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HIJAB
RAIMENT OFRIGHTEOUSNESS I
remember that when my sister Ruqayyah first started to invite me to Islam,
that 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 to even say my prayers did not cause me to loose any
sleep either. 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, you see, 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 openly for a long time, even though I
believed it in my heart. The
thought of having to cover up all my beautiful clothes, with what looked
like a sack to me at the
time, 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 then, also too much for me to bear. Now because of this, many of you may think that I was a shallow and vain person, but my thoughts and actions should come as no surprise As women
raised in the West, from birth, we are taught that our self-worth is
directly proportionate to our attractiveness.
The society upholds unattainable and unrealistic images of beauty
that the women in the society must constantly pursue.
We spend of our time, energy and wealth, in this constant and
illusive chase. We become slaves to Revlon, Vidal Sassoon, 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, sallallahu alayhe
wa sallam, and thus freeing and liberating myself from my former
self-imposed bondage. Stepping
out of the darkness of kufr into the light of Islam.
It‘s funny that I found such freedom in the very 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 comes from the Arabic word “hajabah” 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. Because I’m often mistaken for a nun, an Islamic fundamentalist terrorist, who may be hiding god-knows what up under all that stuff, or the poster-child for oppressed womanhood everywhere, I feel the hijab, for many women, is the 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. Under
the guises of fashion, culture and modernism, however, Satan has, and is
succeeding to lead 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) But 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,
will and intellect. They say
that our dress code is outdated and oppressive, and that 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, when due to the constant decrease in moral values in the world
today, circumstances make the hijab even more necessary.
More that ever before, 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 research in which they
found that in America, a rape-crime is committed every six minutes. The
women, who uncover their beauty and show off their bodies and made-up faces
for all to enjoy, expose themselves to be harmed by these wolves in human
clothing. Allah 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 is 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... WHAT THE HIJAB 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 bosom. 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,
subhanahu wa ta’ala, 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 an evidence that it is exposure of a woman’s beauty, that 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, sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam, 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 tells His Prophet,
Sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam, 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 hijab: the inner and outer covering of the members of the 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 (the Prophet’s wives) 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 primarily been 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, subhanahu wa ta’ala, 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 emaan (faith)” (Bukhari) And when the woman wears hijab
she is affirming that part of her faith and helping her parents of husband
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 the gheera in men. And
because the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, told us, “A Muslim is
the brother of the Muslim” Muslim men have gheerah for all Muslim women
and do not accept for them what they do not accept for their 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 on 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 times 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. 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 (Niyah). 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 of ar-riyaa (showing off). If a
Muslim woman wears hijab because, for instance, of an overbearing husband or
father, and 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 of reward into
one that may not bring about any reward in the hereafter. If all that Allah
expected from our acts of worship were outward 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 all see her, save 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. 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 would-be Muslim “scholars,” or the
everyday pressures of living in a “modern” society and its false call to
women’s libration. 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 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. It was narrated
that the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam, said, “The parable of a
woman who moves with a slow sweeping motion, trailing her beautiful clothes,
performing not for her husband, is like darkness on the Day of Judgement;
she has no light.” (Tirmithi) 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,
save the hands and face. Aisha
reported that Asmaa’ the daughter of Abu Bakr entered into the presence of
Allah’s Messenger, sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam, wearing thin transparent
clothing, so the Messenger of Allah turned away from her saying:
Oh Asmaa’: “If a
woman reaches the age of menstruation, it is not allowed that any of her
should be seen except this – and he pointed to his face and two hands”
(Abu Dawood) The above narration is one of the most commonly cited as proof for leaving the face and hands uncovered. The main consideration of this opinion must be what constitutes the face and the hands. The above statement clearly illustrates that the hand is the part of the body, which extends below the wrist bone. The
definition of what constitutes the face can be found in another 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 are a part of the head as he, sallallaahu alayhe wa
sallam, said, “The two ears are a part of the head.” (Tirmithi) This
opinion also does not allow for the uncovering of the neck and breast. The
khimar must cover the entire head, including the ears, all of the hair, come
down from the head to cover the neck and the bosom. This is clear in the
statement of Allah “And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and
be modest, and to display of their adornments only that which is apparent,
and to draw their veils, (i.e., khimars) over their bosoms, and not to
reveal their adornment....” [4:31 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, a long shirt, or even a shalwar kameese and a khimar, 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 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, 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, is that first and
foremost it is an act of obedience to Allah 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 chase, modest woman,
the hijab shows that she does not want her sexuality to enter into her
interactions with men in the smallest degree. The hijab
also serves as screen for 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,
instead of her looks and sexuality, judge her. We want
them to ignore our appearance and to be attentive to our personalities and
minds. We want 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. FOR
MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAM,
WRITE TO: JEDDAH
DAWAH CENTER PO BOX
6897 JEDDAH
21452 PHONE
966-2-682-9898 FAX 966-2-662-2662
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