Tabarruj in Hijab

The Context

A sister had posted about noticing a trend towards beautifying hijab.

For the purposes of this article, we’ll refer to the covering of the hair alone (as opposed to covering the face) as "hijab." In actuality, hijab is a term which encompasses much more than a strip of cloth on the head, but that is a post for another time, in sha’ Allah.

The Commentary

I understand what you’re saying. I found that when I was wearing just hijab, I had to actively stop myself from participating in this game of beautifying myself, as though I owe beauty to world simply because I’m a woman. In a work setting, meeting with clients, it can be extremely difficult to put that kind of indoctrination to the side and remind yourself that this is for Allah alone.

I found niqab to be incredibly freeing, especially in this sense. It shuts down that entire conversation so that everyone is forced to contend with who I am rather than how I look. It opts me out of the game entirely; I’m not competing with anyone. Others are competing for my attention, and I’m stingy about where I give it. My time is precious because I will be asked about it and I don’t want to waste it on frivolous small talk, making myself up every morning for the benefit of others, etc.

I find that because of the world we live in, where most people don’t understand what full, complete hijab entails and even fewer people practice it (on the part of both genders), it’s incredibly difficult to wear hijab and not still get sucked into the things that have been added onto it. Hijab "styles," makeup with hijab, hijab fashion. These are all things designed to draw the eye, and the hijab is designed to turn it away, so it’s a contradiction in terms.