Only for the eyes of my husband
“Tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which (necessarily) appears thereof…” (Surah An-Nur, 24:31).
By Abdullahi Yusuf
She passes through the marketplace with her gaze lowered, her frame draped in flowing garments that conceal every curve. Strangers pass her by on the street, some curious, others indifferent, and a few whispering words like “oppressed” or “hidden.” They do not know that beneath the layers of clothe is a woman of purpose, dignity and beauty, one who chooses to guard her adornment for the one man who deserves to see it: her husband.
Islam honours women with the concept of haya’ (modesty) a gem so precious it is only revealed to those worthy of it. A believing woman wraps herself in modesty, not out of weakness or fear, but as an act of devotion to her Lord and as a gift to the one Allah has permitted to see her beauty.
The modern world mocks this choice. It asks why a woman would veil her hair, her face, even her figure. It questions, why she hides her beauty from other men. But she smiles inwardly, knowing the answer: her femininity is not public property. Her beauty is not a spectacle for strangers. It is a trust (amanah) from Allah, one she preserves with grace, revealing it only in the sacred bond of marriage.
For her husband, she adorns herself. Her perfume lingers in private spaces; her laughter rings freely within the walls of her home. She dresses in colours and fabrics he loves, her hair cascading as she chooses styles that make him smile. What the world never sees, he alone witnesses. She does this not because she is forced, but because she understands the beauty of marital intimacy in Islam. In today’s world that exploits women’s bodies for profit and attention, she reclaims her body as her own choosing when, where, and for whom to reveal it.
The woman in nigab/ Hijab is not ashamed of her femininity; she has elevated it. She preserves the mystery of her beauty and offers it as a gift to her husband, who in turn cherishes her exclusivity. The Qur’an reminds us:”Tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof…” (Surah An-Nur, 24:31).
This verse captures her resolve. She is not hiding, she is preserving. Her self-restraint is not a loss; it is a victory of her faith and love combined. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, “Indeed, every religion has a distinctive quality, and the distinctive quality of Islam is modesty.” (Ibn Mãjah). The believing woman’s modesty is not about erasing her presence, it is about dignifying it.
In the privacy of her marriage, she blossoms. For him, her beauty is unveiled and charm unhidden. The believing woman becomes her husband’s sanctuary, and he becomes hers. Together, they embody the tranquillity Allah describes: “And among His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them, and He placed between you affection and mercy…” (Surah Ar-Rum, 30:21).
A Muslim woman is like a rosebud wrapped tightly, not because she lacks beauty, but because her fragrance is not meant for the entire garden. It is only for the one whom Allah has entrusted to her.
May Allah continue to honour Muslim women and make their marriages gardens of peace and love.
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