By If you’ve been skulking around Muslim Twitter lately, or anywhere else that’s on the internet you’ll know of the woman who is currently brining hijab into the present fashion conversation. Her photo has been passed along thousands of times. She stands in a doorway in big round movie star shades with wide legged palazzo pants, a pink overcoat, a checkered hijab, and a look that says yes, I am this gorgeous all the time.
The woman’s name is Maria Hidrissi and she is one of the new poster children for H&M’s new conscious clothing line coming out for the fall fashion season.
Now let’s be honest for a moment here. Things like fashion, trendsetting, and dressing like an adult are way above my pay grade. Seriously, last time I got set up on a date with someone I wore a Little Mermaid shirt and I wasn’t doing it ironically.
But this isn’t about fashion for me. I could give two craps about palazzo pants. As far as I’m concerned this is about media representation and that, my friends, is something I can get behind.
Maria Hidrissi didn’t just model for an ad campaign, she awakened the people. In a simple and quiet way she made others look at a Muslim woman without fear or contempt but with a healthy curiosity. Maria opened a conversation that has always been strained.
Because sometimes, throwing Muslim rage at social issues doesn’t always work. Being super nice doesn’t always work either. But to stand and be noticed, to be accounted for, that’s an example anyone can follow. So we are thankful to Maria Hidrissi for having impeccable taste in clothing and a facial expression that kills. Personally, I hope to see her in more ads for different brands who want to be bold enough to let Muslim women be seen.
Muslim women will make themselves seen whether we are invited to the table or not.
And please believe, various clothing brands, that one way or another Muslim women will make themselves seen whether we are invited to the table or not.
Oh also! This just wouldn’t be complete without the mention of how effortlessly creeping sharia is starting to creep even faster. I’m so proud I just might shed a tear. So go forth my little fashionistas to be seen by a world that needs you. May your photos always be fierce and your sharia always creep.
Image via H&M Facebook
This spells danger to me. Since when is a Muslim woman supposed to be thinking or projecting ‘yes, I am this gorgeous all the time.’ in public? Be careful sisters. Guard your deen.
shut up taliban
I am English and NOT a student (talib) so you are completely wrong by calling me taliban.
Relax he is a troll. But indeed may be a Zionist.
I am relaxed sister. 🙂
child go away I guess with your name you are a Zionist Jew I bet.
I agree with you. Allah tells us Beauty is the heart not what you wear or look like. I like the awareness to spread but do not try to think your better then anyone else just because you wear a scarf and cover up. Allah judges by the heart not the Ego.
Excellent sis. Jazak Allahu khair. You are right, this article and the H&M campaign promotes the wrong thing according to Islam.
I am glad to see I am not alone with that. As you know as well as I do if you in UK or USA or Europe you know we have fashion controlling women and what they wear etc womens biggest sin is Pride why i did not like this for that one line ‘yes, I am this gorgeous all the time.’ thats what has me worried that young muslims girls are being told its ok to be fashionable its ok to follow the herd. Also this whole nice does not always work well it has for me kindness is what the prophet promotes even on the enemy and prisioners. Western values coming into Islam is not a good combo. This does not help muslim women at all it helps H&M get more money for clothes they buy from sweat shops in china or India where they get paid £1 a day fr 10+ hours of work.
It may have been planed, by set purpose.
Vested interests are projecting that all over the web.
Personally what is the point of this campaign to make people see muslim women are what? More into Fashion and looking good then praying to Allah and being nice. I wonder what the prophet would say to this? Woman power is not in what she wears it is how she carries herself and her worship to Allah these are distractions that are not important to Allah, he does not care what dress you wear he cares what you are doing in your heart and good deeds. Want to make a difference then help those less fortunate not show we are just like western society values and fashion is more important. As being nice it does get you places I know that. I am not seeing a good message in this article for young muslim women. Its taking them from Allah to society and fashion, Pride is the biggest sin for women do not fall into that thinking this way. Heart is where it matters most and impressing Allah.
I think that the point of this article and photo is to show open the eyes of this world to show that Muslim women are just like any other woman, we can dress fashionably and modestly. Her motto should be ,”you should try it!” Lol. US Muslims should not let this bother us, we should be thankful that a Muslim woman is in the spotlight! This could change what hundreds of people think of us. She’s doing nothing wrong, if she likes to model, so be it, she’s modest, beautiful and happy, let her! All I’m saying is we should be happy that Islam is in the spotlight, a positive one, and just pray that these nightmares will be over.
I do not care about her being a model or happy etc she can do whatever she wishes but she is supposed to represent muslim women not herself so then she needs to change the ‘I am so gorgeous all the time’ statement that is not Islamic and not modesty that is pride. Modesty is attitude not clothing. Strong muslim women should not care about what they are wearing to please society they will only care about pleasing Allah and doing good deeds like helping the poor, sick and unfortunate in the world.
This is for sales and marketing purposes this is not Islamic in the slightest it is done for the wrong reasons to get Muslims women into H&M buying their stuff while the clothes are made in sweat shops in Africa and Asia where people get about £1 a day. Its not very positive when you see what H&M are if it was for Islamic clothing store that is morally founded I am all for it but do not say this is a positive step of Muslim women it is not it is a positive step for H&M to get more money.
So do not call this positive Islam and if it was not trying to say it represents Islam I would not care about her modelling its who she models for and what she trying to represent when Islam is morally founded on protecting orphans, feeding the poor and being equal and fair. Also only idol they should look up to is Allah this is why indeed against Islam. Again if this was for a Islamic store I would be OK with it and not worry about her damaging her deen which is what she is doing modelling for this store and girls are being influenced by her into the store to buy, so she is not representing Islam. she is representing herself as she can model for store aimed only at women in Islam. This is what H&M are http://www.fashionone.com/news/2015/01/30/hm-fire-reality-show-depicts-sweatshop/ I do not want my religion related to a company that uses sweat shops. That is why I do not shop there. So please this page is for Muslims and they promoting H&M as if they are great for what they done and they are not so everyone buying from this store are indeed helping to starve children in Africa.
The problem as always is when someone does something out of the ordinary out comes the negativity. Don’t people see the bigger picture??? Muslims are pegged by the media as oppressive, radical, fundamentalist the list goes on. This woman is not saying ‘I am gorgeous all the time’ this comment has been created for marketing/ media purposes so please do not be so naive. Can I ask you one question did you complain about the child labour allegations before or after this H&M campaign? furthermore the advert is about recycling and raising it’s awareness. Also you need to be careful about slandering people that is going against Islam!!
“Muslim women are just like any other woman”
I disagree with your absurd statement.
I concur. I made the same observation.
Where did you get that from. Muslim women are like no other women. I have always found them to be different, special, endearing, spiritual.
I agree. Modesty is how you wear it. She is covered per Quaranic requirements.A muslim woman is not bonded to dress as per another’s culture. I salute her.
It seems as if this is a faux Zionist site. Article after article is anti-Islam, anti-Muslim. Deliberately slanted to confuse issues and lead astray.
I am getting the same impression. There is something wrong with the message this site is projection. Should not call it self “Muslim Girl”. It is anything but.
SO its not just me then I only found this place today via FB and just was like ‘what!!’ and some of the other articles are just as bad, one about letting Gay Imam preaching to women. Its shocking but make perfect sense it would a Zionist site. I am glad you all see what I am trying to say.
Very well stated. This seems like a disinformation article. Confuse the younger set.
To me. It isn’t a step forward toward anything but tapping into a demographic and making money. They could care less about bring a Muslim girl to the forefront. Frankly it’s kind of stupid to me that they would be considered such an anomaly. I see a woman. A girl. Wearing clothes that are indigenous to her part on Earth. This is just about tapping into money not bring awareness.
I don’t think prayer or modesty when I see this picture. I don’t look to HM for my morals.
Same here. Stressful though. Likely more so for those yet in their teens. I am unable to understand the demographics being reached, converted or pandered to.
There has been a subtle trend here in MG, away from prayer and modesty, it seems…as you too have noticed. I wonder who finances this site.
I am sorry but the whole paragraph is just not making sense to me, what is wrong in let say promoting younger muslim girls to dress modestly like the girl in the model instead of ripped jeans and a tank top, she is doing good for them. praying and doing good deeds is sth personal and that you shouldnt show it off, so how is this distracting them from praying and worshipping God? everyone gets to decide what is they do; the things you do are controlled by your intentions, there is nothing wrong with taking the good things in the western society, because if they are essentially good then that means Allah told us to do so, so just because the west is doing it we should refrain!, its like the ottamen empire forbidding the machine for printing to enter its border because it was a thing of the west and lead to the empire falling behind, we should look at things good vs bad not west vs us.
It’s not so much abhout the model, its about the campaign tag lines. It is setting the wrong idea. It is not from Islam to be arrogant about how we look, our looks don’t get us to Jennah our character and good deeds do by the mercy of Allah.
Allah tells us in Qur’an to not follow people on earth as they are merely spouting conjecture, He does not tell us to adopt western values and forget that the heart is more important then to ‘look gorgeous all the time’ and promoting that for a company that uses sweat shops and slave labour to get their clothes in the stores and Muslims girls are buying them, I do not want to buy clothes from a store that uses the poor to make the clothes for hardly any wages and people are promoting this as a muslim thing this is not.
Like I said I do not care about the model and what she does I already answered below the reason why, may want to read the article I posted below and then tell me you still feel the same about this company. Please do explain to me how that this promotes good values for a muslim woman. I do not want my children to grow up in the west due to these values they are the wrong values and why we see so much hate and chaos from USA and less compassion. I would like to know the good things that western society teaches us I would like to elaborate on that. Well from the advert her intention then is to sin and be proud of her looks not her heart. Well if you too busy being gorgeous all the time how can you be helping or worshipping Allah.
I do think you are a little dramatic with the whole Ottomon empire stuff. Yes just because the west is doing it does not mean you have too and you should not have too, but if you want to its up to you but do not think because you wear a hijab and cover up that makes you a good muslim. Allah judges on deeds not on what you follow. If you want follow western values that is up to you but while you doing that Allah will judge you on what good deeds you have done and what deeds you ignore. Well this is bad the company is bad. If it was a morally good company I would be OK with it but using the line ‘I am this gorgeous all the time’ is pride and is a sin.
I just telling you what it really promotes and it is bad the company she promoting are, you can do how you wish and follow who you wish, but you should only be following Allah not Western values. Muslim woman are not like normal women. We are indeed pious and modest as muslimahs and we should be teaching others that our beauty is not in our face or clothes it is our hearts and our brains. I guess some muslim women in this society feel pressured to fit in and why they sell out their deens to wear tight clothes and no scarf to be fashionable and follow the western herd. The goal is to not follow them because its the thing to do. There is no us and them until western society began attacking all things Islam and trying to taint it. Killing our brothers and sisters in Islam and yet this is more important then that it seems something very wrong with this page anyway it promotes the wrong message about Islam.
As Aliyah said its not the model its the campaign and the company she represents, this is not a good company at all and I have answered what you said below on why I feel the way I do. As for following the western values that is not Islamic at all you should not be following what they do as they do not know what is good and right. Fashion is not good and right, feeding the poor is and if you do this as much as you care about fashion and beauty then fair enough but if not then know Allah will judge you on that.
H&M use people that are starving to make their clothes that is poor people with little human rights and proper working conditions getting little wages, Islam is very much involved in morals and good ones and western society holds very few if any good morals left. So as you said this good vs bad. I am the good telling you why this is bad as H&M are not morally a good company and to have loads of muslim girls running to their store is helping them to keep children in Africa and China starving at night with every little life.
when you have something to say about someone you better make sure its right,who are we to say its wrong,yes we are supposed to encouraged if its wrong to guide them but how do we know if we are right?whatever she chose to be,as long as its halal then it should be fine its work.dont tell me,you are not working to survive,im sure everyone has their own character and their own sins to bear.we are all equal whether we are muslim or caucasian or some other races,we are not to be define different.because all of us from all over the world,the religion we are taught of is not to discriminate what others are or hatred for that matter.so before we all hate or despise,you should probably see this article in a better light.if the article turns out wrong and misinformed in so many ways,im sure the gods will take care of that.we are the voices that god hears, in our prayers. so pray more,talk less.
H&M use sweat shops to make their goods therefore this is a bad if you do do not know what sweat shops are then I suggest you follow thins link as her modelling is helping to keep the people in these sweat shops poor. which is against Islam. You seem to misread what people are saying this is not about her as a person this is about her representing muslim woman and influencing young girls and if she it then we all have a right to say what we think about it. I pray a lot thank you very much for the poor and starving in the world. So yes it is misinformed when Islam is built on high morals.
SO I have no idea what you are trying to say. who has discriminated who? We are all unique and all different I am not like my sister who is not like me and that is how Allah made us. Muslim woman is not like other women in the west she is indeed a slave to Allah and is there to serve him correctly not by using slogans such as ‘I am this gorgeous all the time’ I am sure Allah would approve of that for his Muslim women that they have pride in their fashion and looks. You confusing the person with the campaign and this article no one is talking about her as a woman or model I do not care what she does.
Then where you buy your clothes from,everywhere you go,its the same what.anyway this is so out of the topic.i think you need to chill,i wasnt even pointing fingers at you or replying to any of your comments.if i did in any way offend you,then excuse me for being rude or what ever it is.have a good day ahead.
HM have five new model for next year 🙂
http://d.ibtimes.co.uk/en/full/383186/burka.jpg
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