You may be walking around and seeing many Muslim women with blood-red-colored tattoos on their arms and hands. PLEASE, DO NOT FRET! We were not harmed during the process and we haven't committed haram by getting a tattoo either.
Muslims around the globe celebrated a holiday called Eid-ul-Fitr that followed the religious month of Ramadan in which Muslims fasted throughout the month. At the conclusion of the month, Muslims celebrate for a day, and in some countries there are three days of festivities. One of the major traditions Muslim women follow is putting on henna tattoos on their hands, arms and sometimes even their feet.
Although it's a dark brownish/blackish color at first, after the herbal paste is dried and washed, it leaves a reddish brownish/blackish stain behind. Because it is ONLY a stain and not a permanent alteration of the skin/body it is allowed in Islam.
Every day or night before Eid, I get to put on henna tattoos on people in my community and family. Although I have a lot of fun putting it on others, there are times when silly thoughts do come to my mind as I spend hours and hours doing the same thing. Similarly, the reactions I get after getting the stain by people who know about it and those who do not are worth a share.
1. When children ask me to put this on them:
Little girl, you are not getting married.
2. When you ask them to stop moving:
I probably should've said, "Please, sit still."
3. When aunties start gossiping:
Please stop!
4. When they come into the salon right before you break your fast:
You had ALL day!
5. When someone comes in with 10 little girls ready for henna tattoos at 11 p.m.:
And they decide to get both sides of their hands and their feet done.
6. When you're done putting henna on the last person:
FREEDOM!
7. When people look at your henna tattoo and think you're bleeding:
It's an herbal STAIN!
8. When customers say, "I'm tired" when you are the person who has spent an hour with your back bent, doing hand work:
Maybe if you didn't move so much we both wouldn't be tired.
9. When you finally get a chance to put henna on yourself but then you become like this child:
Honestly, sleep is better than everything!
At the end of the day, though, it never feels like Eid if I don't put henna on a bunch of people first. No matter how tiring it can get, it's still a lot of fun!
