Formal Egyptian Hijab Fashion Gowns

Have a special occasion coming up? Get some inspiration from these Egyptian formal gown and veil designs. Apparently hoop skirts are back. Lots of embellishment on the dresses and light chiffon crystal veil designs.

*most appropriate for Mahram/ladies events like weddings, henna parties etc.
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New Fashion Hijab Styles by Marwa Hamed - Egyptian Hijab Fashion part 7

Just a quick post with some pretty new hijab fashion designs by Marwa Hamed - Egyptian Veil Artist. Great ideas for your next henna party or wahlimah. I love the turban-style wraps that are becoming popular. Very chic. Enjoy!


*As with most hijab fashion style posts, these pics are more appropriate for ladies/Mahram events. Styles should be augmented to meet the conditions for hijab.

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Real Naseeha and the "Holier than Thou" Attitude

As Muslim Sisters we are called to enjoin good and forbid evil. We all know this. But, when it comes to the art to offering and receiving Naseeha, a lot of hijabs can get ruffled in the process. I use the term “offering” because lately in our Ummah it seems that anytime some good-intentioned Sister does so (who may suffer from the inability to determine appropriate timing,) she ends up having her offering thrown right back in her face – along with a string of insults and accusations. The usual ones heard coming from the back of the Masala are: “When was the last time you made Witr prayer?”, or “You don’t always wear proper hijab.” Or even better, “ Please, everyone knows you don’t eat Thabiha! Who are you to tell me that Im doing something wrong?”. The abayas really seem to fly when this topic comes up.

So often our immediate reaction to someone pointing out our faults (whether they are right or wrong Islamically speaking) is to find every fault and sin possible in the Sister and essentially call her a hypocrite. Yes, it is our duty to give Naseeha. But if our intention is wrong, meaning that we want to make ourselves look good, we want to embarrass someone, we want to prove that we are right and they are wrong, we want to “win” the argument...whatever....THAT IS NOT NASEEHA. Correcting someone in public ( I.e. Publicly chastising a fellow Sister– even in a sweet tone!) whether it is in the Mosque, at school, at the mall, at the gym, or even on her Facebook or Myspace wall is Ta-eer, not Naseeha.

The “Holier than Thou” attitude really comes into play when someones pride can get hurt. More so – being corrected or humbled by someone that we believe is somehow “less” than us in terms of faith, intelligence, behavior, material means, knowledge, or what have you - is embarrassing to say the least. But I think the real questions that come into play here are: Why do you think you're better? What was their intention in giving you Naseeha? And – How can we learn to accept Naseeha with humility and grace?

Watch this video and see how the lady of the house treats her cook, do you think she would accept Naseeha from her?




In this video the lady of the house abuses her cook in front of her guests. Clearly she has status, fine clothes, many friends and great wealth. If her cook came and offered her sincere Naseeha, would her heart accept it? Would yours? Her pride and arrogance are clearly getting in her way keeping her from showing mercy. Would they not also block her ability to receive honest Islamic advice? While we may not be rich, we may perceive other attributes of ourselves to be better than others. Too good to be given Naseeha by “certain people.” Indeed pride will only be our downfall.

“Anyone who possesses half a mustard seed of Pride (kibr) in his heart will not be granted admission to Paradise. And anyone who possesses half a mustard seed of Iman will not enter the (Eternal) Fire.” [Muslim]

So how can we really open ourselves up to accepting Naseeha?

First – Take your pride and arrogance and flush it. Arrogance is an attribute of al Shaytan ir Rajeem. We dont need it. It has no place in our faith. Although it is really hard, we must put aside our perceived status and keep in mind that the only status that counts is our Iman-o-meter! Don't let it run on low because you refuse to accept Naseeha. One would hope that the Sister offering it would do it kindly and gently in secret, with the utmost sincerity and care for the feelings of the other person, avoiding embarrassment and chastisement, picking the appropriate time and circumstance, putting aside any personal issues of superiority or “Holier than Thou” attitudes and hopefully getting the context and Fiqh correct – Insha Allah :).

Second – Read some “heart softeners”. Read about instances from the Life of the Prophet(sws ) or the Sahaba (ra) and how they showed mercy and kindness to one another, and even to their enemies. Concentrate on opening your heart to kindess and compassion. Practice being compassionate to others, just as you would be to your own child.

Third – Take stock of your own spiritual life. This can be a fairly weighty task, but since we arnt Buddhist or Hindu and believe that this life is our only shot, it is worth sitting down and taking some time to really look at your faith. Do you have prayers or fasting to make up? Have you paid all your zakat? Could you be giving more in Sadaqa? Do you have old grudges that you should let go of? If you have all your prayers, what about starting Witr prayer? Fasting Mondays and Thursdays? You get the idea.

Fourth – Ask Forgivness from Allah(swt),and seek refuge in Him. He knows all that we think, experience and do. Who better than Him (swt) to cleanse our hearts and minds of pride? Insha Allah he will open us up to truly being able to give and receive Naseeha as it was intended.

So I guess the conclusion is: Fear Allah(swt) to the point where you will accept Naseeha from a child. Be truly humble and open to accepting it from anyone before you expect others to accept it from you.

For more info please read: http://www.saqibsaab.com/2007/11/15/lowlier-than-thou-naseeha-tips-from-ibn-rajab/

Taken with permission from The Musing Muslima. :)

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Red Khaliji Abaya Fashion Styles

Arn't Khaliji designs so ornate and gorgeous? You just feel like a queen wearing one of their abayas or caftans because they are so regal and elegant. I love busting these out for dinners and family get-togethers. Enough said. So this is my little meditation on red abayas/caftans :)


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Must- Haves for Spring!

The above image are the Hijabifashionista's Must-Haves for spring. I think that clothing is a great way to express oneself, so I definetly wouldn't tell you exactly what to wear. I'm just reporting what's fashionable at the mo. I've chosen general pieces so there's room for your individual style. For example ,I say totes, you say yellow. Or maybe black! Whatever you like...

These must haves are definately all applicable for sisters in abaya. 

1- Sunglasses. Don't shy behind those simple shades. DO IT BEHIND FUN ONES! Just kidding. Go for the bold, retro look. Everyone looks good in sunglasses, and they're great for a quick winter to spring outfit makeover. So the next time you're shopping for these, don't hesitate to try on the crazy orange spotted ones you would have never picked up before! 

2 - Totes! This season, think... COLOR. Large bags are great for everything - from a little makeup and phone to work documents. I've personally been holding my clutch everywhere, and I'm def. on the search for a bright one!

3 - Kicks! Put on those strappy sandals, those bright heels, and most def. those gladiator sandals! It's hard to show off a bland heel under long trousers when all the other women are in flouncy skirts and delicious dresses, but your friends won't miss those bright yellow heels regardless how large a flare/ skirt you wear! (Don't go crazy with the flare.. but I'll get to that). 

4 - Soft Make- up! If you're into make up, hunt down those soft hues for an everyday look, and colors like coral, pink, and red lips for the more formal events. Eyes - go bold with blue eyeliner (that's what I'm wearing), yellow eye shadow, and and and............. 

5 - Scarves! Sisters, don't spend your money buying a scarf in every color! Make sure you have your neutrals, and then buy one or two bright ones for that saturday out with your friends!

I'm glad to be back,

<3

Learning to Let Go - Forgiveness and Moving On

Letting go of the past or a bad experience can seem like one of the hardest most insurmountable things.. Whether you were at fault or not, that broken record of the event(s) keeps going around and around over the scenario in your head. How could i have handled that differently? Why was she so mean? Why are they spreading Ghriba or Botan about me? Did they think i was gossiping about her?....and on and on it goes. That never ending cycle of thought that disrupts your life day after day.

Not only is it mentally exhausting but this state of near obsession can be psychologically debilitating as well. Unfortunately with this often comes anger, frustration and anxiety not far behind. All of these negative feelings serve to do one thing: Disrupt your ability to worship Allah(swt) and devote your life to attaining His Good Pleasure.

"Anger spoils Faith, just as vinager spoils honey." -Prophet Mohammad (sws) Indeed, i think its safe to say the same about frustration, obsession and anxiety. Letting go, especially when you were injured or hurt by someone else may not come easily and the grudge that you carry against the other party will grow and fester. At first, you may be able to control your tongue around others, but then as the anger eats away at you, after a while "innocently confiding" in a close friend seems completely acceptable and a great way to get all that frustration and irritation off your chest. The problem is, that the moment you utter a word about the other person that they wouldn't like said about them, you've made Ghriba, or worse Botan. On top of that, complaining about them and your situation becomes addictive, and the weight that you thought you were throwing off, actually becomes heavier. I'm referring to the spiritual weight of the sin of backbiting your Sister.

This short video showing what really happens metaphorically when we backbite illustrates my point:

Truly, backbiting, even out of frustration or anger will only hurt you, and will not help alleviate your stress. Even something as simple as saying: “Oh Maskeena!” - (meaning pathetic or pitiful ) about your Sister could be backbiting! So what can you do to help yourself let go and not incur more sin in the process?

Letting Go and Moving On – Several steps that will help you in your quest for absolution and freedom from this burden.

1. Seeking Forgiveness – whether your part in the incident was large or small, seeking forgiveness from anyone whom you may have hurt is vital for your spiritual well being and for being able to move on. Not seeking forgiveness, even from someone that you really don't like, will only hang over your head, and keep you from freeing yourself of the burden. While it probably wont be the most enjoyable experience, it is cathartic to humble oneself from time to time. View it as a rehearsal for the Day of Judgment. Forgiveness goes along with letting go. You wont be truly free of the experience until you have obtained that spiritual clemency.

2. Forgiving the other party – Be merciful. It is just as important to try to forgive the other person(s) involved. Withholding forgiveness will only keep you stuck in the past. Even if you really think that they don't deserve your forgiveness, do it anyway. Put yourself in their shoes. You would want forgiveness from them if you were the transgressor. Take that opportunity to show mercy! For those who show mercy to one another, Allah(swt) will show mercy to them as well, Insha Allah.

3. Look at this as just another learning experience. A chance to improve yourself. Insha Allah the next time you are in a similar situation, you will know how to handle it with ease.

4. And finally and most importantly, Seek Forgiveness from Allah(swt) for in Him your true respite lies. You will only be able to truly move on if you make Dua' to Allah and ask for mercy from Him. For only He can heal your wounds, and forgive your transgressions.

Say: "O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah. For Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."- Qur'an, 39:53.

*This post was taken with permission from The Musing Muslima Blog. :)
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Reham Farouq - Hijab Fashion Designs

Take a spin around the abaya fashion block in one of Reham Farouk's beautiful designs! Some are just fashion pics, but i love the modest, yet feminine styles and fabric choices!

Need Hijabs to create these looks?

Buy them here!

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