💐 In The Name Of Allah The Most Gracious The Most Merciful
💌 If there has to be something that I regret from my wedding day in 2006, it would have to be my wrong decision to temporarily display my face instead of maintaining the niqab as a niqabi since around twelve years old. I guess my faith/Imaan wasn't so strong that time when I chose to not wear the niqab for several hours, even though my late mother (Allah yarhamha. Ameen.) insisted that I keep my face covered using a portion of the white bridal veil I wore.
There were three brides I recall on the day we were married. Because there isn't any clear evidence from the Noble Qur'an and Hadith against conducting mass weddings, Alhamdulillah we carried out a collective wedding which had the following benefits:
1] Three or more brides meant less chances for one bride to be affected by the evil eye. Rather than the guests persistently staring at one bride, they get to glance at three different brides periodically. Plus a bride doesn't worry about being the main center of attention and all eyes are on her, unless she's the kind of lady who enjoys the spotlight.
2] The overall price of wedding arrangements is a lot cheaper when you conduct three weddings in the same venue, on the same day.
3] The guests are free from worrying about which formal outfit to wear if there are three weddings taking place in the same month. Not everyone is confident enough to be caught in the exact same clothing on three weddings occurring right after each other.
As a consequence of disobeying my dear mother and refusing to wear the niqab on my walima (wedding ceremony), the newly bought sandals I purchased from Riyadh city couldn't be located anywhere. Whether they were stolen or I misplaced them, I believe it was a fair compensation for my mistake in assuming I would look weird wearing an off-white gown and niqab, unaware back then that there are many niqabi brides worldwide.
Alhamdulillah I got rid of the gigantic wedding portrait, wedding pictures and unnecessary wedding video, so I won't be held accountable Inn-sha-Allah for collecting photos of me in a gown without niqab.
🔹 With the numerous weddings going on nowadays, especially since marrying at this time is less costly than on other days, I wish to advise every Muslimah who is about to become a wife to:
1] Purify her niyyah/intention of marrying the man whom Allah the Most Wise selected as her other half.
2] Ensure that her wedding isn't overly extravagant and it is devoid of haraam/forbidden activities like dancing, mixing unnecessarily with the opposite gender, and playing music in the background. Your marriage life is more likely to have barakah and lots of blessings when your wedding is done in a way that doesn't displease Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala.
3] Value modesty for Allah's sake and wear the hijaab correctly. It doesn't make sense to wear a hijaab while your lacy gown has transparent or skin-tight sleeves, your neck is shown, your decorated ears are exposed and the dangling earrings are greeting everybody, your face is more embellished than a garnished cake, or you demand your loved ones to spread your matrimonial photos far and wide.
What causes your marriage to be blessed isn't an impressive wedding but sincere intent of getting married to complete the other half of your Deen for Allah's sake, consistent Du'as praying that Allah the Most Merciful preserves your marriage, and steadfastly trying your best to be an ideal spouse to your destined soulmate.
~*~
📖 It was narrated from Safiyyah Bint Shaybah RadhiAllahu 'anha that 'Aisha RadhiAllahu 'anha used to say: "When these words were revealed – “...and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms)” – they took their izaars (a kind of garment) and tore them from the edges and covered their faces with them."
Narrated by Al-Bukhaari, 4481.
The following version was narrated by Abu Dawood (4102): "May Allah have mercy on the Muhaajir women. When Allah revealed the words, “and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms)”, they tore the thickest of their aprons (a kind of garment) and covered their faces with them."
📖 Abu Udhaynah RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: Allah's noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "The best of your women are loving, fertile, suitable, and comforting, if they fear Allah. The worst of your women unveil their beauty, take pride in their appearance, and they are hypocrites. None of them will enter Paradise except as rarely as you see a red-beaked crow."
Source: Al-Sunan Al-Kubrá 12480
Grade: Sahih (Authentic) according to Al-Albani