~Working with Hijab~

Hijab matter not always be problem for sisters who are living in non Moslem country. Even in Moslem country, some sisters who want to observe hijab have to face discourage statements such as.. Why you wear it, nobody will interest to marry you, you will difficult to find job.… etc

Many muslimah decided take their hijab off just for the sake to get a work. Some companies directly ask them to do that. It happened to a sister who was asked to take her hijab off if she wanted to accept in a big finance company, they would hire her straight away for that as she has excellent academic qualification. She refused such requirement, even if the offer was so tempt…. Alhamdulillah because of her patience, Allah answered her effort…... She finally got a job that she had dreamt in another company.

I can feel the dilemma of sister who faces though decision to take off the hijab to search money for life. InshaAllah want to share my experience regarding the journey how I got my job.

Previously before I work in this company [where I am working right now] I resigned from my previous company because of some reasons…. One of them because I didn’t feel comfort they asked me to involve in a project that I know very well the company was going to use incorrect way to win the contract.… Sometimes the systems force one’s company to use this way; there are so many dilemmatic things in work fields. I know most of them did not feel happy at all to do the project but they thought to keep doing it because they felt they did not have choice to refuse…

I decided to resign. Allah guide me to choose the best timing. Just after few days of my reassignment, my brother got a serious accident …I said it the right time because I had chance to accompany my mother to spent all my time beside her to face all of these difficult situations…

During those time I thought some options for my future, I planed for my advance study that have been dreaming whole my life, as I had chance to get the sponsor. I also applied for job. I only apply to one company, at that time, my main reason chose this company because I wanted to accompany my friend who just lost her baby and husband in the same year [she is working in that company as well].

I had to stay in hospital with my mother and brother for about one month. Alhamdulillah he got the VIP treatment and we could stay there in his room. I saw many things there that make me lead to the finally decision and prayed so much to get this job.

I saw my cousin’s son, who is suffering from kind of tumor, but she is penniless and her husband was almost jobless… I met her when she visited my brother in the hospital. I also met many helpless people around the hospital who are very weak and cannot do anything.

As a Muslimah that blessed with education.. Being so fortune and has been blessed so many things.. I feel I have to carry bigger responsibilities... it must be reasons behind all of these… there must be the responsibility that Allah wants me to carry …...Isn’t it will be our duty to help those the helpless one who do not have many options in their life, who do not have much opportunity….

Hence…… I firmly decided I have to work. I really need this work.

Then the company sent me interview application to send back through email. There were so many questions that I had to answer. I could not prepare a perfect draft as I stayed in hospital. I just simple went to the nearby cyber café and just wrote anything that came up in my mind.

After few days they called again to make appointment for face to face interview..

It surprised me; I spent many times to think how I had to face these people who were going to interview me…. At that time, I felt I wanted this job more than before. The job seem fit anything, professionally, intellectually, and the salary :-)

I thought It’s a refutable foreign company, I need to appear like what they want, but I also couldn’t figure out, what things that they want/need.....… I thought it could not be a religious figure that they expected. They would think hijabi woman would have problem to deal with client….. hijabi woman is the nervous person who can not do anything… etc.. astaghfirullah…..

Then there was a messages from my dear sister Lina that gave profound effect to me… she said “My dear Rytha, Be confident and just be you”. Subhanallah It touched me so much… It relief me …. that all what I need….

I appeared in the interview with my style… be myself… I don’t hide what kind of Moslem I am… I was not so sure about the interview… But after few days they called me, they said they wanted to hire me.. subhanallah.. I felt…… this must be the help from Allah subhana wata’ala….

I have learnt at that stage… In life, we have to keep strong purposes… the most straight and clear our purpose… Allah will help us.. no matter what.. If Allah will ….it will just simple happened. Allah will always help us if we have good intention when doing something.

I felt so many pleasant things during my journey at that interview.. start from nice taxi driver.. nice bus driver…. nice receptionist…etc… the people who interviewed me also very very nice… mashaAllah. I was extremely wondered I met so many nice strangers in that whole day…. it must be the help of Allah .. it must be because the sincere prayer from people who love me…

If the company is good reputable and hold by intellectual minded people …. They will see our qualification than our appearance, religion, race or any others insignificant aspects…

We should not always be whatever people want. There are many things that we have to hold strongly if that something about our belief…. We have to sure Allah will help us as far what we belief is correct.

The only one that have to please is only Allah. When we only try to please Allah we will never feel any confuse because what Allah’s promise must be true… But when we try to please human.. it’s a start of the failure.. as we will never able to please all people….and we will feel dissapointed sooner.

Intellectual people will have high respect to what other belief; they can’t be a primitive people who value one’s qualification from the outside appearance…. If that is an environment that we really want to in.. We should not lower our standard. If they accept us.. That mean… that’s the right place for us.. They will be happy with us and we will be happy to work there… Else we shouldn’t be someone else to fit in that environment which finally only drag us to uncomfort life…

Alhamdulillah.. Now I am working here… the company who elevate the ethic at first… who strongly against racist and discrimination..

Another blessing that I feel as hijabi… It easier for me to find my community… the Islamic community. The harder thing that I have to leave when move for this job that I had to leave all the religious friends and environment… All friends told me to make sure I should join the religious circle as soon as I arrive in my new place….. .They keep monitoring me to make sure I will do that soon :-).. mashaAllah

Before… when anytime when people told me…”sister I can’t find religious environment here”… I always advice them.. to create one themselves… MashaAllah now I know how it is….

I tried to meet some religious sisters, some da’wah actives ….very soon after my arrival… .. It was surprised me to find out they already knew me for some awesome details even before I told them about myself.. Subhanallah…

Do you know why? It because of my hijab.. because I never changed my style..… Their husband are working in the same company.. They recognize me from my appearance.. they informed their wife… that ‘a all the story begin.. alhamdulillah..

Because of this hijab…. My colleagues alhamdulillah have some more respect.. They do not forward any “strange” materials… This hijab is only make people turn become religious when they around you :-)…alhamdulillah…

Few days ago I just completed a training from company. The teacher was a man from USA, non moslem man. I guess because of my hijab during lecture he asked me if we need time to pray… In fact another previous group he didn’t ask….. as he didn’t sure if they moslem or not… He said… “the previous class are moslem?” We said “Yes all of them moslem”… He wonder and said :” But the previous class they didn’t pray”…. We surprised We said they must be pray but I guess they managed pray between short break… Alhamdulillah in my group he gave special time for us to pray… He was surprised we back too soon [he didn’t mind to give long break waiting us pray…]…subhanallah….

One more blessing is the musholah “prayer house” just beside my office… where we can do pray jammah for every single prayer......For some days I felt hesitate to take time to pray Dhuha during the office time. But one day I saw a man just completed pray in the man section.. Subhanallah that was our big boss… mashaAllah if only all the leader like him… all employee will not need afraid to have about 15 minutes stop for pray….Alhamdulillah

Alhamdulillah here I am.. I can see many religious people around.. the company didn’t care how long your beard.. how wide your hijab as far you meet their qualification…I have right to listen murotal [Qur’an recitation] whole day instead the music [as every one also can listen music]… Alhamdulillah for all these blessing….

I hope from this experience can relief any sisters who afraid can not get good job..InshaAllah lets clear our intention.. figure out what our aim…. Make sure to do anything for the sake of Allah.. Allah will help to put us in the right place….. in the right time… inshaAllah

Wallahu alam bishshowab
Subhanakallahumma wabihamdika ashadu ala ilaha illa anta astaghfiruka wa atubu ilaika
Batam 18 May 2006
Rytha

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