fashion in religion
May 4, 2011Fashion and religion. Can they get along?
When I started FashionValet, I had no intentions of finding glamour or fame. It is merely to find rezeki and fulfil my dreams of having a business. I’ve had so many business plans since university, trust me, I wanted to have a publishing company, I wanted to be an author, I wanted to be a designer. I’ve dreamed all sorts of dreams, and somehow, this one came true first.
Now, more than ever, I’m being invited to events and fashion shows almost every week. And I go because it’s a really good friend or it’s work; because it’s something related to FV. And I decline those that have nothing to do with FV, but merely the ones that want me to feature them on my blog. You can really tell who is taking advantage of your social platform. I’ve even had a “friend” ask me once, “Eh you’re a blogger right? OHHH!! Come to my event!!!” -___- Uh…no…thanks.
Anyway, all that aside, I’m just reflecting on myself. I enjoy this new world, but I need to constantly remind myself to feel the earth, remember my roots, because man….you can really get lost in the fashion world. Like prayers for example. If you have an event in the afternoon and you’re all ready with fake eyelashes and thick make-up and stuff.. Then you have an event at night, and you’re like, I can’t be bothered to take all this off. So Zuhur, Asar and Maghrib fly out the window.
As a stockist to beautiful designs, of course, sometimes I see reallyyyy sexy ones. And I know they can be styled in such a way that is modest and covered up, but at the back of my mind, I’m thinking wowww what will my mom have to say about that dress on its own? But that’s the fashion world; everything’s art. And being in this line now, I get to open my eyes to another world. A world of glamour and high fashion. A world where people pout and want to be seen at fashion shows. A world where it’s gorgeous to wear a bra and high waisted skirt to walk around town. It’s really a colourful world and I’ve met a lot of really nice people who have an abundance of talent, MasyaAllah, but really, if I don’t check on myself regularly, I can really go further and further away from religion.
This long weekend, I had some time to “spend time” with God. Usually I wrongly rush my prayers because I have work to do, but this weekend, I just sat there. I just sat on my prayer mat and doa. I doa to God that he will guide me and never falter my focus. I started FV with good intentions to ease people’s shopping and to give access to others outside KL to have a taste of local designers. So don’t let that ever change. I’m being featured in magazines and just last week, I am on the cover of one of the best magazines in Malaysia. When I saw the cover, I remembered that I was so happy and so overwhelmed. So I prayed that I will always be humble and not have riak in me. I prayed that with the fast rise of FV, that I will keep cool and not feel proud and glory. I prayed that even with competitors coming in, I will pray for their successes whilst improving my own.
It’s hard being in the fashion line and still keeping faith strong, unless you only deal with hijab fashion, which FV doesn’t. Even so, I do a lot of research on hijab fashion and I feel like some are losing focus. Isn’t donning the hijab about modesty? Why is it that hijab fashion has to be avant garde, splash of colours and sequins from head to toe, and even more eye-catching than mainstream fashion?
Personally, I feel the relationship between religion and fashion is a tricky one that a lot of people dodge talking about. How can you want to be fashionable when your intentions to cover up is to put vanity aside for Allah swt? How can you don the hijab for modesty and sacrifice to God, and still want people to look at you as a fashion icon? At the same time, we are all women with the natural desire to look good (I should know, I am guilty of not even donning the hijab yet!!). And sometimes, looking good for our husbands alone isn’t enough because after 5 years, they don’t get excited about our hair anymore. What is the fashion limit in religion besides not showing aurat?
Somebody help clarify my thoughts, please?
salam sis vivy 😉
firstly,I want you to know that I really proud of you.Being in the fashion line and have to makesure all the designs sell by you are not too open as a respect to our religion,is not an easy job.But you showed to us that you still really reallyyyy care about our religion.You did hard work.Congrates to yourself.
But sometimes,its really make us confused on what is wrong and what is right to us,isnt it?
So,based on what you were told under this entry,I was agreed with you.For me,its not a mistake to combine both fashions and religion but nowadays it looked like some islamic fashions existed were not based on islamic purposes but it was more to ‘attraction’.
But,its not a wrong thing to do an islamic fashion as long as all that ‘bersifat sederhana’ and follow the syarak;)
I’m so sorry if my opinions cannot be accepted,I just a naive girl.
P/s:Love to read your blog and very hope one day I’d have a chance to meet you and your cute opah..hehe..
Salam everyone 😉
Dear V. I love this entry for a particular reason – I share the same view and wrote on the same subject in my blog last year.
I’m sorry I don’t have answers for you. I’m also still trying to wear hijab properly but I always try to put modesty as my key. Like they said, its a process.
the most important thing is your faith. the way i see it, there is ntg wrong with loving fashion as long as u know ur limit. not everyone can wear jubah all the time and lower our gaze. what we ought to do is always trying to improve ourselves. for me, i love being fashionable and i feel proud that i can wear my hijab and still feel beautiful..
I don’t have the answer to your question, nor am I the right person to even talk about such a matter, but I just want you to know that the fact that you ponder aloud and it feels like you genuinely ask for others opinions, really and truly endears you to everyone.
Very well-written post Vivy. You’re such an inspiration to me, with your achievements at young age, you still able to keep your feet on the ground and be humble. I hope you will find the answer to your question. Have faith in yourself and keeping yourself close to God is the key perhaps.
As a human, we always need to keep ourselves in check.Even Islam also encourages us to muhasabah (reflect). i am glad to see FV is doing very well PD,the fact that FV team tries ur best to cater for the covered Muslims really2 impressed me.
I agree with u abt the hijabi fashion,it’s a very very difficult question.I myself don’t get hijabi fashion,as u said; modesty is always the key.
u should c it subjectively.I myself wear hijab n i do not see anything wrong with expressing myself thru fashion,at the end of the day its all about ur nawaitu.if u wear things just to show off with or without hijab,its still riak.If ure talking about really staying 100% true to islamic beliefs,women should be chained to the kitchen,not pursuing business…
Thats something to ponder…
Can FV pls stock more of the bigger sized clothing?The prices of local brands r not appealing so pls try to get more of the cheaper ones…
Salam
but i must say that this post is really a refreshing view on fashion
keep it up…
interesting answer…. but wasn’t Khadijah a businesswoman when our Prophet met her?
dear viviy, ( i hope i spelled your name correctly ), yes, I’m a person who wears hijab just recently about 2 years ago,and i still have this problem of understanding how fashion goes with religion. still in the learning process. if u have clarified, please do a new post about it. Looking forward to it.
im sorry but i myself admit that my depth of knowledge in islam is not deep,but frm my understanding women r sposed to be submissive so in that sense ure not really sposed to be out there if u get what i mean.Thanks a lot for encouraging thought provokign debate…how come ure not asleep PD?
Get some rest…
That’s not true. Islam never ever said that women should stay home and be submissive. Khadijah followed Muhammad saw in his journey until her last breath,even during war,she even sacrified all her harta to stand for Islam. Even after her death, Muhammad saw longing and miss her so much because she’s a great woman. Sumaiyah is another brave woman who stand for her religion, so do Aisyah and Mariam.
Vivy,i rasa you ok.You are not that sexy.One thing yang i belajar,dont be so humble,you are not that great.At the same time,you need to be humble all the time!.
Keep on moving,stay focus.Tentang agama,i pun tak tahu nak kata apa.Im not that good on religious thingy.Let GOD judge us .Chill ya.:)
I totally agree on your thoughts about hijab fashion and modesty. The entire point of wearing hijab is to be modest and not attract attention.
When it comes to your business I don’t have advice to give ’cause I’m still young and I really appreciate what you do. My father is also a business man and he has always instilled in me the concept of becoming an entrepreuner. Insha Allah that day will come soon.
But one thing he always say is, “Make sure your earnings come from a halal source and you do a halal business. The barakath is there only in that.”
This may not answer your questions but I hope it gives you some clarity.
I really believe that if you love both enough, you’ll find a way to make it work. Good luck! 🙂
http://www.bforbel.com
I clearly remember a particular ustazah in my younger years. She was very very stern. She’d glare at you with her naturally highly-arched thin brows (which made it so scary) to button up your baju kurung, don’t lift your kain sekolah to run, when are you gonna wear hijab, tuck in your hair properly in your hijab etc. Sometimes we would cross the corridors just to avoid her.But one thing she said that really made me smile..
“Ustazah memanglah bertudung labuh dan berbaju longgar.Tapi ustazah tak nak pakai hitam berlitup. Sebab sebagai muslimah, ustazah nak bagi tau semua orang yang islam itu indah.”
Being a person who only donned her hijab several years ago, I vow to myself to be an islamic ambassador. To tell the world that Islam is beautiful, not kolot.
Islam puts women on a very high pedestal. There is even a chapter dedicated just for women – goes to show how special we are in Islam.
To anon: I don’t know where you get that idea but to say islam keeps women chained to the kitchen is not only wrong, to me that is also misleading. Like PD said, Khadijah herself was a very succesful entrepeneur during her lifetime. The Prophet even encouraged his wife, Aisya, to seek knowledge. There were also famous Muslimah warriors (who were just as brave as the menfolk) who went to war to fight against those who were against the Prophet’s teachings.
So to say following Islam means oppressing the womenfolk would not be correct. Such thoughts are misleading. I don’t mean to offend but then such thoughts are what scare other non-muslims and cause them to think Islam is an oppressive and cruel religion when it is not. What you see happening around the world in the name of Islam (honor killing etc) is what happens when culture supercedes the actual religious teaching of the Prophet.
IMHO:
Covering your aurat is kind of pointless when others can still see your body (ie thin/seethrough material). It’s like wearing a net over yourself – you’re covered but you’re not.
I agree with you, PD, that modesty is always the key. Wearing hijab with low cut tops kind of beats the purpose of the hijab in the first place, no?
Wallhualam.
salam kak vivy, sorry i’m just a silent reader b4 this, but when i read this entry
it also bothered me- how to be a fashionist without ever cross the limit of our religion?
Islam is very easy, that’s why Allah give us islam as a way of life,
n plus being a muslim need us to think everythg out of the box, means that whatever we do , islam is the first, understand islam and then you will get the solution for all the difficulties you’ve been through.. 😉
May Allah bless u kak vivy , really love u although i never know u b4 , 😉 all the best!!
I would like to share this interesting insight by Rizalman.
http://rizalmanibrahim.blogspot.com/2009/04/to-be-or-not-to-be.html
Salam Vivy,
Been your silent reader for quite awhile, but this post really calls for my attention and I would like to share my two cents worth.
I received an e-mail with an attachment not so long ago about the real meaning of ‘hijab’. Apparently what we thought as ‘tudung’, is actually more than that. ‘Hijab is not a piece of cloth but it’s a way of life’ (taken from the attachment)
Here are the highlights of the attachment:
1. Lower your gaze
2. Should not attract attention-no bright lipstick or eyeliner, unless use a face cover, not using jewelry/don shoes that make noise because those attract attention
3. Conceal your sister-which means not to describe anything about your sister in islam to your brother/husband as if he can see her
4. No free mixing/socializing with non mahrams
5. Careful with the way you walk and talk
I wish I could paste the attachment here and share with everyone.
Although I am wearing hijab, I’m still far from the whole hijab concept. Let’s all improve and be closer to Him, InsyALLAH.
P/s: It’s good entry Vivy.
3.
1.
this is a nice post and I’m now putting on my thinking cap. I’m wearing hijab yet, I’m not the one whom I believed capable of talking bout this. but 1 thing I know for sure, we Muslims sure need to read a lot and refer to many books and also people with depth knowledge in Islam (the ustaz and ustazah) for fear we might get wrong information regarding Islam. thanks for the heads up anyways. 🙂
salam
just to share
whatever it is, back to Al Quran and Sunnah.
Nothing better than that.
i am totally agreed with Adilah Rosli .
sometimes, we seem to argue with Allah’s order by saying that is too much for muslimah.but the reality is Allah put us on very high level.
we cannot simply throw our opinion just to say we are really into it. worrying that unintended to be ‘kufur’.Waalahualam…
what a beautiful post and the comments are all wonderful..thanks u all….all i can say is that, there is nothing wrong in looking beautiful but Islam preaches moderation so it is a fine balance we ladies have to learn to strike..at the end of the day, it is the way we treat ourselves for Allah swt to judge..insya allah all of our good deeds would be rewarded byy Him…i pray that we all including you vivy are forever in his Lindungan..
Hi Vivy, this is such an interesting post.
Frankly speaking, I’m a lady who’s wearing hijab since school. At the early stage, I wanted to wear it as I was so ashamed of myself as all of my friends are wearing hijab. The earliest, standard 6 and form 1. But I ended up, with “chipsmore” on this particular year as there were moments I was not wearing it. Shame on me!
As for me, wearing hijab ain’t easy task as you need to carry yourself as a good muslimah. Like the way you talk, the way you laugh, the way you eat, so many things!
What I did was reading. I rarely read Islamic books, but when I have the time, I read the tafsir and certain hadith which made me feel in such a peace mode.
It does not mean if you’re not wearing hijab, you’re not a good muslimah. And never do something as people are pushing you to do so as it will turn the other way round.
I blab so much in here. And sorry if this did not really help you out. I’m just throwing what is kept in my mind:)
Have a pleasant day ahead Vivy
in the beginning, i wore the hijab coz my parents told me to and somehow them forcing me made me resent wearing it even more! so after 3 years of wearing it, i took it off whenever i went out without my parents. i felt so free and liberated after that. but then i realised something, i started becoming more vain and arrogant. not to blow my own horn, but i have nice hair. it felt great for me to show it off and i have a nice figure to so being able to wear clothes that could show it off really boosted my ego. after a year of doing it, i told my parents that i didn’t wanna wear it anymore. i honestly thought that my parents would flip their lid but to my surprise, they didn’t. the were very calm and collected. then my dad asked me, ‘why don’t you wanna wear the hijab anymore’. then i replied ‘coz i’m not ready’. then my dad asked me ‘when will you be ready?’ then i said ‘maybe after marriage?’ then my dad said “what makes you think you’ll be alive to be married? what makes you think you’ll even be alive tomorrow? we live in the world where we think we’ll grow to be 80 years old, we fail to remember that god can take away our life in a blink of any eye. you can cross the road and get hit by the bus! my point is, you can die anytime, any day so when you say ‘when i’m ready’ think about whether you’re certain you’ll be alive at that time”. then my dad asked me another question “so, what’s the reason why you don’t wanna wear the hijab?” i said ” coz i don’t feel pretty. i feel like people treat me differently as if i’m any less because of the hijab. i want to be accepted” then my dad replied “do you realise that you were put on this earth to serve Allah and not people? so you feel that it is more important to get people’s acceptance more than Allah? i understand that there are people who are shallow that would judge and perceive you differently because of the hijab, but don’t you think their opinion is baseless as they are judging because of a CLOTH on your head? jihad is not just going to war with people, it’s also going to war with yourself. i understand that there’s a part of you that doesn’t wanna wear it, but you have to fight that side because it’s also the shaitan whispering. Remember, Allah always comes first. you come second. if you’re surrounded by people who judge you because of a cloth on your head, than you shouldn’t be around those people coz they are obviously shallow. people shouldn’t be focused on the cloth on your head, they should be focusing on your mind! you know deep down inside what’s right and what is wrong. Just remember who you turn to at the end of the day, Allah. So don’t turn away from Him”. amazingly after that conversation, I WILLINGLY WANTED TO WEAR THE HIJAB. i realised that life on this earth is only temporary, but life in the afterlife is for eternity and to think that i would have time to repent was silly of me, coz at the end of the day, no one knows when their time on this earth is up.
hope this helps you vivy, i’m just speaking from my own experience 🙂
Assalamualaikum PD,
First of all, kudos to you for still taking religion into consideration in your day-to-day activities. Alhamdulillah. Remember Allah all the time because He always remembers us.
Pasal hukum-hakam ni, Wallahu’alam. Hanya Dia yang mengetahuinya, & hanya Dia yang boleh menghukum. But it’s best that we try to live every single aspect of our lives in accordance to His rules, because when you return to Him, some of the questions that would be asked to us would be:
– How did you live your life?
– What have you done with the talents & skills that have been given to you?
– What have you done in Allah’s name?
This is just my personal opinion la, so I apologise in advance if whatever I say would cause offence. But this is just the way I see it. Say if you’re a fashion designer, even if some of your creations involve revealing outfits, maybe you would get asked then why you choose to design such outfits for women, why you choose to participate in encouraging women (subahat) to dress provocatively? I guess the same goes for fashion retailers. You would probably be asked: Why do you choose to sell such revealing clothes to people when you know they expose the aurat.
My suggestion is, if you don’t have a good answer to all those questions, then don’t do it.
How to play it safe as a fashion retailer? Perhaps by not stocking short & fitting stuff in your shop. Pants, long skirts, long-sleeved top. Material pun jangan jarang, fitting pun jangan ketat.
Yes, it is up to Him to judge, but we don’t know how He would judge us in then. So what we can do now is try to live our lives the best way we can as Muslims – in a way that we KNOW for sure he would approve.
Just my 2 cents.
vivy, lets try to follow toot’s idea of having wudu’ first before putting on such make up. (referring to your previous previous post)
And try to “protect” our wudu’,(eg : take a good care of our self from touching or getting touched by those that is not mahram to us, control food intakes so that we don’t have to go to the toilet and ..just protect our wudu’ from batal)
About the issue, am not sure myself. one thing i can say is that, there’s this hadith from Aisyah R.A.
“sebaik-baik perempuan, adalah perempuan yang tidak dipandang dan memandang”.
BIG HUG TO YOU VIVY!
i always proud of u vivy 🙂
hi vivy..just want to share something wif u..
“And sometimes, looking good for our husbands alone isn’t enough because after 5 years, they don’t get excited about our hair anymore”
i think this isnt right. husband is a person who u have to obey. juz ask him what he wants from us. ask what he wants us to wear, ur hairstyle, etc..follow ur husband’s order as long as it doesnt neglect the syariah.this is not a culture in malay tradition. this is WAJIB. people always get confused.
“What is the fashion limit in religion besides not showing aurat?”
not showing aurat IS the fashion limit in islam. there are several other guidelines. u can refer to any person who more expert in this.
Hana, can I adopt your dad? 😀
If I could like your comment, I would like it a thousand times. Your dad puts it succinctly.
i must congrat u on ur effort to ‘dakwah islam’. Its a very good effort to take responsibility on what u sell.After all, if u let those super sexy outfit in fashion valet, ur fan take it as a sign that u approve those fashion. u r a fashionista n what u wear n what u sell will affect the fashion sosiety n ur follower.
I do believe Islam is an universal Religion.we have 4 biggets mazhab in this world which they practise Islam slightly different yet still according to Al-Quran, Hadith, Sunnah and Ijma’ Ulamak.
So here in Malaysia, we are all mazhab shafie which outline hijab as menutup aurat(rambut dan leher), not sheer, and melabuhkan tudung utk menutupi dada.its a very simple rule isnt it?
So as a muslimah, i still want to be like u, fashionable eventho im not afashionista @ working in fashion industri. So im using this 3 rules and just wearing my hijab as modest as i can be.
Yet, i also had a nawaitu to be a good muslimah 1 day, that is lower ur gaze bla n bla…but i believe in donning the hijab in fun way, is a way of dakwah and tell the whole world and teenager that, Islam is a beautifull religion which we still can be modest and yet sopan.
so my deari Vivy, just dont mess ur head with all the nonsense about hijabi, take it as a practise to become better muslimah one day. a building isnt build in 1 day rite?
if there is too many rules n regulation, no young teenager will donning hijab, they will take it as boring, dull and out dated.we will not let this happen rite? we want all the muslimah, at least wearing hijab n feel beautifull about themselves.Slowly, when they get “hidayah” from Allah,9insya Allah) they will learn the right way of donning hijab.
and last but not least,
keep ur nawaitu(niat) on donning the hijab , for Allah maha mengetahui. u even dapat pahala with ur purest intention.
keep on dakwah tru fashion valet, lets rock the world n let them know that u can be modest and fashionable yet sopan menutup aurat.
btw , Jennifer Aniston yg gorgeous n fashionable pun kene tinggal dgn Brad Pit.so im not all agree with ur statement after 5 years, the husband aint excited anymore with our hair….
Vivy,
Alhamdulillah for all your prayers… riak is the hardest to avoid in this material world, especially when you have the fame and glory. As for aurat, I myself have to admit I am wearing hijab but I truly feel I’m not doing it correctly yet if I still have to don telekung for prayers. If I’m doing it correctly I should be able to just pray with what I have on. InsyaAllah, it’s a process and I’m sure most people are working towards it. I know you are too! 🙂
All the best!
i wept reading hana’s comment.
thanks vivy and hana for sharing =)
Vivy,at the end of the day, the most important thing and what counts most is your intention,nawaitu.Only Allah knows whats inside your heart,beside u.
Btw,I couldn`t agree more with anon…plus size items please..Those in FV are all for the comel2 ladies mcm u je..he..he
Hi vivy, i’m a new reader to your blog.
Well, I really adore you. You look good in almost every outfits that u put together.
And I realise that you never wear revealing clothes, which is good too. 1 doesn’t need to show cleavage & such to be sexy. And u, u always look so chic & pretty.
You are doing such a great job. Keep up the good work. Love your blog.
if we put our target is for akhirat
then we will see how beautiful is Islam in every single thing.
i am not blaming you and others who think that by wearing hijab, is like ‘ewww , what is the horrible fashion is that?”
because it is depend what is our target.
now or hereafter..
and i am totally not agree with ur last statement. husband who really truly love the wife is husband who doesn;t want his wife to be “burn’ in hell because of not reminding her to cover their aurat..one of my friend said, “apa guna cantik semata2 kat dunia, kat akhirat terbakar juga?tak kesian kat isteri ka meraung2 panggil nama suaminya?”
seems rough but meaningful…
Vivy, congratulations on having such deep thoughts. Truth be told, not everyone can hold these sentiments close to their hearts. The relationship between religion and fashion IS tricky, and I thank you for sharing this amazing piece with us.
nice entry..good comments.
its all back to basic.Back to Sunnah & Hadis.
Islam bg kemudahan utk setiap umatnya..and believe there is equal and opposite reaction for every action u made. Fizik pun related my dear..
What you just did is,muhasabah diri.
I did that quite often, and its put me to the lowest state. And yet, still found myself in such a sin.
Teruskan berdoa and thankful to Him. Good luck dear…
this is one most beautiful entry of all your previous post..love & admired reading it..indirectly, you spread the beautiful of islam
Dear sis vivy, may this post help in clarifying your thoughts.
It appears that your post here looks like you are judging those who wear hijab. But it’s wrong to think that you’re better off than those who wear hijab but choose to be stylish. That its better to not wear hijab at all, rather than wear one but not conforming to the spirit of wearing the hijab. In islam both the spirit and the form is equally important. One supplements the other. Just because you cannot pray with khusyu’, doesn’t mean you should stop praying. It will come. If that is truly the case then the prophet has taught us that “a muslim should leave the affairs of that which do not concern him” and in your case, hijabi fashion.
After all, you may think that you dress modestly, but under what standards? Whose criteria are you using? Judgment works both ways and will never end, which is why God has said to leave it to Him.
Fashion is not the exclusive domain of those who do not cover their aurah. Islam is a wonderful religion, breathing, evolving, living. Many centuries ago, people were asking whether religion and science mixed. And then it was religion and arts. And now religion and fashion. Islam advocates modesty. But at the same time a muslimah must be a role model to society and those around her, be it in dressing sense, cleanliness, etc. To flesh out Juma’s post above, fashion in Islam is also based on ‘urf, or custom. It is customary in Saudi Arabia to wear black robes. Here in Malaysia the colourful kurung is custom and is accepted. There is no issue. The beauty in religion is its simple approach.
Maybe one day, you will be able to approach this question in a better understanding once you actually wear the hijab. As the saying goes, let’s cross the bridge when we get there. So baby steps first, okay? 🙂
Anyway, I’m sure you asked this question to Yuna, who you advented as a STYLE ICON just the other day to help sell more items on Fashion Valet. What did she have to say?
this post of urs is very thought provoking. For me at least. I wear tudung because I have been wearing it 3 quarter of my life. A habit I suppose.
I like wearing sheer clothing with inner wear, short sleeved t-shirt (sometimes come with wide neckline)or tight fitting clothes (even while donning the tudung) just because i think i look good in it.
But my hubbs told me, we women don’t realise that we are provoking the sexual imagination of men by wearing those clothings. For example bending down wearing wide neckline shirts will give men a whole uninterrupted view of your whole upper torso (breasts and stomach included). Some women like men to look at them thinking that they are sexy but those are western’s look on sex appeal. A sexual discrimination of sort encouraged by we women ourselves to not look beyond the physical attractiveness. Kesian all those plain janes like me… :p
I’m still a long way from becoming properly (and modestly) attired. Its a long process. One that needs self realisation and willingness to change.
But yes, the new age hijab fashion gives me a bad after taste.
woww thanks for the overwhelming response of answers.
I am still in the midst of reading them, but I’d like to address some of the negative ones towards hijab.
This post isn’t to question anybody’s judgment, it’s just me thinking out loud about fashion and religion. Don’t be sensitive about it because I myself get asked by non-Muslim friends about modesty in Islam vs extravagant hijabi fashion. It’s good to question the purpose of it all, broadens our mind.
How one dons the hijab or styles herself isn’t my place to judge. Of all people, I would judge myself FIRST for not even taking the first step yet. I look up to those wearing hijab and aspire to be one of them (those who’ve followed me long enough will know my struggle to fight vanity over religion, which is one my biggest flaws of all) and God knows what kind of style I’d be wearing once I myself don the hijab.
This is just me writing aloud what I thought about last night, and in a way, I guess I was asking myself the same questions. Please don’t misconstrue it to be me writing negatively about hijab. If I could sum up my feelings for hijab wearers, it would be respect and admiration. I am simply getting myself as ready as possible and knowing the purpose and how I should carry myself after I’ve covered up.
salam vivy, hijab and fashion can go together. if you’ve a good intention, InsyaAllah, Allah is always with you. Niat dah baik, cuma amik masa utk realisekan niat baik tu.
for example, hana tajima. she’s fashion designer, mix blood but we can see she’s still stylo and fashionable with her hijab.
i bet that you’ll be more sweeter and prettier with your hijab…..
May Allah always bless your good intention.
We always support you dear!!!
Salams Vivy,
I saw this article online that talks about entrepreneurship in Islam. Hope it’ll make a useful read for you, insyallah. It’s a series i think so i guess it’ll be gd to keep reading up on it…
http://www.islamicevents.sg/blog/updates/entrepreneurship-in-islam-series-intentions/?fb_comment_id=fbc_10150185606333401_16001381_10150185655083401#f15be66411d2fda
here’s the article for the rest of you to read!
Entrepreneurship in Islam Series – Intentions
Tags: entrepreneurship
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious and the Most Merciful
Peace and blessing be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad, his family and companions
Series 1: Intentions
Entrepreneurship is not just about making money.
It goes beyond that. TRUST ME.
At first, I thought that it is impossible for an ordinary people like me to achieve big dreams.
Now, I realize that BUSINESS is actually a medium to HELP. We are helping to solve other people’s problem. That’s what my Mentor Suria said.
Allah swt reminds us:
“And help each other in righteousness and piety, and help not one another in sin and transgression and remain fearing Allah. Undoubtedly, the torment of Allah is severe.”
(Al-Maidah: 2)
Let us ponder.
Any business you are in right now, you are actually helping the community.
For example:
When you are selling beauty product, you are helping people look good.
When you are selling herbs and medicines, you are helping people to cure.
When you are teaching, you are helping people to understand better.
Yes. That is business. An exchange. Money is just a medium.
Business is solving other people’s problem.
Business is helping.
Business is impacting.
And above all, business is SERVING.
Thus in business, we must always check our intention every single day.
To receive money, and SERVE.
To receive money, and HELP.
To receive money, and GIVE.
May Allah make us people with good intention to Allah.
Amin.
See you on the next article~!
With Love,
Su’aidah Salim
Su’aidah Salim, graduate from Al-Azhar University in Islamic Jurisprudence. Currently working in a mosque as an Assistant Executive Youth Development Officer, and an Education Consultant in Learning Discoveries Pte Ltd. She also conducts Al-Qur’an Coaching for children and teens.
How to contact this writer?
Email:aidahsalim@hotmail.com
Facebook: facebook.com/suaidah.salim
personally i dont think vivi was judging but i dont believe religion and fashion should be mutually exclusive as many are claiming it to be simply bcos ur nawaitu matters more than anything else.If u dress up modestly but ur niat is simply to attract the opposite sex n to show off,even with tudung its still dosa bcos ur niat wasnt right in the first place.i hope to c u in hijab soon…i read a lot about hijab fashion online,n they’re pretty if not more beautiful than those without it….
“Sesungguhnya, hidupku, matiku, amal ibadatku hanya untuk Allah SWT”
“Niat tidak menghalalkan cara”
Hope these will help you 🙂
Assalamualaikum,
At times like these, i think its important to take a step back and ask ourselves the pivotal question, ‘what is the purpose of our creation?’. The answer lies in the Quran (51:56).
Don’t be afraid to ‘lose’ something in taking a step towards pleasing Allah because the he is the Best of Providers. Rizq is from Him 🙂
Will make dua’ for you and fellow Muslims insyaallah.
Allah knows best. 🙂
Go back to Quran and you’ll find the answer.
There is a reason why Allah wants you to cover up. So if you don the hijab but you wear skin tight jeans and tight tank top, or you don the hijab but relish the fact that people look at you and you feel the ‘riak’ or don the hijab but wears clothes that shows your figure obviously contradicts what has been instructed by Allah to us women.
You don’t wear your hijab cause you think you’re ‘ready’. You wear hijab because Allah instructed you to do so . End of story.
Go back to the Quran. We forgot about the Quran. It has all the answers.
and sorry I do not think Hana Tajima is the right person to look to when it comes to Muslim fashion. Don’t insult Islam like that
if you sell revealing clothes and people wear your clothes, you are ‘berdosa’ too and as long as people keep wearing your revealing clothes…well you catch my drift
so there you go
I have so much to say about this yet I find myself refraining from doing so because written words are so easily misconstrued.
But yes, I do judge those who wears tudungs and yet strut around like a misguided tie-dye peacock. And yes, I find the term ‘free hair’ derogatory in nature.
But yes, I do admire those who wears the tudung and yet know how to conduct themselves in a fitting manner.
I believe that those of us, who are true to ourselves, the genuineness will shine through. Thus be it being religious, being fashionable, with or without head covering, if you’re honest to yourself, it wont be menjengkelkan (for lack of better English adjective).
Sell your wares as you see fit my dear. I know you’ll know what is your “fine line”.
damn i have the same predicament. now i know im not alone. honestly, i always feel like i need to repent,ive been partying, wearing all these revealing outfits, u name it. i can honestly say im such a sinful person. i keep telling myself one day i will repent, the thought of dying the very next day scares the hell out of me. hey ull never know when ur time is up right.. sadly ive never actually really repented like how i always wish i could.. im not strong enough to resist the tempations ,i guess my faith isnt that strong. i envy those who are… ive seen successful muslim girls all over the world proudly donning their hijab and never would leave house without it no matter where they are, who theyre with. i envy their courage and willpower and faith. for i know im not as strong. insyallah one day i will be like that. but to those girls… my hats off to you and how i wish i could be like you.
Fashion Valet to me is like a virtual fashion shopping mall displaying and selling clothes plus related accessories which consist of both conventional and contemporary designs. I think there is nothing wrong in that because by limiting the types of designs or brands (for example, only Muslimah attire or aurat-covered attire) to be carried, FV would only appeal to a certain group of customers and neglect other fashion enthusiasts coming from different races, religious background and upbringing. Furthermore, the founder and its personnel have always promoted FV as “Malaysia Online Fashion Website” as opposed to Islamic Online Fashion Website. The bottom line is that, FV is in its own way, contributing to the Malaysian community as a whole by promoting and encouraging fashion awareness together with its importance among the people. It all goes back to each and every customer of FV to decide what to buy and wear at the end of the day. It’s like we don’t get to blame God for our self-cultivated muffin tops and love handles.
my pet peeve….wearing tudung yet “naked”..i just don’t see how can anyone strut around covering the head yet neck down it is all revealing i.e. ketat sana sini, singkat till u can the ass , jarang etc.
oh another note…VIVY, please do stock slghtly larger size and if possible, can the prices be lowered?
Salam Vivy,
Me myself started to wear scarf at the age of 13-simply due to my secondary school-skolah agama. My interpretation of wearing scarf that time was simply, ‘cover ur hair’ whenever u r outside the house. I put on various materials to cover my hair only, e.g. anak tudung like the one ur opah is using, towel, magazine, kain batik (started to feel like very anak dara pingitan). However, it wasn’t the same practice when my parents received guest at home-I didnt put on my tudung as it was inside the house. Funny eh. Sometimes, I will question myself, ‘what is the difference between being seen without tudung outside the house and inside the house?’
Later, slowly, I started to train myself to put on proper tudung that covers the chest, started to put on tudung when my BIL(s) were around which was not easy though….and started to realise that…covering your hair alone is not ‘donning hijab’. One of the comment stated that- when we put on hijab, means we don’t need telekung anymore for solat. I am still working on that. May today be better than yesterday.
You take care and may Allah blessed us all with barakah, rahmah and maghfirah.
vivy, dulu2 saya nak jadi fashion designer (umur 7 8 tahun rasanya sebab emak saya menjahit baju dan saya suka melukis fesyen baju), lepas tu emak kata kalau baju yang saya jual tu dipakai mendedahkan aurat manusia, saya pun akan dapat dosa. saya tau perasaan awak tu sebab saya pun tak pakai hijab dan selalu fikirkan soal agama. kadang2 memang rasa teruk sangat, sebab emak saya hantar pergi sekolah agama, tapi tak jugak baik2..hehe! kesedaran memang ada, tapi nak buat tu amik masa walaupun saya tau masa tak menunggu saya…
macam mana cakap….entah la vivy…tapi baju2 yang vivy jual tu…kalau pandai cara pakainya…boleh pakai dengan inner or selendang or anythings yang boleh cover aurat saya rasa ok je 🙂 saya pun ada jugak beli baju dari fashion vallet 😛
“How can you don the hijab for modesty and sacrifice to God, and still want people to look at you as a fashion icon? At the same time, we are all women with the natural desire to look good”
Pang!! right on my forehead. Exactly the intention from the moment i put on hijab. but when i looked at the mirror, there’s always this urge to add here and there. I myself am struggling to maintain and learning to not overdo anything i put on.it’s an everyday struggle i must say.
and for you, to have conscious about this, Alhamdulillah. I’m glad that you’re more aware about the current hijab fashion trend than those people in the line themselves. i must say i’m worried. The “labuhkan tudung melepasi paras dada” is a big issue to me. But many are not entirely following the real guide given in surah an nur. some even dare to question back.
I’m leaving the comment box with a link. Just a reminder to sisters..it’s not even mine, so not trying to put ad here.
http://hayatunalillahi.blogspot.com/2011/04/memilih-gaya-tudung-terbaik.html
Love your entry.im a new reader n thumbs up to hana and for those who give such a great example, hadith and everything..
p/s : Islam is beautiful..^_^
Salam. hye pd, i’m an avid reader of your blog and i really love it 🙂 i’m a hijabi myself and i’m struggling with religion and fashion as well. i used to wear tight jeans and tight clothes with hijab.i love fashion and i felt a need to be part of the ‘fashion world’. but just few months ago, Alhamdulillah i got rid of all my tight clothes. i’m trying to wear skirts, loose tops and dresses now. i feel more beautiful dressed in a way that Islam approves of. and as u said, there’s no need for a hijabi to wear clothes with splashes of colours and sequins that attracts attention. and thank God i love neutral colours.so,most of my clothes are of what my friends would say ‘boring’ colours.hehe. and really, when you dress, it depends on your intention and who u want to please. are u trying to please Allah or are u pleasing the world? it’s not an easy thing to do. but i’m trying very hard right now to prioritize my priority.i’m not sure if this answers your question.hehe.but just sharing my experience.have a good day! 🙂
Dearest vivy =)
May Allah ease your way (and mine too) to His Jannah..
InsyaAllah the beautiful Paradise will be worth it all, worth any sacrifices we’ve done in this world, worth any difficult decisions we made..
Because the world with its glitters is only like a dream, it is temporary and it’s not even really REAL; and when we wake up one day, we’ll face the true reality: that the akhirah is forever.
And may Allah help us to spend that ‘forever’ in Paradise .. and not anywhere else..insyaAllah =)
[greatest dream ever, the true success 85:11]
p/s: btw, proud of u for ur achievements ,kemsalam ur mum and opah!
-k mai (in msia now yey!)
i’m not a muslim so this is what i perceive about this whole issue.
i don’t understand women in hijabs who dress like christmas trees. like this local malaysian group of hijab girls, the scarflets(i think). doesn’t it defeat the whole purpose of wearing a hijab? i think it’s really pretentious because you’re trying to declare your piousness and on the other hand, you want to tell the world you love fashion? isn’t the hijab to muslim women like the garb for a christian nun/priest? i don’t see the pope trying to accessorize!
so this is what i think, fashion and religion don’t mix. at all. you pick your side and then you do it to the very best. if you love god then do this word and follow his teachings because that’s what matters assuming you pick god right? you can’t be in between because its just plain hypocrisy and will get you nowhere, with god or in the fashion world.
Such an enlightening post. Reminded me why I like reading this blog – you’re genuine.
“How can you don the hijab for modesty and sacrifice to God, and still want people to look at you as a fashion icon? At the same time, we are all women with the natural desire to look good”
I think God tells us to cover up for our own good. Looks alone does not define ‘modest’, wearing a hijab alone does not define that word.
Even so, fashion is mainly influenced by culture. It basically depends on how people see something as ‘fashion’. A conservative might find a person covering up as fashionable and beautiful while the West might find it to be some type of oppression. Some people might find a person in mini to be sexy while some might think they are just slutty. You can be fashionable in anyway.
If you still feel that religion is in the way of your career, maybe you should consider changing career or be innovative and make fashion which is accepted by religion.
Being a muslim, we should remember that whats important are the journey to be one not the acting we put up to be one.
I personally think being covered and modest with sequins head to toe is more accepted by Allah rather than not being covered without sequins head to toe.
The term flashy is debatable and subjective, and it is up to our Lord to judge them. What’s not debatable is the necessity of covering up.
so proud of u vivy 🙂
Hi Vivy,
Interesting post, I work in the fashion industry myself, so I have pretty much the same turmoil inside..hehe
To serve God is not solely measured by donning hijab, I believe that Allah blessed us in so many ways, and maybe it is ur path to provide a little something for moslem fashion through FV
The ladies who wear hijab nowdays is masyaallah beautiful!!especially here in Indonesia. Mix and match like u said, is definitely the key
So keep doing what you do best…
Love reading ur blog:D
hi vivy , i read something interesting from here
some of it say Example of CSS bold text…
<p style="font-weight:bold;"Jelas sekali, apabila perintah kewajiban memakai tudung diturunkan, kaum wanita Islam zaman awal tidak mempersoalkan sama ada boleh atau tidak, sesuai atau tidak, bila dan di mana dan tidak pula meminta para cendekiawan atau pemimpin mereka membincangkan soal pemakaian tudung; namun mereka bergegas menyambut perintah tersebut dengan mengoyakkan sebahagian kain sarung mereka untuk menutup kepala dan dada. Mereka melakukannya kerana menginginkan keredhaan Allah semata-mata dan bukan kerana ingin mendapatkan keredhaan manusia atas nama 'glamour', peraturan sekolah, undang-undang tempat kerja, periuk nasi, tidak sampai 'seru', pakaian 'taqwa' lebih baik atau pelbagai lagi alasan yang tidak masuk akal. Golongan wanita Muslim awal seperti inilah sepatutnya dijadikan contoh dan teladan kepada kaum wanita zaman kini untuk segera melaksanakan perintah pemakaian tudung, sekiranya merasakan diri merupakan wanita yang beriman kepada Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala Perintah Agama atau Kenyataan Politik?
what are you waiting for kak vivy ? i know u can do it .
Hijab and aurat are not limitation in Islam.. Not an obstuction to ur freedom. Its a rule from our creator Who knows better than us, there must be a reason behind it, Wallahualam.. We just need to trust Him.. I mean do u dare not to?
U should watch this – why hijab.
http://www.google.com.my/m/url?client=safari&ei=kBfETajIKYaJrAelo-vlAw&hl=en&oe=UTF-8&q=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3D3mhqgrYgNJ4&ved=0CBgQtwIwAQ&usg=AFQjCNGblTC8ZweahxMIItd1wAN7UL0dbg
Vivy, I must tell you that you’ve shown me a fashionable way to be sopan. As a non Muslim who has no second thought or any thought at all actually, about wearing sleeveless and shorts, it intrigues me that you could look sooo good without showing much. It’s a compliment. Cos even I wanna dress like you… U know: sopan n elegant. May God lead u to find your answer.
solatlah kamu sebelum kamu disolatkan, tutuplah auratmu sebelum auratmu ditutupkan…buat istikharah n tahajjud selalu. moga u dapat jawapan dariNya. InsyaAllah
Hi there, Vivy. It’s my first time reading your blog, and I just want to say how beautifully written this post was! Hope you find the right balance that you are comfortable with 🙂
Salam Vivy,
After reading this post it kinda made me weep a little inside. :’) I totally agree with you that fashion and religion is kinda hard to go with, plus the fact that some hijab fashion nowadays don’t really seem to be what they should be. I’m 20 and only managed to wear the hijab less than 2 years ago. I was an avid fashion lover and when I started putting on the hijab everything became difficult. It really is about letting go of the dunia for akhirat, and you need to constantly remind yourself that you may die any time of the day, and when you do, you no longer have the chance to repent. Nawaitu is, above all, important in whatever that you do, be it styling yourself up, or even when you’re on that verge of becoming someone famous. (like you, for example. :P)
You’re one of my role models, and your intentions for FV is really great. I still can’t afford them but I will one day ! Hehe all the best Vivy. 🙂
Salam V,
Heey, it’s a good thing to get to read this post – esp when it came written by YOU. Proud of it. Came to write – since I see the concept pretty mutual from the way u wrote it here. What’s with the flashy & bold clothes design when ur intention should be about covering your aurat?
Well, you can take this up for your own challenge as a comer with fresh ideas in this fashion industry. Though u’re not even one with hijab & abaya – u definitely have a strong idea/concept of how a Muslim woman should dress like – if she is to represent her religion through her dressing. it is – when u put on hijab – others would think ur intention is to cover up. the mistake is – the bottom parts didn’t follow. so you know where to take it up from here.
Hope to see some Muslimah lines on FV in future – with definitely the right concept of Muslimah outfit. I know you can make some local designers take those up FV web. And hopefully to eventually change the way the existing Muslimah fashion slaves (the wrong doers of hijab out there) style themselves – and help to get them right and hold to this concept.
Indeed – it’s a real good deed. Driving people to the right thing. You know how many Malay girls out there with short-sleeve shirts & tight jeans with hijab who need fashion revive. Go get them, girl! I’ll pray for your success & good intentions. honestly i do not wear hijab too, but my idea is to really cover up when i decided to put on hijab. ahh, u must get what i mean. =)
Anyway, trust me, any good intention you intend to commit, nchallah, God will help.
dear vivy,
hello, i’ve been a silent reader of yours for quite some time. and i feel like this is the post where i can relate to the most. when i was in school, my friends would tell me that i look ‘prettier’ without hijab, and i bought that. i was asked by my parents to wear hijab when i reached puberty, and i never really liked the idea. So here goes my humble opinion. I am 21 this year, and i’ve been wearing hijab since I was 12. Some people may seem that i’ve lost ‘a piece of my childhood’ by not experimenting with normal clothes (without hijab) in my younger years. I may seem to think so then, but not now. I do agree with you that hijab is about modesty, and being humble, being in a religious based public university had taught me loads regarding this matter. i feel that if you dress a certain way donning the hijab, it sends out a message that you can look good and still have strong faith in Allah s.w.t. To me, it all comes down to nawaitu and moderation. I think the problem with some is they try too hard to prove a point, that they can be stylish and don the hijab, that they went overboard with these absurd fashion trends that leave some confused, and miss the whole main point of wearing a hijab. a hijab is not just a piece of cloth on your head. by wearing a hijab, you are putting your religious belief on display. so whatever you do, wear and how you act when weraing a hjab reflects what your opinions are about your religion. But then again, this is just a 21 year old’s thoughts. I do apologize if i said something offensive. but i really do admire your courage and conscience on the matter. and thumbs up for fashion valet ! 🙂
Salam sis. The borderline is ‘tutup aurat’, material and design. Most of female confused about the term aurat, easily say its similar as when you performing solat. The material should not too thin until u can see the skin and syariah compliance (not made from pig etc). The design shouldn’t shows the body shape and cover aurat. About colour and others, that is not a big deal. As long ‘tutup aurat’, then its OK.
Sis, may Allah bless u always…
Vivy this is such an inspiring post. I really respect and admire your stand. From reading your blog posts, you seem like such a nice and humble person. Will doakan that you murah rezeki and thank you for bringing FV into my life! It’s such a life saver!
maybe u’ve heard about Hana Tajima right?
I’m proud of you that you still remember Allah. I’m pretty sure that this is a test from Allah so that u’ll still remember Him. Allah blessed you with so many things. So, i can see that sis tak lupa diri and still ingat Tuhan. Ramai manusia yang lupa and lalai bila dah senang. So, think of it. Good Luck 🙂
Assalamualaikum vivy
Hidup mungkin akan jadi satu perjalanan yang panjang, namun hidup juga mungkin akan menjadi satu perjalanan yang pendek yang tanpa dapat diduga detiknya terhenti.
Apa yang vivy rasa adalah hidayah kurnian Allah. Sebagai saudara seIslam saya akan sentiasa berdoa untuk vivy diberi kekuatan berhijab. Seribu maaf saya himpun jika ayat saya ini tidak sesuai tapi inilah apa yang saya rasa. Islam itu indah. Mungkin vivy boleh membaca secara lanjut hal hukum hakam di facebook ustaz zahazan, ustaz zaharudin dan di blog saifulislam..InsyaAllah vivy akan jumpa jawapan untuk persoalan vivy. Wallahhua’lam