THE QUESTION OF HIJAB: SUPPRESSION OR LIBERATION?
"Why do Muslim women have to cover their heads?" This
question is one which is asked by Muslim and non-Muslim alike. For
many women it is the truest test of being a Muslim.
The answer to the question is very simple - Muslim women observe
HIJAB (covering the head and the body) because Allah has
told them to do so.
"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..." (Qur'an
33:59)
Other secondary reasons include the requirement
for modesty in both men and women. Both will then be evaluated for
intelligence and skills instead of looks and sexuality. An Iranian
school girl is quoted as saying,
"We want to stop men from
treating us like sex objects, as they have always done. We want them
to ignore our appearance and to be attentive to our personalities
and mind. We want them to take us seriously and treat us as equals
and not just chase us around for our bodies and physical
looks." A Muslim woman who covers her head is making a
statement about her identity. Anyone who sees her will know that she
is a Muslim and has a good moral character. Many Muslim women who
cover are filled with dignity and self esteem; they are pleased to
be identified as a Muslim woman. As a chaste, modest, pure woman,
she does not want her sexuality to enter into interactions with men
in the smallest degree. A woman who covers herself is concealing her
sexuality but allowing her femininity to be brought out.
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. A middle line position is taken by
some who claim that the instructions are vague and open to
individual discretion depending on the situation. The wives of the
Prophet (S) were required to cover their faces so that men would not
think of them in sexual terms since they were the "Mothers of
the Believers," but this requirement was not extended to other
women.
The word "hijab" comes from the Arabic word
"hajaba" meaning to hide from view or conceal. In
the present time, the context of hijab is the modest covering of a
Muslim woman. The question now is what is the extent of the
covering? The Qur'an says:
"Say to the believing man that they should lower
their gaze and guard their modesty; that will make for greater
purity for them; and Allah is well acquainted with all
that they do. And say to the believing women that they should
lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not
display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily
appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their
bosoms and not display their beauty except to their
husbands..." (Qur'an 24:30-31)
These verses from
the Qur'an contain two main injunctions:
- A woman should not show her beauty or adornments except what
appears by uncontrolled factors such as the wind blowing her
clothes, and
- the head covers should be drawn so as to cover the hair, the
neck and the bosom.
Islam has no fixed standard as to the
style of dress or type of clothing that Muslims must wear. However,
some requirements must be met. The first of these requirements is
the parts of the body which must be covered. Islam has two sources
for guidance and rulings: first, the Qur'an, the revealed word of
Allah and secondly, the Hadith or the traditions of the
Prophet
Muhammad (S) who was chosen by
Allah to be
the role model for mankind. The following is a Tradition of the
Prophet:
"Ayesha (R) reported that Asmaa the daughter of Abu Bakr (R)
came to the Messenger of Allah (S) while wearing
thin clothing. He approached her and said: 'O Asmaa! When a
girl reaches the menstrual age, it is not proper that anything
should remain exposed except this and this. He pointed to the face
and hands." (Abu Dawood)
The second requirement is looseness. The clothing must be loose
enough so as not to describe the shape of the woman's body. One
desirable way to hide the shape of the body is to wear a cloak over
other clothes. However, if the clothing is loose enough, an outer
garment is not necessary. Thickness is the third requirement. The
clothing must be thick enough so as not to show the color of the
skin it covers or the shape of the body. The Prophet Muhammad
(S) stated that in later generations of his ummah there would
be "women who would be dressed but naked and on top of their
heads (what looks like) camel humps. Curse them for they are truly
cursed." (Muslim) Another requirement is an over-all dignified
appearance. The clothing should not attract men's attention to the
woman. It should not be shiny and flashy so that everyone notices
the dress and the woman. In addition there are other requirements:
- Women must not dress so as to appear as men.
"Ibn Abbas
narrated: 'The Prophet (S) cursed the men who appear like women
and the women who appear like men.'" (Bukhari)
- Women should not dress in a way similar to the unbelievers.
- The clothing should be modest, not excessively fancy and also
not excessively ragged to gain others admiration or sympathy.
Often forgotten is the fact that modern Western dress is a
new invention. Looking at the clothing of women as recently as
seventy years ago, we see clothing similar to hijab. These active
and hard-working women of the West were not inhibited by their
clothing which consisted of long, full dresses and various types of
head covering. Muslim women who wear hijab do not find it
impractical or interfering with their activities in all levels and
walks of life.
Hijab is not merely a covering dress but more
importantly, it is behavior, manners, speech and appearance in
public. Dress is only one facet of the total being. The
basic requirement of the Muslim woman's dress apply to the Muslim
man's clothing with the difference being mainly in degree. Modesty
requires that the area between the navel and the knee be covered in
front of all people except the wife. The clothing of men should not
be like the dress of women, nor should it be tight or provocative. A
Muslim should dress to show his identity as a Muslim. Men are not
allowed to wear gold or silk. However, both are allowed for women.
For both men and women, clothing requirements are not meant to be
a restriction but rather a way in which society will function in a
proper, Islamic manner.
Mary C. Ali
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Reprinted with the permission of World Assembly of Muslim Youth
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