My First Abaya!

Today was an exciting day!

Well, maybe not all of it. I spent most of the morning doing nothing. The afternoon wasn’t much more thrilling. I took a walk through a nearby park which was filled with picnickers, kite fliers, and cricketers.

Then, the person I was with suggested we amble down a nearby street, Wilmslow Road. I’m currently in Manchester, which, like London, is very ethnically diverse – especially the part of the city I’m staying in. Over ten percent of the population is South Asia; over half of that 10% is Pakistani.

Wilmslow Road reflects this large percentage of South Asian peoples. Restaurants with Urdu written on their fronts line the road; posters advertise the delicious dishes being served inside. Customers sit outside in the lovely weather, some puffing away on a hookah. The savory smells of curry and whatnot fill the air, setting one’s mouth watering no matter how hungry they are. Several store windows are filled with mannequins displaying saris and shalwaar kameez, the bright colors and shimmering sequins catching one’s eyes. Urdu music escapes from stores and filters onto the street. The person I was with, who is from Pakistan, made the comment that walking Wilmslow Road is like being back home.

Near the end, just before the store fronts turn to a park, we came across an Islamic bookstore. I can’t remember the name, but I suppose that’s not very important. Anyway, the two of us stepped into the store – simply out of boredom…we weren’t looking for anything. I was drawn to the back of the shop where a small section was closed off. Hanging on the walls were several abayas.

For those of you who do not know what an abaya is, it is essentially a long, robe-like over garment some Muslim women wear as part of hijab, or Islamic modest dress. Traditional abayas are black, and some have a bit of embroidery or other work. They cover the whole body except for the face, hands, and feet. The term is Arabic for ‘cloak,’ and abayas are the national dress of Saudi Arabia.

I have often thought about buying an abaya and have often found myself perusing websites selling such dress. Personally, I don’t see it as being necessary to wear an abaya; rather it’s a way to maintain one’s modesty and be more modest. Yes, it is important to cover one’s self, but that can be achieved with a skirt or something else. However, I had never brought myself to actually purchase an abaya. I’m the sort of person who likes to actually handle what I’m planning on buying, touching it and trying it on.

I won’t bore you with the details, but I went into that store out of interest and boredom and left with a nice, new abaya in hand.

That was certainly the highlight of my day and possibly the highlight of my week. Yet, it’s hard to say why. Wearing an abaya does not necessarily mean I’m a better Muslim; what good is the outside if the inside is lacking? And, as I said before, I don’t believe Muslim women must wear an abaya so long as they are covering themselves in some other way.

Instead, I think it not only shows modesty but also helps keep a sister’s iman in check. Long ago, I talked to a Muslim lady who wore an abaya whenever she stepped foot outside her home, and I asked why she wore an abaya. Her answer was simple: it made her feel closer to Allah subhana wa ta'ala as well as changing her character for the better. I’m not sure if the same will happen for me, but the hope is there that it might insha’Allah.

But, whatever the reason why I was excited, I am very happy I decided to buy an abaya. Currently, I only wear jeans and kurtis – not always the most modest of dress. Insha’Allah wearing an abaya will please Allah and will mean more reward for me.

I can’t wait to wear it!