HAUTE HIJABI : SAMAH
WE LOVE HIJAB’S Haute Hijabi for this week is Samah, a 33 year-old Program Coordinator from Ohio. No stranger to the Islamic fashion blogosphere, Samah offers inspiring commentary on the concepts of hijab and modesty. You can check her out at one of her blogs: Jamerican Muslimah. But before you do, click on the link below to find out more about her Haute Hijabi style!
WE LOVE HIJAB: Why do you love hijab?
SAMAH: By wearing hijab I have the opportunity to give dawah on a daily basis (which in turn strengthens my iman.) I’ve been able to challenge stereotypes people have about Muslim women being uneducated, oppressed and passive. I’ve had lengthy discussions with people about Islam and hopefully I’ve changed their perspective. If I wasn’t wearing hijab, I don’t think I’d have the opportunity as much as I do.
WE LOVE HIJAB: Can you tell us about your first experience wearing hijab?
SAMAH: When I first started wearing hijab it was in the early 90’s. I was a new Muslim and had no idea why I was wearing it. I was only told that I’d be punished if I didn’t wear it. Needless to say, I took it off after a couple of years. Eventually I studied the purpose of hijab. I read the Quran, Tafsir, books on hijab and listened to sisters’ personal experience with hijab. Once I developed a good understanding of why Allah commanded it I knew I was ready to wear it permanently. Alhamdulillah it has been eight years now.
WE LOVE HIJAB: Describe your sense of style in 3 words.
SAMAH: Classic, sophisticated and elegant.
WE LOVE HIJAB: What clothing items do you think Muslim women should never wear?
SAMAH: Tight pants, tight shirts, short-sleeved tops, short dresess/skirts and see through clothing. All of those things interfere with the Islamic concept of modesty.
WE LOVE HIJAB: What do you think is the key to fabulous modesty?
SAMAH: Balance. I think I can have my own individual style when wearing hijab. I also think I can be creative with it. However, it’s important to constantly ask myself if I’m still fulfilling the guidelines set forth by Allah. Which includes modesty in behavior and actions.
WE LOVE HIJAB: What is the silliest question that you’ve ever been asked about hijab and how did you respond?
SAMAH: Someone asked me if my husband can see my hair. The sad part is the person was serious! After I recovered from my shock I explained who a Muslim woman is allowed to be uncovered in front of.
WE LOVE HIJAB: What advice can you give to sisters who may be struggling with the idea of hijab?
SAMAH: I think it’s important to combine du’a with action and knowledge. Study the purpose of hijab, ask Allah for his help and guidance but at the same time be willing to put forth the effort. So often it seems like sisters are waiting for a miraculous sign telling them to put it on. It doesn’t happen like that for most of us though. Sometimes I think you just have to do it. Ignore the fears, the hesitance and the words of naysayers. Yes, it may be difficult and a little scary at first but remember why you’re doing it- for the pleasure of Allah and the development of your deen. Lastly, I think It’s important to network with other hijabis (even if it’s online.) Those sisters will act as a support system for you.
Remember, just because you wear hijab doesn’t mean you can’t be stylish. Do you but in a modest way…
STEAL SAMAH’S STYLE: Despite an admitted lack of body-shots for her Haute Hijabi collage, Samah’s penchant for beautiful colors and prints is still evident. Here are a couple of looks that I think she’d love.
Look #1:
Silk Pashmina, £14.99
Sand Dollar Blouse, $48.95
A-line Skirt, $48.95
Jessica Simpson Cielo Satchel, $108
Guess Carrie Stiletto Pumps, $89.95
Look #2:
Shirred Silk Dress, $99.00
Cropped One-Button Blazer, $39.50
Essential Trousers, $25
Enzo Angiolini Maylie15 Pump, $47.48-$94.95
Want to be next week’s Haute Hijabi? Contact me!
Want to read a magazine that is all about you?
If you have been looking for a magazine that is all about your style, your loves, your culture, and your life as a modern Muslim woman, Muslimette is what you have been waiting for!
Muslimette is a brand new online magazine that offers tips on life and love, real-stories about Muslim women, fashion spreads, and much more.
34 comments… read them below or add one
i notice that you like heels but should you as a women in islam be heard when u entering a room?????? or get all the attention.
Assalam-alaikam,
I agree with Sister samah that Hijab is dawah.
Love the second outfit.
Not sure about the heels question, but they are sooo addictive.
I don’t think it’s fair to make new rules for Muslim women. Allah says “Don’t strike your feet to get attention.” That was speaking to women who were wearing noisy anklets with the purpose of making noise so that men looked at them. If you’re wearing shoes (’cause not only heels make noise when a MAN or WOMAN walks) and your intention is to be noisy then yah you probably shouldn’t wear them. But if you are wearing them and they happen to make noise, and your intention isn’t to show off, well so what???? Cute outfits btw n’ L O V E the site!!!!!
Oh yah and there are heels that are noisy anyways. So keep wearin’ ya heels gurl! (yah I said g-u-r-l. heehee)
UGH!! i mean there are heels that ARE NOT noisy.
Oh ‘n samah is sooo pretty mashallah. The other sis was too. SubhanAllah!
I love her scarves and the first outfits so HAUTE!
mashallahhh another beautiful muslimah chik :D!! luv her hijabs, so niceeeee!!!!
and the interview was awsome.. sounds like a smart lady with strong imaan :) .. keep it upp!!!!!!!
Oh and yah… I was wondering about noisy heels too. nothing against it, just wondering.
Masha’Allah the sister look so beautiful and I just love her answers :D
As for the outfits I really like the yellow silk dress & blue hijab!
As far as I see it all shoes make noise, however if you still want to wear heels you just need to buy ones that make less noise (for example wear wedge heels more often since they tend to be better). Also you can opt to buying lower heels (say 1 to 2 1/2 inch heel instead of say 4 or 5 inch).
I tend to stick to 1-3 inch range heels or wedge heels to fix that ‘noise’ issue! :)
really digging the colorful clothes in the collage. keep it up! thanx for sharing.
i love spiegel. i’ve never seen them offline though. wish they had a store so i could try on w/o the shipping cost. :-(
samah looks fierce in the yellow/gray or is it yellow/blue hijab? loven the gloss she wears too. care to share the color with us sis?
ah! there’s 2 yellow print scarves in the image. i’m talkin about the 3rd pic just to be clear. :D
All is really pretty!!!!
I absolutely love love love the yellow, black, and white dress. Within 3 seconds of looking at it, I had already put together at least 4 different possible outfits! lol.
As far as the discussion about whether or not heels are appropriate to be worn by a Muslimah: I have shoes that are completley flat and they still make noise when I walk. Any shoe with a hard bottom will make a noise (heel or not). What are we supposed to do…tape cotton balls to the bottom of our shoes so they don’t make noise? Don’t be ridiculous! As long as you are not intentionally stomping hard trying to get attention then there is NO problem. I don’t understand why Muslims do this… people come up with new ways everyday to limit themselves in what the can wear! Its sad!
I absolutely agree with what Saraah said! It’s so sad and annoying that Muslims do that. Which of the favors of your Lord will you deny? Instead of making up more and more ridiculous rules that we all must follow, why not just enjoy the freedoms and choices that we have by Allah?!
hmmm the shoe thing is a good point but thank God it’s not a commandment. I think that men’s shoes make the same noises when they walk. It all depends on what the soles of the shoes are made of. I wear heels and flats too and notice noise when I wear either of them. I don’t think we’re stuck with orthopedic shoes if we want to not make noise with our shoes. Just show up on time and you won’t be the noisy one walking in the room. Ha!
beautiful outfits by the way and samah is lovely mA (mashallah).
ok ok i get te point about the heels, it depends on what kinda shoe it is, another question……are we supposed to show our feet????????????? because i see alot of sandals in your colections.
i’m curious as my husband tells me to wear socks with my open toes, wich has no heel by the way.
There are actually different opinions about whether we can show our feet. If you feel that you can’t show them, you can always wear stockings with sandals *winks* ~riya
OK, i have one more question before i create a big debate here…..what makes it right to take off your “anklet” to stop making noise when u going to wear heels that make more noise anywayz????
please answer.
i’m not making up rules for muslim women i want to hear different opinions for myself to learn i’m not knowledgeable enough to make new “rules for muslim women”
i am sorry. i don’t want to say this by hurting someone’s feelings. But let’s just enjoy the beauty the sister who made this site is presenting us with. Imagine how much effort she put into it!
Personally, I do not wear pants, I only wear skirts. Is it right or wrong to wear pants? I don’t know. But I’m sure we’ve all been in these discussions elsewhere. For here and for now, let’s just enjoy the beauty. If we don’t think it’s halal enough, think of ways to make it more suitable for yourself. If you don’t think heels or pants are appropriate, that’s fine. But there are other avenues and places to strike up such important discussions.
Again, I humbly apologize. I love you all for the sake of Allah.
Assalam-alaikam sisters,
I am currently undertaking a fashion course, specialising in Islamic fashion and trends. Just a quick question that I wanted to send out to everybody. From Samah’s beautiful collage (masha-allah) and the weekly “looks” that the sisters put together, I noticed one thing. That the Hijabs were all simple scarves or fabrics that we were just wrapping around our heads. Is it against the code of Islamic modesty to experiment with Hijab styles? For example: scarves with pearled edging or voluminous “constructed” Hijab head pieces that twist into a rosette at the side or nice wool Hijabs in winter with silver lining etc? Is it wrong to move beyond just throwing some thin fabric on our heads and using more elaborate styles and colours? I know some sisters only use plain coloured Hijabs but wear elaborate clothing with elaborate accessories such as bangles, jeweled bags etc! Where is this line drawn? Can the Hijab be seen as a piece of clothing or an accessory, and still stay within the object of modesty? What do you guys think? It would be great to hear your responses.
P.S. I have been working on some designs so if anyone would like to see let me know…
I read one fatwa before that heels are haram because of its sound but i think there are lots of heels out there that doesn’t make any sound, right? btw, i love the second outfit and sis sama looks sophisticated, she described herself perfectly!
The outfits in Haute Hijab are truly inspiring. It’s wonderful to explore the options available for beautiful but modest clothing- so rare these days!Sister Samah so beatifully wrapped her Hijab in the blue and Hijab. Would it be possible to show more on how to wrap the Hijab in different ways?
Shukran Wassalaam!
Oops! I meant Blue and Green Hijab. The one on the extreme left:-)
i just luv her lip gloss it’s so soft looking for muslimahs
I think Sarah made a brilliant point there!! If we’re not allowed to wear heels because it makes noise… then we wouldn’t be allowed to TALK because that also makes noise, you know?
As for the shoes question… Doesn’t it say that we have to cover everything except… face and hands and feet? or was feet not on the list? i dunno, im not answering, im asking. I don’t cover MY feet… socks are too hot for Summer.
Also… another thing… Can someone help me out with this :S. I’m in my school newspaper staff and we’re planning to do something global.. like writing about different cultures and stuff for the new issue. We were brainstorming and someone brought up the topic about how women are treated in different cultures. So I pointed out.. that anyone whose doing that artical should first gather the facts before they write about Islam oppressing women. So that led to a little argument and one chick kept saying that they ARE oppressed. Wouldn’t drop it.
So now I wanna write an artical to clear misconseptions (I hate the media for this). Any tips or idea’s??
Also, I need your permission, Sis Kima, to use things from your previous blog (since it has more stuff). The Newsletter is an online thing. The instructor lady won’t let me put stuff unless I have the permission from the source I get it from… =]]
Thanks…
(PS good dialouge and smart comebacks will shut em up :D)
Ya know, Subhanallah, NONE of us here is a scholar to be handing out fatwas, to abstain from packing up those sins, don’t make up fatwas, Mashallah Walhamdulilah we have scholars who have studied islam and the islamic teachings. as far as “we wouldn’t be allowed to TALK because that also makes noise,” how on earth does that even make sense???????? Astaghfurullah! making whatever we want halal and making haram what we want to be haram. Fear Allah! Astaghfurullah, khalas, it is not up for debate, wearing shoes that make noise has been proven to be haram, whether or not anyone agrees with that is their own problem. Rules are set, guidelines are present, if we choose to follow them, then Alhamdulilah and May Allah (SWT) reward us greatly, should we choose to not follow the rules then May Allah guide us all and forgive us! (i don’t mean to sound harsh, but it’s the truth, and as muslims we should strive to follow EVERY teaching of islam, from how to pray, to how to dress, nothing is to be exempted.)
Masha’Allah!
Speechless! I don’t have anything at all bad to say about this look. Well, put together and modest.
You won girl! SubhanAllah!
I think riya made a good point about showing your she stated U can wear stockings I would love to see that
I’d very much like to see more Haute Hijabi features. I much prefer getting fashion ideas from other real sisters to grabbing them from a celeb like Rachel Bilson. We Love Hijab, please bring it back.
Re what Sr. Iman wrote:
The question about covered or uncovered feet proves the issue with the statement you made about something being proven haram. The reality is that there is no discussion of noisemaking shoes in the Qur’an. Any rulings about that or about uncovered feet come from human interpretations of Sunnah – and it seems are an extrapolation of the anklet hadith and possibly other ahadith about distracting clothing.
Human interpretations of Qur’an and Sunnah are subject to variation (which is probably a good thing, since times keep changing and the places in which and circumstances under which we live are often very different) and cannot be looked upon as definitive or infallible.
They are simply learned persons’ determinations based inherently on their cultural lens, life experiences, fiqh precedences and of course Qur’an and Sunnah.
That a ruling is necessary at all points to the fact that a subject is not as plain as day or widely known about and so requires interpretation and explanation.
There is a difference of opinion about whether feet can be covered or should be covered. Both arguments are probably legitimate – that is, thoughtfully prepared, based on available evidence (Qur’an and Sunnah) by those who have been trained to make such rulings. Which ruling is ultimately correct? We are free now to side with the ruling that makes most sense to us or is the majority opinion of our madhab or preferred scholar (or any other basis we use for decision). But these are just human opinions. In the end only God knows which is correct.
To use an example, for a long time many scholars issued fatwas that maintained that it was not allowed or indeed was haram to have audio systems (microphones, loudspeakers) in the masjid. The fatwas changed with the times and now such systems are commonplace in masajid. Which ruling was correct in the absolute??
So, whenever we are faced with a ruling, if we are reflective, we cannot behave as if it is God’s infallible law for all time (even the ways in which our prayer timings are determined would have to change if we were to colonize Mars, for example – and indeed prayer times are very different for those Muslims who live in the Arctic Circle).
If we are to use fiqh as a basis for our actions (keep in mind that there are some Muslims who feel that becoming educated in Qur’an alone and then using this knowledge as their guidepost is sufficient), it benefits us as thinking Muslims to ask
1) who is making this fatwa?
2) in what context?
3) what is the logic of the fatwa?
4) are there any opposing fatwas? what is their logic?
5) is the fatwa talking about me? does the fatwa apply to me?, etc.