She was chubby and bubbly. Her jet black curls twirled about her round shoulders. Her wide excited eyes curiously took in the world around her. Geared with an infectious laugh she was set out to just live. She made friends instantly and effortlessly managed to initiate conversation with even the most reserved and private of people. Her pattering feet and cheerful hum resonated color and beauty in the entire house. Her family adored her with immense fondness. She was a ray of sunshine. And she was six.
She gave the way children give; a hand print of wet paint, a tiny shoot grown in a jar with some moist cotton, a few scribbles of imagination. An irresistible bear hug, candid and insistent ‘I love you’s’. To her this was love; the beginning and the end of it.
So how could this child express her love to her Lord? She had never seen Him. However, being born to devout Muslim parents, she knew Allah. She just felt Him in her heart; and was aware of Him the way no adult can ever be. He was watching her when she got two sweets, so she saved the other one for her sister. He was aware that it was time for her to stop watching cartoons even if mummy had forgotten, so she switched the TV off. He knew that her pebble had crossed the hopscotch chalked line, so she did not take her turn. It was baby Taqwa.
She was innocent and untainted; a small slave of Her Lord. With her tiny hands she made even tinier du’as; for candies and chocolates, and barbies and Polly pockets. But Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala had bigger plans for His littlest slave.
The day before third grade, when all the other little girls were looking for matching hair bands and socks, this little girl opened the second drawer of the chest of drawers and took out her tiny off-white hijab. She tiptoed to the closet and hung it with her school’s uniform; a half sleeved blouse and knee-length skirt. She had decided; not only was tomorrow going to be the first day of third grade, but also the first day she wore hijab forever insha’Allah. Forever and ever and ever and ever.
All she knew was that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala loved girls with hijabs. And she just wanted to be that girl whom Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala loved and was pleased with. That night, a six year old fell asleep; genuinely and greedily craving the attention of her Creator.
Forever and ever and ever only lasted five days. Her friends at school bewilderingly asked her if she had gone bald over the vacations, or if her mother had given her hair a boy-cut? They would not pick her for games in recess because her flyaway hijab would come in the way. Her headmistress said she looked ugly and that she should take it off. Plus it was against uniform protocol.
She endured five days of strong silence and sheer confusion. Why don’t they understand that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala loves girls who wear hijabs? Her world of fantasy was falling apart. At night, her parents took her in their arms and explained that maybe she should wear it outside school for a while? Maybe she should wait to get a bit older to wear it in school so she can be brave to stand up to her headmistress and her friends?
Wordlessly that solemn girl of six nodded her head wisely with tears in her eyes. People in school did not love her dear Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.
Years and years have passed. Where is that girl now? Did she ever get to wear hijab? Did her love for Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala nurture and grow over the years or did she fall prey to the brutal society around her? Only Allah Knows; He Who Possesses the knowledge of the Unseen.
May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala make that bygone little sister of ours truly beloved to Him wherever she may be. May He also inspire onto our hearts such pure and pristine love for Him, and a genuine urge to please Him. And may He Enable us to become living embodiments of His Qura’nic verse:
She gave the way children give; a hand print of wet paint, a tiny shoot grown in a jar with some moist cotton, a few scribbles of imagination. An irresistible bear hug, candid and insistent ‘I love you’s’. To her this was love; the beginning and the end of it.
So how could this child express her love to her Lord? She had never seen Him. However, being born to devout Muslim parents, she knew Allah. She just felt Him in her heart; and was aware of Him the way no adult can ever be. He was watching her when she got two sweets, so she saved the other one for her sister. He was aware that it was time for her to stop watching cartoons even if mummy had forgotten, so she switched the TV off. He knew that her pebble had crossed the hopscotch chalked line, so she did not take her turn. It was baby Taqwa.
She was innocent and untainted; a small slave of Her Lord. With her tiny hands she made even tinier du’as; for candies and chocolates, and barbies and Polly pockets. But Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala had bigger plans for His littlest slave.
The day before third grade, when all the other little girls were looking for matching hair bands and socks, this little girl opened the second drawer of the chest of drawers and took out her tiny off-white hijab. She tiptoed to the closet and hung it with her school’s uniform; a half sleeved blouse and knee-length skirt. She had decided; not only was tomorrow going to be the first day of third grade, but also the first day she wore hijab forever insha’Allah. Forever and ever and ever and ever.
All she knew was that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala loved girls with hijabs. And she just wanted to be that girl whom Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala loved and was pleased with. That night, a six year old fell asleep; genuinely and greedily craving the attention of her Creator.
Forever and ever and ever only lasted five days. Her friends at school bewilderingly asked her if she had gone bald over the vacations, or if her mother had given her hair a boy-cut? They would not pick her for games in recess because her flyaway hijab would come in the way. Her headmistress said she looked ugly and that she should take it off. Plus it was against uniform protocol.
She endured five days of strong silence and sheer confusion. Why don’t they understand that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala loves girls who wear hijabs? Her world of fantasy was falling apart. At night, her parents took her in their arms and explained that maybe she should wear it outside school for a while? Maybe she should wait to get a bit older to wear it in school so she can be brave to stand up to her headmistress and her friends?
Wordlessly that solemn girl of six nodded her head wisely with tears in her eyes. People in school did not love her dear Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.
Years and years have passed. Where is that girl now? Did she ever get to wear hijab? Did her love for Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala nurture and grow over the years or did she fall prey to the brutal society around her? Only Allah Knows; He Who Possesses the knowledge of the Unseen.
May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala make that bygone little sister of ours truly beloved to Him wherever she may be. May He also inspire onto our hearts such pure and pristine love for Him, and a genuine urge to please Him. And may He Enable us to become living embodiments of His Qura’nic verse:
But those who believe, love Allah more (than anything else). [2:165]
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