Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad
Question
I have worn the jilbab, a one-piece head-to-toe garment without the face veil, and I know I must do it for Allah, but why? My parents say the jilbab is proper Muslim clothing and superior to an abaya. They say never to take it off no matter what, and you’re a soldier if you wear it. My friend told me that once you wear the jilbab, it’s never taken off. I’m conscious that it turns heads in the streets, and people see me as an ideal, but I consider myself very religious. Also, I can’t wear hoodies on top, so I cant style them. I’m unsure whether I made the right choice. Does one really get rewarded extra for wearing the jilbab?
Answer
Thank you for your question. May Allah reward you for your tremendous outlook on a woman’s modesty and for choosing very modest clothing when you leave the house.
Jilbab
The ruling on what must be worn is here:
Modesty: Kohl, Jilbabs, and Allah
How Does the Qur’an Tell Women To Cover and What Does Jilbab Mean?
How Should We Understand the Obligation of Khimar (Head Covering)?
What Are the Requirements of Hijab?
Reward
Your jilbab is superior to skirts, tops, abayas, or anything else, and if this is a standard you can uphold for the rest of your life, your reward will be abundant by Allah’s grace. Choosing other forms of clothing will also be permissible but inferior due to their not being as loose or modest. Ignore what other people do, say, or assume. Just know in your heart that you are doing it for Allah Most High.
Always remember this hadith and make it central to your life: “Every deen has an innate character. The character of Islam is modesty.” [Ibn Maja]
May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria for two years where she studied aqida, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Masters in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.