Thanks to Allaah, I am a Muslim woman who is adherent to the teachings of the Quran and the Sunnah. I observe the Sharee'ah-approved Hijaab and wear the Niqaab. I attend religious lessons once a week. My problem is that when I laugh or make any strange movement, my colleagues ridicule me and accuse me of doing what is improper for a religious woman who is wearing the Niqaab. They say that a religious woman should neither laugh, nor go out of her home, nor work in a place where there are men. This happens often and almost every day. I do not know how to answer them. Their words upset and embarrass me. What should I do? Please advise.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

A religious woman who maintains her religiousness and acts according to its morals and ethics is the one who should laugh and feel delighted. She is obedient to the commands of her Lord, and He is Pleased with her and will make her happy in the two worlds. Allaah says (what means): {So do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior if you are [true] believers.} [Quran 3: 139] 

This indicates that a religious woman is the superior one. Rather, you should consider the behavior of such women with the eye of pity and mercy. The lesser the woman's religiousness is, the lesser will be her bashfulness. Actually, they say such words while they are internally jealous and envious of you since they did not attain your degree of religiousness. If a women neglects the Hijab and is morally corrupted, contradicts the Commands of Allaah and His Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and is dressed-yet-naked—about whom the Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that they will never find the fragrance of Paradise—were to know the punishment and torture prepared by Allaah for her, then she would never ever laugh.

When disobedient people ridicule the Muslim, he should answer them in the same way as Prophet Nooh (Noah) answered his people when they ridiculed him. Allaah says regarding this (what means): {He said, "If you ridicule us, then we will ridicule you just as you ridicule…"} [Quran 11: 38] 

Islam does not prevent women to laugh and joy, but with neither backbiting nor obscenity. It also does not prevent her to go out of the home when she is adherent to the Sharee'ah-approved Hijab. Nonetheless, ignorance about Islam and its tolerance as well as neglecting the correct religiousness have urged the disobedient people to ascribe to the religion of Allaah what does not belong to it.

We advise you to look for religious colleagues in order to help you to be obedient to the Commands of Allaah Almighty. You should not sit with such deviant women so often because of the weakness of their morals. A bad companion is very dangerous as he never leaves his companion unless he follows him in deviation and way of thinking. This actually results in the corruption of one's worldly life as well as that of the Hereafter. You should also show patience for the harm that usually afflicts the believers due to their faith and religiousness. We also advise you to read the booklets and listen to the recorded materials that discuss the Muslim woman's different issues.

We ask Allaah Almighty to grant you the success to do all the good.

Allaah Knows best.