5 years of being a hijabi

This summer marks the 5th anniversary of me wearing the hijaab, alhamdouliLlah.

5 years ago, at the beginning of the summer in 2010, a few days after graduation and a few weeks before my marriage, I decided to wear the hijaab and I have, alhamdouliLlah, never taken it off since.

Even more so then deciding to become a muslim, wearing the hijaab had far reaching consequences: I lost friends, family members wouldn`t speak to me anymore and I saw my chances of working as a teacher in Belgium diminishing drastically.

But looking back, wearing the hijaab didn`t make me *lose* anything. By losing friends, Allah directed me to better people who turned out to be better companions. By not being welcomed anymore into some of my family members` homes, Allah protected me from a lot of fitnah and again, replaced the family that I lost, for a family of sisters. By choosing Allah over my passion for teaching, he eventually blessed me with an exceptional teaching position where I was able to work with hijaab: I look back on my years at the school as some of the best of my life, alhamdouliLlah.

Living in a muslim country now, where I am valued and respected because of my hijaab, I will never forget how hard I fought for my religion and my hijaab. And I experienced first hand how Allah will help you in ways you don`t think are possible. When you take one step towards Allah, He will come running to you...

Wearing the hijaab is a personal jihad. Especially in these times. And over those 5 years and especially in the last one, I saw several sisters take off their hijaab. I understand. Wearing the hijaab is hard. Very hard. But I want you to remember: your struggle isn`t in vain. You are not struggling alone. Thousands of sisters are struggling with you. Don`t give up. Allah is with you. And those friends you are afraid of losing? Allah will replace them with better ones. 

Those family members who don`t want to see you anymore? Allah will make them come around or replace them by a different kind of family. 

That job you will lose? Allah will guide you to a better opportunity.

Be proud of your hijaab, ladies, keep struggling for the sake of Allah!