

Something that really bums me out is when non muslims are under the impression that beating your wife is allowed in Islam. What sickens me even more is when Muslims (with the term used veeery loosly) themselves think it's OK. Anyway, I did some research on it and have found this long read but interesting read written by somebody called Osama Abdallah who has compiled Ahadith and Iyat on the subject. The post is taken from this site:

Wife beating anytime and for any reason is never allowed in Islam. There is however a questionable condition where Allah Almighty seems to allow the husband to beat his wife, and that is after he gives her two warnings to stop showing ill-conduct and disloyalty.

Let us look at Noble Verses 4:34-36 "(34). Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all).

(35). If ye fear a breach between them twain, appoint (two) arbiters, one from his family, and the other from hers; if they wish for peace, Allah will cause their reconciliation: For Allah hath full knowledge, and is acquainted with all things.

(36). Serve Allah, and join not any partners with Him; and do good- to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbours who are near, neighbours who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (ye meet), and what your right hands possess: For Allah loveth not the arrogant, the vainglorious;"

The Arabic word used in Noble Verse 4:34 above is "idribuhunna", which is derived from "daraba" which means "beat". The issue with all of the Arabic words that are derived from the word "daraba" is that they don't necessarily mean "hit". The word "idribuhunna" for instance, could very well mean to "leave" them. It is exactly like telling someone to "beat it" or "drop it" in English.

Allah Almighty used the word "daraba" in Noble Verse 14:24 "Seest thou not how Allah sets (daraba) forth a parable? -- A goodly Word Like a goodly tree, Whose root is firmly fixed, And its branches (reach) To the heavens". "daraba" here meant "give an example". If I say in Arabic "daraba laka mathal", it means "give you an example".

Allah Almighty also used the word "darabtum", which is derived from the word "daraba" in Noble Verse 4:94, which mean to "go abroad" in the sake of Allah Almighty:

"O ye who believe! When ye go abroad (darabtum) In the cause of Allah, Investigate carefully, And say not to anyone Who offers you a salutation: 'Thou art none of a Believer!' Coveting the perishable good Of this life: with Allah Are profits and spoils abundant. Even thus were ye yourselves Before, till Allah conferred On you His favours: therefore Carefully investigate. For Allah is well aware Of all that ye do. (The Noble Quran, 4:94)"

So "daraba" literally means "beat", or "go abroad", or "give" but not in the sense to give something by hand, but rather to give or provide an example.

Important Note: Notice how Allah Almighty in Noble Chapter (Surah) 4 He used "daraba (4:34" and "darabtum (4:94)", which are both derived from the same root. He used both words in the same Chapter, which tells me that "daraba" in Noble Verse 4:34 means to desert or leave, since that's what its derived word meant in Noble Verse 4:94. The next section below will further prove my point.

I am sure there are more Noble Verses that used words derived from "daraba" in the Noble Quran, but these are the only ones I know of so far. In the case of Noble Verse 4:34 where Allah Almighty seems to allow men to hit their wives after the two warnings for ill-conduct and disloyalty, it could very well be that Allah Almighty meant to command the Muslims to "leave" the home all together and desert their wives for a long time in a hope that the wives would then come back to their senses and repent.

Noble Verses and Sayings that support the prohibition of any type of wife beating:

The following Noble Verses and Sayings from the Noble Quran and Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him respectively seem to very well support the above interpretation:

"...Do not retain them (i.e., your wives) to harm them...(The Noble Quran, 2:231)"
Narrated Mu'awiyah al-Qushayri: "I went to the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) and asked him: What do you say (command) about our wives? He replied: Give them food what you have for yourself, and clothe them by which you clothe yourself, and do not beat them, and do not revile them. (Sunan Abu-Dawud, Book 11, Marriage (Kitab Al-Nikah), Number 2139)"

Narrated Mu'awiyah ibn Haydah: "I said: Apostle of Allah, how should we approach our wives and how should we leave them? He replied: Approach your tilth when or how you will, give her (your wife) food when you take food, clothe when you clothe yourself, do not revile her face, and do not beat her. (Sunan Abu-Dawud, Book 11, Marriage (Kitab Al-Nikah), Number 2138)"

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: "He who believes in Allah and the Hereafter, if he witnesses any matter he should talk in good terms about it or keep quiet. Act kindly towards woman, for woman is created from a rib, and the most crooked part of the rib is its top. If you attempt to straighten it, you will break it, and if you leave it, its crookedness will remain there. So act kindly towards women. (Translation of Sahih Muslim, The Book of Marriage (Kitab Al-Nikah), Book 008, Number 3468)"
"O ye who believe! Ye are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should ye treat them with harshness, that ye may take away part of the dower [money given by the husband to the wife for the marriage contract] ye have given them, except where they have been guilty of open lewdness; on the contrary live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If ye take a dislike to them it may be that ye dislike a thing, and God brings about through it a great deal of good. (The Noble Quran, 4:19)"

"And among God's signs is this: He created for you mates from amongst yourselves (males as mates for females and vice versa) that you might find tranquillity and peace in them. And he has put love and kindness among you. Herein surely are signs for those who reflect. (The Noble Quran 30:21)"

"Women impure for men impure. And women of purity for men of purity. These are not affected by what people say. For them is forgiveness and an honorable provision. (The Noble Quran 24:26)"

Narrated Abu Huraira: "Allah's Apostle said, 'The strong is not the one who overcomes the people by his strength, but the strong is the one who controls himself while in anger. (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Good Manners and Form (Al-Adab), Volume 8, Book 73, Number 135)"

Narrated Abu Huraira: "A man said to the Prophet , 'Advise me! 'The Prophet said, 'Do not become angry and furious.' The man asked (the same) again and again, and the Prophet said in each case, 'Do not become angry and furious.' (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Good Manners and Form (Al-Adab), Volume 8, Book 73, Number 137)"

Abu Huraira reported: "I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: One is not strong because of one's wrestling skillfully. They said: Allah's Messenger, then who is strong? He said: He who controls his anger when he is in a fit of rage. (Translation of Sahih Muslim, The Book of Virtue, Good Manners and Joining of the Ties of Relationship (Kitab Al-Birr was-Salat-I-wa'l-Adab), Book 032, Number 6314)"

Allah Almighty loves those who restrain anger: "Those who spend (freely), whether in prosperity, or in adversity; who restrain anger, and pardon (all) men; for Allah loves those who do good. (The Noble Quran, 3:134)"

The Prophet forbade striking on the face:

Let us look at the following narrations about Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him:
Narrated Salim: "....Umar said: 'The Prophet forbade beating on the face.' (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Hunting, Slaughtering, Volume 7, Book 67, Number 449)"

Narrated AbuHurayrah: "The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: When one of you inflicts a beating, he should avoid striking the face. (Sunan Abu-Dawud, Book 38, Prescribed Punishments (Kitab Al-Hudud), Number 4478)"

These narrations do not prove the interpretation that wife beating being ok as long as it is not done on the face, because the narrations are general and do not mention any wives. The striking could be done on our children when we discipline them. In this case, the above two narrations would fit perfectly with the situation, because while we can still physically discipline our children, we are not allowed to hit them on the face.

What about the saying about striking the wife lightly on her hand with a siwak?

There is not a single Saying or Noble Verse from Prophet Muhammad or the Noble Quran respectively that mentions any such beating.

A siwak is a small piece of wood that is approximately twice as long as an index finger and as thick as a thumb, which was used 1400 years ago to brush the teeth and the bad breath.
This saying actually belongs to Imam Shafie, and not to Prophet Muhammad. Imam Shafie or Minister Shafie is a popular Muslim scholar that came 100s of years after Prophet Muhammad. I used to have the reference information to his saying about this subject, but unfortunately I lost it. When I find it insha'Allah (if Allah Almighty wills it) I will post it.

Conclusion:

According to the Noble Quran and the Sayings of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him above, wife beating in Islam is definetly prohibited, possibly even in the case where the wife fails after she was warned twice for her ill-conduct and disloyalty.

It is definetly a valid interpretation for Noble Verse 4:34 that Allah Almighty commanded the Muslim men to desert and leave their wives, and not to physically beat them as many scholars believe.

I personally favor this non-violent interpretation, because (1) It is very well supported in Islam as clearly and unquestionably shown above; and (2) It makes more sense and seems more practical in dealing with the bad wife who insists on showing ill-conduct and disloyalty toward her husband and family.

And Allah Almighty knows best, and may He forgive me if I made any mistake here.

A Quick Style Tip

I always get excited when I see a hijab shop or stall and usually end up getting a new scarf but sometimes I get a bit carried away and don't pay full attention to what I'm actually buying. Like yesterday I was looking for a really thin hijab which I found and bought but the fact that the thinner the hijab the more transparent it is seemed to slip my mind until I got home :( anywayyy, the other day I bought a new black hijab but it was on a hanger thing and I failed to notice that it was really narrow so it looks like a tiny Al Amira hijab when you wrap it shayla style so it doesn't give any chest coverage at all :(

..

So I thought I'd just wasted a tenner on two useless hijabs but then I had a eureka moment and put them together and voila!! I've ended up with a look a lot like this but with black underneath and straw-coloured on top:

I put two pins on either side to secure everything in place and I love it! So if you have a few scarves you think are useless as hijabs try putting them together or use one as an undercap, it's fun and you'll probably end up with a couple of new looks :D It turns out two hijab wrongs can make a right after all lol.

Those Long Sleeved Stretch Tops..

Have you ever seen a 'hijabi' who wears a short sleeved dress and pairs it with a long sleeved skin tight top underneath to cover her arms? How is the arm covered and hijabified when you can seen every single tiny lump, bump and curve through the material?! It is soo much more important to cover your entire body shape than your hair so here are some alternatives that are actually modest and I genuinely think they look better, fashion wise, than the horrible skin tight tops anyway!

Here are some formal gowns with models wearing headscarves:

Instead of the top underneath, I would say add a long sleeved bolero, jacket or cardigan over the top. I would personally go for the latter 2 as they will also cover your waist line better. Here are formal gowns modelled but women wearing hijab:

This next picture is soo modest, the dress is a good length and the jeans are loose and un-reaveling. The only problem is the arm covering:

This women is also wearing a dress, but has properly covered her arms (and neck..). And I think the outfit looks so much better:

Now I must say at this point that I don't completely and utterly hate them, in fact I have a few myself! But I use them on dresses with 3/4 length or slightly sheer sleeves and sometimes underneath a top with very loose sleeves so that your arms stay covered even if the outer sleeve rides up. Here are some examples:

I love the last outfit, though I don't like the hijab style very much :S Anyway, next time you get told that one of your hijabi wardrobe essentials is a selection of tight long sleeved tops remember Surat Al Nur and make sure you know exactly how they should be worn and you'll live hijabily ever after :D

University Outfit Idea

You might have gathered that I'm starting university soon (next Friday!) so I've been thinking of potential outfits (never too soon :D) for my first day. Here's one I like:

Hijab Outfit by Zaenab

It's not crazy, I know lol but I want to keep it simple but not typical uni scruffy if you know what I mean. I'm in love with those flats ^-^ Anywayy hope you like it!

I'm Still Alive...

I know I haven't been posting much lately but it's because I moved house over the weekend and there's still loads of stuff to sort out. Also starting uni in 10 days!! Quite scared :S Anywayy just to say, I should be posting again soon and if you have any requests just email me or put it in the comments. And last but certainly not least EID MUBAREK!!!!

Salam

Zaenab xxx

P.S. What a cute abaya?!

An Interesting Hijab Choice

Arghh I'm so bored and my internet is running soooooo slooowwww atm it's drving me mad :-O Anywayy, I finally managed to get the blog open just to post you this lol:

I like the look on the left, not sure about the material choice on the right though, what do you think?

107-year-old Malaysian Hijabi Seeks 23rd Hubby

Check this article out, I don't really know what to make to if apart from it made me chuckle a little.

Hijabi Beginner: Work Wear Request

Modest, non-hijabi/hijabi in training Nafessa has asked me to make a post on work and smart wear as she has a job interview next week. Although she doesn't wear hijab at the moment, she would like to wear it in the future, Insha'Allah, and is very conscious about dressing modestly first.

Now, Nafessa I have made this outfit especially for you but I am not going to make a whole post about smart dress because I have done so many smart hijab fashion articles before so check out the links at the end of this post of previous stuff in the blog!

In this outfit, the shirt is a tunic and the trousers are a wide-leg cut; left open, the cardigan will drape over and cover your figure without making you look swamped. I have added a scarf so that you have the option of completing your look with a smart Turkish style hijab.

Smart Wear by Zaenab

Here are some other posts I have done that you might find useful:

How To Do Smart

A Smart Choice

The Perfect Combination For A Formal Look

I hope that helps Nafeesa and best of luck with your interview, you'll walk it, Insha'Allah!

Happy 1st Birthday Stylish Muslimah

It has been exactly one year today since I started the Stylish Muslimah blog and it's gone sooo fast, it's unbelievable!! This actually also marks the end of my gap year which I have enjoyed working in but am ready to move on and go to university (2nd October!) so you will probably see a lot more outfit sets for uni popping up :) I have made some very slight changes to the blog and have added a search box so that you can look through a whole year of hijab style at the click of a button :D Insha'Allah the second year will bring even more!

Salam Alaykom my lovely stylish sisters!

Around The World Hijab Style: Algeria

By the request of Ellen Mann today's instalment of around the world hijab style is Algeria and I've found some really cute photos:

I'm sure you all recognise her, Al Jazeera news reporter Khadija Ben Genna is Algerian and I love all the different smart outfits she wears with her hijabs, here's one:

Algerian women in abayas, I love the wrap style of the red and white hijab:

I love the loose, casual way they have wrapped their scarves, pink hijab day sorted!

A traditional hijab fashion shop selling Galabiyas in Algeria:

I like the glam abaya on the left:

I think they are outside a school or college, a striking photo with clear contrasts:

Clothes shops:

A mother and daughter? They clearly share hijab styling tips:

There are lots of different styles of hijab in Algeria:

More coming soon, Insha'Allah! If you have a request, email me or put it in the comments :D

Outfit Ideas

I love this outfit!! I found it while clearing out my Stylish Muslimah photo folder as it was getting insanely full :S To make it more casual, you could wear some loose jeans or those loose linen trousers you get in the summer or you could replace the jacket with an oversized on-trend version :D

Long Sleeve Maxi Dresses

I was browsing my faaavorite site ASOS today for some day dresses (they have the best range ever :D check out this post I did a while back about them) and noticed a new and unlikely mini trend: long sleeve maxi dresses..

I do like this one but I'd buy a size up to make sure the fabric isn't too clingy, it only £30.00, I know!!:

Nicole Richie is pictured here wearing the same dress:

I love this, it's £32.00:

But this is my favorite by far, it's also £30.00 :D but unfortunately at the moment all the sizes above 8 (UK) are out or stock :( and I was so ready to order..

Check out ASOS's complete range of day dresses here!