As the Muslims approached Makkah, the Quraysh started to grow anxious. They held a meeting, and decided that the best way to deal with the situation would be to resist the Prophet and his Companions. Two hundred horsemen and soldiers from Makkah were sent with Khalid bin Al Walid, hoping to take the Muslims by surprise while they prayed dhuhr. However, the Makkan soldiers did not get a chance as the Muslims prayed dhuhr in a special way called Salat-ul-Khowf (Prayer of Fear). In this way of praying, one group of people faces the enemy, and the other group stays behind the Imam (leader).

To avoid war, the Muslims also took an alternate route, through the rugged mountains, where the Makkan soldiers did not reach them. They stopped and set up camp at an area called Hudaibiyah. Here, some Makkans came to the Prophet , who replied that they had only come for Umra, and not to fight, unless someone came in the way of the Muslims performing pilgrimage. After a few days of negotiation, the Quraysh agreed to a treaty between them and the Muslims. The treaty stated that:

1. The Muslims would return to Medina that year without doing Umra
2. The Quraysh would allow the Muslims to perform Umra the next year as long as they did not stay for Umra more than three days
3. The Muslims would not bring any kinds of weapons with them
4. That any Muslims living in Makkah would not go to Medina with the others
5. Anyone living in Medina could come back to Makkah without any difficulty
6. That any Quraysh visiting Medina could return to Makkah, but any Muslims visiting Makkah could not return to Medina
7. The tribes could join any of the two parties

The Treaty of Hudaibiyah was the start of a more political and equal dealing between the Quraysh and the Muslims. The Muslims had the opportunity to spread Islam in other areas besides Makkah, as well. Some Muslims in Makkah, unable to escape to Medina, went to an area called Saiful-Bahr, which grew large enough that the Makkan caravans were fearful of passing through it. They soon removed the part of the treaty which did not allow Makkah’s Muslims to go to Medina.

After the migration from Mecca to Medina, the Prophet established the first Islamic state in history. In addition to being the leader of the emerging Muslim community, or ummah, in Arabia, the Prophet was also the political head of Medina. As Medina’s leader, Prophet Muhammad exercised jurisdiction over both Muslims and non-Muslims in the city. His rule over Medina was legitimised based on his status as a Prophet and on the Constitution of Medina, or also sometimes referred to as the compact of Medina or the Dastur al-Medina.

As the Prophet of Allah , Muhammad had sovereignty over all Muslims by divine decree. However, he did not rule over the non-Muslims of Medina just because he was the messenger of Allah as they did not recognize his authority in this manner. Instead, he ruled over them by the virtue of the tripartite compact that was signed by the Muhajireen (the Muslim immigrants from Mecca), the Ansar (the indigenous Muslims of Medina) and the Yahud (the Jews).

With the tripartite compact signed, the first Islamic state was established in Medina. The Constitution of Medina was instrumental in determining how the government was to treat the people of Medina. Conceptually, the constitution established the concept of the community of believers, or ummat al-mu’minin, and recognised the various Jewish tribes living in Medina, granting each tribe the right to be in one community with the believers.

Within the community of believers itself, all Muslims were treated with equal respect and dignity, the distinction between natives and immigrants were dissolved and thereby offered justice and equality to all Muslims regardless of origin of birth, nationality, tribe, or any other racial or ethnic circumstance. No one group within the community was to have any superiority over the other.

As with the Jewish community of Medina, the Constitution did not treat them as one monolithic population. Just as it recognised the diversity of the ummat, the Constitution acknowledged the Jewish community similarly. Each Jewish tribe was given an equal status with each other as well as with the community of believers.

In the spirit of equality amongst all in the Medina community, everyone was given the freedom to practice their religion as they believed it. This demonstrated the highest possible form of religious tolerance and acceptance. No one was forced to become a Muslim in order to remain in Medina; as would become the policy in all the lands the Prophet would later conquer, if a person wanted to become a Muslim, they were welcome to- if they wanted to remain practicing another religion, they were free to do so and worship as they wish, only to pay a tax to the government.

The Constitution of Medina illustrates what should be the relationship between a revelation and a constitution. Prophet Muhammad could have merely used his status as the Messenger of Allah as a basis to legitimize his rule of Medina and disregard the consent of the non-Muslims in accepting him as the leader of Medina. The Prophet instead chose to act in the spirit of democracy and equality, drawing up a constitution based on the reality of Medina and agreed upon by real people of diverse backgrounds. The Constitution also established the importance of consent and cooperation in governance. All the people of Medina were equal citizens of the Islamic state, with identical rights and duties, and all enjoyed religious autonomy.

It is inspiring how Prophet Muhammad was so democratic, tolerant, and compassionate towards one and all. Modern society should learn to follow the Prophet’s example and learn from him the virtues of compassion, mercy, justice, equality and tolerance.

Say: He is Allah, the One and Only! Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not nor is He begotten. And there is none like unto Him.

– Surat Ikhlaas.

“Islam” means the submission of one’s will to the only one true God worthy: Allah . Anyone who does so is a “Muslim” (female: Muslimah). This surah is the essence of Islam: it proclaims the Oneness of God (Tawhid); He is Eternal, i.e. beyond the bounds of time and space; and He has no partners, and is beyond comparison.

The Holy Qur’an makes it clear that Islam is the one and only faith consistently revealed by God to mankind from the very beginning. Nuh/Noah (AS), Ibrahim/Abraham (AS), Musa/Moses (AS) and Isa/Jesus (AS)—prophets who appeared at different times and places—all propagated the same religion. They were not founders of new faiths, but reiterating that of their predecessors.

Although Prophet Muhammad brought the message of Islam directly to the people living in Mecca (and later Medinah), both he and the Qu’ran propagated a message of universality. At no point in the Prophet’s life or in the Qu’ran is the invitation of Islam addressed specifically to the people of any particular area, race, tribe, colour, or language. The Prophet said:

Listen! You have one God as you have one father (Adam). There is no distinction between an Arab and a non-Arab. There is no preference for the black over the fair, or the fair over the black. There is distinction only in submission to God. The most virtuous among you is the most honourable in the eyes of God.

Unfortunately, the people of Mecca did not react favourably towards the Prophet . Early Muslims were treated harshly by Meccans. The weak, poor, and slaves were often brutally tortured and killed, while the more well-off Muslims were confined to their homes with the intent of making them renounce Islam. The Prophet himself was publicly humiliated by people who would throw filth at him. He did not retaliate as he had not yet received a revelation on how to react to persecution, however, he sent some followers to Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and eventually took all remaining Muslims to Medina (then Yathrib) during what is now called the Hijra.

However, a lot of girls who aren’t very feminine in their dress would like to be so. But where to start? That’s where I come in. I thought to share a few ways to feminize your look .  Also, I’d like to point out that if you like wearing hoodies, sweatpants etc- then that’s your choice! My advice is only if you feel the need to update your look! :)

Drab: Hoodies

Yes, it is so easy to fall into a hoodie. It’s loose, comfortable and comes in a myriad of colours. However, as you mature you’ll find that if you don’t dress them up well with your outfit, hoodies can sometimes look sloppy and don’t afford much to an overall feminine appearance. As Muslimahs we have to be conscious of hiding our figure, but not at the risk of being mistaken for a boy!

Also has the unfortunate side effect of making one look emo.

Fab: Cardigans

Instead of a hoodie, opt for a perennial favourite- a cardigan! Luckily, cardigans rarely seem to go out of style. True, lengths fluctuate (right now long cardigans and waist length cardigans are in). However, a well cut cardi will always be stylish and an effortlessly chic way of covering up arms! Here are a few of my favourites in a few different styles.

Wrap  cardigan.

Pretty details like bow make for a wonderful statement piece and dress up an otherwise basic cardigan.

When looking for cardigans, anything goes with a few exceptions! If you’re short, stay away from long or oversized cardigans and opt for shorter or cropped versions. If you want to give an illusion of height pair a cropped cardi with a long top or maxi dress!  If you’re tall, you’re in luck! Just about every style of cardigan will suit you!

Drab: Pull-On Hijabs

10 and under, only!

Yes, don’t deny it, we’ve all been a willing victim of the beguiling simplicity of a pull on hijab! But let’s face it, after the age of 10 it can look too childish, not to mention that they quickly lose their shape so you acquire the dreaded….lopsided arch!  Just because we cover our hair doesn’t mean we can’t do so fashionably. While pull on hijabs are great for working out in the gym (though I’m still convinced that a light cotton blend scarf is even better!), for our day to day wear it doesn’t look very polished. Hijab style is a very personal choice, though with the scarf we need to cover our hair, neck, and chest, and there are a myriad of styles to choose from! Some styles, however, suit others more than some. Experiment, and figure out which one suits you!  Here are a few scarves below, that all include absolutely no pull on hijabs!

Fab: Textured Scarves

Experiment with different materials, jersey scarves can create beautiful drapes and are easy to manage!

Try different understated prints to mix up an otherwise plain outfit.

And for the cooler fall months, you really can’t go wrong with a good pashmina!

As for wrapping different hijab styles, hit up Youtube! There are several different tutorials up there to show you how to wrap a scarf in any style you choose.

Drab: Jogging Pants/Sweat Pants

“What could be more Muslimah friendly?” you coo to a rack of brightly coloured jogging pants. “You are loose and comfortable, and you don’t show the shape of my legs!”

What you also fail to realize… is that if not worn correctly it can be easy for them to look silly and rather boyish! Of course, I’m not condoning baring your gams to the world, but you can certainly hide that lovely figure of yours in a way befitting the tenements of Islam and still looking feminine!

Good for lounge wear, not for the general public!

You can don jeans or trousers, granted they are long and loose and paired with a similarly loose top.

Instead of skinny jeans (a fashion crime for hijabis) I like to try and opt for straight cut jeans. You can get the look of skinny jeans, without wearing tight jeans. They look fabulous with a pair of sandals and a flowy bohemian top.

Of course, trousers and jeans aren’t your only option!

Fab: Maxi Dresses

Try wearing a skirt, or a maxi dress! My only word of advice for maxi dresses is that you should not buy any skirt or dress made of jersey material. No matter how curvy or skinny you are they are very unflattering for Muslimahs. They have a tendency to cling to your rear end and on windy days cling to the shape of your legs, so really they’re rather counter intuitive!

Instead, go for light fabrics like cotton or chiffon and be sure that the dresses/skirts have lining. Here are a few of my favourites below!

To cover your arms wear a t-shirt and a cropped cardigan!

This skirt is gorgeous and very versatile, it can be worn as a maxi or a skirt and can carry you through from the summer to the fall!

That is all for this post. Jazakum Allahu Khayrun for reading! Let me know in the comments how you’ve adapted these looks to your wardrobe! InshAllah, you’ll hear from me soon!

Ma’Salaam,
Zainab

• Hijab Tan Lines – it happens to the best of us.
• Oh no she di’int…Girl hold my Hijab!!! – an excellent reminder of how to handle your hijab when a situation reaches its boiling point! Haha!
• Hijab is a different definition of beauty ♥ – a great group of girls, and an especially welcoming, encouraging, and helpful group for new converts or girls thinking about committing to the hijab.
• Women Against the War on Hijab – with the recent headlines of Islamophobic policies being instated by prejudiced regimes, this is a great page to join to show solidarity and support for our sisters around the world.
• Im a Muslim & Im Proud! – really consistent and inspiring postings of Qur’an verses and Hadith, and a great Muslim community.
• Omar ibn al-Khattâb – a fan page for one of the greatest leaders of the Islamic Empire.
• Umar ibn AbdulAziz – fan page for one of the noblest leaders in history.

And of course, our favorite Facebook page, MuslimGirl.net!

Plus, here at MuslimGirl, we’re always defying stereotypes.. but, just for fun… the What Kind of Stereotypical Muslim Girl Are You? quiz!

Got anymore? Leave them in the comments!

A major problem among people isn’t that we don’t want to change, but that we don’t think we can. We think it’s too late to fix our mistakes or to re-evaluate the way we’re living our lives. But once one reads the biography of the honored and revered Malcolm X, we can all see that with will a person can become whoever they want to be despite their past.

For a large part of his life, especially when he was a member of the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X believed that the only way to achieve rights for African Americans is through separation. He preached that the white race as a whole was the devil which made sense to him and all of Elijah’s followers because of the way African Americans were treated at the time. It wasn’t difficult to convince them that white men were evil because they lived prejudiced lives and their ancestors had been enslaved and tortured by people of the white race. His revolutionary ideas were constantly being condemned and attacked for being “violent”. Like any other human, Malcolm’s decisions weren’t always the wisest and he understood that. His continuously changing ideals showed his capability and perhaps even desire to learn and accept better methods to achieve change. These changes often occurred with his changing religious views.

Malcolm’s downfall took place after he dropped out of high school and moved to Harlem. Looking back, Malcolm greatly disapproved of everything he did. The high school dropout was nicknamed Red for the amount of hustling, gambling, sleeping around, and smoking he did. He even began to deal drugs and commit armed robberies and eventually got caught. When Malcolm first went to jail, he was so anti-religion that he was known as Satan. Later however, after hearing of the Nation of Islam from his brother Philbert he converted. This offshoot of the religion of Islam, preached that God came to America and told a man by the name of Elijah Muhammad that he was God’s messenger. The followers of the religion believed that the entire white race was collectively the devil and the reason African Americans were considered inferior and having difficulties achieving any success. Malcolm accepted the religion and after being in jail for seven years, he left to spread word of the belief and recruit followers. This new religion changed the course of Malcolm X’s life and he believed it would help the black men and women of America break from the whites and stand up for their selves. “I’ve never been one for inaction. Everything I’ve ever felt strongly about, I’ve done something about,” and he felt very strongly about the Nation of Islam. He dedicated his entire life to recruiting members, and promoting the well-being of the messenger Mr. Muhammad and the life style of a proper Muslim.

No one ever would have thought that Malcolm would eventually be betrayed by the Nation of Islam. After going against Mr. Muhammad’s request to not make any statements about the assassination of President Kennedy by saying that hate is what killed the president, Malcolm X was suspended and not allowed to speak or be associated with the Muslims for 90 days. Tension increased between Mr. Muhammad and Malcolm, until Malcolm decided to travel to Mecca for the annual Muslim pilgrimage, the Hajj. At Saudi Arabia, Malcolm once again went through a life changing experience that would in essence contradict everything he had been preaching for the past 12 years, and it changed his entire opinion on the white race.

The Hajj pilgrimage occurs annually and billions of Muslims from across the world all travel to the same place to go through a series of prayers and rituals meant to bring them closer to God. The first thing that shocked Malcolm was how everyone dressed the same way. The ihram clothing that the worshipers wear is meant to unite the billions of worshipers as Muslims regardless of where they may be from or who they are. He was shocked to see people of all races interacting with each other with total ease and described them as being almost color blind. He could not fathom the amount of respect he received from princes and royalty. His previous life experiences convinced him that there was no way there would be possible, but the unity of the Muslims in Mecca made him realize elsewise. Everything he had ever believed about the white man being a devil was changed right away and instead he spent the rest of his life preaching to people of all races and admitting that what he previously preached was wrong and that interracial integration was possible according to what he saw in Mecca. From that moment he converted to orthodox Islam and continued to fight for African American rights but this time he spoke to people of all races and religions. Unfortunately Malcolm didn’t live much longer after that for bitter members of the Nation of Islam assassinated him during one of his public speeches.

Malcolm X’s life teaches us that change IS possible and it shows the power of unity. Islam promoted integration long before the United States was even a country. The amount of good things that our religion teaches and tries to implement cannot be overseen. So don’t give up if you feel like you might have strayed a little from the right path. “Indeed Allah loves those who offer repentance and those who are pure.” (2-222) Islam changed Malcolm X, and it can change you just as much if you put in the effort.

Hadeer is a high school student and gifted track runner from New Jersey, USA.

Muslims most likely had their first encounter with paper in central Asia around the 8^th century. Islamic civilization would spread the knowledge of paper and papermaking all over the Middle East, including to Greater Syria, Iraq, Egypt, and the North African countries, as well as Persia and eventually even Spain. It is easy to see the crucial role the Muslims played in the words we use until this day to count paper – reams. This word came into English from the French word, rayme, which came from the Spanish word, resma, which in turn originated from the Arabic word rizmah, meaning a bale or a bundle.

In the Islamic world, paper was first used mostly to keep governmental records, as it had been in China. The great philosopher Ibn Khaldun describes its use in Baghdad for this purpose, and how it soon became a significant business there. Before paper, traditional parchment had been used, which was made from animal skin and thus much more difficult to produce. It was also much less likely to crack or fray as was the tendency of papyrus, and because it absorbed ink paper was highly valued as a means to combat forgery of important documents, since the words couldn’t be easily erased or altered.

However, paper also became used in other ways in Islam. The preservation of the Qur’an and Sunnah was of the utmost importance to the Muslims, and with paper it became easier to make permanent records and copies of them. Islamic scholars began collecting and codifying the hadiths of the Prophet (SAW), preserving them on paper. The oldest surviving dated Qur’an written on paper is believed to have been copied by the calligrapher ‘Ali ibn Sadan al-Razi in 971-972. Handwritten paper copies of the Qur’an would come to be highly valued, and the beauty of Islamic calligraphy became very well-known, extending into the modern day.

The role of paper, however, soon expanded and spurred a burst of creativity in many areas in the Islamic world, including in literature, math, and the sciences. Paper was used in the following ways:

• The copying and transmission of new literature, such as cookbooks and the tales we now know as The Thousand and One Nights, were put up for sale
• Greater flexibility in the calculation of mathematical problems was achieved
• Commercial transactions and trade records
• Maps
• Astronomical charts
• Medical books
• History books
• Scientific notation
• Musical documentation
• Architectural plans

Lastly, paper would also spur an artistic revolution in the Islamic empire. Using paper, artists and architects could now easily work out their designs and perfect them before they were actually used, and trace their designs onto other things as well and thus transmit them elsewhere more easily. Potters, weavers, and metal-workers would now also be able to learn new designs from books and instructional manuals instead of relying on memory or creating it as they went along. Miniature paintings also became more widespread during this time, becoming more elaborate and available across the empire.

Interestingly enough, most accounts of the history of paper focus mainly on its origins in China, or its later development in Europe, and ignore the centuries of the knowledge of paper and its spread in the Islamic world in between. Nonetheless, it is obvious that Muslims helped bring paper to Europe, and thus indirectly aided in spurring the Cultural Revolution there, which would later take place with the invention of Gutenberg’s printing press in the 15^th century. Therefore, it is clear that the spread of paper through Islamic lands between the 8^th and 14^th centuries brought about enormous and influential changes in many areas, including literature, mathematics, trade, and the arts, and had a far-reaching impact across the world.

Bloom, Jonathan M. Revolution by the Ream: A History of Paper (Aramco World: May/June 1999: vol. 50/No.3, pp: 26-39). .

When Muhammad settled in Medina after migrating from Mecca, he did so at the request of several of its residents who had accepted Islam after meeting the Prophet . Their request was that he come to stop the fighting of the two tribes who lived there, the Aws and the Khazraj, who had a long history of bloody feuding as well as problems with a group of Jews who lived there. In turn, the city (then known as Yathrib) would accept him and give him protection from the Quraysh.² The Prophet sought to settle this fighting through the Constitution of Medina, which established an alliance among the tribes of Medina, the new Muslim immigrants, and the Jews, and specified their rights and duties as citizens, unifying them all into one community.³ This would, for the most part, settle a great deal between these groups and set the stage for what would come next.

The Prophet then set forth establishing the basic foundations of what would be later analyzed and expounded upon by Muslim scholars as Islamic law. Islamic law was primarily concerned with the principles and values most fundamental to Islam, which was naturally the five pillars of Islam (the Shahadah, or belief in God and His Messenger, the five daily prayers, fasting during the month of Ramadan, performing Hajj at least once in your life, and giving yearly alms, or Zakah). Therefore, the Prophet was most concerned with articulating to the believers exactly what faith in God was, the ways in which He should be worshipped, and observance of the five pillars of Islam.

The bulk of legal rules revealed to the Prophet would come during his twelve years in Medina for several reasons. A major reason was that the newly established Muslim community and government needed these guidelines to function properly and smoothly, whereas the Muslims while in Mecca were a minority under the constant harassment of the Quraysh and with no way to enforce these laws. So, while some basic rules on ritual prayers, Zakah, and doing justice to orphans and widows were revealed in Mecca, most legal rulings were revealed in Medina. However, the penal rulings which would become known as Hudud (literally, limits) were revealed during the last two years of the Prophet’s life. The laws of Islam were revealed in this way to prepare the Muslims before they became fully enacted and put into practice.⁴ And it would not be until later centuries that the schools of thought regarding Islamic law would come into being, which are different opinions about resolving the new, minor situations that arose over time after the Prophet’s death.

While the Prophet was concerned with governing Medina, he was also concerned with the community’s external relations with the rest of Arabia. While some such as the kingdom of Abissiniya had welcomed the Muslims, and others had a decidedly neutral stance towards them, some such as the Quraysh who had sworn themselves enemies of Islam were most troublesome for the Muslims. This resulted in several battles over the years between the Muslims and the Quraysh. However, the growing numbers and strength of the Muslims would prove to be too much for the Quraysh to handle, and after they broke their treaty (the Treaty of Hudaibiya) with the Muslims, the believers at last conquered Mecca without a fight from the defeated Quraysh, an event called “Fatah Mecca” (the opening of Mecca).

The Prophet arrived at Mecca with around 10,000 men. However, he had already spoken with Abu Sufyan and some others earlier, who had asked for amnesty for all and said the Quraysh would not fight the Muslims when they came, which the Prophet readily granted. So, he instructed to all that those who stayed in their houses were safe, and, with the exception of a few who were taken captive due to committing egregious offences, the town surrendered itself without any bloodshed. Extraordinarily, almost all of its inhabitants converted to Islam! In this way, the great town of Mecca who for so long had bullied and sought to demoralize and crush the Muslims gave itself up at last. The Prophet then went about destroying all the idols in the Kaaba and in and around Mecca, and asked Bilal ibn Rabah to make the call of prayer, or Athan, for the first time atop the Kaaba.

Mecca and Medina thus became the effective capitals of Islam, and from where the Islamic Empire would continue to spread. Mecca is also the place where every practicing Muslim will visit at least once in their lifetime to perform the ritual Hajj, and where Muslims face while praying their five daily prayers. What is most important to note, however, is that Mecca was conquered not through blood and the sword, but through the acceptance of the Quraysh to Islam and the Muslims. For many years, the Muslims as a community were forbidden to even fight at all, and when they were at last forced to defend their way of life against an enemy bent on destroying it, they were instructed to do so with the greatest care and compassion, which is why in the final stand-off between them and their enemy there was no loss of life.

By now, however, the news of the Muslims’ conquest of Mecca had spread and was alarming some neighboring tribes. This led to the battle of Hunain, which is only one of two battles actually mentioned by name in the Qur’an (the other is the battle of Badr). It took place during Shawwal the eighth year after Hijra, when the tribe of Hawazin, led by Malik bin ‘Awf and with a subsection of Thaqif, began mobilizing their forces after the Prophet had left Medina and conquered Mecca. The Prophet , after about two weeks in Mecca, mobilized his own forces (about 12,000 men) against Hawazin, who waited in anticipation of the Muslims. While Hawazin initially had a slight upperhand against the Muslims and forced them to retreat slightly, the Prophet and Khalid ibn al-Walid soon rallied the Muslims into a complete victory against them. Only a few Muslims died in this battled compared to the devastating loss of Hawazin, which included over 6,000 taken captive and 24,000 camels captured. This battle would further ensure Muslim dominance of the area.⁵

The battle, as described in the Qur’an (9:25-26):

/ لَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِي مَوَاطِنَ كَثِيرَةٍ وَيَوْمَ حُنَيْنٍ إِذْ أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ كَثْرَتُكُمْ فَلَمْ تُغْنِ عَنكُمْ شَيْئاً وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ ثُمَّ وَلَّيْتُم مُّدْبِرِينَ ”

“ ثُمَّ أَنَزلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِ وَعَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَأَنزَلَ جُنُوداً لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَعذَّبَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَذٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ ٱلْكَافِرِينَ

“Assuredly Allah did help you in many battle-fields and on the day of Hunain: Behold! your great numbers elated you, but they availed you naught: the land, for all that it is wide, did constrain you, and ye turned back in retreat. / Then Allah sent His peace of reassurance down upon His messenger and upon the believers, and sent down hosts ye could not see, and punished those who disbelieved. Such is the reward of disbelievers.”

Then, in 630 AD, the Byzantines also thought it necessary to attempt to suspend the growing Muslim population and power for fear of them becoming too strong to overcome, and set out to take over Arabia. At the time, the Muslims had never even dreamed of battling the Byzantine Empire, one of the superpowers of that era. Though Muhammad’s army of 30,000 was larger than previous Muslim armies, it was still far too small to compete against the Byzantine’s hundreds of thousands, plus its many allies. When news reached Muhammad that the Byzantines were convening in the north to raise an attack on the Muslims, he decided it was a pressing issue and, in the midst of a famine, gathered his followers for an expedition to Syria. Many hypocrites who were too concerned with the heat and did not have enough faith to fight for Allah backed out. The Qur’anic verse (9:81) says:

“فَرِحَ ٱلْمُخَلَّفُونَ بِمَقْعَدِهِمْ خِلاَفَ رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ وَكَرِهُوۤاْ أَن يُجَاهِدُواْ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنْفُسِهِمْ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَقَالُواْ لاَ تَنفِرُواْ فِي ٱلْحَرِّ قُلْ نَارُ جَهَنَّمَ أَشَدُّ حَرّاً لَّوْ كَانُوا يَفْقَهُونَ”

“O Rasool, those hypocrites who did not accompany you in the expedition are delighted that they did not obey the Rasool’s orders. They were averse to striving in the cause of Allah Almighty with their possessions and their lives. They themselves stayed away and also asked others not to go in the hot weather. Say to them O Rasool that the fire of Hell is more severe in heat if they could only understand.”

The true believers arrived in the city of Tabuk in northern Arabia ready to fight – but there was no one there. Learning that the Muslims were marching toward them, the Byzantine army retreated from the bordering cities and fled the scene. Seeing this, Prophet Muhammad gave the command for the return march; their objective had been achieved, so he didn’t want to further the hostility and advancing more would be unnecessary. Never in the history of mankind had a battle shed so little blood yet achieved such an extraordinary triumph. News of the remarkable feat traveled in every direction and catapulted the Muslims’ military reputation. This, combined with the conquest of Mecca, solidifed the Muslims’ position and ensured the spread and continuation of Islam in the coming centuries.

MuslimGirl.net is covering the entire history of the Islamic Empire in the 30 days of Ramadan 2009! Click here to see the entire series.

^{1 4}Kalami, Mohammad Hashim. Shari’ah Law: An Introduction. Oxford, England: Oneworld books, 2008.
² http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1218650300037&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout
³ The Cambridge History of Islam (1977), p. 39
⁵ Lammens, H. “Ḥunayn.” Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Edited by: P. Bearman , Th. Bianquis , C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs. Brill, 2009. Brill Online. University of Texas at Austin. 24 August 2009 <http://www.brillonline.nl.ezproxy.lib.utexas.edu/subscriber/entry?entry=islam_SIM-2958>

This is not only a time to bring ourselves closer to Allah , but to each other as well. During this time, 1.6 billion people across the globe will be united by the spirit of Islam. It is said that the Holy Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet on Laylat al-Qadr, a night which is worth 1,000 months of worship. The Qur’an and the religion it teaches were bestowed upon the world to liberate people from oppression, darkness, and themselves. Because of Islam, people no longer had been forced to oblige to the religion of their governments. They became intellectually stimulated and conceived some of the greatest creations and discoveries this world has ever seen. Most of all, it changed the foundation of humanity – not by sword, but by peace – rescuing them from a world of ignorance and granting them a world of morals, manners, and dignity.

To this day, the Islamic civilization has been one of the most revolutionary eras in history. Based solely upon faith, it was able to dominate the strongest empires of its time, including the Roman and Byzantine, within its first fifteen years of existence. The Islamic Empire was flourishing in knowledge and discovery during an age when Europe languished in darkness, provoking the beginning of the Renaissance centuries later. The Muslims’ achievements have shaped the cultures of three continents, and their influence is still present today.

Islam is responsible for some of the greatest feats of mankind. It cast a light which penetrated through the world’s greatest darkness with a message that continues to resonate in every corner of the world to this day.

And it all started with one man named Mohammad .

MuslimGirl.net will be covering the entire history of the Islamic Empire in the 30 days of Ramadan insha’Allah. Check in everyday to follow the marvelous story of Islam from its very beginning!

Colors and designs aren’t the only qualities that a hijab carries though – another factor that is common with Muslim women nowadays is the way the hijab is worn. When I first started wearing the hijab a couple of years back, I began with a simple style known as the “square hijab”, which is literally a square-shaped headscarf that you fold into a triangle, wrap around the head, and pin together with a safety pin under the chin. However, when I found that another hijab style known as the “pashmina” or the “wrap-around oblong” headscarf worked better with me, I began to wear my hijab in that way instead. Unlike the “square” hijab, the pashmina hijab is a rectangular-shaped scarf that is pinned together under the chin from one end and wrapped around the head afterwards, usually along with a “headpiece” or bandana-like cloth beneath it.

But of course, we all know the list doesn’t end at just two styles. Here are a few others:

This style is commonly known as a “Qatari Style Hijab”, a hijab style  that, as the name indicates, predominantly originated in Qatar. This style is bascially an oblong, shawl-like headscarf wrapped loosely around the head, with a bandana scarf or headpiece worn underneath. It’s better to wear a second hijab under it though (along with the headpiece, if you wish), so the neck area and all other areas are properly covered, like this girl did. I think the style looks cuter and more “chic” that way, don’t you?

This is another style that is done with the hijab. I think this one is quite creative and suited for fancy parties and other formal events. It consists of one or two oblong-shaped hijabs wrapped around the head in layers, with the outer layer scrunched up in a decorative way on the side. I believe a headpiece is worn under the two hijabs as well. If you like layers, than this style is definitely for you. However, I suggest that an additional scarf should be added to cover the neck area, even though a majority of the neck is covered in the photo. The more proper, the better.

This is a cute and simple hijab style that I think would be a great to try for any occasion. Its a square-shaped headscarf, but instead of folding it into a triangle and pinning it under the chin as you normally would, you take the entire scarf and pin it under the chin from one end, then wrap it around the head/shoulders as you would with an oblong-shaped headscarf. Of course a headpiece is worn underneath the scarf as well. This style certainly is a fashionable way to wear your hijab to any non-formal event.

One of the things that I also love most about hijab is that it’s incredibly convenient when it comes to the type of cloth we use. In other words, almost anything could replace a regular hijab, as long as it is decent and covers the proper areas. About a year ago, I discovered that simple shawl wraps that were made to be worn as shoulder scarves make excellent hijabs, especially for the “oblong” style. This is a big plus for those who can’t afford to buy those expensive, high-quality fabric headscarfs, or for those who simply just can’t get one. Till this day, I still continue to buy them from everyday department stores and use them as hijabs!  

The possibilities of how we fashion our hijab are endless. And while there may be many hijab styles that are trendy and follow the correct guidelines that Allah set for us, there are others that go a bit too far and neglect the main reason we wear it in the first place. Or the hijab is worn correctly, but the outfit worn with it isn’t.  We should always stick to the guidelines of Islam and Allah rulings as much as we can. What we wear and how we wear it represents ourselves and our character. Remember that hijab isn’t just a piece of cloth to wear over your head, or an everyday accessory in our wardrobes – hijab is a foundation that brings out our personalities and character, and helps us stand as people rather than objects. We may dress fashionably and style our hijabs in cute ways, but as Muslim women, we stand as examples of our faith, our religion. Sometimes what we wear could say so much about who we are.

So – with that said – how do you girls wear YOUR hijab?