About

A simple Blog, by a simple slave.

There are two prominent names located on this blog: “Under Cover” Muslimah and عابرة سبيل. These names are not simply “random” but are thought out and represent two important things in my life–both revolving around the most important thing: Worshiping Allah.

1- “Under Cover” Muslimah: This name represent the way I walk, the way I talk, and of course, the way I dress. Covered in Abaya, Hijab, and Niqab–each day that I leave my house, I take my identity along with me. The minute I enter society I am seen and known to be a Muslim woman. My clothing serves as a reminder to society, and to myself, that I should be acting in accordance with my faith and that I would like to be treated in that manner. But most importantly, I am “Under Cover” not because I think its cool, neat, or because it keeps me safe. Rather, I am “Under Cover” because Allah, my creator, has ordered me to do so.

And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.

2- عابرة سبيل: This title was inspired by a hadeeth that can be found in Bukhari and is the fortieth hadeeth in An-Nawawi’s “40 Al-Nawawia”:

On the authority of Ibn ‘Umar, radiyallahu ‘anhuma, who said: The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, took me by the shoulder and said:

“Be in this world as though you were a stranger or a ‘Abiru Sabeel”
Ibn ‘Umar used to say:
“When evening comes, do not expect (to live till) morning, and when morning comes, do not expect (to live till) evening. Take from your health (a preparation) for your illness, and from your life for your death.”

“Abiru Sabeel” is the male version of “Abiratu Sabeel”, or عابرة سبيل. This can be translated into being a “Wayfarer” or a “traveler, traveling on a path”. This is more than simply being a stranger. The traveler is always traveling day and night without stopping, He is heading towards his final destination. Even if he stops for a while, this is to provide himself with the needed power to continue his journey and to go farther until he achieves his main objective. A stranger might obtain and keep more things than he actually needs but the traveler takes as little as possible in terms of luggage or other things. Similarly, the believer who is in such a situation has a main objective or concern - and that is not to take more than what he needs (i.e. he should not be weighed down with materialistic things or wealth).

Another thing is the traveler needs to know that he is traveling on the right path, the straight path. For this, he needs to obtain the right knowledge (علم). He also needs good, helpful companions to help him on his way.

Some scholars ask how would a person be contented with this life where the day distorts the month and the month distorts the year and the year will distort the age? That is how this person will be satisfied with this life if his age will lead him to his final destination and his life will lead him to death. One scholar said when a person looks back at his life since his awareness of this life until this moment, it will seem like a blink of an eye. What remains for the rest of his life is also like that ‘blink of an eye’.

Unless otherwise stated, these posts are written by me. If you would like to contact me, leave a comment or email UnderCoverMuslimah@gmail.com

Barak Allahu Feekum

والحمدلله رب العالمين