Popular actress Ashna Habib Bhabna has responded to criticism she faced after returning from Umrah, saying she has nothing to prove to anyone except Allah.
Bhabna recently returned to Bangladesh after performing Umrah.
While many praised her after she shared moments from the pilgrimage on social media, others criticised her.
On Friday, the actress addressed those reactions in a lengthy Facebook post.
She shared a photograph of herself wearing a hijab on her verified Facebook page and reflected on her spiritual journey, the emotions behind it and the criticism she received.
Bhabna said many people believed her decision to perform Umrah came suddenly.
However, she explained that it had been a long-held wish.
According to the actress, her parents had always dreamed of visiting the holy places, while she herself had wanted to perform Umrah for the past three years.
Various circumstances, however, delayed the plan.
In her post, Bhabna wrote that after returning from Bangkok on June 6, she spent the night before her flight home praying and crying with a deep desire to visit the house of Allah.
She also shared that wish with her friend Diya.
Less than three weeks later, on 25 June, she travelled to Saudi Arabia with her family to perform Umrah.
“Allah gave me the opportunity to visit His house. Within just a few days, I became a guest of Allah,” she wrote.
Referring to the criticism on social media, Bhabna said some people even questioned whether her Umrah would be accepted.
She made it clear that such comments did not affect her.
“If Allah does not want it, can anyone visit His house? Alhamdulillah, Allah loves me. Allah loves all His servants. I do not know whether my Umrah has been accepted, but I know Allah exists.
He sees everything. He knows what is in my heart and what my intentions are. I do not want to prove anything to anyone except Allah,” she wrote.
Bhabna also explained why she chose to share photographs from her pilgrimage on social media.
She said it is impossible to fully express the feelings she experienced in Makkah and Madinah.
However, if her posts inspire even one person to visit the holy places, she would consider that her greatest achievement.
She concluded her message by asking everyone to remember her in their prayers.
“Today is Friday. Please pray for me. Stay well,” she wrote.
