An Experiment in Niqab

On the 17^th I wrote a post titled ‘Should I Wear a Niqab?’ Well, that question – long-term – is still a question I’m asking myself. However, I do have a short-term answer for the rest of my stay in the UK: yes.

In last Friday’s update, I spoke about a trip to Green Street in order to find something specific, something I had not seen in any of the stores where I’m currently staying. That something specific was a niqab. A few days before that trip I had decided, out of the blue, to buy a niqab and try it for the rest of my stay here in the UK.

The particular niqab I chose is known as a two-piece niqab; there are two pieces of fabric: one thick piece which covers the lower portion of the face and another larger, lighter piece that goes over the head. It’s held on the head by two pieces of fabric at each end that are tied together, and goes over any hijab I already own. Nothing fancy.

In my excitement, I put it on as soon as it was purchased, before leaving the store. My first impression was rather neutral. It was a bit weird wearing something over my face just like it was weird wearing a hijab for the first few times. Of course I’m used to being bare-faced all the time, whether inside or out.

To say a niqab is not annoying (at least at this point, just starting to wear one) is an understatement. One problem is perhaps the niqab is a bit big for me. I’m constantly pushing the edge up my nose. But I think that’s simply because I don’t really know how to wear one as well as I’m still getting used to it. Another problem is, when the weather is cold and windy, my glasses tend to fog up. That’s highly annoying, and I could never imagine wearing a niqab in the winter.

However, perhaps the biggest irritation to me is the whole something-over-the-mouth thing. I’ve always hated having anything over my mouth, and I hate inhaling hot, moist air I just exhaled. Obviously, wearing a niqab, that’s pretty much all I take in. I guess that’s something I would have to get used to if I chose to wear a niqab permanently. When I first started wearing a hijab, I thought I would never get used the irritation of having something covering my head, but the more I wore it the more I became used to it.

Wearing a niqab has its negatives; yet, these negatives might become neutral over time. But what about the positives?

I can definitely say I was constantly reminded that I was Muslim, similar to what the hijab and abaya do, only more so. I only wore a niqab for a short time, but I quickly began to continuously remind myself to act like a proper Muslim – not that I don’t act like one more, but that thought was more prominent than it has been wearing simply a hijab.

This constant reminder of being Muslim is certainly a good thing. I believe this can also lead to a more constant remembrance of Allah, which in and of itself has numerous benefits. I strongly doubt I’ve worn a niqab long enough to experience that side effect, but maybe if I decided to wear it more in the future, my remembrance will increase.

It will take many more outings wearing a niqab for me to finally make up my mind about whether or not I want to wear one permanently. There are a lot of different aspects to consider. Choosing to wear a niqab, at least for me, is not a light decision as I would make myself stick with the choice completely. If I choose to wear a niqab, then I would expect myself to do so for the rest of my life, only removing it when where I live might not be accepting of such clothing. Part of me wants to – and is excited to – wear a niqab, but there’s another part that is wary about doing so. While such uncertainty lingers, I know I won’t be able to make a choice. Thus for the time being, I will continue to experiment in niqab.

Trying a niqab out for the first time!