"Sea Of Hijabs" Flowing In The UK:
Friends Of Multi-racial And Colour
05 April 2012By Ahmed Abdullah
My
friend, Anisa from Barbados, who is also a muallaf
(revert) invited me to her house in Tooting, for a
farewell event. The family is going to emigrate to
Cairo, wishing to taste life with an Islamic nuance,
she said.
I was introduced to her friends who are multi-racial
and colour, including pure English women, an Algerian
woman of French nationality, Jamaican, Ethiopian and
Nigerian. Unique indeed.
I was attracted to the appearance of Joana Rowntree, a
native English Muslimah who was wearing a full Muslim
dress. Similar to abaya, loose, gray in colour
with light blue hijab. I greeted her and
introduced myself.
Joanna, an English woman who's about 26 years of age,
has embraced the religion of Islam for only about 3
years. Joanna works as a Medical Researcher for the
Guy Hospital, London Bridge.
She went through a very long spiritual journey. The
story goes that, after finishing High School in the
UK, she did not right away go to university, but
decided to go for an adventurous venture. She believes
that traveling can broaden our horizon.
"Travel can broaden your mind," she said.
She thus registered herself to become a volunteer with
the British Council. Teaching English language was one
of the ways to go overseas, she remembered when
telling the story of how she first reverted to Islam.
"I want to seek experiences by traveling," she
added. Joanna eventually chose Sarawak, Malaysia.
"The place is very far, it is in a village in the
interior of
Borneo island,"
Joanna disclosed while watching her child who has a
blond hair.
"The Malay people are very kind and gentle, I felt
at home there. So much so that I lived there for not
less than 10 months," she added.
So what made her revert to Islam?
One day, while resting, as usual my students
approached me. Normally they would come by giving
salam. Apparently that day, they handed me a small
and thin book.
"Miss.. miss do you know Prophet Muhammad, our Rasul?"
one of them asked, they jostled and each one of them
wanted to get the attention.
"Who is Muhammad?... I don't know," patiently,
Joanna answered their question.
"Here miss.. read this book... there is a history of
our prophet, Muhammad, here," they said presenting
a book about Rasulullah Salallaahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam
(صلى الله عليه و
سلم) to Joanna.
As the book is in Malay language, apparently Joanna
could not understand it much. She had to refuse it
gently so that those children would not get offended.
"....but miss, you are an English language teacher,
you must learn our language, the Malay language. This
is a gift from us and feel free to read it." The
book was accepted by Joanna while feeling amazed,
thinking how kind they were.
Joanna appreciated the gift very much, as if she was
given a special attention by those children, she was
so touched.
It was since then that Joanna was interested in the
religion of Islam. She found herself time to go to
book shops when she was in Kuala Lumpur. The words of
those children kind of left a trace in her heart.
Joanna found out that there are actually many books
about Islam in English. Joanna bought a small
English-Malay dictionary. She thought those kids would
surely love it if they know that she's learning Malay
language. It was since then that Joanna started to get
attracted to Islam until eventually she uttered the
two kalimah of shahadah.
Everywhere
It's a different story with Nini, this woman from
Indonesia, who is also a resident (a settler married
to a British) has a unique story. This employee at a
Department Store has stayed here for quite a long
time, more than 10 years. She was formerly a dancer.
Friendly and vivacious, her friends were everywhere.
After joining a study circle with the Indonesian
students in London, she found something new, she
admitted that she felt happy to be in a comfortable
environment, as well as having obtained many inputs.
One day, a rather drastic change happened. Nina wanted
to wear the hijab. But she only wore it from
home to the study place, and then to the supermarket
or the station. But upon reaching the workplace, she
took it off. There was some kind of a sinful feeling,
but Nina was in the process of fostering her courage.
Every time she attended the study circle, the
triangular shaped pieces of fabric always slipped off
and fell onto her shoulders.
One day, I said to her, "Where are the pins, Nin?"
I helped her to clip them.
"Wow, in fact, you look so beautiful, look in the
mirror, your beauty is even more obvious," I said
convincing her. True indeed, she looks more beautiful
and elegant. She smiled sheepishly, mixed with pride.
"If you have not dared to have it full-time, try it
part-time first, get used to it first, so that we can
have the self-confidence and the people around us are
not surprised," thus was my advice.
One day, she did an observation. She secretly tried to
find out the total number of Muslimahs in her
workplace. She was surprised, apparently the number is
quite big. In the end, every time attending the study
circle, she was busy discussing and telling about her
hijab. Nini finally began to get obsessed with
hijab. In fact, she even asked for advice, when
could she start wearing it to work.
"I am waiting for the moment, give me support..
ok," she added. "I'm afraid of getting fired,"
she said, apparently anxious. And I calmed her by
explaining that faiths are protected by the law. Just
like the Jews in this place, who also wear something
on their heads.
Once day, Nini took a day-off, she invited her friends
for coffee. Of course, she's wearing hijab. At
the time of going back home, she suddenly veered
towards her workplace to just say hello to her
colleagues. Apparently she forgot that she was wearing
hijab. Of course, all of her colleagues were
surprised. Coincidentally her supervisor who is Muslim
was also there.
"Ooh..I didn't know you wear hijab, Nin," he
said. She blushed while saying that she does wear
hijab.
"Why don't you wear it to work," he challenged.
"Really? Can I wear hijab to work?," as if she
could not believe hearing the offer which is valued as
very exciting.
"Well of course you can.. I will talk to my manager
and I am sure you have the right in this country,"
he assured .
The feeling of joy in Nini's heart could not be
imagined that day. She got the full support from her
supervisor. She went home in strides that felt so very
light. She felt like shouting to the sky. Now Nini
wears hijab to work, where the colours are
matched with the uniform.
Interestingly, it was said that her move was later
followed by a number of Muslimahs who all these years
were hiding in their hiding places.
And as usual, the friends and companions who used to
go to the discotheque or gather for fun with her, one
by one distanced themselves from Nini.
Spat At
One day, I got to know a woman named Jennifer, just
call sister Jane. She is a muallaf whom I knew
in front of the French Embassy, during a demo about
hijab. Next thing we knew, we became good friends.
One day, through the telephone, she told me about her
belief.
"As I have already professed the shahadah, which
implies my witness and acceptance of the existence of
Allah the One, as well as my witness that Prophet
Muhammad is Allah's Messenger, then this is a
commitment and my promise. Meaning, I cannot just take
half-and-half. I have to take whole, including wearing
the hijab of course," she said.
In the early period of her reversion to Islam,
Jennifer didn't know how to wear hijab. She
bought two head scarves and then draped it over her
head.
By wearing hijab, she claimed to be feeling
more secure in the streets, without attracting the
attention of the males who always think that women are
sex objects.
"I feel free from the pressure to compete for
beauty. I could then be more simple in appearance,"
she disclosed.
Nevertheless, there are also those who stare with
different kinds of look,but Jane doesn't care.
"When I wear the hijab I feel the warmth in my
heart and soul. There is the peaceful and secure
feeling, even though I feel that I still have not been
able to fulfill His commandments, I am afraid that I
have not yet been able to obtain His pleasure,"
said Jennifer.
I, Joanna, Nini and Jane and the Muslimahs in the UK
(and the other European countries) indeed are very
fortunate, in general the people are quite democratic,
protecting our choice to wear hijab.
Indeed, the hijab does not come and approach the
females in the UK at an instant or all of a sudden.
Though there are certain Muslimahs who suddenly wished
to wear hijab, but generally it is due to the
influence from friends.
Nevertheless, just to drape a piece of cloth over our
heads in this country requires its own "jihad".
When a big incident happened in the UK, the 7th July
(the case of a bombing in the Subway) for example, it
forced the Muslimahs to take extra precautions. Not a
few Muslimahs became the public targets. In the
streets, the Muslimahs were insulted, spat at or
shouted at, ‘Hey terrorist' or receiving other
unpleasant treatments. But for those who know the
situation of the country, they will understand. Even
my child could say, "Just ignore them mum, they are
just so ignorant."
According to the data, the number of Muslim population
in the United Kingdom at this time is around 2.8
million (4.6 percents of the total population). The
United Kingdom has the third largest Muslim community
in the European continent, after Germany and France.
The Muslims can be found everywhere, including the
Friday prayer worshipers that spilled out onto the
streets.
And hijab is now a part of the community in the
United Kingdom as a diverse nation; whether in terms
of nationality, ethnicity or religion, as well as
color. You can see hijab everywhere, flowing.
Except in Bromley, especially in my village in
Pettswood.
I sometimes think, "Ah, maybe it is only me with
hijab, where incidentally the population are 98.5%
white/English." Only that, I feel, the people
around me do not feel threatened by my presence.
Though a minority, I keep blending in, not isolating
myself from the people around, while displaying our
Islamic akhlaq.
My do'a and from you I hope, is that, I and the
other Muslimahs in the UK remain istiqomah in
upholding the commandment to cover the awrah
like in Surah al-Ahzab: 59, "O Prophet, tell
your wives and your daughters and the women of the
believers to bring down over themselves [part] of
their outer garments. That is more suitable that they
will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah
Forgiving and Merciful." [QS. 33:59].
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