Thanks for sharing your perspective on this, Diana. I’m sorry that you’ve felt this judgment more often comes from fellow believers; I think it’s really important for people to understand that the biggest problem facing the Muslim world is intolerance from within, not without. There is so much judgment and criticism from within the community based on salary, career, ethnicity, community, language, sexuality, family status, and so much more, that it’s a false model of solidarity that becomes heralded as Islam.

Criticizing how Muslim women behave and dress is just one indication of intolerance being expressed away from the real source of a discontentment with the plurality throughout Islam. Arguments about hijab, niqab, burqa, makeup, etc. are just buying critics a distraction from addressing their intolerance towards women. How you express yourself has nothing to do with the depth of your submission to Allah; deeds and faith are not reflected in the folds and hems of your clothing, the visible ends of your hair, or the curl of your lashes.