Is this quest for beauty befitting for the Muslimah? What is the reality of the beauty myth and what sustains this industry? Is this a trend or an interest or a concern for the Muslim woman – is this where she puts her time and efforts in? Will these goals give contentment and happiness to any woman who strives to achieve them? What is true beauty and who defines what is beautiful or not?

These images and messages are thrown at us by the media – whether it is through: Magazines Movies Fashion trends Brands Celebrities Ads TV – and all of its extreme makeover reality TV show programs, supermodel wannabes and biggest losers or beauty & geeks etc… Internet: fashion blogs, forums – ads on the internet, trends etc-

False pattern of… YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL/ATTRACTIVE = BEING SUCCESSFUL = CONFIDENCE = YOU CAN DO ANYTHING = RESPECTED/VALUED IN SOCIETY

HAVE YOU ACHIEVED PEACE OF MIND, BODY and SOUL NOW THAT YOU HAVE MADE THE CHOICE to dress, behave and look the way you want to? Are you really at liberty to make these decisions FOR YOURSELF BY YOURSELF?

In 1921 where the FIRST EVERY MISS AMERICA beauty pageant was held and since then these beauty pageants, beauty salons and parlours, plastic surgeries, cosmetic and makeup products made readily available for every woman – well fast forward to today and we know this has become a multi-billion dollar international industry!

With the advent of consumer culture after the turn of the century, in short, outward appearance, achieved solely by external means made available by the growth of commercial beauty culture, easily superseded inner character in the quest for beauty. On the economic level, the new consumer beauty culture appeared to advance American democratic principles by offering advantageous career opportunities, with more autonomy and higher salaries than most other fields open to women. Although many Americans believed that the beauty business offered women equality, it clearly offered them equality only with one another, not with men.

a quarter of teenage girls surveyed in Australia say they would get plastic surgery if they could, and 2% have already gone under the knife; 68% of 15 year old females are on a diet, of these, 8% are severely dieting 70% of young women engage in binge drinking – consuming five or more drinks on one occasion – and 19% do so on a weekly basis. An alarming 12% of girls report drinking harmful levels of alcohol (more than 5 standard drinks on any one day) and twice the number of teenage girls use drugs, compared with boys. 85% of girls worry about achieving at school; peer pressure is also a reality for many, with 60% of girls saying they have been teased about their appearance;

It is by the standards of Islam by which we are able to REDEFINE the DEFINITION OF BEAUTY.

Allah SWT says in Surah Al-Ahzab Ayah 36: It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should [thereafter] have any choice about their affair. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly strayed into clear error.

In Surah An-Nur, Ayah 31 – Allah SWT says: And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, head-cover, apron), and to draw their veils over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers or their husbands fathers or their sons or their husbands sons, or their brother or their brothers sons, or their sisters sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. sisters in Islam), or the female who lack vigour or small children have no sense of feminine sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers that you may be successful.

Beauty for the Muslim woman is to follow and obey the commands which her Creator – Allah SWT has obliged upon her – this is where she gains her reward & ultimately inshaAllah Jannah for her this is her act of ibadah/of worship to her Lord! This is beautiful.

And UGLINESS is to leave them aside, to disobey and to follow our own desires (or fears).

AL UMM MADRASAH = the MOTHER/WOMAN IS A SCHOOL: Her education is vital in giving towards the next generation.

Rasulullah SAW said: If a woman prays her five (daily prayers), fasts her month (Ramadaan), guards her chastity and obeys her husband, it will be said to her: Enter Paradise by whichever of the gates of Paradise you wish.