True Beauty Begins in the Heart - How To Be A Beautiful Muslim

In Islam, beauty has always been understood as something deeper than appearances. Our deen reminds us that “Indeed, Allah does not look at your appearance or your wealth, but rather He looks at your hearts and your deeds” (Sahih Muslim 2564).

For our daughters, growing up in a world that often reduces beauty to looks alone, this teaching is a powerful reminder: true beauty lies in the heart.

That’s the heart of All the Ways to Be Pretty. The book takes the simple word “pretty” and expands it into qualities that reflect a clean heart, pretty kind, pretty patient, pretty generous, pretty pious.

These are not just traits to admire, but virtues rooted within our Islamic tradition. They point young readers towards the path of tazkiyah, the purification of the soul, where qualities like humility, sincerity, and compassion shine brighter than outward appearances ever could.

By sharing stories inspired by remarkable women in Islamic history, the book helps Muslim girls see themselves as heirs to a legacy of wisdom, courage, and faith.

When our children begin to connect “prettiness” with the state of their hearts, they are encouraged to nurture qualities that bring them closer to Allah (swt), and to see beauty as something eternal rather than fleeting. Because in the end, the most lasting form of beauty is not found in the mirror but in the purified heart.

All the Ways to Be Pretty - Shamaila Khan

What do you do when your daughter just wants to be pretty like the girls she sees on screens and magazines?

All the Ways to be Pretty aims to provide parents with a starting point for conversations about beauty from an Islamic perspective. 

All humans are beautiful in their own unique ways, and this book is not about diminishing that gift. It is a gentle reminder that beauty is also what lies on the inside; our character and our actions beautify us, so why be 'just pretty' when you could be ‘pretty wise’ like Khadijah RA, ‘pretty smart’ like Aisha RA, or ‘pretty brave’ like Sumayya RA!

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