MUSLIMAH AND HIJAB

MUSLIMAH AND HIJAB 

Individual basis, collective basis and environment basis.

     All praise is due to Allah Ta'ala as is deserved by His Majesty and Great Power. I send prayers and ask for blessings upon His Noble Messenger who drew the path for us to the pleasure of Allah and His Jannah. This path is a straight one that is surrounded by virtue from all sides and attends to the best moral characteristics which are increased by the clothing of purity, concealment, and chastity. It is the path trod by the two halves of human society, namely the man and the woman, toward harmonious contentment and happiness in this life and the Hereafter.

     This is precisely why the Protector, the blessed and above all imperfection, has made wearing hijaab an obligation upon the woman as a safeguard of her chastity and protection of her honor and sign of her faith (Iman). It is on account of this that societies (both Muslim and non-Muslim) that have distanced themselves from the way of Allah and deviated from His straight path, are ill societies in need of treatment that will lead them to recovery and happiness. I would like to focus on the ongoing controversies over the justification of wearing hijab in a modern perspective.

      “Today young Muslim women are reclaiming the hijab, reinterpreting it in light of its original purpose - to give back to women the ultimate control of their own bodies - I wear hijab because it gives me freedom. I do this because I am a Muslim woman who believes her body is her own private concern.” This is an excerpt from an essay written by a Canadian-born college-educated Muslim woman who suddenly decided to reclaim hijab at age twenty one. While being totally respectful of all the notions of civil liberties and a woman’s freedom of choice to wear anything she wants in a democratic society, I can’t help wondering what could drive a college-educated woman, of a North American upbringing, to throw away her freedom of clothing and embrace the veil or hijab and thus deluding herself that she is now liberated.

     Just by wearing hijab she thinks she has full control of her body. What an illusive idea of liberation!  We need to go to the origin of such notion and examine how veiling is anyway related to women’s freedom. Since the whole idea of cladding with veils emanates from the direct instructions of Qur’an, let’s first take a look at a few Ayats from the Holy Scriptures to examine how much control Allah Has allowed for women to have over their own body.

"O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments around them (when they go out or are among men). That is better in order that they may be known (to be Muslims) and not annoyed..." [33:59]

Muslim women observe HIJAB (covering the head and the body) because Allah has told them to do so.

     But nowadays, I find that, regretfully, this is commonly manifested in Islamic (Muslim) society despite the fact Islamic clothing is also widespread (and available). So then, what are the reasons that have led to this digression? 

Problems and problems solving

The question of Hijab for Muslim women has been a controversy for centuries and will probably continue for many more. Some learned people do not consider the subject open to discussion and consider that covering the face is required, while a majority are of the opinion that it is not required.

Problem; excuse one: It's not time for that yet. I'm still too young for wearing hijab. I'll do it when I get older and after I make Hajj!

     The Angel of Death, is visiting and waiting at your door for the order of Allah Ta'aala to open it on you at any moment in your life. Allah said: When their term comes, neither can they delay it nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment). [Surah Al-An'aam 7:34]. Death doesn't discriminate between the young or the old and it may come while you are in this state of great sinfulness disobedience, fighting against the Lord of Honor with your uncovering and shameless adornment. You should race to obedience along with those others who race to answer the call of Allah tabaarakawata'aala: Race with one another in hastening towards forgiveness from your Lord and Paradise the width whereof is as the width of the heavens and the earth. [Surah Al-Hadeed 57:21]

     Don't forget Allah or He will forget you by turning His mercy away from you in this life and the next. You are forgetting your own soul by not fulfilling the right of your soul to obey Allah and proper worship of Him. Allah stated about the hypocrites (Al-Munaafiqun): And be not like those who forgot Allah and He caused them to forget their own selves. [Surah Al-Hashr 59:19] Wear the hijab in your young age in opposition to the sinful deeds because Allah is intense in punishment and will ask you on the Day of Resurrection about your youth and every moment of your life.

Please, stop presuming some future expectation in your life will indeed occur! How can you guarantee your own life until tomorrow? 

Problem; excuse two: I am convinced of Islamic dress but my mother prevents me from wearing it and if I disobey her I will go to the Fire.

     The one who has answered this excuse is the most noble of Allah's creation, the Messenger of Allah (s.w.t.) in concise and comprehensive words of wisdom: There is no obedience to the created in the disobedience of Allah. [Ahmed]

     The status of parents in Islam, especially the mother, is a high and elevated one. Indeed Allah ta'ala has combined it with the greatest of matters, worshipping Him and His tauhid, in many ayat. He stated: Worship Allah and join none with Him and do good to parents. [Surah An-Nisaa 4:36] Obedience to parents is not limited except in one aspect, and that is if they order to disobedience of Allah. Allah said: But if they strive with you to make you join in worship with Me others that of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not. [Surah Luqman 31:15]

    The lack of obedience to them in sinfulness does not prevent being good to them and kind treatment of them. Allah said afterward in the same ayat: But behave with them in the world kindly.

Think, how can you obey your mother and disobey Allah, Who created you and your mother?

Problem; excuse three: It is so very hot in my country and I can't stand it. How could I take it if I wore the hijab?

     Allah gives an example by saying: Say: The Fire of Hell is more intense in heat if they only understand. [Surah At-Taubah 9:81] How can you compare the heat of your land to the heat of the Hellfire?

     Know, that syaitan has trapped you in one of his feeble ropes to drag you from the heat of this world to the heat of the Hellfire. Free yourself from his net and view the heat of the sun as a favor and not an affliction especially in that it reminds you of the intensity of the punishment of Allah which is many times greater than the heat you now feel. Return to the order of Allah and sacrifice this worldly comfort in the way of following the path of salvation from the Hellfire about which Allah says: They will neither feel coolness nor have any drink except that of boiling water and pus. [Surah An-Naba' 78:24-25]

     You know what, the Jannah is surrounded by hardships and toil, while Hellfire is surrounded by temptations, lusts and desires. Mujahadah is bitter as Jannah is sweet.

Problem; excuse four: I know that hijab is obligatory (wajib), but I will wear it when Allah guides me to do so.

     What plans or steps she will undertake until she accepts this divine guidance? We know that Allah has in His wisdom made a cause or means for everything. That is why the sick take medicine to regain health, and the traveler rides a vehicle or an animal to reach his destination, and other limitless examples.

     Has this sister of ours seriously endeavored to seek true guidance and exerted the proper means to get it such as: Supplicating Allah sincerely as He stated: Guide us to the Straight Path. [Surah Al-Faatihah 1:6]; Keeping company with the righteous good sisters - for they are among the best to assist her to guidance and to continue to point her to it until Allah guides her and increases her guidance and inspires her to further guidance and taqwa. She would then adhere to the orders of Allah and wear the hijab that the believing women are commanded to wear.

     If you was really serious about seeking guidance, you would have exerted yourself by the proper means to get it. And He, the Almighty says,"Allah will not change the good condition of a people as long as they do not change their state of goodness themselves (by committing sins and by being ungrateful and disobedient to Allah)." (Ar-Ra'd, 13:11)

Problem; excuse five: I'm afraid that if I wear the hijab I will take it off at another time because I have seen so many others do so!

     If everyone was to apply your logic then they would have left the Deen in its entirety! They would have left off solat because some would be afraid of leaving it later. They would have left fasting in Ramadhan because so many are afraid of not doing it later, etc. Haven't you seen how syaitan has trapped you in his snare again and blocked you from guidance?

     Allah Ta'aala loves continuous obedience even if it be small or recommended. How about something that is an absolute obligation like wearing hijab? The prophet (s.w.t.) said: The most beloved deed with Allah is the consistent one though it be little.Why haven't you sought out the causes leading those people to leave off the hijab so that you can avoid them and work to keep away from them? Why haven't you sought out reasons and causes to affirm truth and guidance until you can hold firm to them?

     Among these causes is much supplication to Allah (doa) to make the heart firm upon the Deen as did the prophet (s.w.t.). Also is making solat and having mindfulness of it as Allah stated: And seek help in patience and the prayer and truly it is extremely heavy except for the true believers in Allah who obey Allah with full submission and believe in His promise of Jannah and in His warnings (Al-Khaashi'uun). [Surah Al-Baqarah 2:45]

     Other causes to put one upon guidance and truth is adherence to the laws of Islam and one of them is indeed wearing the hijaab. Allah said: If they had done what they were told, it would have been better for them and would have strengthened their faith. [Surah Al-Baqarah 2:66]

     If you hold tight to the causes of guidance and taste the sweetness of faith you will not neglect the orders of Allah after having held to them.

Problem; excuse six: My position does not allow me to substitute my dress for Islamic dress.

     This sister is either one or the other of two types: She is sincere and honest, or she is a slippery liar who desires to make a showy display of her "hijab" clamoring with colors to be "in line with the times" and expensive. That it is not permissible for the Muslim woman to leave her home in any instance unless her clothing meets the conditions of Islamic hijab (Hijab shar'ee) and it is a duty of every Muslim woman to know what they are? If you have taken the time and effort to learn so many matters of this world how then can you be neglectful of learning those matters which will save you from the punishment of Allah and His anger after death ?

     Does Allah not say: Ask the people of remembrance (i.e. knowledgeable scholars) if you do not know. [Surah An-Nahl 16:43]. Learn therefore, the requirements of proper hijab.

     If you must go out, then do so only with the correct hijab, seeking the pleasure of Allah and the degradation of syaitan. That is because the corruption brought about by your going out adorned and "beautified" is far greater than the matter which you deem necessary to go out for.

    If you are really truthful in your intention and correctly determined you will find a thousands hands of good assisting you and Allah will make the matter easy for you! Is He not the One Who says: And whoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty) and He will provide him from sources he never could imagine. [Surah At-Talaaq 65:2-3]?

With regards to the 'slippery' one we say: Honor and position is something determined by Allah Ta'ala and it is not due to embellishment of clothing and show of colors and keeping up with the trendsetters. It is rather due to obedience to Allah and His Messenger (s.w.t.) and holding to the pure law of Allah and correct Islamic hijab. Listen to the words of Allah: Indeed, the most honorable amongst you are those who are the most pious. [Surah Al-Hujuraat 49:35]

     In summary, do things in the way of seeking Allah's pleasure and entering His Jannah and give less value to the high priced and costly objects and wealth of this world.

Problem; excuse seven: I don't wear hijab based on what Allah says: And proclaim the grace of your Rabb [Surah Ad-Dhuhaa 93:11] How can I cover what Allah has blessed me with of silky soft hair and captivating beauty?

     So this sister of ours adheres to the Book of Allah and its commands as long as they coincide with her personal desires and understanding! She leaves behind those matters when they don't please her. If this was not the case, then why doesn't she follow the aayah: And do not show off their adornment except only that which is apparent [Surah An-Nur 24:31] and the statement of Allah subhaanah: Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks all over their bodies [Surah Al-Ahzaab 33:59]?

     With this statement my sister you have now made a shari'ah (law) for yourself of what Allah Ta'aala has strictly forbidden, namely beautification (at-tabarruj) and uncovering (as-sufoor), and the reason: Your lack of wanting to adhere to the order. The greatest blessing or favor that Allah has bestowed upon us is that of Iman (faith) and hidayah (guidance) and among them is the Islamic hijab. Why then do you not manifest and talk about this greatest of blessings given to you?

     In summary, is there a greater blessing and favor upon the woman than guidance and hijab?

     On other situations, in public hospitals, employees are expected to respect the principle of secularism. In nursing schools, interviews are an official requirement for entry, and are relevant to the Muslim veil. Applicants may be asked if they are willing to remove their veil either altogether or for the purpose of wearing a disposable nurse's cap, such as those worn in operating rooms.

     As far as patients are concerned, the rule is to respect religious preferences. In particular, Muslim women may choose to be seen by a female physician, rather than a male (although the Qur'an does not forbid it), except in the case of an emergency. In this case, care is administered by the doctor on duty, male or female

Muslim women need more than Quranic teachings; they need moral guidance showing that they could be modest and virtuous without the help of veils or hijabs. And why is it that women always have to worry about what they should or should not wear? After all, what makes a woman respectable has very little to do with her attire, and a lot to do with what is inside her brain and how much she uses it.

     Finally, returning to the young women’s assertion ‘I wear hijab because I choose to……I find the experience liberating”; Only thing we need to be reminded is millions of Arab and Iranian women simply don’t havethat freedom of choice; hijab for them is a forced legal requirement.  I think, for Muslim women, raised in a free society, to go and advocate for veils or hijabs is just a cruel mockery to the sufferings of hundreds and thousands of women who were slashed with razors, had acid thrown in their faces, often were killed and imprisoned until the Islamic regime in Iran and other Arab states were able to enforce compulsory veiling and establish their rule. 

     In France, the Hijab was banned from school, and police were called in to prevent 22 Muslim girls from entering their school wearing the Hijab. That is something to be offended by. Why does the Hijab bother everyone so much, is it not us that is wearing it? We are not requesting from anyone to wear the Hijab, we want to wear it so let us be. In the Bill of Rights in the First Amendment, it clearly states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” This means we have the right to practice our religion and our religion tells us to wearhijab. . 

     Allah has stated in the Qur’an that women must guard their modesty. " Say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty ; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof. " [24:31].

     No one can ever deprive us of our dignity, no matter how much they try. We will never take off our Hijab no matter how many times they ban it. It is our self-respect and we will never remove it for anyone.