Hasatou Drammeh has discovered that for women, there is more beauty in modesty than in vain.

The UK-based Gambian has since become a new hijabi convert. She shares her story, which reads below in verbatim:

I was born into a Muslim family, but Islam never played a role in my life. I had zero knowledge of my religion, I didn’t understand why women wore the hijab and I didn’t even think it was obligatory on every Muslim woman to wear hijab and cover their body. I used to change hairstyles every other week, spending £300 on Brazilian hair aka fake hair, short clothes were a no biggie to me. For me the more you revealed the more beautiful you are, the more men turn their heads at you the more you’re slaying, I always wanted to stand out of the Crowd. I was so lost into the dunya, making Shaitan happy while earning the anger of Allah Sub’han’Allah.

Last year Ramadan 2014 was my turning point. Last Ramadan was the first Ramadan I took seriously, I spent most of my time learning about my religion, listening to lectures, reading Qu’r’an, learning hadith and I came across a hadith that said: ” the woman who doesn’t cover her hair and show her adornments will not smell the fragrance of jannah. ” This hadith got me to.

After Ramadan I wasn’t covering my hair, but I noticed a change in me, my heart was softened, music did not play such a big role in my life. I went clubbing with my friends, I did not feel comfortable at all being in a club, I did not feel comfortable with men looking at me, I was so guilty I took a taxi and went home straight away. I repented to Allah SWT since then my heart changed, the clubs didn’t attract me anymore, this life wasn’t my number focus anymore, being the most beautiful girl meant absolutely nothing to me and short clothes did not look attractive to me at all.

I embraced the hijab Alhamdulillah. My friends, colleagues, family members were all shocked. Some said I won’t last long, some said hijab is just a dress code, and some said what is wrong with weave. Lol, but I knew why I had it on, I ignored the negative comments and had patients.

After some time I started to feel ugly with my scarf on, being around people who weren’t practicing Islam and I was struggling with wearing the scarf so I took of my hijab and went back to wearing fake hair basically was going back to my lifestyle. One day I was in my room and I said to myself, what are you doing, am I taking the mockery out of my religion, I felt like I was disrespecting Allah and the mothers of the believers, Allah choose me out of everyone and guided me, am I gonna say no thanks I don’t want your gift, this is my time to put Shaitan to shame and since then I have decided to fight Shaitan with my all. My beauty is for my husband only not for every man.

Advice to my fellow Muslim sisters, don’t let this temporary world fool you , we are going to return to Allah SWT one day. Guard your awhrah for your man and see how much he will appreciate it. There is nothing more beautiful than a woman who dresses modestly. Let’s face it I believe every man who loves the deen of Allah would want his woman to cover up around strange men and know that whatever Allah SWT tells us to do is actually for our own good and whatever he tells us not to do is also for our own good.

Aslamulaikum, from your Gambian sister living in the UK.

Courtesy of Gambian Muslimah website