Modesty is a deeply personal decision that looks different on every woman and girl who chooses it. It can be rooted in faith, culture, self-worth, or all of them. For me – when I was around 13 and about two years into wearing hijab – I realized modesty was empowering instead of oppressive, contrary to what the media often portrayed. That was the first time I really remember noticing how society responded to modest women, especially those who wore hijab like me. I can still hear the voices of men as they walked by, sometimes whispering, sometimes not even attempting to be discreet.

“Oh, she’s one of those Muslims. You have to respect her.”
Or, “You gotta talk to her daddy before you can speak to her.”

I’m pretty sure some of it was meant as respect; nevertheless, it always felt a little strange to me, as if I wasn’t seen as a full person, but merely as a symbol. Of course, for every comment like those, there were plenty of stares, smirks, outbursts – “You must be oppressed!” – as well. It’s almost as if some in society cannot imagine a woman would choose to cover herself for any reason other than being forced by a man. Likewise, it can be difficult for others to grasp that a woman might practice modesty in adherence to her faith or simply because she wants to.

However, if more people understood that hijab isn’t just a headscarf or a piece of clothing, but instead about behavior and conduct, they’d realize the choice to cover runs much deeper than fabric. It’s not just what you put on, it’s a mindset, a boundary, a form of protection, and – for some – a way of demanding to be seen for who you really are, not just what you look like.

What’s more, while clothes absolutely are a form of self-expression, they’re also a means of communication. When you dress modestly, you signal to the world, “You’re going to have to go deeper to get to know me.” It almost forces you to look inward. Instead of focusing on dressing to impress strangers, the focus becomes dressing in a way that honors your body, your values, and your purpose.

Modesty brings challenges and confidence

Of course, that doesn’t always make it easy, particularly if you love fashion. I’ve had to find my balance between covering my skin, shape, and hair, all while still showing my personality and creativity. However, I see that as part and parcel of the beauty of modesty; it’s a challenge that invites you to get creative and intentional. It’s not about hiding, instead it puts the focus on highlighting what you choose to show and how you choose to be viewed.

There’s also a particular kind of confidence that comes from not needing to display your body or be validated. When you’re dressing for the pleasure of Allah (SWT) and for your own peace instead of society’s approval, it greatly shifts your intention. When choosing what to wear, you’re not seeking approval, online “likes,” stares, or compliments. This affords a kind of freedom many people don’t fully understand until they experience it.

That said, the journey isn’t linear. Our faith increases and decreases, and some seasons feel harder than others. There are days when wearing hijab feels like second nature and others when it seems like a struggle. When faced with those challenges, I always come back to my why: I do it for the pleasure of Allah (SWT), and I do it because He (SWT) commanded it. What’s more, and perhaps most importantly, I recognize there’s beauty and reward in that obedience, even when it’s difficult.

Modestly brings meaning

Covered women will always carry a certain kind of mystery. When we walk into a room, people have to listen more carefully, engage more intentionally, and pay attention to what we’re saying and doing, not just how we look. We aren’t immediately offering up everything to be seen, so the world has to dig deeper. That alone changes how others interact with us. It’s a quiet kind of power, a silent demand to be respected, and an effective way to be heard.

But let’s be honest, every woman wants to feel beautiful. However, remember there’s something so sacred and grounding about the kind of beauty that doesn’t rely on external validation. It’s internal, it’s spiritual, and it’s rooted in knowing your worth isn’t on display for everyone to consume.

As for me, I believe, whether a woman covers her body or not, most of us do feel like our bodies are sacred. We understand they’re not meant to be shared with just anyone, be it emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. So, in that way, modesty is just another form of protection and an extension of boundaries, which we can wield as an act of self-respect and dignity.

It’s also important to note that modesty isn’t exclusive to Islam, even though it’s often treated as such. Women in other faiths such as Christianity and Judaism indeed have modest dress traditions. But somehow, when a Muslim woman covers the conversation oftentimes turns to oppression, a double standard I believe should be called out more frequently.

Modesty brings freedom

We live in a society that pushes hyper-visibility, often turning women into products and objects and telling us our value lies in how attractive or desirable we are. Your face, your hair, your waistline – all these things are treated as some sort of currency. In fact, it’s pushed so hard that some are literally cutting into their bodies to meet an ever-shifting aesthetic standard. Today, in the name of “freedom,” we’re told true autonomy means showing everything there is to display.

However, Islam teaches us the opposite, that freedom comes from submitting to something higher, from choosing modesty and boundaries and knowing your worth is not for sale. Allah (SWT) says, “And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; and to draw their veils over their bosoms…” (Quran 24:31)

This verse isn’t meant to limit us; instead, it aims to protect us, and I fear that’s what many people miss. To my mind, real freedom isn’t about how much skin you show, but it’s about having the choice to decide how you want to show up in the world. It’s about defining your own values and not letting the world define them for you. It’s also about honoring yourself, even when that choice makes other people uncomfortable.

Remember, modesty calls you to a higher standard. It asks you to live and act with intention, and to purify your heart along the way. Even on the days it feels heavy, I am always reminded that I wear this not just because I have to, but because I choose to. To me, that is the real means of wearing freedom.

The Origin and Significance of Hajj

Hajj, or the Pilgrimage, is the last among those acts of Worship, which Islam enjoins upon you. Like the prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving, it mounds your life and prepares you so that you may live in surrender to Allah.

The word Hajj means to make a resolve to visit a holy place: Visiting the Ka’aba in Makka is therefore called Hajj.

How did it begin? The Origin of Hajj is rooted in the Prophet Ibrahim’s life, peace be on him. That story is instructive, and illustrative, too, of the true meaning and significance of Hajj. That story you must know to fully understand the benefits Hajj can bring to you.

Life and Mission of the Prophet Ibrahim

Which Muslim, Christian or Jew does not know the name of Ibrahim (peace be on him)! Two-Thirds of mankind revere him as their leader. The Prophets Musa, Isa and Muhammad peace be on them, are all his descendants. It is the lamp of guidance lit by him that has for long illuminated the whole world.

Ibrahim’s Times

Ibrahim was born in what is now Iraq, over four thousand years ago. At that time the people had forgotten the One God. No one recognized him as the Master, no one lived in surrender and obedience to Him. The people among whom Ibrahim was born, while the most advanced in the world in art and science, industry and agriculture, were also the most steeped in ignorance and error. One simple they despite their technological advance, could not understand: anything, which has itself been created cannot be worthy of worship. Idolatry was the norm. Superstitions like astrology, idol-worship, divination, Witchcraft and use of talisman and amulets were widespread.

Power and Beliefs of the Priest Class

A priest class controlled the class controlled the temples, supervised worship rites and rituals, conducted marriage and funeral ceremonies, and claimed to be oracles able to disclose the unknown, foretell the future, and determine Divine wishes. And the people, in general, believed that they indeed had such powers, that they access to their deities, that they could intercede with them on their behalf or invoke their wrath to fall upon them. For them the priests were the lords of their fate.

Ibrahim: Breaking Free from Priestly Power

The kings were in collusion with the priests, the two sides working together to keep the people under servitude. They gave full backing to the priests, and the priests made people believe that the king of the day, as well as being the owner of his country and complete master of his subjects, was also a god among other gods. His word was absolute. Indeed, worship rites were performed for and before the king so that the belief in his godhood came to be entrenched in the minds of his subjects.

In times like this, the Prophet Ibrahim was born into a family of privileged priests. His forefathers were high priests and it was quite natural that he should follow in their footsteps. He received the same education and training; the same gifts and offerings were awaiting him. Many adherents were eagerly waiting for the moment when they could bow their heads before him with folded hands. The ancestral seat of priestly power could be his for the taking.

In his dismal darkness, where not a single soul existed who knew or believed in the Truth, it would not ordinary have been possible for a man like Ibrahim to find its light, nor break away from the little of comfort and power mapped out for him by his family.

Commitment to the Truth

But the prophet Ibrahim was no ordinary man; he was made of different stuff. On reaching maturing he began to reflect thus: How the sun, moon or stars, which are rotating as if by order like slaves, and these stone idols, which are made by man himself; and these kings, who are beings like ourselves, be gods. What is there in these powerless objects, which cannot move of their own volition, which have no power to help themselves and have no control over their own lives and deaths, that man should worship them, seek fulfillment of his wants from them, fear their powers and submit in obedience to them? Among all the objects on earth and in the heavens, there is not a single one which itself is not subject to some higher power and which does not fade away into oblivion at some time or other.

Ibrahim’s Stand Against Idol Worship

When none of them is my creator, when neither my life nor death is in the hands of any of them, when none of them possesses the key to my of substance or the fulfillment of my needs, why should I accept them as lords, surrender to them, and obey them? Only that Being can be my Lord who created all things, on whom depends everything and in whose hands are the lives and deaths of all people.

These thoughts led the Prophet Ibrahim to the decision that he would never worship the deities, which his people worshiped, and he openly declared before them.

Let Us Be Muslims

O my people, I am quit of all those you take as gods beside God. I have turned my face unto Him who brought into being the heavens and the earth, having turned away from all false gods; and I am not of those who take gods beside God (al-An’am 6: 79-80)

Tribulations and Calamities

No sooner had he made this declaration than tribulations and calamities of the greatest magnitude descended on him. His father threatened him with expulsion from the family home. His community warned him that no one among them would give him refuge. And the government officials insisted on his case being brought before the King. But Ibrahim, lonely and forsaken by his relatives and friends, stood firm as a rock in the case of the Truth. He told his father respectfully: The knowledge I have has not been vouchsafed to you. As such, instead of my following you, you should follow me [ Maryam 19: 41-5]. In answer to the threats of his community he broke their idols with his own hands to prove how powerless they were [al-Anbiya’ 21: 57-70]. In the court of the King, he boldly declared: You are not my Lord, My Lord is He in whose hands are your life and death as well as mine, and within the bounds of whose law even the movements of the sun are circumscribed [al-Baqarah 2: 258].

A Journey of Sacrifice and Conviction

The royal court decided that Ibrahim should be burnt alive and he willingly came forward to suffer this horrible punishment for the sake of his unshakeable faith in the One God. After Allah with his supreme power saved him from this fate, he abandoned his home, his relations, his community and his country. He set out with his wife, Sarah, and a nephew, Lut, to wander from one land to another.

To this man the undisputed religious leadership of his people had been available. Yet he gave up wealth and power preferred the homeless and destitute wanderer rather than have to mislead people into the continuing worship of false gods. He chose to live for the purpose of summoning people to their true God, even though he would be driven to place to place.

Migration

After leaving his home, the Prophet Ibrahim wandered in Egypt, Palestine and Arabia. God, alone, knows what sufferings he went through on his journeys. He had no money or possessions nor did he have time to earn his livelihood. His sole vocation, day and night, was to bring people to the worship of the One God. If a man of such ideas could not be tolerated by his own father and his own community, how was he going to be any more successful elsewhere? Where would he be welcomed? Everywhere the same temple priests and kings claiming godhood held sway; everywhere the same confused and ignorant common men lived, who were completely hoodwinked by them. How could, then, Ibrahim live peacefully in such an environment? For, not only was he himself not ready to accept the godhood of anybody except God, but he was also committed to proclaiming to the people that none except Allah was their Master and Lord and that, therefore, they should ignore the authority of their leaders and demi-gods and submit only to the One Being. Thus condemned to a nomadic existence, wandering through Palestine, Egypt and the vast deserts of Arabia, he passed his whole adult life.

Raising a New Generation

During the last period of his life, when he was eighty-six and had despaired of offspring, Allah gave him a child, Ismail. But even then, this loyal servant of Allah did not think that, having himself wrecked his own home life, he should at least prepare his children to earn their living. No. His only concern was that the mission on which, he had spent his whole life should be carried on after his death. It was for this purpose that he had prayed to Allah to grant him children [l-Baqarah 2: 128]. And when Allah granted his request, his only thought was to educate and train them to continue his mission. The life of this perfect man was the life of a true and genuine Muslim. In early adulthood, when he had found God, God asked him: ‘aslim’, that is, enter Islam, surrender yourself totally to Me, be solely Mine. In reply, he gave the pledge: ‘aslamtu li-rabbi ’l-alamin’, that is, I have entered Islam, I belong to the Lord of the worlds, I have entrusted myself wholly to Him, I am ever ready to obey (al-Baqarah 2: 13). To this pledge Ibrahim remained true throughout this life. He gave up, for the sake of the Lord of the worlds, his ancestral religion together with its beliefs and rituals and renounced all the material benefits he could have derived from it. He braved the danger of fire, suffered homelessness, wandered from country to country, but spent every moment of his life in obedience to the Lord and in propagating His Din.

The Greatest of Trials

But even after all these tribulations, there was still one trail left to determine whether Ibrahim’s love for his Lord was supreme above all else. Before the birth of his second son, he was asked tom sacrifice what was then his only child to God. [al-Saffat 37: 99-111]. When Allah had shown that Ibrahim was prepared to slaughter his son for His sake with his own hands, He said: ‘You have fully vindicated your claim to be a totally true Muslim. Now you deserve to be made the leader of the whole world.’ This act of investiture has been described in the Qur’an thus.

And when his Lord tested Ibrahim With [His] commands, and he fulfilled them all, He said, Behold, I make you a leader of mankind. Said he [Ibrahim]: And my offspring [will they too be leaders]? He said: My covenant shall not reach the evil-doers (al-Baqarah 2: 124).

The Universal Islamic Movement

In this manner Ibrahim became a pioneer of the universal Islamic movement and set about establishing permanent missions in different regions. In this task he was aided by his nephew, Lut, his eldest son, Ismail who, on learning that the Lord of the worlds wanted the sacrifice of his life, had himself willingly placed his neck under the knife, and his younger son, Ishaq.

Lut In Sodom

Ibrahim settled his nephew, Lut in Sodom, which was infamous for its moral depravity. Ibrahim’s objective was to reform the people and also to influence the far-flung area around; traders traveling between Iran, Iraq, and Egypt used to pass through the region, and it was therefore an ideal place from which to spread God’s message.

Ishaq in Palestine

The younger son, Ishaq, was settled in Palestine. This region, situated between Syria and Egypt, and being on the coast, was also a good center for spreading Ibrahim’s message. From this region the Islamic movement reached Egypt through Ishaq’s son, Ya’qub (whose name was also Israel), and through his grandson, Yusuf, peace be on all of them. The elder son, Ismail, was assigned his headquarters at Makka in the Hijaz and Ibrahim himself stayed with him for a long time to propagate the teaching of Islam throughout Arabia.

Construction of the Ka’aba

It was in Makka that Ibrahim and his son built the Holy Ka’aba, the center of the Islamic movement, on a site chosen by Allah Himself. This building was not intended for worship only, as mosques are; its purpose was to act as the center for spreading the universal movement of Islam, a world-wide gathering point for believers in the One God to assemble to worship Allah in congregation and go back to their respective countries carrying with them the message of Islam. This was the assembly, which was named Hajj. Exactly how this center was constructed, with what hopes and prayers both father and son raised its walls, and how Hajj was initiated are described thus in the Quran:

The first house ever set up for mankind was indeed that at Bakkah, a blessed place, and guidance unto all beings; wherein are clear signs – the place whereon Ibrahim stood; and whosoever enters it finds peace (3: 96-7).

Have they not seen that We have made the sanctuary immune [from violence], while men are being carried away by force all around them (29: 67).

Peace always reigned in and around the Ka’aba, when all around it were rampant plunder, murder, devastation, conflict, and warfare – such was its sanctity that even the Bedouins who respected no law, if they detected in its precincts the murderer of even their father, did not dare to touch him.

Prayers of Ibrahim

Look at Ibrahim’s prayers to find out what the real purpose and significance of Hajj is:

And when We made the House a place of visitation for mankind, and a sanctuary; take, then, the place whereon Ibrahim stood for place of prayer. And We commanded Ibrahim and Ismail, ‘Purify My House for those who will walk around it, and those who will abide therein in worship, and those who will bow down and prostate themselves.’ And when Ibrahim prayed: My Lord! Make this a land secure and provide its people fruits, such of them as believe in God and the Last Day.

Prayers of Ibrahim: Seeking Guidance, Purification, and Divine Mercy

And when Ibrahim was raising the foundations of the House, and Ismail, [they prayed]: Our Lord! Accept Thou this from us. Thou, Thou alone, art the All-hearing, the All-knowing. Our Lord! And make us surrender ourselves unto Thee, and out of our offspring make people surrender themselves unto Thee; and show us our rites of worship, and turn toward us; surely Thou alone turnest, and art the Mercy-giving. Our Lord! Do Thou send to them a Messenger, from among them, who shall convey unto them Thy revelations, and teach them the Book and the Wisdom, and purify and develop them. Thou alone art the All-mighty, the All-wise! (Quran 2: 125-9).

And when Ibrahim prayed, My Lord! Make this land secure, and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols. My Lord! They have led astray many people. Hence whoso follows me truly belongs to me; and whoso disobeys me – surely Thou art All-forgiving, Mercy-giving. Our Lord! I have settled some of my offspring in a valley where are no arable lands, near They sanctified House, our Lord, so that they may perform the Prayer, and Thou make peoples’ hearts to incline towards them, and provide them fruits so that they may be thankful (Quran 14: 35-7).

The Assignment of Ibrahim: Purifying the House and Proclaiming the Pilgrimage

And when We assigned unto Ibrahim the place of the House [We said]: You shall not take any god beside Me, and purify My House for those who will walk around it and those who will stand, and those who will bow down and prostate themselves. And proclaim unto mankind the Pilgrimage; and they will come unto you on foot and on every lean mount, they will come from every deep ravine, so that they may witness things that are of benefit to them, and mention God’s name during the days appointed over such heads of cattle He has provided them. Eat, then, thereof, and fee therewith the unfortunate poor (Quran 22: 26-8).

Hajj: Makka and the Ka’aba

This is the story of the beginning of that Hajj which is the fifth pillar of Islam. You now understand that Makka was the headquarters for the mission of the first Prophet appointed to propagate the message of Islam. The Ka’aba was the focal point from where this preaching was spread across the world, and the worship rites of Hajj were introduced so that all those who chose to live in surrender to God alone should belong to one center where they could assemble every year, and go around it again and again. Their lives of faith were to be like the wheel tied to and revolving around its axle.

Excerpts taken from book “Let us be Muslims” by Syed Abul Ala Maududi

In a previous article I addressed smartphone addiction, a phenomenon that is a growing concern for most of modern society, including Muslims. While it is true many of us overuse our devices, technology is not inherently bad. In fact, there are many ways in which our Islamic knowledge and God-consciousness can be enhanced by online resources. Like so many other things in this dunya, the key is to achieve a balance by making responsible choices and remembering that closeness to our Creator should be our number one priority in everything we do.

I remember what it was like as a new Muslim 25 years ago, hungry for information about my deen. When I embraced Islam in 2000, the internet was still fairly new, and it was very difficult for me to find any reliable or useful information about Islam online. When I searched up various topics, I inevitably found more misinformation than truth. There were very few resources in English, and what was available was often badly translated. There were no websites dedicated to educating new Muslims, no online access to Islamic lectures, no apps that provided access to the Quran, duaas, prayer times, or the direction of the Qibla. Therefore, I truly appreciate that, nowadays, converts have a wealth of information and support at their fingertips that my generation simply did not have.

I interviewed several other Muslims to find out whether they thought technology could enhance taqwa. As it turns out, many Muslims find ways to use it as a tool for growth and self-improvement. Here are some of the ways they are using websites, apps, and social media to enhance their iman.

Andrea Tally uses technology to make the most of time spent on mindless chores.

“I often listen to podcasts,” she said. “I find very good Islamic lectures that amaze me and renew my conviction, teach me, and challenge me to do better. I learn so much. I listen to them while cleaning, cooking, walking, driving my car, and more.  Alhamdulillah for these benefits!”

Jennessa Durrani says two apps in particular have enhanced her worship.

“This Ramadan I was able to listen to the Quran from beginning to end with my Athan: Prayer Times & Al Quran app, she said. “I’ve tried to read translations in the past. I’ve tried listening to different juz on YouTube. I could never stick with it, or it was really hard to see where I left off. This year I was committed to listening all the way through throughout the month and was able to do that thanks to the app.”

Durrani also said she felt her recent Umrah was greatly enhanced by the Nusuk app, which describes itself as “Your Trusted Partner for a Seamless Umrah.”

“I consider this app helpful and necessary,” she said.

Maria Ali uses technology to enhance her Islamic knowledge from the comfort of home.

“For me it has been a huge aid in my growth as a Muslim. I’ve been able to take classes and interact with teachers that wouldn’t have been possible without Zoom,” she said. “I’ve improved my tajweed, connected with sisters from all over the world, read books that I probably wouldn’t have had access to, and ‘attended’ local halaqahs that are just a bit too far for me to want to drive at night, especially in the rain or snow.”

Some sisters have even found a beneficial use for artificial intelligence.

Najiba Akbar said, “I’ve been having very fruitful discussions with Chat GPT about various aspects of Islam, and it has helped me sound out questions I have and point me towards resources to learn or explore more.”

Like me, Victoria Caldwell embraced Islam at a time when there were few resources available. She sees many potential benefits to technological advances.

“So many new Muslims are able to get support that [you and I] didn’t have as new Muslims,” she told me. “I believe technology can enhance our worship, especially by giving us access to knowledge that we didn’t have before. I now live in a rural area. Back when I lived in Southern California, I was surrounded by opportunities to learn in person, but now the masjid is a one-hour drive away, so I rely more on online lessons, YouTube, Zoom etc.  I have an Arabic class that I’m able to attend online.”

Caldwell’s take also came with a warning.

“As with anything halal, if overused and abused, [technology] can become a fitna.”

Islam is deeply rooted in moderation, and believers should strive for equilibrium in every aspect of life. This includes our use of technology, which can be a useful tool to learn more about our faith and enhance our behavior, or a harmful fitna, as Caldwell pointed out.  We will all make decisions about our online behavior on a daily, perhaps even hourly, basis. We must ask ourselves constantly, “How can I make good use of my time online? Is this app/website/social media content helping me be a better Muslim, or taking me away from the straight path? Am I wasting precious time? Are my choices leading me to haram?”

Another point to consider when using technology is that face-to-face interaction with our brothers and sisters in faith is irreplaceable. No matter how many WhatsApp, Facebook, or other virtual groups we might join, they cannot replace the very human need for physical proximity to other Muslims. So, when possible, we should stand shoulder to shoulder with each other in salat, share meals, hug, shake hands, listen to each other’s voices, and communicate across a table or side by side, instead of over a screen.

As technology continues to develop and change at a rapid pace, it will be more important than ever to manage it responsibly. We must continually practice and uphold our Islamic standards of modesty, wholesomeness, balance, good manners, and God-consciousness. Otherwise, we are likely to become slaves of technology instead of servants of Allah (SWT).