AL-HIJAB RAIMENT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
In the beginning, when my sister Khadijah invited me to Islam . The main obstacle on my path to light was not the sacrifices I would have to make in my eating, drinking ,and conduct. The fact that I would have to learn a completely new and sometimes confusing language even to say my prayers. The one felled-tree in my path to guidance and righteousness , was the fact that I would have to go around looking like her.
My sister, wears full HIJAB , with her face and hands covered. Even though she assured me that the khimar and jilbab was all that would be required of me .The thought of my friends seeing me dressed like that kept me from declaring my faith . I hesitated for a long time , even though I believed it in my heart. I jolted at the thought of having to cover up all my beautiful clothes. At that time the garb looked like a sack to me .This struck my vanity incredibly hard. The fact that I also had to cover up my hair, which I used to spend a great deal of time and money on, was also too much for me to bear.
Due to this, many of you may think that I was a shallow and vain person .although my thoughts and actions should come as no surprise. Clothes do make the woman .As women raised in the West, from birth, we are taught that our self-worth is directly proportioned to our attractiveness. The society upholds unattainable and unrealistic images of beauty that women in the society must constantly pursue. We spend all of our time, energy ,and wealth; in this constant and illusive chase. We become slaves to Revlon, Vidal ,and Sassoon …etc, the fashion gurus in Paris and ultimately our own sense of vanity.
It will be three years ago, this December, that I stood before two Muslim sisters and declared openly my belief in Allah and His Messenger (PBUM).
I freed and liberated myself from my former self-imposed bondage . I Stepping out of the darkness of kufr and into the light of Islam. It‘s funny that I found such freedom in the thing that was keeping me from Islam in the first place; the hijab. Even though I get the wide gamut of strange stares, points , and comments, this covering makes me feel honored, safe ,and cherished.
The hijab word comes from the Arabic word “hajaba” meaning to hide from view or to conceal. Women, who conceal their beauty in this society and do not give into its oppressive system, are looked upon as invisible without sexuality and backward . I’m often mistaken for a nun or for an Islamic fundamentalist terrorist. Who may be hiding God-knows what under all that stuff, or the poster-child for oppressed womanhood everywhere. I feel the hijab for many women is the hardest and truest test of being a Muslim. In instructing us to wear the hijab, Allah has given Muslim women what they can bear of injunctions and obligations. For Allah says: “And we do not lay on any soul a burden except to the extent of its ability, and with Us is a Book which speaks the truth, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly”. (23:62)
Unfortunately, Satan and his cohorts are calling the Muslim woman to enslave herself to the creation and to forget about her servitude to her Creator. Chastity, modesty ,and piety are deceptively marketed as shackles on personal freedom. Allah warns the believers that they should not let Satan deceive them as he deceived their parents, Adam and Eve. However , Under the guise of fashion, culture ,and modernism ; Satan has and is succeeding in leading the Muslim woman into immodesty.
From the dawn of civilization, flowing dresses and headscarves have always been associated with “godliness” or “god consciousness.” Even the Christian pictorial representation of the earlier prophets and their woman folks bear a familiar likeness to the dress ordained for Muslim men and women. This tradition of modesty is reflected in the Qur’an, wherein Allah says :“Oh Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover yourselves (screen your private parts, etc.) and as an adornment. But the raiment of righteousness, that is better.” (7:26)
Since the hay-days of the feminist movement, there has been an increasing amount of scrutiny placed on the dress and status of Muslim women. According to these “liberated” women, the hijab not only covers the head, but also covers the mind, the will ,and intellect. They say that our dress code is outdated and oppressive .They assert it stops us from being productive human beings. They speak out of ignorance when they say that our hijab does not belong in these modern times . Due to the constant decrease in today’s world generally, circumstances make the hijab even more necessary .
sex crimes are rampant and “liberated” women in the larger society now face increasingly higher chances of being raped or sexually harassed. The Federal Government conducted a survey in which they found that in America , a rape-crime is committed every six minutes on the women who uncover their beauty and show off their bodies and made-up faces for all to enjoy.They expose themselves to be harmed by wolves in human clothing .Allah almighty enjoined the hijab on the Muslim woman to protect her from harm . He knows His creation , and knows that when women make dazzling displays of themselves, with immodest clothes, perfumed bodies and made-up faces, that it serves to increase the sexual deviance of the overall society. Many of those who are misguided would have us think though, that the hijab is a portable prison that restricts our minds, lives and hearts. It is none of these things, and in order not to fall victim to their plots, we must begin to understand what the hijab truly is...
The hijab is an act of obedience
The hijab is an act of obedience of Allah: “It is not for a believer, man or women, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have an option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, has indeed strayed into a plain error.” [33:36]
Allah also says: “And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things) and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except what must (ordinarily) appear thereof, that they should draw their veils all over their Juyubihinna...” [24:31] This verse contains two main injunctions:
* A woman should not show her beauty or adornments except what appears in uncontrolled circumstances such as the wind blowing her clothes for example, and
* The head covers should be drawn so as to cover the hair, the neck ,and the chest.
Scholars differed whether the veil cover of the body must include the hands and face or not. Most scholars agree that it is preferable, if not mandatory, for women to cover their faces, and Allah knows best.
The hijab is chastity
Allah almighty makes the compliance of wearing the hijab a condition of chastity and modesty. He says: “Oh Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) over their bodies. That is more suitable that they should be known (as chaste believing women) and not be abused...” [33:59]
This is evidence that exposure of a woman’s beauty, arouses sexual desire in men, and thus may be harmful to her. When the cause of the attraction ends, the restriction is removed. This is illustrated in the case of elderly women who may have lost every aspect of attraction. Allah made it permissible for them to lay aside their outer garments and expose their faces and hands, reminding them however, that is still better for them to keep their modesty.
The hijab is purity
The molestation and exploitation of women is a disease that has been in the hearts of the sons of Adam since the dawn of time. (It is no wonder that prostitution is often referred to as the world’s oldest profession). The Prophet Muhammad (PBUM) has informed us in a hadeeth, “That there is no disease or sickness except that Allah has created a cure for it.” The cure for this disease of the heart , can be found in the verses of the Qur’an, wherein Allah Almighty tells His Prophet (PBUM) to address the believers: “Oh Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) over their bodies. That is more suitable that they should be known (as chaste believing women) and not be abused...” [33:59]
The cure is The Hijab: the inner and outer covering of the women in society. The hijab is one of the Commands of Allah and it makes for greater purity for the hearts of believing men and women because it screens against desires of the heart. As Allah tells us in the Qur’an : “...And when you ask them for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen, that is purer for your hearts and for their hearts.” [33:53]
When the hijab is left off, the heart is more inclined to lead by its lusts and its desires, but when the private parts and the adornments are covered, this leads to the prevention of evil in the land. Much consideration has been given by Islam in respect to the affairs of Muslim women. These considerations and laws have been primarily laid down to protect her chastity, her honor ,and her position in society. The laws that have been placed upon the Muslim woman in regards to her dress and the display of her beauty serves ultimately to protect her and the society as a whole , from falling down into the lowest depths of moral corruption.
The Hijab is righteousness
Allah Almighty says: “Oh children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover yourselves (screen your private parts, etc.) and as an adornment. But the raiment of righteousness, that is better...” [7:26] Today, the common ways of dressing are mostly for displaying the female beauty or showing of her social or financial status, and hardly taken as a cover and shield for the woman’s body. To the believing women, however, the purpose is to safeguard their bodies in direct obedience to the order of Allah. To them, it is an assertion of faith and a way of attaining righteousness.
The Hijab is Haya & Gheerah
The hijab fits the sound innate and natural fitrah and feeling of women and men which call for haya and gheerah. Haya is inhibition or bashfulness and it is a part of one’s faith to show haya and demand it from those who are his responsibility. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, “Haya is part of faith” (Bukhari).
When the woman wears hijab she is affirming that part of her faith and helping her parents or husband to fulfill their responsibilities to Allah, Subhanahu wa ta’ala. Gheerah is the innate character in man which makes him not accept for other men to illicitly look at his wife, daughters, sisters and mother. Gheerah is what makes man safeguard relative women from strangers. The hijab fulfills and maintains this vital element in the family and the society as a whole , But the mixing of sexes and absence of hijab destroys not only the gheera in men, but also many families and happy lives .So We must have gheerah for all Muslim women and do not accept for them what we do not accept for our own sisters.
The Hijab is a symbol of Islam
Among the fundamental principles of Islam is that faith is a statement on the tongue, a belief in the heart, which in turn manifests itself on the limbs of the body. It is therefore inconceivable that women who testify to their belief in Allah and His Messenger, and who have faith in their hearts, would then choose to manifest their belief by going out in clothes that do not distinguish them from the disbelieving women. The consequence for this type of action is clear, for the Prophet sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam, said: “Whoever resembles a people becomes one of them.” (Abu Dawood).
For many women who enter Islam and even those who are raised in nonreligious Muslim Households, the road to observing the proper hijab can be a very difficult one. It means overcoming the idea that the hijab worn by the women in the West can be different from the hijab worn by those in the Middle East. It also often means overcoming the notion that the hijab is something cultural, and that as a Black , Indian ,or Malaysian sister, the hijab can be a reflection of a particular cultural background , However Hijab is a symbol of Islam.
THE ROAD TO HIJAB
In order to even find the road to hijab, much less walking on it, one must first realize that the hijab of the Muslim woman is not Arabian, Pakistani, Black or White American, etc. it is the command of Allah, the conditions for which have been given in the Qur’an and Sunnah; in order to provide protection and safety for women . Here are a few aspects one needs to consider:
Intention
The first step on the road to hijab is the proper intention (Niyyah). The wearing of the hijab is the compliance to the command of Allah ; therefore it can be classified as an act of worship. As with all acts of worship, the fundamental underlying principle is intention. The hijab must be worn for no other reason except to comply with the order of Allah, solely for His sake and seeking His Pleasure. If it is not done with this sincere intention, then it becomes an act of either hypocrisy or showing off (riyaa)
If a Muslim woman wears hijab for any other reason than Allah's sake but in her heart she dislikes it, or feels that it is a form of injustice , then she may very well have taken an act deserving reward into one that can not bring about any reward in the hereafter. If all that Allah wants from our acts of worship were the outer appearance and manifestations, then He would have graciously accepted the Islam of the hypocrites during the time of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam.
The same is true for the woman who wears hijab because it’s what the women around her do. She covers from head to toe in black to impress the people with her piety. When she is abroad, where no one she knows will see her, except her Lord, she does not wear the proper hijab. She then falls under the threat of Allah’s punishment, as the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam, said, “Whoever does a deed for the people, then Allah will give him to the people.”
Knowledge
The second step on the road to hijab, is knowledge, the great scholar of hadeeth; Imam Bukhari said : “Knowledge must precede both statement and action.” It is of the utmost importance of a woman who is seeking to observe the proper hijab, to ascertain sure knowledge, based on the Qur’an, Sunnah and the understanding of the first generation of Muslims scholars . Unfortunately in this day and age, there are no shortages of books written on the issue of hijab by both Muslims and non-Muslims alike that are full of misleading information. It therefore becomes incumbent on Muslim women to gain sure and correct knowledge on this topic, in order to be better able in ciphering through the misinformation that is so predominant on this issue, and getting to the truth. When hijab is observed with the proper intention and based upon sound knowledge, it then becomes a firm conviction in the heart. Due to this conviction, it becomes less likely that the hijab will be abandoned ; either based upon the weak arguments of Muslim “scholars” or the everyday pressures of living in a “modern” society and its false call to women’s liberation . For the true desire of these people is as Allah says in the Qur’an: “Verily those who like that (the crime of) illegal sexual intercourse should be propagated among those who believe, they will have a painful torment in this world and in the hereafter. And Allah knows and you know not.” [24:19]
Love
The third step on the road to hijab is love. It is among the signs of the true belief that all acts of worship are manifested from love of those actions. The love of the hijab and the haya (inhibition or bashfulness) of the first generation of Muslim women has slowly been worn away from the hearts of modern-day Muslim women. Once Ali ibn abi Talib asked his wife Fatimah :“What is the thing most beloved to a believing woman?” Fatimah replied : “Not to see or be seen by strange men.”
What happened to this love of modesty? Unfortunately for many Muslim women, this love has been replaced with the love of “so called” women’s liberation or the love of what has become prevalent in one’s culture or homeland. In order for the love of the hijab to be returned to the hearts of Muslim women, we must remove from our hearts the disease suggesting that the hijab makes us inferior to men and restricts our womanhood. These are whisperings of the Satan calling Muslim women to abandon their honor and their status as the best women of creation. The hijab of the Muslim woman is her right and her honor ordained by the Lord of the Worlds. It is her light that separates her from the darkness of the disbelieving women.
Awrah
The awrah of a woman is the areas of her body, which must be covered. The respected scholars from past and present have differed in whether the veil should cover the hands and face or whether it is sufficient to cover everything, except the hands and face.
The definition of what constitutes the face can be found in tradition of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam. He pointed from his forehead to his chin and from his cheek to the cheek. (Abu Dawood). It may be of importance to note that ears must also be covered because they are not a part of the face but a part of the head as He, sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam, said: “The two ears are a part of the head.” (Tirmidhi)
This opinion also does not allow for the uncovering of the neck and chest. The khimar must cover the entire head, including the ears, all of the hair, come down from the head to cover the neck and all the chest. This is clear in the statement of Allah :“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and not to display of their adornments except that which is apparent, and to draw their veils, (i.e., khimars) over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment....” [24:31]
Also among the things that must be covered are the clothes that a woman wears in her home. It is not sufficient for a Muslim woman to go out in pants or a skirt , because many times the clothes that a woman wears in the house are themselves adornments. As the above verse states, Allah forbids the believing women from displaying her adornments, except to those people whom are clearly named out in the verse (male relatives which she is not permitted to marry, etc.).
CONDITIONS OF THE HIJAB THAT MUST BE MAINTAINED:
1.A wide enough dress that does not outline any part of the body.
2.It should cover the whole body.
3.The clothing must be thick enough so as not to show the color of the skin it covers or the shape of the body.
4.The clothing should not attract men’s attention to the woman. It should not be flashy or shiny so that everyone notices the dress and the woman.
5.A dress that does not look similar to men’s wear, for Muslim women are prohibited from looking like men.
6.A dress that does not in any way resemble the dress of the disbelievers.
7.The clothing should be modest, not excessively fancy and also not excessively ragged to gain admiration or sympathy.
8.The clothing should be free from any perfume or fragrance.
THE VIRTUES OF HIJAB:
Among the virtues of observing the proper hijab for Muslim women, the first and foremost is an act of obedience to Allah Almighty and His Messenger, sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam.
Indeed, Allah orders the wearing of hijab in the Qur'an when He says: "And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things) and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.) and not to show off their adornments except that must (ordinarily) appear thereof and that they should draw their veils over the Juyubihinna." [24:31] The same order was given by His Prophet, sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam, when he said, "The woman is awrah, (that which must be covered)." (Tirmithi)
The modest appearance of the Muslim woman, dressed in correct hijab, is a sign of purity and dignity. It tells the world that she is a chaste woman, and sets her apart from the immoral behavior associated with women who go out in clothing that leave nothing to the imagination. As a chaste and modest woman, the hijab shows that she does not want her sexuality to enter into her interactions with men even in the smallest degree.
The hijab also serves as a screen between the Muslim woman and the evil that exists in the society around her. When a woman wears the hijab she is less likely to be sexually harassed by men with sinful motives. She is also less likely to be exploited for her beauty and femininity.
Her intelligence and skills judge her instead of her looks and sexuality .We want people to ignore our appearance and to be attentive to our personalities and minds. We want them to take us seriously and treat us as equals and not just chase us around for our bodies and physical looks."
By wearing the hijab, when she is outside the confines of her home, the Muslim woman is free to concentrate on the tasks she has set out to do. She is not trying to impress anyone with dazzling displays. She is not worried about whether her hair and makeup are in place, and could care less if men find her attractive, or whether her clothes are the latest "thing." The hijab frees her from the need of constantly seeking approval from others; and frees her to only seek the approval of her Guardian Lord.
Another virtue of the hijab is that it prevents unnecessary rivalry and competition between women. Due to this sense of competition, the "liberated" woman wastes her wealth and sacrifices her health and well-being, through plastic surgery, in a desperate attempt to keep up with society's fleeting and ever-changing image of beauty. In Islam, through the hijab, women learn to appreciate each other based on knowledge, piety ,and societal contributions. The hijab gives women the right to reclaim their own bodies as private property and not something for all to speculate about and to scrutinize. |