The Inner Beauty or Out
– From IslamGreatReligion
We live in a society where we are constantly being judged by our appearance and actions. Words such as ‘slag’ and ‘desperado’ are now so commonly used but have you ever stopped to think, why is it that such vile words are being spread by the younger generation? There was a time where the colour of our skin determined our status in society but that was all set to change. An odd 20-30 years on, improvement has been made but to what extent?
If you were to go and stand in the middle of the bull ring, approximately how many university students do you think you will see? 50? 100 maybe. Due to the recession, the numbers of university applications have raised steadily making it even more difficult to get into our desired field. Would you say that it is the level of education that makes or breaks a person? Is it our skin colour or family background? Maybe it is our appearance or possibly our wealth? In honest truth, I believe that it is none of these. Think of an individual’s character as being a jigsaw. If a piece is missing, then their character is not complete. It’s missing an important piece. It is a piece that keeps the whole jigsaw together. A piece that when fitted in, can reveal a picture. That missing piece – beauty. You see, there is a difference between appearance and beauty.
An individual can change their appearance in order to please others but beauty, beauty is within. The beauty of an individual cannot be seen but merely expressed. This is known as the inner beauty of a person. We all have it, but most of us don’t appreciate it. I suppose appearance can also be referred to as being the ‘outer beauty. So which is preferred? The inner beauty or out?
We have all been blessed with beauty both on the inside and out.
But have we not been provided with garments to cover our outer beauty?
‘This beauty that I have is just a simple part of me. This body that I have no stranger has a right to see’ (The Veil, by Dawud Wharnsby)
In the Qur’an it says ‘“O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognized and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.” (Quran 33:59)
So why do we here in the West feel pressurized to look good, not for ourselves but for others? Why do we feel that hours should be spent perfecting our makeup and ensuring that our clothes are so tight that it looks as we have wrapped ourselves in plastic? None of us are perfect but we should strive to be some of the best Muslims around.
Money doesn’t bring happiness nor does having the perfect body shape. We are all different and unique in our way and at times, we need to be reminded. The outer beauty is what draws attention to one’s self and portrays us in a negative way.
The inner beauty is what makes us the person that we are today. Our inner beauty cannot be taken away from us and if anything, it can grow in time. It may not be physically observable but its presence can be felt. It’s a shame that in society, we are not judged by our character but merely by our appearance.
So which is preferred? The inner beauty or out? The real beauty or the fake? I know what my answer is, but what is yours Sisters? think it! – Sister Alima
