When I remember the story I am about to narrate, I usually feel a sting in my heart. Infact, I think it would be more befitting if I should cry.
This is what happened about 7 to 8 years ago:
I was in class once. The class had either free time or the teacher still wasnt here.. I really dont remember. What I do remember is everyone in the class was Muslim.
Beside me waswas..well, this sister. I really didnt know her much. Infact, other than her name, I knew almost nothing about her. Yet, I would still consider her as a friend.
She was very quiet and didnt participate in class. The sister was very modest. She wore a hijab and a loose garment. She use to wear her hijab so beautifully, a large scarf that she would cover her shoulders, back and bosoms with. I remember that clearly because the other girls didnt wear it like that.
Unlike the other girls wearing hijab, she didnt have her hoop earnings sticking out, she didnt pluck her eyebrows, didnt giggle with the boys whenever she had the chance, didnt hang out with the boys afterschool, didnt talk about the latest hip-hop song that was out, wasnt loud and etc.
She didnt tie her hijab to the back but covered her chest, she didnt try to get the boys attention, she didnt wear eye-liner and heavy lip gloss like the rest of the girls.
One day as I sat, a couple of boys next to us were talking about girls, I think they were talking about hooking up with girls from the class, or who they would like to hook up with.. again, my memory is fuzzy. Among the boys, there was one boy who was very loud.
One boy, mentioned that sisters name to the loud boyas a cruel joke.
As soon as the name was mentioned, the boy started screaming and shouthing in protest, EEEWWW !!! Shut up !!!! Shut up !!!
Ha ha ha ha !!! EEWW Man, dont play like that !!!
EW, Her !
Yo, she got a messed up face ! Her face is messed up !!!
He repeated something like this a couple of times, in front of everyone
Of course the sister heard.
Some boys were laughing. I think even some girls were laughing, also. Not sure if anyone objected. I dont remember all the details.
Infact, even I stayed quiet.
During the silence, I noticed that she was crying
She was crying, and she had her face covered with her hands. She tried to be as quiet as possible, but I heard her
She hunched her back, put her head down as low as it could have gone, and wept. When I looked at her that there were a lot of tears…
The boy noticed she was crying. The words of comfort he had for her was, Yo, just chill. Just chill.
The most awful part of the story as I think about it is that the boy who humiliated her in the class was also a Muslim.
I stared aheadwith a black expression, and then looked at him.
Yo, just chill. Just chill, he repeated.
Now that I recall, I wish I had said something.
Its sad that the sister who dressed the most modestly got dismissed in class as being ugly. May Allaah make all her affairs easy
In this ignorant society, we are fooled to think that the women who are lacking modesty is valuable.
My message:
Dont ever in your life get fooled to think that the value and worth of a woman is in her beauty.
The true value of a woman rests in her level of taqwa and good deeds, not in her
transient worldly earnings.
( The Ideal Muslimah, by: Muhammad al Hashimi)
