When I was born, my mother didn’t wear the hijab, even though we were born into the Shia religion. We didn’t have much knowledge about Shiism and the Ahlulbayt (as). No one in our family (all Shia) wore the hijab at that time, only the older women. When she thought of wearing the hijab, my mother always tells me she saw herself very far away from doing it. She saw wearing the hijab as “too religious” and almost impossible to reach “that level”.

When I grew older, my parents gained more knowledge watching Iranian Q and A shows with Sheikhs and Sayids (may Allah SWT bless them inshallah). Through their work and efforts, my mother considered wearing the hijab and learnt the importance of hijab.

At that time, at a very young age, my sister and I went to Saturday school. I had so many friends in the mosque, so I loved going there, it was my second home. We wore the hijab in Saturday School in the mosque, so there was always a “warm connection”. It was something I always wore when I wanted to come closer to Allah (SWT). I’ve always felt that way about the hijab, now thinking back.

When my mother went to Hajj for the pilgrimage (she was already wearing the hijab then), she told me she wanted to bring me a hijab. And after she said that I honestly don’t know how, but the urge to wear the hijab grew stronger and stronger every day alhamdulillah.

Unfortunately, I don’t remember when I exactly started wearing hijab. But I know that I was 14 years old and it happened around the time after my mother came back from Hajj.

I still remember the first day of wearing hijab in school as if it was yesterday. It was the first time in my life, and I felt I was safe and protected by Allah (SWT) and that nobody could do anything to me. I felt so powerful. Writing this made me tear up because I forgot that beautiful feeling I had. I got so used to wearing the hijab, that I forgot how it made me feel. It honestly shows how Allah (SWT) took care of me.

All these factors (my mother, friends and mosque) I’ve mentioned above, eventually led me to start wearing the hijab. Also, I didn’t say other factors because it would go beyond the scope, like Ziyaras, which significantly impacted my life and hijab story. 

All in all, I can say that it is never too late to wear the hijab. I’m very thankful to Allah (SWT) that He instilled the love of the Ahlulbayt (as) and hijab in my heart. If you consider wearing it or even perfecting it, pray to Allah (SWT) to give you the strength to do it inshallah. Let’s not forget our Shia female role models, who are why we wear the hijab so many centuries later, to help us too inshallah.