Little Muslimah helps kids learn to pray by wearing clothes just like mum

Two-and-a-half-year-old Eva cannot wait for prayer time every day; when she hears the adhan, she immediately rushes to put on her very own prayer clothes, just like the ones her mum wears. 

Seeing her toddler’s eagerness to pray in her tiny home-sewn dress is what motivated Jasmine Al Najjar to create Little Muslimah, a range of prayer-appropriate attire suitable for mums and kids. 

The idea came after a disappointing shopping experience.  “Me and my friend were looking to buy prayer clothes [in Dubai] for our daughters,” Jasmine recounted, “[But] we didn’t find anything special that could encourage our kids about practicing prayers and hijab and make them feel comfortable while wearing it. So I decided to make it myself.” 

A graduate from the College of Art in Belarus, Jasmine found that designing clothes came naturally to her despite no formal education in fashion design. 

The 29-year-old Dubai-based mum started Little Muslimah in February 2015 after enrolling in the Dubai Business Woman Council’s Ro’Ya initiative, a coaching program for aspiring female entrepreneurs, along with support from UAE-based photographers Cleofotography and Velvet Images. 

Today, Little Muslimah has nearly 4,500 followers on Instagram, and the brand sells through exhibitions and online marketplace Little Majlis.

The orders—nearly 50 just during Ramadan last year—come not only from the UAE but also from Qatar, Jordan and as far as Russia and other European territories.

The line now includes scarves and abayas, many of which are “Mother and Daughter” sets, as well as kandoura-style baby rompers for little boys.

A HIGHER PURPOSE THAN SALES

Jasmine, who moved to the UAE from Belarus in 2007, said that her focus isn’t on sales. It’s why she hasn’t invested in any advertising and receives her orders primarily through word of mouth.

Instead, she believes that the concept has deep meaning and enormous potential on many levels. The first and foremost is that Little Muslimah is a reminder that teaching children about prayer is about relationships and sharing moments.

“Girls are always copying their mothers,” she explained. “So my daughter is copying me while I pray, or read the Quran, or learn a new Surah. That’s why Little Muslimah offers Mother and Daughter sets. When you show children how comfortable and beautiful prayers are, they will get the will to pray, and it will encourage them to learn and practice Islam.”

Having seen it first-hand, she added, “My daughter loves to cover herself for prayers. When I tell her that the adhan has started, she immediately runs to bring her prayer dress and prayer mat.”

TRIED AND TESTED

Jasmine is happy to say that other mums trust her theory too. “The best compliments Little Muslimah receives are from mothers about how their little girls are just waiting for adhan, because kids are taking their prayer not as obligation but are performing it with love, sincerity and ehsan,” she said.

On a different level, the designer is confident her own journey to becoming a Muslim gives her unique insight into the challenges of modest fashion.

“Little Muslimah has a special place in my heart and there’s a big idea behind it,” she said. “As a converted Muslim, I walked through the difficulties of understanding what hijab is, and prayers, and more. Now I know, from my own experience, what comfortable hijabi clothes are and how to connect beauty and modesty, whether it’s for a woman or a little girl.”

POTENTIAL FOR GLOBAL IMPACT

Most importantly, Jasmine insists her startup is about raising good Muslims. “It’s extremely important nowadays to do our best to raise a new generation of Muslims around the world who will really practice Islam and who will spread a message about what Islam really is—a religion of peace, kindness and harmony,” she said. “If my prayer dresses can be a tool to help our daughters see the importance and beauty of prayers and hijab, then I'm ready to work on it.”

Jasmine’s long-term vision is to create a one-stop destination platform for Muslim family needs in terms of clothing, accessories and educational items. “At the moment I can’t bring the whole project to life as it requires investment, but I believe that if I’ll work hard and Allah will bless me for this big journey, Little Muslimah can grow.”