Modesty vs. Beauty

Many Muslims & Non-Muslims alike share the same mistaken belief that Muslim women overlook (or should overlook) external beauty.

Some believe Muslim women are prevented from beautifying and adorning themselves by law and emotional enforcement. The appearance of a veiled woman purchasing skirts and dresses, or seeing a lady in a Hijab at the leisure centre often puzzles them.

Others believe it is something they do not feel the need to do as they are more or less fully covered in public for long periods of the day.  Whilst women are not just objects for the world to stare at with lust and envy, there is no reason that women cannot beautify themselves.  Underneath those modest garments they can still dress up in style wearing beautiful and fashionable clothes, amazing jewellery, make-up and gorgeous hairstyles; for their husband, family, friends…and of course, themselves.

Unfortunately there are many Muslim women who fall for the incorrect belief that beauty should be overlooked. We felt a strong need to write an article on this matter after stumbling across extreme opposites far too often.

The Battle…

The lady who devotes all her time, effort and money on beautification in the form of make-up, clothing & spa treatments, completely disregarding her spiritual development vs. the woman who seems to be so ‘spiritually devoted’ that she forgets about the importance of cleanliness, physical beauty and attraction; all of which form a very important part of our Deen.

Let’s not underestimate the importance of looking presentable & glamorous.

Undoubtedly there is nothing wrong with lounging around in super comfortable house clothes with your hair out of place looking untidy, so long as that doesn’t become the norm. Making an effort to look neat and presentable has its obvious benefits:

• ·      You naturally feel better about yourself
• ·      You feel refreshed
• ·      Through building physical attraction you are able to maintain a beautiful relationship with your spouse. Some often make the mistake of glamorizing their outer appearance for the general public to see on a daily basis to then come home, remove their make-up and throw on some scruffy lounge clothes. If anyone deserves to see you at you best – it’s your husband! That’s not to say you should plaster yourself in make-up and tons of accessories. Wearing nice clothes, styling your hair a little, adding a tiny bit of eyeliner, warm blush, some fresh fragrance and a delicate necklace every now and then is just as good. It really boils down to personal preference.

In contrast to the above beliefs, there are Muslim women who maintain a wonderful balance; they are fashionable, love to shop, they’re interested in glamour, love to look their absolute best, and they beautify and pamper themselves. They are healthy, they eat good food, workout regularly and have an active lifestyle. In addition to this they are constantly striving to better themselves spiritually by seeking and implementing knowledge, holding on firmly to their Deen. They are active within their communities, play an important role in nurturing those around them and are constantly giving.

They key is…Balance.

Balance.

We must not get carried away with our external beauty so much so that we forget about our inner beauty and purification.

Know your limits.

Have self-respect, be mindful about how you dress and carry yourself in public. We must remain modest and humble, not attracting any unnecessary attention or degrade ourselves.

Remain vigilant.

So here’s something that you need to know about Inayah:

Inayah will be offering a full wardrobe for outdoor + indoor + occasional wear. In contrast to what people may think, it is not the items or garments themselves that are ‘inappropriate’, it is how, where and when they are worn. So for anyone who thinks we are here to promote women adorned top to bottom on the streets, that is certainly not the case.

Please read carefully.

Inayah offers uncompromised practical clothing to include, rather than exclude, wider audiences. We know that many companies isolate large numbers of women that are perhaps not prepared for the overnight leap into a total change to their dress code.

The best transitions are those done regularly with pure intentions.

Modesty.

Beauty.

Beautiful Modesty.

Modestly beautiful.