Did You Get the Message?

So I was watching this comedian online today, Chris Tucker. He was hilarious. He had like a whole section for religion, just raggin on different cultural silliness, which we all know is true and laugh about amongst ourselves. One subject he touched on, that really was like sad...hilarious...because sadly was true...was the fact that all of us were given some pretty important information a long long time ago, and some of us follow it...some don't...and some just don't get it or maybe they just choose not to understand.




So this is my topic.


"Why the _ _ _ _ are we all fighting over who was the "True" messenger of God...The Christians say it was Jesus...The Muslims say it was Muhammad...Who the _ _ _ _ cares who the messenger is...they got the same _ _ _ _ messages..."DID YOU GET THE MESSAGE?" -Chris Tucker, Comedian, Actor

When I heard this dude saying this...well the Muslim in me is like..."Hey don't use Jesus and Muhammad combined with curse words, in the same sentence"...Then, I focused on what this dude is saying. I totally agree with this. Why is everyone so focused on who is right, focused on who gets to say their religion is the one that will save you from hellfire.  Well here is some news for ya!  There is nothing here on this earth that will save you from anything except your faith and soul being devoted to God. I would say about 90% of us do not exactly live our lives devoted to God. We are devoted to NUMERO UNO. For those out there who don't get that...I mean, most ppl out there are devoted to the church of "themselves". I hate to break it to you, and you probably won't hear this from me first...but no one out there is off the hook.

What I mean by this is...
STOP FIGHTING ABOUT WHO THE TRUE MESSENGER IS,
DID YOU GET THE MESSAGE?
THEY ARE BOTH SPREADING THE SAME MESSAGE,
DID YOU GET THE MESSAGE?

Take like 5 seconds to ask yourself this question.  Think about it...cause if you did, Christian, Jew, Muslim...no one is off the hook. Now do you get it? NO one is right or wrong, we were all given the same message, what we choose to do with it is up to us from that point. It's like if you live in an apartment...and it's on fire...yeah that sucks right? So this dude knocks on your door and yells, "Get out man! There's a fire, your gonna get all burned up and stuff"...OK...well you got the message right? It's pretty universal I think...What are you going to do with this information?  Your going to RUN, because you believe it!

"Well let me ask you this?"
Say your sitting there, and you get the same knock on the door, a dude tells you "Hey sister! Get outta that apartment, there's a great religious group sharing the word of God downstairs!  OK, so the girl sits there for a while, she knows what the message was and how it will affect her life...but it's "JUST NOT THE RIGHT TIME IN HER LIFE"...I have heard that "LOAD" before.

OK, so right now she is in her prime right? Say, there is a party in her room, she is looking hot, wearing a shirt for a dress, life is perfect.  If she has to get outta that room, it's just gonna put a damper on her life right now, ...hey, she's young, she can start thinking about what that dude banging on the door said later...What she doesn't know is someone left the gas on the stove on after they finished with it, it ignites a nearby burning joint, the flames creep along so quickly, they are all too drunk to notice, ...they all see the smoke coming in, under the edge of the bedroom door. She runs up and grabs the knob, to open it, and it burns an impression into her hands...It's too late...She and her pretty friends, all having fun...were identified the next day by their beautiful pearly white teeth.

(If someone tells you that living your life in sin, and ignoring God's message can lead to hell, it's not really important right?  You don't really believe them, but in the back of your mind you kind of wonder, "Is that true?"  But if someone tells you, "There is a fire, you are going to burn if you don't leave the life of sin your participating in right now and get out of this building", are you going to stick around and just ponder in the back of your mind "Is that true?, Well I guess I will just wait till I get burned to find out" I bet the answer is that you hear the message and take it seriously...)

As the young girl walks up, to meet with her maker, she can't believe it's the end of her life. She never dreamed of what this would be like. Her eyes fill with tears...its' so beautiful.  She has nothing to compare this moment too...all she can do is kneel down in awe...She never really thought a lot about God, been years since she went to church, she never thought she would see the end so soon. She hears a melodic voice inside her head...it's so peaceful and beautiful...the voice asks her one question...her stomach knots as she hears this dreadful inquiry...

"YOU WERE ALL GIVEN THE SAME MESSAGE..."
"DID YOU NOT GET THE MESSAGE?"

I don't care what religion you follow, honestly I don't. My request is for the world to be "One Ummah (Faith)"...I just want people to think about what God has sent to us ALL...over and over and over again. However you choose to follow it...THE TEN COMMANDMENTS...THE HADITH OF THE PROPHET, SAS...THE TEACHINGS OF THE TORAH... God wants us all to live for Him,...To live our lives in moderation and modesty, To respect ourselves ...and to pass on THE MESSAGE...pass it to anyone...that dude who honked at you on the freeway this morning,...the quirky teenager behind the fast food counter...the scantily clad woman staring at your hijab...pass it on to everyone, no matter what their beliefs. This is what God wants...

Live for Him now!...not later, not when its most convenient...Which is usually when it's too late... 

Ask yourself right now..."DID I GET THE MESSAGE?"

Hijabistyle.com Interview

Article from http://www.hijabistyle.com/

Category: Fashion, Style, Shopping

Hijabi Style


Where Hijabis Have Style
Meet Muslim Fashionista: Nicole Queen

The greatest Muslim sensation after Ummah Films on youtube is a Texas born 27 year old women named Nicole Queen. Queen made headlines all over the net thanks to a video posted on youtube letting everyone know how she converted to Islam. Her interview encouraged other Muslim converts to share their stories as well as born Muslim to teach aspects of Islam to those who wanted to know more. I recently got in touch with the beautiful lady and I had to ask her a few questions. Take a look at how Queen feels about fashion, new hijabis, and sewing!






Hijab Style: What do you do for a living?


Nicole Queen: Well I wouldn’t call it making much of a living…LOL. I am a digital photographer. I have been a professional photographer for about seven years now. I started out working in a digital portrait studio for a big franchise. Eventually I worked my way up to management, and traveled and managed studios for the franchise. They moved me to New York for a few years, then I came back to Dallas and started my own business. I started focusing on event photography, it was much easier than portraits and better money. I worked in the nightlife industry. This was all Pre Islam, as I call it. I had so many large accounts in downtown Dallas, all the hottest parties and celebrity events. I was able to shoot everyone from Justin Timberlake, to Tommy Lee, all kinds of pro atheletes like Tony Romo, Dirk Novitzki…Timberland, Nick Cannon, Danity Kane, Owen and Luke Wilson with Kate Hudson…It was quite a ride. I was surrounded by greedy rich people and it started to wear me down physically and emotionally. I just keep thinking, there has to be more to life than this. If I am around these people and they are supposed to have the best life…well there has to be more than this right? I did some soul searching. Eventually when I discovered Islam, and converted…I was able to escape my crazy lifestyle. I changed my whole career. I changed my whole website, and created a completely new portfolio. I focused on happy things, Brides, Weddings, Charity Events, Muslim Fashion Shoots…anything that felt clean and away from the greedy lifestyle I led before. Now when I go through my portfolio, I don’t have a bunch of half naked girls, and crazy party photos, now I have photos of diplomates, politicians, and beautiful Muslimahs rocking their beautiful Hijab fashions. I also am dabbling in designing hijab myself…I wanna do it right so I am taking my time, learning the ropes, and learning my new sewing machine!!! Now thats a whole new nightmare!



Hijabi Style: How has hijab impacted your life?

Nicole Queen: Wearing hijab is a huge decision for anyone, especially for a convert. This is something that no one in our community or family ever wears, or even understands. It’s a public display to everyone you know past and present, that you have converted to Islam and are devoted to it. I know that when I started to wear it, I never realized how big this choice was going to be. God has been right there by my side, supporting me and lifting me up when I am feeling astranged from what I knew as normal. Before I became a Muslim I was so enslaved to society and dressed to please everyone except God. My shirts were never low enough, some even had to be taped on my chest! Pants weren’t tight enough, I spent hours on my makeup and hair, shoving pins and saturating it in hairspray, then coming home at 2am and sleeping in it all…Not too caring about my skin or hair huh? The more I learned about Islam, the more I was aware of the chains I had been dragging around. In the world I lived in, beauty was overrated, anyone could be beautiful if they had the cash. You bought your tan, hair extensions, breasts, lips, nails and bleached teeth. Everyone was beautiful and you were never the prettiest girl there, no matter what…but every night you were a slave to trying. Now that I where hijab…God has set me free. I am free of those chains of the demanding material world. I dress for God now, and half naked clothing and gloppy makeup and hair is not exactly His taste. Hijab set me free…that is the best way to wrap it up. Now when people see me and say I’m beautiful…they mean it…beautiful women can look amazing by only showing their face…Can we say the same for all those naked glitter covered slaves out there?

Hijabi Style: How would you describe your fashion?


Nicole Queen: I would say that my style of hijab is totally my own. Right away I started covering up the only way I knew how…my way. I mix American classic style with a lil of the arab bling bling. My signature look is long bohemian style skirts, crisp linen tops, with high necks that allow me to where my hijab in a pinned up style, similar to a pony tail, sometimes I top my scarf with a bolero style hat..or tie a matching headband around it. Basically I treat my scarf like hair…I style it, I don’t just throw it around my head and head out the door. I like to coordinate lightly…not too much color, we have to wear so much that it’s easy to overdue it. I stick to classic colors and textures, they usually look the best. White linen skirts and denim ripped short coat with wedge sandals compliment a brightly pattern scarf…Classic American is pretty much my style…

Hijabi Style: Can you comment on what Queen Covers will be?


Nicole Queen: I will say a little about it, but I can’t give away my secret…might be copy cats out there, and so far my design is completely original. Basically I have some classic, and some runway looking designs for hijab…but most people complain about being able to do those styles at home with their own scarves. Especially our Mothers out there, no time for spending on pinning up a fancy scarf look, I don’t blame them. So I have created a way to get the look without all the time. My designs are totally modern, with a bit of parisian victorian flavor thrown in…Wow do I wish I lived in that era! I also am changing to the name, soon to be released, with a website full of blogs, products and accessories, and discussions about things that we Muslimahs are interested in. I can’t wait to get it finished, but it’s a lot to do!


Hijabi Style: Who or what inspires your style?


Nicole Queen: LOL…sometimes I ask myself that question, I think it would be a whole lot easier to get dressed if I had a little more inspiration! I know my husband would certainly appreciate a little more speed in the dressing room! Basically I’m inspired by simple beauty…I look everywhere, small boutiques, large department store, even Ross and Marshalls. I look and look for pieces and scarves that I feel relate to my style. Sometimes it takes a while to get it all put together for an outfit. I started learning to sew so I can just make what I want, instead of looking everywhere for new things that I may never find. I also love books on vintage clothing from the French victorian era…and the southern belles of the 1800’s…Those days, women never left the house without a beautiful floor length gown, and there hair up and covered with beautiful ornate headpieces…They had class! I try to mix that class, with modern style.

Hijabi Style: What advice would you give new Hijabis?


Nicole Queen: I would say “Welcome to the Family Sister!!!” It’s such an awesome feeling when you first start to cover. You feel like you are part of some secret society, and everytime you see another Hijabi, she is part of this club and your secret code word is “Salamu Alaikum”!!! I swear it’s like we are all related when we see each other, then we move about with our business, you don’t want to give away our secret existence…LOL…Be strong, don’t let people’s uneducated glances or reactions wear you down in any way. Surround yourself with the best kind of friends who will support your decision and it doesn’t help to make some extra Hijabi friends too…its nice when your around other ladies dressed with as much class as you, instead of feeling like the odd one out. I used to still hang with my old friends at first, with their tight jeans and tank tops, and me sweating in my hijab, but then I added new Hijab friends too…and we sweated our summers out together! LOL…Don’t think that wearing it stops you from doing anything that you did before…well except for bad things..LOL…You can still swim in private with other ladies, or even get a Hijab bathing suit for vacation! Go on ski trips instead of to the beach, you can rock some cute ski wear and it’s all hijab on everyone, no need to worry about what to wear! Have fun and be creative with what your wearing, but remember that your publically representing Islam and other Sister, so tight fitting clothing and showing part of your hair under your scarf is not supporting hijab, it actually hurts us and our reputations. Don’t get carried away with color corridinations…stay away from neon tones and please dont’ wear a skin tight long sleeve top under a strapless, backless prom dress to a wedding! It looks ridiculous and it’s mimicking what they are wearing. Try buying a pretty formal short coat, they are tailored for wearing over dresses, and you will look more beautiful and classy and way less silly! Be proud you are sooo valuable! You can’t let those strangers see your beauty! Who are they? They are no one compared to God and wearing hijab is saying that God is more important, than trying to look cool and keep up with the dressed but naked society. Believe me, on the last day God will ask those people why they cared more about pleasing each other, than pleasing Him. I will be so glad to avoid this question as much as I can, and I started with HIJAB!!!