In The Name of Allah, The Most Beneficient, The Most Merciful!!!
I, myself, have been wearing hijab for only a year or so but the attitude came earlier. If you have read my story you know that I am a so called "revert", meaning that even though all men and women are born as Muslims, I wasn't raised as one and I returned to Islam about two years ago. Al-Hamdulillah! Before I heard about Islam I used to dress modestly but after I started studying it I became more aware of the way I dress. No t-shirts in front of non-related men nor women, no short skirts etc etc. You may ask why, why to cover yourself so totally? My mum thought that I want to cover myself because I hate my looks. Some think Muslim women are dressed as they are only because they're husbands are so possessive and jealous. What do you want to believe? I can tell you the real reason why women are wearing modest clothing.
Bismillahi-ar-Rahmani-r-Raheem
"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 only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, head-cover, apron), and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husbands' fathers, or their sons, or their husbands' sons, or their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, of their (Muslim) women (i.e. sisters in Islam), or the (female) slaves whom their right hand possesses, or old male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of feminine sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all. O believers, that you may be successful."
(English translation of The Holy Qur'an, An-Nur 24:31)
Because Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'Ala) is All-Wise and The Knower of All Things, He (SWT) also knows what's best for us. So to do what is best for us is as well obeying Allah (SWT). There's no other reason behind wearing hijab. If you're wearing hijab for some other reason like your parents or your husband, you are a hypocrite. Every Muslimah who truly believes should be wearing hijab. You love Allah (SWT) so why not to fulfill His commandments and orders? Can you give me a reason why not to wear it?
The behaviour that is assimilated with hijab is modesty. If you're wearing hijab but still laughing out loud in front of non-mahram men, there's no use for hijab. Women are so delicate that they need protection and the best protection for a woman on this earth is first her father and brothers and later her husband. If you go out for shopping or doing something else always take your father or husband with you if possible. This prodecure doesn't limit your personal freedom but it even expands it! When walking outside with a man who is related to you you don't have to be afraid of flirting men or other annoyance. You can concentrate on your shoppings.
Extra benefit from this is also that you can more easily lower your gaze if you have your husband or father with you. First gaze might be innocent but second is lust and that's considered as a sin. Hijabees (i.e. women who wear hijab) know the reward of obeying one's husband and the punishment for adultery. Eventhough these women are silent among strange people (i.e. non-related men, non-believer women etc) they are not shy nor stupid. Vice versa! They are the smartest as they obey Allah (SWT)!
Muslim women...
* ...wear clothes that are not transparent and do not show the shape of the body nor show anything else but face and hands.
* ...do not use perfume in front of non-related men (the same goes with make up).
* ...shouldn't have tattoos.
* ...wear a hijab that covers their hair, neck and bosom.
* ...do not speak loudly in public nor laugh out loud.
* ...do not look at men that are stranger to them.
* ...shouldn't work with men.
* ...should pray mainly at home as in a mosque there are so many men etc.
* ...should obey their husbands in everything except if the husband asks them to do something that's against Islam.
* ...shouldn't mind if their husbands take more wives than only one.
