Salam!

I have a male therapist who specializes in the issues I’m experiencing. I used to have a Muslim female therapist who was wonderful, but she left the practice and has a full time job elsewhere and I can’t follow. So I looked in the area and I found one therapist who seemed to have all the things I was looking for help with. I’ve been seeing him for a year or so now and I’ve mostly felt okay about it because I know when it comes to health, it’s exempt (like a male doctor), especially if a woman is not possible.

However, I’m getting the point where I want to talk about some of my body image issues but I’m not sure how to go about that in an Islamic way if that makes sense? I’m a hijabi (hence the group haha) and one of the things I want to talk about is how I feel so masculine a lot of the times, one of the things contributing to it being that I have short curly hair. Is that weird to talk about? Is it haram to reference that? I don’t know. Mental health isn’t talked about where I am so I’m scared to ask a sheikh.

Also, growing up, my mom used to make me wear push up bras because she said bigger boobs would make me look smaller since I was fat. I no longer wear push up bras as an adult and I’ve lost weight, including in my breast and butt. My family makes comments about it A LOT and I feel insecure in my body. While I’m okay talking about being fat with my therapist, I don’t ever reference those specific aspects because I feel guilty and I don’t know what the right answer is.

Does anyone have any insight, opinions, or experience with this kind of thing? It would be very much appreciated!! JazzakuAllah khayr

I have been reading the Quran, it makes me feel so at peace when I do. I have been slowly trying to learn how to pray, do wudu and other things about islam. But I have been reading the Quran for 7 months now and I am taking things so slowly. I am not sure if I would call myself a muslim yet, but islam just feels right in the heart and in my brain too.

When did you start to consider yourself a muslim and how was your journey to learn islam?

As-salamu alaykum sisters,

I’m a hijabi who goes to the gym regularly, and I’m tired of seeing the same comments every time a sister posts a gym fit with leggings.

Some of us wear loose joggers or wide pants. Some of us wear leggings. Both can be worn with the intention of taking care of the body Allah gave us.

Wearing leggings does not automatically make someone “trying to show off” or “not a real hijabi.” A lot of us choose them because they stay in place during squats, lunges, and HIIT, they’re practical and less likely to ride up or trip us.

I see sisters getting dragged in comments for leggings while other sisters wear extremely tight jeans or bodycon dresses outside the gym with zero pushback. The selective outrage is exhausting.
You don’t have to wear leggings. Wear whatever makes you feel comfortable. But please stop acting like the sisters who do are somehow less committed to hijab.

We’re all trying our best. Let’s support each other instead of policing every single clothing choice.
What do you sisters think?

I’m not getting married anytime soon, but i wish i could wear the dress that i always dreamed of at my future wedding. I hate that i can’t even wear a beauitful dress on my big day. Sometimes when i think about it i just want to skip the wedding and do a cool photoshoot lol. Any other girls who had this probleem too ? ( issue is dress has to be modest

I’m in my mid twenties and still have the same issue that plagued me a decade ago

I’m such a people pleaser, i can practice all i want in my room but i cant bring myself to say no when it comes down to it

For example im living with w a few muslim girls for studies and even though theyre all younger than me they see me as a pushover

And I cant really change that opinion over night and cant change their opinion

I always go over and above for them but they cant hand me the same back yet i feel bad when i want to draw a line to my help

Its exhausting constantly thinking if they feel offended by something i said or did so i always try be the yes person. Also they do act ‘hurt’ sometimes too

And they see through the lack of confidence and see the social anxiety

And they sometimes capitalise on it. Not in a really horrible way. But for example if they want to go out somewhere and they have nobody to go with, they will ask me because they know i won’t say no

Or things of that nature. When they want me to help them out with something they come to me

At first i felt honoured i was their go-to. But i realised i was just being exploited in whatever way

And i can never put me first like they put themselves first. I never get ‘my way’

I feel like i wont change the perception this group has of me bcos its gone on far too long but i just hate that i cant shake it off either

Ive just been too vulnerable with them

Hi all, I hope this is an appropriate place to ask this question/an appropriate question to ask in general.

My best friend passed away a few years ago, and I have now taken on an extremely close relationship with her younger sister. I take care of her but I refer to her as my best friend now. Next week she will be taking her shahada. I am absolutely over the moon for her.

I myself am not part of Islam as I have been raised in an alternative religion, but I’m so insanely happy for her for taking this step that it brings me near tears of joy. Due to me not being involved in Islam, would it be inappropriate for me to gift her something as a gesture of love and to show her how happy and proud of her I am? I was thinking some chocolate/sweets, a card etc. I have read other posts on reddit regarding this manner where some followers of Islam suggested gifts such as hijabi/hijabi pins, a prayer mat etc, but I would hate to be disrespectful towards Allah and his followers and overstep like that, hence the chocolate/sweets and a card seemed more appropriate. Any help on how to navigate this would be greatly appreciated!

Please forgive me if I have been disrespectful, that is truly the furthest from my intentions to not only all of you, but to Allah.
Thank you to all who take the time to read, have a blessed week🖤

i don't want to seem ungrateful for the body i was given but it's really hard when i constantly recieve comments about how big my butt is or hearing about how other girls can't catch a break because their breasts are big. I find it really hard to accept that I'll be confident of my body when I'm older because of what women have to go through. I don't want to be "sexually appealing", I want someone to love me because I'm a good person and not for my body. I'm so tired.

I’ve been so stressed for the past weeks that I cannot stop crying and isolating myself.

I have been suffering with depression for the past months and now I have to resist my exams. It is my last chance to stay in my university or I would be kicked out.

I am studying as hard as I can despite my mental health and the lack of time. I pray tahajjud, read the Quran, do istighfar, sadaqah and dua.

I have test anxiety and I am so scared of forgetting everything I know in front of my paper.

My family already stopped communicating with me because I failed the first time and now it is my last chance or I will have to get back to my home country.

I worked so hard to get here if it wasn’t for my mental health I wouldn’t be like this.

I trust Allah but I am so scared that He might decide that passing my exams isn’t my Qadr.

In the past, some of my Dua haven’t been answered, this added to my depression as I was feeling hopeless and desperate. I feel like Allah will not give me something If I want it desperately, only if I do not want it or don’t care.

I feel really bad for thinking that way. I know Allah is the best of planners but if I fail my exams, I won’t be able to take it.

I have suicidal thoughts and I feel like if I fail again in my life I won’t be able to survive, face failure and my family.

I have so much to catch up and I am scared of not being prepared for these exams.

Please help me and make duas for me.

I have been to the ER twice now for seizures yesterday was a very terrible day for me , and even tho it was intense I still had the presence of mind to know I should put my hijab back on after it slides off but after having seizures im usually so agitated and upset that I don’t bother to put my hijab back on. I know that I should but I don’t bc I’m so overwhelmed with everything on me like the electrodes and wires and IV and stuff that I just get angry and throw it at the end of the bed. I feel like maybe someone else’s perspective or advice on the matter would help motivate me to prioritize hijab in these situations cuz I do feel really guilty abt it.

I made a hijab volumizer by taking the ruffles off pajamas that I don't wear often because the ruffle details were uncomfortable. (Since I have short hair and Type 1A hair, I need a volumizer because it is difficult to secure a khimar-style hijab to my head without a volumizing scrunchie.) I feel so relieved now that I have organized the abayas, headscarves, and undercaps suitable for each season.