Hijab.

Hello. May peace be upon you.

I recently watched Aiman Azlan's latest video titled A Hijab Story. Oh just click on it to watch it. And there, he stated about how we shouldn't treat a person based on what they are wearing or what they are not. Exactly how the saying goes, do not judge a book by its cover.

As much as I am agreeing to that, somehow I find myself not entirely acting it out. I somehow, shamefully, judge. Involuntarily.

I know I shouldn't do this, but somehow my brain just put people into categories. I don't know if this action of mine is making me view this person as lesser Muslim than the other, but somehow, I act differently towards different people.

For example, I'd automatically become more careful of my words and actions whenever I have umm, people who cover themselves more perfectly than the others. I'd unconsciously become more shy to talk to people who take care of their appearances (according to the aurah code) more.

And whenever I see a sister of Islam not covering the parts of her body that should be covered and makes her look effortlessly indifferent with girls from other religions, my heart kinda dies a little, metaphorically.

There's a word, commonly used by Malays, putting the ones who cover themselves perfectly in a category called 'alim'. Sometimes, sadly, people misused the word and say things like, 'kata alim tapi buat maksiat juga'. And these people who say such, are Muslims as well. This kind of things makes me think, and preferably argue to myself with my own thoughts, why are they making themselves sound as if they are saying that only those 'alim' people are obligated to behave? Why are they making themselves sound less Muslim than the 'alim' people? Do they really think the rules in Islam are only applied to those who covers themselves properly? Do they even realized that they are Muslims themselves as well?

And to this kind of people are applied the saying, 'you shouldn't be judging people but yourself first'. And with that I rest my case.