A Muslimah's Beauty Regime

By Tara Delancey

Bismillah

It is well known that our bodies, minds, and hearts are connected. As such, our physical beauty is strongly affected by our spiritual and mental states. Want to be extremely beautiful, without makeup or any physical alterations? Then you have to start with the heart. This article will delve into the beauty effects of three key aspects of worship to demonstrate the connection between worship, iman, and physical beauty.

Tawakul:

Tawakul means trusting Allah. It means relaxing and accepting that everything will happen exactly as it is destined to. Once you have done your personal best, place all your worries, fears, and anxieties in the hands of Allah. The Noble Quran states that:

No disaster strikes upon the earth or among yourselves except that it is in a register before We bring it into being - indeed that, for Allah , is easy.In order that you not despair over what has eluded you and not exult [in pride] over what He has given you. And Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful. (Surah Al-Hadid 57:22/23) 

This verse beautifully demonstrates how we should react to the ups and downs of life - neither with selfish pride nor despair, but with humility and gratitude to Allah.

When the body experiences high or extended periods of stress due to anxiety and worry, the brain produces higher levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Though cortisol, like adrenaline, is necessary and beneficial in short bursts, like when your body needs to cope with a sudden distress, it can lead to a variety of health problems, particularly chronic acne, if secreted regularly. A natural outcome of having tawakul is that it will lower your stress levels and also help clear up your spots.

Healthy eating habits:
Eating a balanced and nutritious diet, one rich in fruits and vegetables and low in red meat, is not just some kind of quirky, neo-hippy lifestyle choice. It is an essential part of our deen. According to nutritionist, health practitioner and educator Dr. Ann Wigmore, “the food you eat can either be the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison”. Every year modern science is discovering new ways in which the food we eat impacts our health, and every discovery lends support to the command of Allah subhanhu wa ta’ala:

Then eat of what Allah has provided for you [which is] lawful and good. And be grateful for the favor of Allah, if it is [indeed] Him that you worship (Surah An Nahl16:114) 

It would also be worth our while to heed the wise words of Omar bin Al-Khattab, radi Allahu ‘anhu, who during his caliphate outlawed eating meat more than two days in a row; “Beware of meat, for it has an addictiveness like the addictiveness of wine” (Malik).

Eating healthy foods has a variety of beneficial effects on the skin. For example, lycopene, which is found in tomatoes, grapefruits and carrots (among other things), has been found to make your skin smoother and protect against sunburns. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in Salmon and other fish, have been found to prevent skin cancer and preserve collagen, thus preventing the onset of wrinkles.

Acceptance and Gratitude:

Acceptance and Gratitude are like the Tawakul of the past and present. While Tawakul means acknowledging that the future is from Allah and giving up worries and anxieties, gratitude means that we accept that everything that exists in the present, as well as what has passed, is also from Allah. When we fully internalize that fact, we can be nothing but thankful to our Creator, knowing that all the uncountable blessings we have are ni’amat from Allah and all the trials are means of purification and Allah’s way of drawing us closer to Him. Our beloved Prophet said:

Indeed, Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty (Sahih Muslim) 

The confidence and self worth resulting from a complete satisfaction with what Allah has given brings a shine to the face and a sparkle to the eyes that is incomparable. While we must, of course, observe the hijab, following the commandments of Allah, being satisfied with them, and appreciating all incredible beauty that Allah has placed all around us will bring a more profound beauty and a higher type of attraction to our faces that eclipses the mundane beauty of natural forms. That type of beauty could be called the light of iman, which shines in the faces of those who are constantly satisfied and grateful, and which is attractive in the same way that a bright lantern shows the way on a dark path.

Attaining the light of iman marks the beginning of the process of discarding the layers of makeup and false beauty and letting your natural beauty shine through. I have known many sisters, myself included, who find their purely-natural faces so embarrassing they literally cannot leave the house without first putting on their daily makeup routine. This is not because they are not beautiful, but because they do not perceive themselves to be fully and completely beautiful. There is always a little something lacking, something needing to be covered up or enhanced.

I am not saying we should go and throw all our makeup in the bin. Some makeup can be good in moderation, and there is a right place and right time for everything. I only wish to make the point that the beauty enhancement which makeup provides pales in comparison to that brought about by high states of iman.

Though having high iman and attaining closeness to Allah is an end in itself, and one of the most noble goals one can have in life, its side effects are certainly something to smile about.


I'd love to hear your views on this topic. Please post in the comments section below! :)

Posted in: Acceptance,Beauty Regime,Eating,Eeman,Gratitute.,Habits,Health,Islam,Muslimah,Qur'an,Tara Delancey,Tawakkul