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  1. Assalamu aleikum, sister! Really good advice and important tips! I am wearing hijab for more than 7 years, it wasn’t easy for me for the first several years as my parents didn’t understand me, even more they don’t do nowadays. May I ask you a question, it’s not about hijab) What does mean “engagement” in your area? It is not the same as “weading”? Do you make “mahr” and are like wife and husband? I saw your pictures in Instagram and can’t understand that question)
    Thank you for your nice issue!

  2. Thanks Leena. Alhamdulillah I read this at a time when I really needed to. I’ve been wearing hijab since the beginning of the year in an area of the UK where there are not many hijabi’s and I’ve gone from being very self-confident to very self-conscious at times because of the attention my headscarf attracts. Reading your wise words has reminded me that I’m not alone in this journey, hijab is a blessing, I can learn to be love it and should be proud to wear it instead of constantly worrying what people are thinking about me or feeling apologetic for how it might make other people feel. I’ve recently found some hijabi outfits that I feel really good in and am looking forward to developing my individual hijabi style. I always enjoy seeing your hijab fashion on Instagram. Jazakallah Khair xx

  3. Salaams Leena! This post really made me love you as a sister in Islam and appreciate you as a blogger/influencer even more…MashaAllah, I cant see who won’t benefit from these detailed tips and shared experiences. Having worn hijab myself for 2 years now, and dealing with bigotry from my very own mother in law especially and my husband’s non muslim side generally, your perspective really made me value my efforts to please my creator and relate to your experience. Also, I can’t stress enough on the importance of not “letting oneself go” just because the rest of the world cant see our hair or body. I fell into that trap, especially after becoming a mom, and that made me resent my hijab in ways I am not proud of for sure. Now I’m making more efforts to reconcile my “old self” as someone who loved dressing up and being stylish with wearing my hijab proudly and feeling comfortable in my own skin.
    Ramadan Mubarak sister, stay beautiful in and out <3

  4. Thank you for the wonderful blog post! I am a New Muslim. I converted on July 3rd of this year. You are an inspiration to me. I did not know you have only worn the hijab for 3 years. I am not ready to wear hijab. And yes its even hard for me to think about. I know Allah ask me to wear it and I want to make him happy. However, I am having difficulty imagining me wearing it. Even my 13 year old daughter is concern of how I will be treated and also how she will be looked at having a mother who wears the hijab. (I raised my daughter Catholic and leaving it up to hear to decided if she wants to be a Muslim and convert) I have started dressing more modestly but have a hard time finding clothing that does not make me look bigger then I already am. I am plus size, wearing size 22 clothing. I do like your idea about wearing the hijab to a place where no one knows me!!! Thank you again for your wonderful words.

  5. Salaam’alaykum Leena. While reading your blog I kept saying “OMG that is soo right”. Lol.. I’m a granny hijabi, have been wearing hijab for a while but went through different stages. Although we live in different countries you could have been my twin. I’m a girly girly as well and love to dress up but I also love to workout and I have been playing soccer and kickboksing for ages. I finally have found a hijab style I’m comfortable in but my biggest dilemma is my make-up, nails and heels. When I go out I want to feel comfortable which means I paint my nails, have pretty make-up on and heels but I always get the looks of other hijabs and even comments. How do you deal with that?

  6. Salam, beautiful Leena. :) I’m from Iran. I am born Muslim, and wore hijab since I was nine. I, too, had some struggles in my adolescence, but eversince I enetred college, I feel more resolute in my beliefs, and I wouldn’t trade the way I feel about God and our connection to anything. We all commit sins, but Allah is the most mercyful. When I think about how I used to dress, I feel ashamed ( I was a hijabi, but was less modest.) and blessed that God almighty gave me the time and apportunity to come to this conclusion that if I wear very loose abaya or if I do not wear make up in public, it all helps me get closer to him and not false Gods. I do care about how I look like. I try to look nice, but only nice. We can be and are attractive to our families, esp. our husbands. :) I make dua for you in these holy nights inshaAllah. :) May Allah keep on guiding us to be the one who truly pleases him. :) our peace is in his pleasure inshaAllah. :) Btw, in my country people who care about hijab get their weddings in seperate saloons or devide the garden to two parts and the ladies and gentelmen are not in the same place. Instead, they are in next door. Since your family and your finace’s are both Muslim alhamdullilah, maybe you could do the same, and this way you can not wear hijab and your dad and husband and uncles( Maharem) can enter the ladies’ section and take pictures with you, and then go to “their side” of the wedding:) I’m sure you will make a stunning bride. All the best, dear Leena.

  7. This post was so helpful. I grew up in Pakistan and used to wear hijab for Quran class. After moving to american when I was nine I tried to distance myself from it cause I felt like i didn’t fit in. I still wore it around family but at school I never did cause I felt like an outcast if I did. Alhamdullilah I am now in college and wear it full time and I absolutely love it. I am working on dress more modestly and your blog is so helpful. Thank you for all the post that you do and I hope you know it helps a lot of people :)

  8. Looks like you wear hijab at work in the hospital!!so how is d environment back there with your non muslim coleagues and the patients???

  9. Asalam o alaykum dear sister…
    Thankyou so much for such an inspiring blogg….i would love to try the way you wearing hijab In the first picture…..it has such Nice layers that covers the entire chest area….

    May Allah swt gives you lots og reward for being such a good role model for so many muslimgirls…Ameen

  10. Leena your advice was amazing! Thank you!! I wore a scarf about eight years ago, and I just started feeling more and more confident in the past 2 years. Your advice will help many girls out there who are anxious to wear a scarf. I wish I had an idol like you to look up to when I was first putting on the hijab. But I am glad that you are now here for the next generation

  11. Salam, this was amazing. I wear hijab and I love it. Thank you so much. Just one thing in the picture where I think you were going to the gym maybe wearing something light to hide the neck or pinning the small cap just to make sure the neck is covered. I don’t mean to hate in anyway. I love you sooo much and thanks again.

  12. hi Leena. you are really inspiring. you look very confident in hijab.
    i am a convert, and one day i hope to wear hijab., so this advices are really important.
    in the end we all go through similar difficulties.
    all the best.may Allah bless you.

    asalamu aleikum

  13. Oh my! What a lovely post Leena, I couldn’t help but comment on it. I really love your sincere advice and each point is valuable and full of wisdom MashaAllah. I enjoyed reading your story about your hijab journey and it seems very beautiful, inspirational and motivational for our sisters out there who are willing to wear the hijab.

    I’ve been wearing the hijab myself for a long time, and I can totally relate to your experiences. For example, when you said you look back at your clothes when you started wearing hijab and how it felt like out of place. Me too, when I look back at what I used to wear with my hijab, I’m like really, I used to wear that! Alhamdulilah my clothes and hijab have changed over the years to being better.

    However, the point I would like to raise is during my journey with wearing the hijab, I was unfortunately surrounded by sisters who were extremely judgemental. I was looked down upon because my hijab wasn’t “perfect” or my clothes were “too tight”. Instead of being corrected in a gentle manner, I was subject to sarcasm, rudeness and constant criticism. Basically, they never understood that I was at a certain level in my hijab journey and one day I will complete that level and move to the next, and all it takes is time.

    It’s very disappointing to see sisters acting so self righteous and thinking they are better than others because they wear the hijab “perfectly” and that others who don’t wear it like them or a specific way are “evil sinners”. That’s why I really like how you said not to look at other sisters who wear skinny jeans with judgemental eyes.

    I could go on forever writing about the amazingness of your post but sadly I’ll have to end here. Your non judgemental attitude, confidence and humbleness is what makes you a great role model and attracts many followers to your blog and social media. I would like to finish by asking Allah (SWT) to reward you immensely for your beautiful approach in portraying the hijab in a positive light. I may not see you in this world but I ask Allah (SWT) to unite us in Jannah, inshaAllah.

  14. Dear Leena, may Allah give you the rewards for each letter that you have typed in this blog post in shaa Allah. I follow you on instragram, and absolutely find you breathtaking mashaAllah. I do not wear the hijab yet, but I am taking small steps and hopefully Allah will get me there in shaa Allah. Sometimes the circumstances, our decisions and the scary elements of the outside world become so overwhelming that it becomes hard to focus and understand where we stand when it comes to hijab. I really loved how you set everything in steps and elaborated the “to dos and don’ts”. It just makes the picture clear and lifts off the overwhelming effect of the non-ending cycle of “when, how, etc.” I wish this post of yours gets published somewhere in shaa Allah, because I know this article would help so many girls like me out there. May Allah keep you blessed. You are an amazing soul sister!

  15. Hello,lovely:)
    I`m a 20 yr old girl from Iran and muslim .I`m blown away by your words about hijab ! i knew them all but the way you described your story was impressive and nice.I`m absolutely delighted that I`ve found your blog.You really are a motivation for girls to progress in their hijabs:).
    Thank you sooo much for sharing your hijabs on your blog,instagram,and etc.
    As you said “May Allah SWT make hijab easy for all of us and reward us for our efforts! Ameen <3"
    xoxo, Behnaz

  16. Hello Leena,
    Hope you and your family are having a blessed Ramdan!
    I am born Muslim but I started wearing hijab 4 years ago. In many parts in your post I felt as if you were talking about me!
    I am the ony hijabi between my sisters, and in my class in University of Texas San Antonio (working on becoming an orthodontist), and between my friends. I do feel confident about mu hijab alhamdullah but continue to work on that.
    Seeing your posts keeps my confidence high, because i can see from your pictures that you sort of have the same situation, so I don’t feel alone. Thank you for that!
    In general, i don’t get the feeling that anyone stares at me. I think only when a person is insecure she would feel like eyes are all on her. I don’t even get the feeling that ppl treat me differently outside or in the hospital atmosphere. And if they do, they probably try to be extra nice and all smiles because of my hijab i guess lol.
    However, i dont think my working out outfit is really modest. I am trying my best though.

    Thanks for the post!

  17. Your blog and your story are beautiful! I am so happy to have stumbled upon this amazing site, and I am thrilled to see someone represent both the Muslim faith and your lovely culture in such a positive, classy and confident way. God bless and keep up the fantastic work! A big hug from Florida. ♥ Ash
    The Yellow Petunia

  18. I love the advice you gave! You are such an inspiration for girls who need someone to look up to. I wish you were around when I started, I would have for sure benefitted from your example! :) <3

  19. Salam aleykum, I am a senior in high school. I used to live in the U.S.A but came back to my country to learn some Arabic. I’ve been thinking for the past few days about wearing the hijab. I usually just put a scarf on my head when I go out( my hair still shoesw) but I font wear it to school and sometimes don’t wear it when I go out with my aunt and relatives also in weddings. I also feel like I really want to wear the gijab but the other side of me thinks I won’t look good without my hair. I’m really lost and I don’t want to be the type that puts on the hijab and takes it off after awhile. I really need motivation and tips. So please, whoever has tips share it with me and inshaAllah you girls will help me through this long bumpy road. I also want to wear it cause Allah said so and I think about that when its time and I’m dead all by myself no one is going to be there so why should I try to impress? But the other half of me says not too. My mom really wants me too so do i . but I feel like the perfect time is when I graduate (next year) but at the same time I think to myself that I don’t know when I’m going to die. Also that the “dunya” is just a test with hard questions. So please help me girls. Thank you for reading

  20. Salamalaykum dear
    That’s really good. You have such an excellent weblog.
    May Allah bless you and your family.
    Every body has some difficulties when starting hijab,but never forget you gonna be rewarded for this effort. And you gonna be a role model for others and a booster for their confidence.
    It’s hard but not that much, Allah will definitely make it easy for anyone who goes in his path.
    All the best in your efforts sisters❤️

  21. Salam, Leena! I am a non-Muslim American, but I have always been interested in the Muslim faith. I am also a feminist, and I have been considering wearing a hijab. They are very beautiful, and seem like a great way to show modesty. Although, I am a bit worried about what my friends will think.. Also, one of my teachers is a Muslim, and I’m not sure about the way she will react. I hope I can be as confident as you when it comes to wearing a hijab. And, if I do decide to start wearing one, what places would you recommend buying one?

    • Walaikum Salam! :) I think it is wonderful that you wish to dress more modestly with a head scarf! I think it is scary to start wearing one no matter what your faith. My best advice is to listen to your self and wear it for the right reasons. At first it may be hard for you to explain to everyone that you are doing it out of modesty and not out of faith. But in the end they will treat you the same way or even respect you more for such a difficult decision. I love Voilechic.ca for scarves! They are great quality and have beautiful solid colors! :) I hope that helped and I wish you the very best! PS: you might try looking into Islam, you may find that you agree with more concepts than just hijab :) XOXO

  22. assalamu aleykum ukhti! thank you for your advice. I will start wearing the hijab at the beginning of the new schoolyear, maybe a bit earlier but this is my selfset limit. As a revert I have to struggle with problems with my family because I still live with them! Just wanted to let you know that some of your advices helped me! greetings from Austria!

    • walaikum salam! I am so happy that my advice helped you! May Allah make it easy on you and reward you greatly ameen!! :)

  23. Mashallah this is so deep, i’m pretty sure your words will inspire many girls around the globe, and inshallah all will be more and more Hasanaat for you, may Allah be always with you.

  24. Well no pain no gain…we are here to please Allah Subhan Allah…right? If we understand that nothing is more important than doing whatever it takes to make our Allah happy…and hijab is a discipline to make this journey easy….

    What is the purpose of our life. Why we are here in this world? God says in Quran

    1. Did you then think that We created you in vain, and that you would not be returned to us?

    The Holy Quran 23:115

    2. And I created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone).

    The Holy Quran 51:56

    The purpose of our life is the worship our Creator in the many ways there are to worship Him (prayer, helping others, seeking knowledge, etc.).

    3. …Who has created life and death so that He may try you which of you are best in deeds…

    The Holy Quran 67:2

    Who will do the best works for the sake of Him?

    4. And We have not created the heaven and earth and what is between them in vain. That is the opinion of those who disbelieve. And woe to such disbelievers, because of the Fire. Shall we treat those who believe and do good deeds as those who spread corruption on the earth? Or shall we treat the pious as sinners?

    The Holy Quran 38:27-8

    The believers will not face the same afterlife as the corrupters. The pious will not be treated the same as sinners.

    5. And among the people there is he who sells himself for the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is kind to His worshippers.

    The Holy Quran 2:207

    The pleasure of Allah should be our goal.

    6. There has come to you from God a light and a luminous Book, through which God, by His grace, guides all who seek His good pleasure on the path of peace, and brings them out of the depths of darkness into light and guides them unto a Straight Path.

    The Holy Quran 5:15-16

    God has guided people to the purpose of life—worshipping Him and seeking His pleasure—by sending His messengers, books and other means. But we have to want to please God to receive this guidance.

  25. Sisters, Just start your journey..believe that Allah is with you. Believe that you will be highly rewarded for all your struggles.. Hijab is a form of worshipping- the one and only,a way of being closer to your creator..lots of us go through this phase when we all quite close to this change,a change towards a better us, all we need is one more step forward.. Don’t turn away after being so close to it.. I was inspired by my brother’s word alhamdulilah-now it will not be your ignorance it will be your arrogance, and iblis was arrogant. May Allah make our journey towards becoming a better muslimah easier.

  26. Hi Leena,

    I am a Chinese. I married a Pakistani Muslim and converted into Muslim since my marriage (2 years ago). Yesterday, my husband request me to cover my hair. I was confuse. Our marriage was not easy, my parents disagree because I have to converted into Islam. And I just got my parents back like a year ago after hard approach. I am worry if I wear hijab, my parents, family, and friends will rejected me. If I do not wear hijab, my husband refuse to go out with me.
    I realize I am in a different position. Because the will of wearing hijab shud be come from my heart and I know I am not ready for that. What to do?

  27. Slm. This has helped me tremendously indeed. I’m a recent revert and wearing the hijab is my second thought after praying. Ur advice got me thinking of the right time to start wearing the hijab. I would sometimes keep it on after jumma on Fridays but as I’m the only muslin in my entire family it’s difficult to communicate with them on why I need to dress differently. I usually feels cold on a daily basis so im always in long sleeve so that’s not a problem but sometimes it’s hard because I don’t hv my family full support. I have a few sisters from mosque who would explain basic things and how they transitioned from no hijab to wearing it everywhere. Thank you for this extremely well put together article on you journey.

  28. Thank you leena for this post , i really needed it. I’ve been constantly thinking about wearing hijab , finally i’ m trying to do it slowly by wearing more modestly and hopefully wearing hijab soon. U really gave me a big push toward my goal inshaallah. You really inspire me to be a better muslima, thank you ❤️

  29. Thanks so much for putting this up. It’s really inspired me. It makes me understand now that I don’t need anyone to put pressure on me to wear the hijab. I can just be myself and fit it into my style! ☺

  30. Assalamu alaikum
    You are so awesome and persistent, I love your hijab style then I run in and searched couple of online stores to get hijab like you and the best online store that I found was niswa fashion. And their hijab matches yours .

    Stylish and awesome like you

    Anybody can buy from them with my discount code “THANKS”
    Enjoying your blogs and volgs

  31. Love love love this story…so inspiring and the noor that comes from you is amazing MA. May Allah SWT continue to bless and guide you along this path! Ameen. IA I will like to fulfill my obligations as well and pt 1 is so pivotal. Can you please link where you got your swimsuit.

  32. Thank you so much for sharing your story! You have no idea how much this helped me. I’m also going to be a senior this summer and my goal is to wear the hijab my freshman year of college. I’m very anxious and scared about how that’s going to change my relationships and the way other people perceive me, but inshallah everything will be ok :)

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