This is Me

                                                                    This is Me

                                                         By: Mai Demderdash

It is part of who I am. Without any exaggeration it just became my identity; this is ME. It makes me feel so powerful, because I know that I wake up everyday to make the same decision that I've been making for the past nine years. All by myself, I choose who sees what, I put the limits I want, and I dress the way I want.

The story of me getting veiled is not very exciting, Ilhamdulellah I did not struggle like others did; my family was neutral, they respected my decision except for my loving Grandma who always thought I would never get married with the veil on; 'Typical Egyptian grandma'.

I was 13 when I put on hijab, and I cannot remember any other reason convincing me to take such a step except for my mathematics teacher who was just perfect mashaAllah. She was Decent, well raised, very very dedicated to her work, helpful, kind, successful, very successful actually and veiled. She impressed me with everything she did, and the way she dressed, and made me as a teenager find her style actually way better than anyone else’s style. She was cool, chic, casual, young and neat all at the same time. She was a walking example of my all-time dream, which is being a successful Muslim Woman who impresses people with her actions. I don't believe she knows the impact she had on my life, I never told her I love my veil that much because of her.

It has been 9 years now and not once Illhamdulelllah did I think that I was any less pretty than other girls. I knew exactly back then what I was giving up the moment I decided to put on hijab; I knew what kind of guys would lose interest in knowing me, what kind of clothes I would never be able to wear, and what kind of places I would never go to. But it didn't matter then just as it doesn’t matter now because the most important thing is that I know WHO I gave this all up for. He is the Most Merciful, who sends people to compliment my appearance to raise my spirit. He is the Most Merciful who made my friends for so many years adjust their outings to be suitable for me; He is the Most Generous who gave me family and friends who were nothing but supportive and nice throughout the years. And He is " Al-Wadood” (The Most Loving) who made my grandma now show off to her friends how pretty she thinks I am with my veil on.

Isn't He just, amazing. Subhan Allah =). 

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