The Reality of Hijaab, The Muslim Woman's Dress
[Article taken from
‘Invitation to Islam’ newsletter, September 1997]
(From Troid.org)
Amidst the hustle and bustle of a teeming metropolis, a
solitary figure traverses. She moves steadily in her black garment which
shields her against the tyranny of this life. Whilst others around her rush
frantically, she move with tranquillity and ease. The peace which she achieves
beneath this veil of hers, is immense. It is a liberation beyond measure. Is
this a princess of royal blood? No. Is she a head of state? No. So who is this
woman of serenity? This is a woman of Hijaab. A woman amongst many women. A
Muslim Woman.
The site of a woman covering from top to bottom, is not so
rare anymore in the major cities of the West. For many Westerners it represents
the oppression which Islam imposes upon women. For Muslims however, it is the
realisation that Islam will eventually reach every corner of this planet. This
is not surprising, considering that Islam is the fastest growing religion on
Earth. What is surprising, for Westerners, is that 7 out of 10 (70%) people who
become Muslim are Women! It is these same women who then go on to willingly
observe the Hijab without coercion or force. The women of Hijaab in the cities
of
An Islaamic Duty
Ever since the appearance of Hijaab in the west, there has
been a constant crusade against this noble act. The hypocrisy[1] of the Western
media has been evident for many years now, through its constant attacks on
Islam and Hijaab. Despite these attempts, women in Hijaab are still on the
increase. Thus, a new crusade had to be launched by the advocates of
"liberation" and "freedom". For a while now, many Western
critics have insisted that the Hijaab has nothing to do with Islaam. They claim
that it is a cultural practice and not a religious one. This has been broadcast
in the Western media with the aid of its puppets, the modernist Muslims. People
such as Dr Zaki Badawi[2], have pushed this erroneous view for a number of
years now. This has led to much confusion amongst ignorant Muslims, and many
Muslim women are being led into depriving themselves of this great benefit. So
what is the reality behind this issue? Is the Hijaab obligatory?
Hijab is an Arabic word which literally means a cover, a
screen or a partition. Islamically it refers to the dress code of the Muslim
woman. In answering the above question, as Muslims we unashamedly say, Yes!,
the Hijaab IS OBLIGATORY!! The proofs for this obligation are many, but due to
lack of space we will only quote two here. In the Qur’an Allaah says:
"And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and
guard their modesty, and not to display their adornment except that which
appears ordinarily thereof, and to draw their veils over their necks and
bosoms.."
(Sura An-Noor 24:31)
About the words "..except that which appears ordinarily
thereof..", then the scholars of Islam have explained that these words
refer to the hands and face of a woman. This is supported by the hadith of the
Prophet (saws) : "Aisha reported that Asmaa, the daughter of Abu Bakr,
entered into the presence of the Messenger of Allaah wearing thin transparent
clothing, So the Messenger of Allaah turned away from her saying : ‘O’ Asmaa,
when a women 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."[3] The Hijaab is therefore something which MUST cover the entire
body of a woman, except her face and hands.[4] It is NOT a simple headscarf
which many women wear, because a piece of cloth on the head does not conceal
the parts of a woman’s body, which when exposed, are the result of much strife.
Besides covering the entire body, the Hijaab also has other conditions, such as
not being tight, transparent, too colourful or resembling the clothes of a man.
These conditions are also proven from Islaam.[5]
The Benefits of Hijaab
-Obedience- Whilst other women are subjected to the
pressures and slavery of modern society, the Muslim woman is truly free from
this. In the west, women are expected to conform to the liberal fashions which
appear daily. These fashions and expectations are often shaped by men. In this
way, women become the slaves of society and man. Hijab is the liberator of this
slavery. It takes women away from the obedience of man, to the obedience of the
Most Perfect, Allaah. This obedience will only bring about good, because we
believe that Allaah is the Most Kind and the Most Just. Slavery to the one with
such characteristics, is a slavery of reward and contentment. It is not a
slavery from which your fellow human (the woman) is exploited and oppressed,
just because your desires and lusts run wild.
As a command of Allaah, the Hijaab has united the hearts of
so many. Hijaab knows no colour, nationality, race, height or weight. Through
obedience to Allaah, it truly unites the women of the world. Thus, this
unification has surpassed the ranks and shallowness of all female liberation
movements. Christian nuns, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, feminists, lesbians, women
boxers and even female gang members, are all known to have become united under
Islam and its Hijaab. It is truly a force to be reckoned with. It must be remembered
that this obedience to Allaah is a voluntary act from most Muslim women. Many
assume that those brought up as Muslims, have always been wearing Hijaab.
However, this is not so. Many Muslim women (especially in the
Wearing the Hijaab is no futile action. A woman may go
through much trial and tribulation[6] because she has obeyed Allaah. But the
fulfilment of this action will never go unnoticed, as Allaah say :
"Never will I allow to be lost the actions of any of
you; whether male or female"
(Surah Al-Imran 3:195).
The result of these obedient actions will be an everlasting
reward. A reward which all Muslim women aspire for. A reward called paradise :
"And whosoever does righteous actions- whether male or
female, and is a believer, will enter paradise"
(Sura An-Nisa 4:124).
-A Shield- Allaah says :
"O’ Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the
women of the believers to draw their veils over their bodies. That is most
convenient that they should be recognised and not be molested"
(Sura Al-Ahzab 33:59)
One of the greatest benefits of Hijaab, is the natural
protection it gives to a woman. By wearing Hijaab, a woman shields herself from
the rampant desires of man. By his very nature, man is a creature of intense
desire. The Hijaab controls this desire and thus not only protects the woman,
but also the man. Sexually motivated crimes in the west are on the increase.
Rape, molestation and harassment are reaching epidemic levels. Undoubtedly the
clothing of a woman has something to do with this. When women walk around with
literally nothing on, some men see it as a signal to do as they please. This
results in the honour of a woman being scarred for life. The Muslim woman does
not have this problem. She knows that when she walks on the streets, the men
will not look at her. Why? Because there is nothing for them to look at!! She
feels like a princess who is shielded from the savages of her domain. Peace and
security is felt beneath the veil. The woman of Hijaab does not have to reveal
her body in order to gain respect. She does not have to have her ‘bits’ hanging
out so that men can drool over her. If a man desires her, then it has to be for
her religion and intellect. The Hijaab gives him no other choice. She is a
woman who is truly shielded from the nature of man.[7]
-Nature- The nature of a woman is fundamentally different
from man. Women are more timid, gentle and caring then men. This is the reason
why they have been chosen (by Allaah) to be the perfect rearers of children.
The Hijaab reinforces this nature of the woman. We praise Allaah that he has
ordered this Hijaab, for the world that we live in seeks to change our very
nature as human beings. Men try to be women and women try to be men. People are
being led into confusion by the political correctness which is so popular in
our societies. Many women have jumped onto the bandwagon of feminism and
lesbianism, shouting how evil and oppressive men are. But when one looks at
these sad creatures, their delusion is clear. While claiming to hate men, their
attire suggests otherwise. Short hair, bomber jackets and steel toecapped
boots, are the vogue for these women. Their hatred for men is so much, that
their very appearance resembles the enemy!! Some of these women have even gone
to the extreme of growing masses of facial hair. The hideous site of these
bearded ladies, is enough to put anyone off their dinner!!! Such depravity is
far from natural. The Hijab on the other hand, enables the woman to stay as a
woman. Rather then being a monstrosity, a woman in Hijab is like an oyster with
a beautiful pearl inside it. Her femininity has stayed feminine, without being
altered into masculinity. There is no doubt about it, this is a TRUE WOMAN.
-Honour- Contrary to the tales of the media, the Hijab
provides an honour for the woman like no other garment does. For many women, a
dress designed by Versace[8] or Armani is all the honour they need. But the
Hijaab carries far more honour then these worthless clothes. Whilst the dresses
of the catwalks are designed by mere mortals, the Hijaab comes from the one who
is immortal, Allaah. Through it a woman is held with the utmost respect. True
Muslim men are obliged to keep their Muslim sisters away from the corruption of
this world. Thus a Muslim will not allow for someone to ogle his wife, chat her
up or harass her. The honour of a Muslim woman demands that this does not
happen. How contrary this is to life in the west. Men in the west feel no
obligation to protect women from the harms of society. This is why a man will
allow his wife to be a stripper, call-girl and even a prostitute. Honour knows
no place in the west. This honour will only be achieved from Islam and its
Hijab.
The honour of a Muslim woman is so high, that we believe
that the state of a society is dependent upon its women. If the women are
corrupt and immoral, then the society will be corrupt and immoral. If the women
are righteous and god-fearing, then the society will be righteous and
god-fearing. Women are the educators of the nation. But if they have no honour
and have been corrupted, then society will be void of education and steeped in
ignorance. This is the predicament of a society which rejects Hijab. This is
the predicament of all Western societies, which stubbornly cling onto their
depressing ways of life.
Those who seek to reject Hijab after reading this, then
their loss will eventually become apparent. But those who seek to please Allaah
through this action, can be sure that this good can only bring more good:
"Is there any reward for good – other then
goodness?"
(Sura Ar-Rahman 55:60)
Footnotes:-
1. The British media is an example of this. Whilst
condemning the Hijaab as oppressive, it is well known that newspapers such as
The Sun and The News of the World, often display pictures of naked women. This
of course, is the liberation which the West claims to give women!
2. Dr Zaki Badawi is a self-styled mufti who is
unfortunately seen as a public face of Islam. A number of years ago, Dr. Badawi
appeared on Dutch T.V. proclaiming that Hijaab was not obligatory. This
announcement caused much confusion and resulted in some women taking their
Hijaab off.
3. Authentic – Reported by Al-Bayhaqee.
4. Even though it is not obligatory to cover the face and
hands, it is without doubt recommended that the niqaab (the face veil) and/or
gloves be worn. Such acts are seen as modesty and piety from the woman, and
they can only bring her more reward.
5. The proofs for these conditions can be found in an
excellent book entitled "The Islamic ruling regarding Women’s dress,
according to the Qur’an and Sunnah" by Abu Bilal Mustafa Al-Kanadi.
6. Wearing Hijaab in the West can be a struggle for many
women. The hypocrisy of the West is such, that it does not respect this choice
which is made willingly, and subjects these women to much psychological
pressure. 2 years ago, two Muslim girls were even expelled from a school in
7. "A view through Hijaab" is an informative
account of life in Hijaab. Written by Khaula Nakata, it is the experience of
Hijaab as seen through the eyes of a Japanese woman who embraced Islam.
8. There will be no more dresses designed by Gianni
Versace!! The evils of Homosexuality ensured that this man (?) reaped the
fruits of his unholy labour.