Being in the islamic retail business for almost 5 years now, one BIG thing that I've learned, and that I wish to also share with people, is to NOT JUDGE people from outside.

Many times, I have encountered ladies contacting us, and coming over to our place, to purchase telekungs to give out to friends and families, to orphanage, to waqaf at surau and masjid. Some come over and bring their maids, and asking them to choose a telekung for themselves. And you know what, they aren't always covering up their heads, some with  but they've got the nicest hearts. They way they talk, the way they smile. You can see and feel the warmth. Vice versa, many times too, I've encountered the meanest customers, and they're the ones with the hijab.

This is telekung we're talking about, whether you wear the hijab or not, this is the main pillar, the wajib. To pray 5 times a day, is wajib, its obligatory as a Muslim. (So is the hijab actually, but I am not going to talk about that here). Never once, do we at Zaahara, judge those who come over to purchase the telekung at our office. In fact, we have encountered many customers who feel very comfortable to buy from us because they feel being judged when they go some place else. Which is also why most of our customers buy from us - because we're mainly ONLINE - so no judgement there :)

Writing this makes me feel like I'm judging now haha but I really want to say this out loud. I used to not wear the hijab and people used to stare at me, for wearing the skirt, and still go for solat at the surau in the shopping malls. But it was Zohor you know, and I had to solat, but I was wearing the skirt that day - does that mean I shouldn't solat? The same goes to men too, just because he's wearing the shorts that day, does that mean he shouldn't solat? At that particular time, I was not aware of the hijab and that it was wajib and all, so I did not cover up, I did not bother about the aurat, but I know that I cannot leave the prayers. I mean - I was taught that its the main pillar of Islam - solat - everyone should be doing it! 

Someone, somewhere, must have prayed and make dua for me, because alhamdulillah, I have moved forward from where I was before. And that is what we all should do, make dua for those that we care about, especially those with good hearts, because they are the ones that will easily soften, as compared to those with dark black hearts. Read more about the 8 different types of hearts here.

I'm a strong believer that the heart makes all the difference. If not today, insyaAllah one day, that person with that good heart, will see the truth.

The hijab, is something on the outside, sometimes being forced to put on by the surrounding, by culture. But the heart, just like the imaan, is something like solat. Its something that only Allah knows. No hiding there.

Which is why I choose the telekung as my way of business. Because I believe in going back to basics - by establishing the prayers. Five times a day, lets just strive to do that, consistently. 

And let's stop judging please. No one is better than the other because they look so. Its about how you look in the eyes of Allah that matters.