Ustadha Marjaan Ali, Ustadha Tuscany Bernier, and Zainab bint Younus talk (almost) all things niqab! In today’s context, wearing niqab is more controversial than ever… whether it’s because of Islamophobia from nonMuslim society, to Muslims who think that niqab isn’t even a part of Islam, it’s always difficult to navigate. And that’s not even dealing with the struggles of trying to eat a burger with niqab when you’re going out to eat!

From dealing with family pressures, finicky fabrics, and people who demand to know WHY you’re wearing niqab, these three niqabis have got you covered. These niqabi pro tips will answer questions you didn’t even know you had!

Ustadha Tuscany Bernier is a convert from rural Indiana who has graduated from both Mishkah University and Tayseer Seminary. She has spoken at several universities and masaajid across the United States, and enjoys life with her husband and three cats.

Ustadha Marjaan Ali is a haafidhah of the Qur’an with ijaazah in the Qira’aat Ashara Sughra and Kubra and is a graduate from Taibah university in Madinah with a bachelors in Quranic sciences. She has more than 10 years of experience teaching and doing Dawah. She lives in Dallas with her husband and two cats. 

Related:

So You Want To Wear Niqab? Top Tips To Getting Started

Niqabi In A Chocolate Shop: A Niqab Story

The post Podcast: Niqabi Pro Tips Unveiled | Ustadha Marjaan Ali & Ustadha Tuscany Bernier appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Dressing modestly can be very expensive! Between the rising prices of “hijabi fashion” stores (online and offline), trying to avoid fast fashion, and genuinely seeking to uphold Islamic standards of hijaab in dressing, Muslim women struggle with the challenges of purchasing modest clothing. Are there other options beyond shelling out hundreds of dollars for an assortment of abayas, dresses, and hijabs? Turns out, there is! Cue the launch of Hijabae Designs, the first modest resale shop in Canada (and possibly in North America!).

In this episode, Zainab bint Younus speaks to Shifaa Syed, the entrepreneur behind the first hijabi thrift shop, on launching the first hijabi thrift store in Canada, making modesty accessible to all Muslim women, and considering Islamic ethics vis a vis sustainable fashion.

Related:

Earth Day Vogue – How Choosing Our Brands Can Save Lives And Our Planet

Why We Need to Rethink How We Shop

The post [Podcast] Sustainable Modesty with the First Hijabi Thrift Store appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

To our wonderful readers, please let us know of any updates about orders being fulfilled. Are missing orders without any refunds still an ongoing issue?

Related Reading:

Annah Hariri Exposé: Thousands Of Customers Accuse Fraud

The post Audio Article: Customers Accuse Annah Hariri of Fraud appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Amina Kapiat, a New York resident, was forgiving when Turkey-based modest fashion company Annah Hariri said her $200 order would be delayed by a few weeks. 

But when weeks turned into a little over a year-and-a-half of delays, Kapiat started to ask questions. She heard nothing.

Like Kapiat, hundreds of customers around the world — particularly in the United Kingdom and United States — say they have not received orders from a company that markets itself as fair trade and an ethical  alternative to fast fashion.

In some cases, refunds on items — which have an average cost of $100 — were requested and never received.

“No dresses. No money. No response,” a customer who spent $700 on an order, told MuslimMatters.

The company was founded by Annah Hariri and her husband in 2012. Hariri, a convert of Eastern European descent, turned a dress-making hobby into a business with orders across the globe. The company also employs 150 refugees on its 300-member staff roster.

The issue has emulsified from a seemingly small subset of customers to a growing number of issues. The Turkish Embassy in London has been fielding some complaints — some of which were resolved when the embassy contacted the company. 

Annah Hariri did not respond to multiple requests for comment from MuslimMatters on the issue. A former employee who asked to remain anonymous said issues caused by the pandemic have been resolved, but customer complaints suggest otherwise.

Nearly 2,000 unsatisfied customers from around the world formed a Facebook group chronicling a familiar narrative: Orders placed up to two years ago went unfulfilled. Despite reassurances from customer service that the order would arrive and was simply delayed to the COVID-19 pandemic, orders were marked as fulfilled or simply not delivered. 

When issues first started in March of 2020, some customers like Samia Ali empathized with the company — which says it values fair trade and slow fashion — and agreed to wait for orders.

Ali, a New Mexico based social media influencer, continued to support the company publicly on her social media platforms, assuming that her order was taking time because of business woes that deserved some sympathy. 

But when her order remained incomplete for more than a year, Ali said she notified her followers about long standing issues with the company. 

“Unfortunately, due to continuous lies by Annah Hariri, me and hundreds of other women have lost hundreds of dollars. Annah Hariri continues to function as normal on social media platforms… I am disappointed, hurt and appalled by a company who continues to take advantage of vulnerable women without any protection from an entity that holds businesses responsible in the country,” she said.

Most credit card companies declined to offer refunds due to fraud because requests are made more than six months after the order is placed. Like Ali, customers waited too long to file a fraud claim with credit or debt issuers.

Some customers told MuslimMatters that they’ve been blocked from social media channels when they’ve called out the company for what they consider fraud. 

As a result, customers are left with little to no avenues for respite.

Girls, don’t ever purchase anything from ANNAH HARIRI. Biggest scam, I ordered items almost a year ago and they have not even shipped them. I can’t even get a refund for my items or contact their customer service team.

— أ (@axpali) December 3, 2020

In August 2020, founder Annah Hariri said that the pandemic disrupted the supply chain. She moved to a new factory in order to implement social distancing safely, her thread-supplier stopped operating for 20 days due to a rise on COVID-19 cases, and the company that dyes fabrics threatened to close due to a lack of orders, prompting Hariri to pump out more fabric for the dye company. 

Each disruption resulted in a two-week delay. 

At the time, Hariri said 8,000 orders remained unfulfilled. A company update from May says that a number of countries — excluding the U.S. and UK — are experiencing delays.

“I know guys that you are sad and disappointed because of delays and I feel you and that’s why I’m here giving more details,” Hariri said in a Facebook video in the summer of 2020. 

Note from the editor-in-chief, 1/4/22 @ 5:30 pm EST: The linked Facebook video has been removed from the Annah Hariri Facebook page. A different video from November 2018 on YouTube explains the company’s order fulfillment process (pre-pandemic.)

She said she was unwilling to stop receiving orders in order to fill the back log because of the negative impact on her staff, particularly refugees.

“This is the time where I’m tested,” she said. 

Since then, company representatives have offered a hodgepodge of reasons for continuing delays.

In April, the company said it was “fully back on track and working hard to fulfill all the pending orders.” Some customers received partial orders in the last three to five months. 

Others have criticized the company for continuing to mount an aggressive social media campaign for  new dresses while orders remain unfulfilled. 

Increasingly, more complaints from different countries are pouring in. 

This Annah Hariri guy is not normal. Lati last year, no news, no delivery, nothing nothing. Na so so place your order before Eid I just dey see. Abeg how can I get my stuff from her?

— Roffy$ (@RofiahAyeola) May 22, 2021

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission encourages U.S. residents to report fraud or deception via its website. 

“Speaking generally (and not about any particular company or entity) the FTC brings many cases every year against companies that it alleges have engaged in unfair or deceptive marketing and advertising,’ Peter Kaplan, the commission’s deputy director of public affairs told MuslimMatters.

Customers are encouraged to contact the commercial offices of Turkish embassies where the order is placed for assistance.

Other companies like Niswa Fashion, an Illinois-based modest fashion company, have also not been insulated by the pandemic, which has wreaked havoc on supply chains and brought businesses to the dust. Local USPS carriers have encountered significant delays. 

A company representative for Niswa Fashion told MuslimMatters that despite challenges, the business prides itself in shipping timely orders and strong customer service that is responsive to all requests in a timely manner. 

“We believe it’s important to try to notify and keep customers aware as much as possible and to respond to all inquiries so they are kept up to date about what is going on with their order for their assurance,” the representative said. “And that although a delay may happen, we’ll make sure to keep checking throughout the process as well.”

Speaking generally, Minnesota-based Shaykh Mohamed Hussein, who has expertise in Islamic finance and business affairs, noted that the Islamic principles of transactions should be maintained in good and bad times.

“The markets are cyclical but our principles cannot waiver. At core of these business practices is fulfilling our contracts and not causing harm. This includes hoarding in times of extreme need. If a business is structured in such a way that it  cannot fulfill its promises in trying times, the model requires review. Challenging circumstances do not permit us to violate our mutual rights” Hussein noted. 

Annah Hariri continues to market its 10-year anniversary sale actively on social media. 

A countdown on the company’s homepage says a year-end sale ends in a few hours. 

It resets the next day.

The post Annah Hariri Exposé: Thousands Of Customers Accuse Fraud appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

I will say, I was definitely in the wrong to respond to someone I didn’t personally know. Somehow I thought her 105K followers gave her credibility. 

I was gravely mistaken. 

I opened the direct message. 

She had sent me a message complimenting me. This wasn’t new to me because I often get messages with compliments about my appearance from friends — we are teenagers. However, the stark difference was that I didn’t know this person at all. (I came to learn that these types of messages can go under the category of grooming). After complimenting me, she asked whether I had ever considered modeling for a hijab and abaya company. 

I replied, saying that if I had more details I’d consult with my parents and give her an answer the next morning; to which she responded demanding she must have an answer the same night as she had other offers to make. 

I then went to ask my mother. Mama was sick with the flu, quite woozy, but despite her state she said,

“this sounds like a scam to me…”.

I decided to play along with it and test her. 

I told @samahnation to tell me more and how I could verify her and her company. She then sent me numerous copied and pasted answers —hecka long— about how I could trust her; how the company would pay me and how they will still make money in the meantime. 

Thankfully, I was apprehensive during the entire ordeal, but as you can see, this type of manipulation is so real and possible for young women and girls to fall prey. This experience was honestly quite scary and jarring for me. I was so easily distracted by what she was portraying herself as on her profile. She had a GoFundMe for a masjid in her bio and posts of photos depicting her love for her baby.

I began to do some research. I stumbled upon an article about a ‘Hijab House’ model scam. Using the title of ‘consultant director’ for a well-known hijab company, Hijab House, predators were allegedly preying on young girls in Australia. Hijab House has denied any link to this scam. 

The predator went as far as to blackmail and pressure their victims into sending nude photos, or doing crazy things like smelling shoes! Eerily enough, @samahnation’s Instagram bio stated that she was based in Melbourne, Australia.

The more I engaged with this predator, the more ludicrous their responses and questions got. And this happened within the span of 24 hours. 

She went as far as to ask me if I would answer questions for a survey, saying all that mattered was honesty and that the purpose of the survey was to make me uncomfortable to see if I “won’t fall under pressure.”

Clearly, this last statement about being a speech analysis specialist was a complete fabrication. Again, may I reiterate that even older people can fall prey. You don’t have to be young and impressionable, these manipulative perpetrators will do anything to get what they want.

As shown below, the situation reached an obscene level of ridiculousness. You can see clear attempts to gaslight me and pressure me into answering or changing my stance on my replies.

This was the last thing I said to the predator before I blocked and reported them in an attempt to get them caught. Observe how as soon as I called this person out they immediately became defensive and tried to manipulate me into thinking that what they were doing and asking me was completely normal- that I was the crazy one for asking for proof. 

Unfortunately, this is just the tip of the iceberg. They had asked me questions I found too lewd to even answer or take screenshots of.

This bizarre encounter was honestly astonishing. I do not even know if I was talking to a man or a woman.

Alhamdullilah, I am so glad because even if I was a little bit gullible, I was aware enough about predatory behavior that I didn’t fall victim to this perpetrator. I am especially grateful for my mother, who has educated me about predators like this from a very young age; whom even in her drowsy state was able to tell me it was a preposterous scam.

I could have been blackmailed.

Talk to your parents or a trusted adult

I am grateful for having an open channel of communication, that my relationship with my mother is based on trust and I could go to her when this occurred. This is a reminder and a learning opportunity for all of us how these scary things can happen to anyone. We must learn how to take caution and protect ourselves and our (underage) loved ones against such situations.

Sis, please talk to your parents. They love you and will be your first line of defense.

Grooming

Grooming is a very common tactic online predators use to gain the trust of their victim. According to InternetSafety101, young people put themselves at great risk by communicating online with individuals they do not know on a personal level. “Internet predators intentionally access sites that children commonly visit and can even search for potential victims by location or interest.

If a predator is already communicating with a child, he or she can piece together clues from what the child mentions while online, including parents’ names, where the child goes to school, and how far away the child lives from a certain landmark, store, or other location.
Online grooming is a process which can take place in a short time or over an extended period of time. Initial conversations online can appear innocent, but often involve some level of deception. As the predator (usually an adult) attempts to establish a relationship to gain a child’s trust, he may initially lie about his age or may never reveal his real age to the child, even after forming an established online relationship. Often, the groomer will know popular music artists, clothing trends, sports team information, or another activity or hobby the child may be interested in, and will try to relate it to the child.”

These tactics lead children and teens to believe that no one else can understand them or their situation like the groomer. After the child’s trust develops, the groomer may use sexually explicit conversations to test boundaries and exploit a child’s natural curiosity about sex. Predators often use pornography and child pornography to lower a child’s inhibitions and use their adult status to influence and control a child’s behavior.

They also flatter and compliment the child excessively and manipulate a child’s trust by relating to emotions and insecurities and affirming the child’s feelings and choices.

Predators will:

* Prey on teen’s desire for romance, adventure, and sexual information.
* Develop trust and secrecy: manipulate child by listening to and sympathizing with child’s problems and insecurities.
* Affirm feelings and choices of child.
* Exploit natural sexual curiosities of child.
* Ease inhibitions by gradually introducing sex into conversations or exposing them to pornography.
* Flatter and compliment the child excessively, send gifts, and invest time, money, and energy to groom the child.
* Develop an online relationship that is romantic, controlling, and upon which the child becomes dependent.
* Drive a wedge between the child and his/her parents and friends.
* Make promises of an exciting, stress-free life, tailored to the youth’s desire.
* Make threats, and often will use child pornography featuring their victims to blackmail them into silence.”

Gaslighting 

Another interesting observation I made is the clear gaslighting this pedophile was trying to perpetuate throughout my conversation with them. You may ask what is gas lighting? 

According to Psychology Today, gaslighting is a tactic in which a person or entity, in order to gain more power, makes a victim question their reality. It works much better than you may think. “Anyone is susceptible to gaslighting, and it is a common technique of abusers, dictators, narcissists, and cult leaders. It is done slowly, so the victim doesn’t realize how much they’ve been brainwashed. For example, in the movie Gaslight (1944), a man manipulates his wife to the point where she thinks she is losing her mind,” writes Dr Stephanie Sarkis. 

Recognizing signs that you may be a victim of gaslighting:

Second guessing. Are you constantly second guessing yourself when talking to this person or questioning your own morals that you wouldn’t have thought twice about otherwise? For example, when this person popped up in my inbox I wouldn’t have thought twice about blocking or just deleting the message if it was a man but, since it seemed to be a woman I was duped into thinking that it was more acceptable or I could trust them more.

Feeling as if you are being too sensitive. Again I cannot emphasize this enough that you must trust your instincts, if you are feeling uncomfortable and your internal alarm bells are ringing- listen to them! Anyone can be a victim of gaslighting or manipulation. 

Feeling constantly confused. Another sign that you may be falling victim to gas lighting is when you are constantly confused and second guessing your thoughts and opinions.

Three takeaways:

1. Trust your instincts (I’m going to reiterate this, always trust your gut feeling, if you feel like you are uncomfortable whether it’s a situation you are in or if you don’t have a good feeling while talking to a certain person I advise you exit the chat or don’t answer in the first place.)
2. Never answer to someone whom you don’t know. I will say this was my first and biggest mistake that I have made: allowing this person’s messages into my inbox, and replying to their ridiculous claims and questions. Now that I think about it I don’t even know if this was a woman or not.
3. Set your boundaries! This is probably the most important tip to take away from this article. Setting up your boundaries from the beginning is so important. Whether it is a friend, partner or colleague, if you do not set your boundaries from the beginning of your interaction or relationship with that person; people will not respect your limits and choices later on. Especially if your boundaries have to do with religion, moral compasses, or even specific pet peeves you have. I cannot emphasize how much boundaries matter when it comes to any daily interaction you may have in your daily life.

The post I Encountered A Predator On Instagram appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

The Muslim fashion industry is growing, and is expected to grow even further reaching $327 billion by 2019, according to a study by Dinar Standard. It’s no wonder then, that over the last few years major retailers and  brands are actually recognizing our needs and representing us – I mean, we are after all a considerably large, and profitable segment that cannot be overlooked.

Some brands such as H&M have featured a hijabi model, American Eagle has introduced their denim hijab, while others are reaching out to hijabi influencers in order to cash in on the modest fashion bandwagon. Muslim women have already been shopping at these retailers for a while, so it is indeed wonderful to finally be represented. We all get really excited about these campaigns lending its share and we are constantly talking about it on our social media. All the same, I say we should ditch these big “fast fashion” retailers.

“But why?,” you may ask.

Well, firstly, fast fashion is like fast food- quickly and inexpensively producing short-lived trends. But this mainstream fashion industry has reached a critical point. Being the second most polluting industry, it is a major contributor to climate change. Over 50% of our clothes are made up of cheap synthetic fibers like polyester that are not biodegradable. They remain on the planet for thousands of years and are not breathable either, which means our bodies can not lose the heat we produce, and we sweat a whole lot more! Each time we put our clothes in the wash, they release microparticles that end up in the ocean, and eventually find their way to our food chain. Not to mention the toxic and carcinogenic dyes that destroy our rivers and are linked to cause cancer. All this affects the health of fashion industry workers, animals, plants, environment and eventually us the consumers as well.  

Second, fast fashion means poorly made garments that are designed to last just a few wears; this keeps consumers coming back for more. We don’t feel bad disposing them because they never cost that much to start with. Besides, we have the next fashion trend to follow. Eventually, we end up buying a lot more garments then we actually need, spending a lot more than what we would have in buying perhaps, a well made garment that lasts.

Thirdly and most importantly, fast fashion means cheap labor. Most of our fast fashion clothes are made in developing countries that have no regulations, and often times exploit labor. When a price of a t-shirt is just as much as your latte, you should know someone somewhere is paying the price for it. Prices are kept down artificially at the cost of slave labor. Garment workers are abused,exposed to dangerous working conditions, and made to work long hours without overtime pay. One would think that the garment factory collapse in Bangladesh that took the lives of 1,034 workers in 2013, would have been a huge wake-up call to change in the industry, but unfortunately, four years down the line and 2017 was reported to be the deadliest year for workers in Bangladesh. Bangladesh: a majority Muslim country and the second biggest exporter of garment. This should mean something to us.

The big box corporations are rushing to get our attention with their huge budget campaigns.What that tells us is that our collective buying power matters, and that our dollar has the power to make a change. There is a revolution taking place in the mainstream fashion industry, and we should make sure that as Muslims we lead the way to better the lives of our brothers and sisters.

As the modest fashion industry takes off and veiled Muslim women claim their spot in the industry, it is essential that we don’t fall victim to the problems and narrative created by fast fashion. Rather, send a strong signal that modesty not only means the outward expression of our faith, but also the inward morals and values of Islam that accounts for the well-being of others, in us acting as the true guardians of this earth. We won one battle by getting the representation, now lets win the war by setting the industry on the right path.

 – Get involved with movements such as fashion revolution to call brands to change

 – Educate yourself, and read labels to make informed decisions on your purchasing

 – Support brands that producing clothing in a responsible and ethical manner

 – Take small steps like mending your clothes, upcycling, or thrifting

All of which will surely add up in the end, and hopefully create a greater impact on the betterment of our world.

Afshan Khan is a former Human Resource specialist and founder of Purple Impression. She is passionate about sustainability, using her experience in HR to develop the skills to foster entrepreneurship and training of women artisans.

The post Earth Day Vogue – How Choosing Our Brands Can Save Lives And Our Planet appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

CCF was founded in 2008 by Dr. Janette Habashi, Associate Professor in educational psychology at the University of Oklahoma. The project started out as a student-led initiative which raised funds to support education programs in the Jenin area of the West Bank for refugee children.  Upon realizing the need for economic independence, the project was transformed into a social enterprise whose aim was to empower women by giving them economic agency through jobs that offer a living a wage.

CCF creates economic opportunities by creating educational toys and learning materials which cater to children in elementary schools. All its products are handmade by refugee women employed in its West Bank artisan center located in the northern village of Zababdeh. The center employs six full time artisans with several others employed on a part-time basis. The educational toys are made from soft fabric which fulfills a unique demand in the market; the company’s sensory learning materials are particularly well suited for play-based settings such as Montessori schools. They aid the of development of diverse skills such as memory retention and cognitive development. The products are designed in Arabic, English and Spanish, aiming to reach as wide an audience as possible.

Over the course of our conversation, Cayley explains to me the growth of the company since its founding. She travels frequently to trade shows where their brand is starting to get more and more recognition from educators and schools. CCF also recently become Fair Trade Certified; an arduous and long process but worth the effort, given the competitive edge it gives to their products. The company proudly claims that its products are not only Fair Trade, but also help empower Palestinian women artisans.

In addition to designing educational products, the organization has expanded into the ethical fashion world by launching a new fashion brand called Darzah. Darzah, which in Arabic means to stitch, specializes in creating products which carry a traditional form of Palestinian embroidery called tatreez. Tatreez is a centuries-old tradition which has been passed down from mother to daughter to the present day. It consists of colourful and vibrant patterns that can found stitched on clothes, shoes, and accessories.

Darzah seeks to introduce tatreez to the Western fashion market through his high-end fashion products. Like the educational toys of CCF, all its products are hand-made by refugee and low-income women. The leather used to manufacture these items is sourced from a family run manufacturer locally in Hebron, thus making all its products completely made in Palestine. The company is also dedicated to preserving and archiving the unique tatreez patterns in the form of a digital database; they launched a successful LaunghGood campaign this past Ramadan and raised over $37,000 for the cause.

The dream for Darzah is to be featured in places like Nordstorm, Holt Renfrew and Pottery Barn. In addition to selling through its online portal, it is already featured at select boutiques and craft expos such as the West Coast Craft Show.

CCF is not alone in its mission to bring economic independence to Palestinian refugee women. Sitti Soap is another social enterprise which is helping Palestinian women by preserving the art of Olive-oil based soap making.

Over our phone conversation, Toronto based co-founder and social activist Noora Sharrab shared with me the story of Sitti Soap. It all started when Sharrab co-founded an NGO called Hopes for Women in Education; an initiative meant to promote higher education amongst Palestinian refugee women. During her time at the Jerash camp in Jordan, she came across a group of Gazan women who were trained in the art of traditional olive oil soap making. Many of these women had tried in the past to create home-run businesses without success.  Seeing an opportunity to create a sustainable economic opportunity given her background in non-profit management, Sharrab teamed up with journalist Jacqueline Sofia and founded Sitti Soap.

Sitti, meaning “my grandmother” in colloquial Arabic, aims to preserve and promote the ancient Palestinian tradition of Nabulsi cold-pressed olive oil soap. Using all-natural and locally sourced ingredients, Sitti produces beautiful bars of soap handmade by refugee women. These soaps are becoming popular gifts that are given away at weddings and corporate events. Sitti employs about eight women full-time and several others part-time at its production site in the Jerash refugee camp. The site is located inside the camp to make it easier for the working women who often have challenges traveling.

The goal of the organization is to bring this tradition to the marketplace where it can be recognized for its uniqueness and become a means of economic empowerment for women. Using the profits from the soap bars, Sitti funds hard skills development and educational programs for refugee women and girls. The organization runs the Hopes-Sitti Center in the Jerash camp which acts as a social hub for women and offers numerous social programs and workshops. It hosts a computer lab which is home to the Bannat Connect program; a virtual language exchange which connects students of Arabic to local women in Jordan through Skype.

CCF and Sitti Soap are examples of two enterprises helping bring real, sustainable change for Palestinians and removing dependence on foreign aid. Projects like these are often under supported from the activist community who tend to focus on more popular movements such as BDS. While BDS is important, the approach to helping the Palestinian cause needs to be multi-faceted. The pressure on institutions to stop aiding the occupation needs to be coupled with support for ventures that help build the Palestinian economy. This year marks the 50^th anniversary of the occupation; with no end to the conflict in sight, the status-quo is likely to continue in the foreseeable future. The need to support social enterprises that improve everyday Palestinian life is therefore now greater than ever.

The post How Social Enterprises Are Changing Lives Of Palestinian Women appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Being a non-blonde and bi-racial though, my Genghisesque eyebrows began growing back in full, immediate force. Instead of having thinner eyebrows, I now had a sort of gradient system going, starting from the darkest on the bottom and the lightest towards my forehead.

Later that same year, my sister and I went to spend the summer with our cousins in Pakistan. Being non-blonde descendants of Genghis Khan and his many savvy wives, they took one look at me and said: “What the heck have you done to your eyebrows!?”

They staged an intervention and threaded my eyebrows into the Pakistani equivalent of a bow that is meant to shoot the arrow of my glance straight into a young man’s heart.

Pakistani icon Noor Jehan is a classic example of “bow & arrow” eyebrows. Pew pew!

It was years before I learned that overhauling (versus tending) your eyebrows is not permissible in Islam, but by then, three things had already happened:

1. I had forgotten what my real eyebrows actually looked like.
2. I had grown to believe that my real eyebrows were hideous and that growing them out would cover the top half of my face.
3. I was so far down the eyebrow rabbit-hole that I was more Golden Arches than Ghenghis.

It took me almost fifteen years to finally stop reshaping my eyebrows. It was hard at first – they grew in seemingly random places and kept straying further and further from the invisible boundaries that I had assigned to them.  I would look at myself in the mirror and sigh. Transitioning my eyebrows from “overgrown” to “growing out” took months.  My one source of encouragement- believe it or not- was my husband, and he had no idea what an emotional ordeal I was even undertaking.

He walked past me one day and casually said; “Hey, have you done something to your eyebrows?”

“What? Me?” I squeaked, my conscience guilty for wishing that I had. “I’m letting them grow in.”

“Oh,” he said.  “They look really nice.”

I was dumbstruck. It was another few months before my husband noticed the next boundary grown over, and this time he said, “I like your eyebrows this way.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, “Don’t you remember what they looked like when we were married?”

“I do,” he said. “I thought they looked…fake.”

I glared at him and went to the sock drawer where all truly important family records are kept. I found our wedding photos and to my surprise, my old, thin, highly manicured eyebrows struck me as looking… fake. While I wasn’t yet in love with the eyebrows au-naturelle, I was at least disillusioned with the artificial looking alternative.

If you’re a brother reading this article and wondering what place eyebrows have in the modern Muslim experience, trust me- it’s front and center. The clash between spirit and self happens on a daily basis for your sisters. Faith versus Fashion is the epic battle that rages daily in the hearts, closets, and bathroom mirrors of Muslim women every day.

If you’re a sister reading this article, then you’ve heard conversations like this before:

Sister 1: “Wallah, my eyebrows are so unruly. I know we’re not supposed shape them but I feel like such a neanderthal!”

Sister 2: “What are you talking about? Your eyebrows look fine. Now, MY eyebrows… they look like I ordered them from a Jim Henson catalog.”

#selfie

Sister 3: “You’re both crazy and your eyebrows frame your eyes perfectly! Now *my* eyebrows, they look like a handlebar mustache without a sense of direction…”

The circular consensus seems to be everyone has a real problem with their eyebrows, but everyone else looks fine and they’re just stressing for no reason.

Recently, heavier eyebrows have come back into fashion, I think this is a great time to piggy-back on the bandwagon and wave the flag for more natural looking eyebrows. While Muslims, of course, don’t wait for fashion to agree with religion before deciding to become religious, it is nice when fashion can do a part- even a teeny tiny one- to help boost our natural-looking self esteem when it comes to eyebrows.  Yes, the women are all still uncovered, photo-shopped, artfully painted and arranged by professionals- but the point is, they have big eyebrows and they are daring you to make caterpillar jokes about them.

I haven’t come as far as to say I’m in love with my natural eyebrows, but who am I to even suggest that Allah made a mistake in how He made them?  Allah Himself designed what my face and eyebrows were going to look like, and it should go without saying that His designs for what humans should look like are Divine (with a capital D) and everything else we do is just fixing what isn’t really broken.*

(*like when God makes women’s teeth too square.)

Please note- this doesn’t mean I’m saying that things like cleft palates are Divinely created and who are we therefore to alter them. Defects in the original human design are permissible to correct, like replacing a lost eye or reconstructing a face after an accident or congenital birth defect.  There’s a difference between correcting a defect to meet the standard and redesigning the standard altogether. Deciding that all of femalekind has been designed with the “wrong” kind of eyebrows is an attempt to redefine acceptable parameters for the female design.*

(*like when God makes women’s necks too short.)

While women in general has a problem accepting themselves in different shapes and sizes, accepting a tiny part of us- like our eyebrows- is a good first step. Eyebrows are perfectly designed for whatever it is that Allah designed them for.  Whether your naturally drop-dead gorgeous arches are meant to be a life-long battle with ego, or whether your hirsute forehead is an exercise in accepting the Qadr of Allah, they have a place in your life.*

*On your face.

The post Legacy of Khan: Eyebrows or the Lack Thereof appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 12: Anniesa Hasibuan takes a bow on the runway at the Anniesa Hasibuan during New York Fashion Week: The Shows at The Dock, Skylight at Moynihan Station on September 12, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for New York Fashion Week: The Shows)

By Melanie Elturk

It’s an interesting time to be a hijab-wearing Muslim woman right now. In between flashes of political turmoil on TV, hate crimes, burkini bans and endless condemnation posts on social media, there’s a lot going on in the life of a “hijabi” these days. Despite learning how to navigate this tricky landscape, I’m optimistic. At no other time in recent memory has it been so amazing to be a woman in hijab. We’re that cool diverse face that mainstream big hitters like H&M, Dolce & Gabbana and YouTube are putting in their ad campaigns. We dress amazingly well thanks to the plethora of options when it comes to modest dressing – just search “hijab tutorial” on YouTube and you’ll get a quarter of a million results – and counting.

More and more, we’re no longer seen as weak, voiceless or my personal favorite – oppressed. Hijab wearing women are proving to the world that the exact opposite is true. We’re strong, vocal and yes, empowered. I know I’m not the only one who beamed with pride as hijab-wearing American Ibtihaj Muhammad brought home bronze at the 2016 Olympics. We all cheered on MasterChef’s Season 6 favorite Amanda Saab as she broke all our hearts with her tearful goodbye. We lovingly watched Mariam Jalloul deliver a heartfelt commencement speech to her fellow Harvard graduates at her 2016 commencement.

This past week at New York Fashion Week was no different. In my front row seat, the lights dimmed and I wondered to myself whether Indonesian designer Anniesa Hasibuan would actually show her designs at New York Fashion Week the way she did at Istanbul Modest Fashion Week – in head to toe hijab. Lights up, music on – the first model walked onto the runway. There she was, in full-on hijab and what a sight to see. Model after model in full hijab – in a stunning array of metallic and pastel hues, intricate lace, embellishments and plenty of traditional Indonesian jacquard fabric.

There was something electric in the room that night. Attending show after show with models baring skin for the upcoming Spring/Summer ‘17 season, the striking contrast of Anniesa’s designs were noteworthy to even the most nonchalant of observers. We all knew we were witnessing something groundbreaking. That night, Anniesa made history as the first Muslim designer to showcase all her designs on a NYFW main stage in full-on, head-to-toe hijab.

NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 12: A model walks the runway at the Anniesa Hasibuan during New York Fashion Week: The Shows at The Dock, Skylight at Moynihan Station on September 12, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for New York Fashion Week: The Shows)

The implications behind this show are enormous. While many think fashion is frivolous, I believe in the power of fashion. It’s a form of non-verbal expression of our identity and values. And it’ll be one of the many outlets in which we make a cultural shift in today’s society to normalize hijab in America – to break down stereotypes and demystify misconceptions. Anniesa’s show was a huge leap in that direction. We need to be present in all disciplines – not just medicine and engineering, but politics, entertainment, journalism, and yes, even fashion. The arts, more than anything defines a culture. And if we’re left out of that conversation, what does that say about our role in American culture? Well, nothing. Which is exactly the problem.

As hijab is introduced more and more into mainstream culture by way of fashion through commercials, magazine ads, and mannequins at the mall, to the rest of American society, hijab (and Muslims as a result) will slowly start to become familiar; less foreign. The inherent other-ness associated with hijab, and even fear, will slowly start to dissipate. It will be replaced by a notion of awareness built on the concept that we are part and parcel of the American cultural mosaic.

The audience, overwhelmingly not Muslim, showed their affection with a standing ovation at the end of the show. “I’d wear a hijab just to walk my dog!” exclaimed one excited onlooker, who like me, was in awe of the beauty we just witnessed. Fashion is universal. It speaks to everyone, regardless of race or religion. The implications of this groundbreaking show are poignant in today’s political and social climate. In the midst of anti-Muslim rhetoric, Anniesa’s trailblazing show informs the world that we are here and that we have a significant contribution to make to fashion. It showed the world that Muslim women are not slowing down, that we’re proud to hold onto our beliefs and take part in society. We’re not sitting on the sidelines, waiting for the world to become a better place. We’re making our mark on society informed by the wisdom of the Quran and the example of our beloved Prophet . If not us, who?

Melanie Elturk is the CEO of Haute Hijab, one of the largest U.S. brands for modest fashion. Melanie aims to empower hijab-wearing women worldwide, and in addition to her fashion line, she facilitates support for those struggling with hijab. She has propelled Haute Hijab from a cult favorite to a household name with a loyal following and dynamic social media presence. She is a regular contributor on ELLE.com, has been featured in the New York Times, NBC Today, CBS News, USA Today, Buzzfeed and others. She is an industry expert in modest fashion and has spoken in Malaysia, Italy, Nigeria, Istanbul and across America.

The post Haute History Made: The Importance of A Muslim Designer Showcasing Hijab On New York Fashion Week Mainstage appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.