Don’t hate, appreciate!

So yesterday, I decided to spend a good half day at the uni library studying. I went to take a little hand-washing break, and as I entered the Ladies Room, there was this girl at the mirror. She was busy applying makeup and fixing up her highlighted hair, in tight jeans and fitted sweater. As soon as she made eye contact with me, she said hello, and then: “Thats a really beautiful outfit.” I had to look down at myself to see what she was talking about, and I realized it was the loosest abaya I have, and of course with the hijab and niqaab.

And I just have to say, that really made my day. How often do we get stuck in this mode of thinking that we are surrounded by people who think our Islamic code of conduct is too extreme, or foreign, or whatever? And then somebody comes along to shake us out of thinking that we are hated. Alhamdulillah!