With the islam i grew up with, hijab and modesty helped me feel like i was more than just my body, the physical parts of me, forged from the earth and perishable

There have been enough voices on the concept of Beauty and its sociology, commodification, and prejudice. No matter how much the modern world tries to recontextualize Beauty, our pursuit of physical perfection has yet to cease

I remember how much pain that pursuit brought me. And then I remember how hijab healed me. I was not hiding. I was rebelling against a critical gaze. From the ouside and within. I knew a beauty beyond the fine hairs along my torso, the width of my wrists, the texture of my skin

However... even now, as an adult hatched from teenaged angst, our world can still make me believe I’m not enough. I know I’m not alone in this جهاد. I don’t need to tell you that you’re enough or abundant. That there’s a beauty within you, radiating from you like نور

This thread is just a vessel for self reflection. I’m thankful for what hijab taught me. My struggle isn’t the same as someone who covers everyday, or covers to abide by laws or social conventions...

But my gratitude is clear. I still catch myself getting roped into the game of physical desirability... but modesty, through and through, reminds me that I don’t have to be a player.