Traditionally, Muslims have recognized many different forms of clothing as satisfying the demands of hijab. Debate focussed on how much of the male or female body should be covered. Different scholars adopted different interpretations of the original texts. Sunnis recommend that women wear loose clothing that is not form fitting to the body either modest forms of western clothing (long shirts and skirts), or the more traditional jilbab, a high-necked loose robe that covers the arms and legs. A khumūr or shayla, a scarf or cowl that covers all but the face is also worn in many different styles. Most salafi (sunni) scholars encourage covering the face. Many of them say it is mandatory to cover the face. Other scholars oppose face covering, particularly in the west for personal safety where the woman may be a victim of islamophobia. These garments are very different in cut than most of the traditional forms of hijab, and they are worn worldwide by Muslimas.

a woman wearing a headscarf in Kalkan, Turkey

Javed Ahmed Ghamidi, an Islamic scholar well-known for historical contextualization of Muhammad’s revelation(p.93), argues that Qur’an mentions khumūr only as a 7th century Arabian dress, but there is no command to wear it in specific. In his interpretation of verse ^{[Qur'an 33:59]}, he argues that “they may be known, and thus they will not be given trouble” and the context of the verse shows that the directive to wear jalābib was for a specific situation. He also believes that the special restrictions for wives of Muhammad are not applicable to all women at all times. He considers “head-covering” for women a cherished part of Muslim social custom and tradition but not compulsory.

Most other scholars, however, have provided evidence as to why the hijab is mandated. There have been very few Muslim scholars who argued that covering the hair is not obligatory.

Some contemporary Muslims believe that the commandment to modesty must be interpreted with regard to the surrounding society. What is considered modest, or daring, in one society may not be considered so in another. It is important, they say, for believers to wear clothing that communicates modesty and reserve in the situations in which they find themselves.

a women wearing a burqa in Afghanistan

Detailed scholarly attention has been focused on prescribing female dress. Most scholars agree that the basic requirements are that when in the presence of someone of the opposite sex (other than a close family member - see mahram), a woman should cover her body, and walk and dress in a way which does not draw sexual attention to her. Some scholars go so far as to specify exactly which areas of the body must be covered. In some cases, this is everything save the eyes but most require everything save the face and hands to be covered. In nearly all Muslim cultures, young girls are not required to wear a hijab. There is not a single agreed age when a woman should begin wearing a hijab; however, in many Muslim countries, puberty is the dividing line.

In private, and in the presence of mahrams, the rules on dress are relaxed. However in the presence of husband, most scholars stress the importance of mutual freedom and pleasure of the husband and wife^[10].

The burqa is the most observant example of this belief: not even a woman’s eyes are visible. Originating in what is now Pakistan, it is more commonly associated with Afghanistan. Typically, a burqa is composed of many yards of light material pleated around a cap that fits over the top of the head. There is an embroidered openwork grille where the burqa passes over the eyes. This type of veil is cultural as well as religious.

Traditionally Muslims, Salafis particularly and others generally, believe that the garments known today as jilbab and khumūr are the very garments demanded by the Qur’an. However, Qur’an translators and commentators translate the Arabic into English words with a general meaning - such as veils, head-coverings and shawls. While some scholars argue that verses ^{[Qur'an 24:30]} teach etiquette for male and female interactions, where khumūr is mentioned in reference to the clothing of Arab women in the 7th century, but there is no command to actually wear them in any specific way. Hence they consider head-covering a preferable practice but not a directive of the sharia (law).

Most Muslim women today do not wear a full face veil. It is more common to see women in hijab, loose clothing topped by a type of scarf worn around the head and under the chin. Women don’t share a common style nor have the same reasons for wearing hijab. For many it reflects the belief that they are following God’s commandments, are dressing according to “the correct standard of modesty,” or simply are wearing the type of traditional clothes they feel comfortable in.

A Complex History of the Veil
What constitutes modest clothing has changed over time. Like most customs, what women wear has reflected the practices of a region and the social position of the wearer. The veil itself predates Islam by many centuries. In the Near East, Assyrian kings first introduced both the seclusion of women in the royal harem and the veil. Prostitutes and slaves, however, were told not to veil, and were slashed if they disobeyed this law.

Beyond the Near East, the practice of hiding one’s face and largely living in seclusion appeared in classical Greece, in the Byzantine Christian world, in Persia, and in India among upper caste Rajput women. Muslims in their first century at first were relaxed about female dress. When the son of a prominent companion of the Prophet asked his wife Aisha bint Talha to veil her face, she answered, “Since the Almighty hath put on me the stamp of beauty, it is my wish that the public should view the beauty and thereby recognized His grace unto them. On no account, therefore, will I veil myself.”

As Islam reached other lands, regional practices, including the covering of women, were adopted by the early Muslims. Yet it was only in the second Islamic century that the veil became common, first used among the powerful and rich as a status symbol. The Qu’ranic prescription to “draw their veils over their bosoms” became interpreted by some as an injunction to veil one’s hair, neck and ears.
Throughout Islamic history only a part of the urban classes were veiled and secluded. Rural and nomadic women, the majority of the population, were not. For a woman to assume a protective veil and stay primarily within the house was a sign that her family had the means to enable her to do so.

Since nomad women rarely veiled, in the early stages of those Islamic countries with nomadic roots, women often were allowed to go unveiled, even in town. In the years of the early Safavid dynasty, women were unveiled, although the custom was changed by late Safavid times. Among the Turks, who came into Anatolia as nomads, Ibn Battuta in the fourteenth century saw what he called a “remarkable thing. The Turkish women do not veil themselves. Not only royal ladies but also wives of merchants and common people will sit in a wagon drawn by horses. The windows are open and their faces are visible.”

The Middle Ages
The veil did not appear as a common rule to be followed until around the tenth century. In the Middle Ages numerous laws were developed which most often placed women at a greater disadvantage than in earlier times. In some periods, such as under the Mamluks in Egypt, repeated decrees were issued, urging strictness in veiling and arguing against the right of women to take part in activities outside their home. One commentator, Ibn al-Hajj, claimed this was a good thing because a woman in Cairo would “go out in the streets as if she were a shining bride, walking in the middle of the road and jostling men.” He cautioned shop keepers to be careful when a woman came in to buy, “for if she was one of those women dressed up in delicate clothes, exposing her wrists, he should leave the selling transaction and give her his back until she leaves the shop peacefully…”

The Nineteenth Century
By the second half of the nineteenth century, intellectuals, reformers, and liberals began to denounce the idea of women’s protective clothing. This group was sensitive about the advances western nations had made, and wanted to push their countries toward a more western-style society. One way of achieving this, they felt, was to change the status of women. To them this meant abandoning traditional customs, including protective covering and the veil which they saw as a symbol of the exclusion of women from public life and education.

In the early years, men were in the forefront of this effort. Qasim Amin, who in 1899 wrote The Emancipation of Woman, called for new interpretations of the Quran with regard to limited divorce, polygamy, and wearing the veil. He argued that such practices had nothing to do with Islam, but were a result of customs of peoples who had become Muslims. Enormous debate followed his work. Some of his detractors were women. Egyptian writer Malak Hifni Nassef worried about women “moving from that dark and familiar state” before they were ready. She said that first women needed a “true” education and better knowledge of the world, and men needed to learn not to harass unveiled women. She resented men telling women what they should do: “If he orders us to veil, we veil, and if he now demands that we unveil, we unveil. There is no doubt that he has erred grievously against us in decreeing our rights in the past and no doubt that he errs grievously in decreeing our rights now.”

The Impact of Nationalism
The ideas of Qasim Amin reflected those who closely linked the emancipation of women and rejection of veiling to national movements for independence. For this group, the changing roles of women in society were important ways to convince the overseas colonial rulers that their subject nations were ready to govern themselves. Women were encouraged to be symbols of the new state. Those who resisted these ideas of social progress were mocked. Turkish elites, for example, mocked women covered in black, calling them “beetles.” Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who began to build a secular nation-state in 1923, denounced the veil, calling it demeaning and a hindrance to civilized nation. But he did not outlaw it. Shortly after, in Iran in the 1930s, Reza Shah Pahlevi did, issuing a proclamation banning the veil outright. For many women, this decree in its suddenness was not liberating but frightening. Some refused to leave home for fear of having their veil torn from their face by the police.

Male leaders of nationalist movements encouraged women to join them and appear more freely in public. Slowly some women did. In 1910, a young Turkish woman attracted attention by daring to have herself photographed. At about the same time, educated women in Turkey began to leave the house unveiled, but still wearing hijab. The most dramatic public unveiling was undertaken by Huda Shaarawi in Egypt in 1923. Following suit were Ibtihaj Kaddura in Lebanon, Adila Abd al-Qudir al-Jazairi in Syria, and much later Habibah Manshari in Tunis. Moroccan scholar Fatima Mernissi remembers the fight her mother had with her father about replacing her heavier traditional veil with “a tiny triangular black veil made of sheer silk chiffon. This drove Father crazy: ‘It is so transparent! You might as well go unveiled!’ But soon the small veil, the litham, became the fashion, with all the nationalists’ wives wearing it all over Fez - to gatherings in the mosque and to public celebrations, such as when political prisoners were liberated by the French.”

Women’s organizations also played an important role in transforming dress, although this was a minor issue in their struggle for women’s political rights and for legal reforms. It should be stressed that for many women it was not the fact of wearing the veil that was the issue, but that the veil symbolized the relegation of women to a secluded world that did not allow them to participate in public affairs…

As the century progressed, a revival of veiling and introduction of more modest dress reasserted itself. Opposition to Islamic required clothing had never been truly universal. Among the lower middle classes it had always tended to be defended in the face of change. Even in Turkey where the state had pushed the idea of reform, new ideas and styles of dress did not reach women in the hinterland.

In areas where Islam was resisted and believers felt threatened, like Indonesia and the Philippines, Muslim women began to dress more conservatively as a way to assert who they were. During militant struggles for independence, such as that against the French in Algeria or the British in Egypt, some women purposely kept the veil in defiance of western styles. It meant they also could take part in veiled and silent demonstrations, or could hide weapons under long robes.

There were other reasons for taking up and defending hijab. One was the growing reaffirmation of nation identity and rejection of values and styles seen as western. In response to Egypt’s catastrophic loss to Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War, and the seeming failure of secularism, there also was a push to return to Islamic laws which had been abandoned. Modernization was seen as negative, a phenomena which encouraged people to reject not only Islamic but all indigenous traditions. Wearing hijab came to symbolize not the inferiority of the culture in comparison to western ways, but its uniqueness and superiority.

The real surge toward donning hijab came with Iran’s revolution. Women were seen as key elements in achieving changes in public morality and private behavior. Unveiled women were mocked, called unchaste “painted dolls,” and were punished if they appeared in public without proper covering. In countries beyond Iran in the 1970s, demonstrations and sit-ins appeared over opposition to the required western style dress code for university students and civil servants.

Today
With the trend to revive or create Islamist movements, women have continued to take up the modest covering of the hijab. Within women’s groups the debate over its use also continues. Some progressive groups, such as the Women’s Action Forum (WAF) in Pakistan, explicitly condemn all attempts to impose a dress code on women. They argue that those who do not conform to it are stigmatized. They say that it denies women the freedom to decide on their own appearance. Women’s groups endorsing a strict interpretations of Islam, on the other hand, aggressively promote dress codes, putting out information sheets listing its requirements…

For women wishing to pursue professional and public social lives, wearing hijab allows freer movement outside the confines of the home. In leaving their homes, this upwardly mobile group is actually defining new roles for themselves, not defending traditional ones. In the same way, students who take up hijab are able to move into areas that were once closed to them, such as attending classes, discussion groups and religious activities. Wearing conservative clothing protects them from sexual harassment and objectification. An Iranian school girl states, “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.”

]]> http://ratihchubby.net/2008/08/27/islamic-dress/feed/ http://ratihchubby.net/2008/08/17/hijab-shines-in-beijing-olympic/ http://ratihchubby.net/2008/08/17/hijab-shines-in-beijing-olympic/#comments Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:52:29 +0000 ratih_euy http://ratihchubby.net/?p=84 BEIJING, Many Muslim women athletes in the Beijing Olympic Games are breaking Western stereotypes, proving that donning the hijab is never an obstacle to excelling in life and sports. “The hijab has never been a problem for me,” Bahraini sprinter Ruqaya Al-Ghasara, who made history for Muslim women athletes after winning a gold medal at the [...]]]>

BEIJING, Many Muslim women athletes in the Beijing Olympic Games are breaking Western stereotypes, proving that donning the hijab is never an obstacle to excelling in life and sports.

“The hijab has never been a problem for me,” Bahraini sprinter Ruqaya Al-Ghasara, who made history for Muslim women athletes after winning a gold medal at the 2006 West Asian Games, told Reuters on Monday, August 11.

The Games, which opened on August 8, will see many Muslim women determined to stay devout to their religious dress code while pursuing the Olympic gold. Half a dozen veiled Egyptians, three Iranians, an Afghan and a Yemeni are competing in sprinting, rowing, taekwondo and archery.

Hijab and Sports, Sports in Islam, Hijab, Why?

Al Ghasara and Iranian rower Homa Hosseini won the honor of being flag bearers for their countries at the opening ceremony. Islam sees hijab as an obligatory code of dress, not a religious symbol displaying ones affiliations.

The issue of hijab, which Islam sees as an obligatory code of dress not a religious symbol, in sports was thrust into the spotlight in the West recently. Last January, an American high-school Muslim star runner was pulled out from a local competition for wearing hijab. In March 2007, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the game’s ultimate regulators, said hijab is forbidden in soccer games. The ruling came after a Canadian Muslim was expelled from a soccer game for donning a hijab. An 11-year-old Canadian kid was also thrown out from a national Judo tournament last November for wearing hijab.

• Empowering

Egyptian fencer Shaimaa El Gammal, a third-timer at the Olympics, is wearing hijab for the first time in the games.

“When I fence I’m proud that I’m a Muslim,” the 28-year-old told Reuters.

“It’s very symbolic for women in my country.”

For El Gammal, wearing the hijab has given her inner strength.

“People see us wearing the scarf and think we ride camels. But Muslim women can do anything they want.”

Women in Al Ghasara’s home town in Bahrain are so proud of their pioneering Olympic sprinter. Some of them got together to design and sew a set of tailor-made aerodynamic veils to help her perform better in the games.

“In Bahrain you grow up with it,” said Al Ghasara, who usually wears a trademark red and white hijab resembling the colors of her country’s flag.

“We have women who are ambassadors, doctors, pilots”.

“For me it’s liberating.”

Source : islamonline.com

Hijab or ħijāb (حجاب, pronounced: [ħi.ˈdʒæːb]) is the Arabic term for “cover” (noun), based on the root حجب meaning “to veil, to cover (verb), to screen, to shelter”.

According to the Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World, the meaning of hijab has evolved over time:

The term hijab or veil is not used in the Qur’an to refer to an article of clothing for women or men, rather it refers to a spatial curtain that divides or provides privacy. The Qur’an instructs the male believers (Muslims) to talk to wives of Muhammad behind a hijab. This hijab was the responsibility of the men and not the wives of Muhammad. However, in later Muslim societies this instruction, specific to the wives of Muhammad, was generalized, leading to the segregation of the Muslim men and women. The modesty in Qur’an concerns both men’s and women’s gaze, gait, garments, and genitalia. The clothing for women involves khumūr over the necklines and jilbab (cloaks) in public so that they may be identified and not harmed. Guidelines for covering of the entire body except for the hands, the feet, and the face, are found in texts of fiqh and hadith that are developed later.

Texts implicating the value and purpose to the use of hijab

• Qur’an

The Qur’an instructs Muslims to dress in a modest fashion. The following verses are generally interpreted as applying to all Muslim men and women.

Surah an-Nur ayah 31 states:

In the following verse, Muslim women are asked to draw their jilbab over them (when they go out), as a measure to distinguish themselves from others, so that they are not harassed.

• Hadith

The Arabic word jilbab is translated as “cloak” in the following passage. Contemporary salafis insist that the jilbab worn today is the same garment mentioned in the Qur’an and the hadith; other translators have chosen to use less specific terms:

A’isha reported that Muhammad’s wives went out at nighttime to open fields in the outskirts of Medina to relieve themselves. Umar said “Muhammad, ask your ladies to observe veil.”[citation needed]

Narrated Anas ibn Malik: I know (about) the Hijab (the order of veiling of women) more than anybody else. Ubay ibn Ka’b used to ask me about it. Allah’s Apostle became the bridegroom of Zaynab bint Jahsh whom he married at Medina. After the sun had risen high in the sky, the Prophet invited the people to a meal. Allah’s Apostle remained sitting and some people remained sitting with him after the other guests had left. Then Allah’s Apostle got up and went away, and I too, followed him till he reached the door of ‘Aisha’s room. Then he thought that the people must have left the place by then, so he returned and I also returned with him. Behold, the people were still sitting at their places. So he went back again for the second time, and I went along with him too. When we reached the door of ‘Aisha’s room, he returned and I also returned with him to see that the people had left. Thereupon the Prophet hung a curtain between me and him and the Verse regarding the order for (veiling of women) Hijab was revealed. Sahih Bukhari 7:65:375, Sahih Muslim 8:3334

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu’minin: The Prophet said: Allah does not accept the prayer of a woman who has reached puberty unless she wears a veil. Sunnan Abu Dawud 2:641

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu’minin: Asma bint Abu Bakr, entered upon the Apostle of Allah while she was wearing thin clothes. The Apostle of Allah turned his attention from her. He said: O Asma’, when a woman reaches the age of menstruation, it does not suit her that she displays her parts of body except this and this, and he pointed to her face and hands. Sunan Abu Dawud 32:4092

]]> http://ratihchubby.net/2008/08/15/hijab/feed/ http://ratihchubby.net/2008/08/08/the-virtues-of-hijab/ http://ratihchubby.net/2008/08/08/the-virtues-of-hijab/#comments Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:05:04 +0000 ratih_euy http://ratihchubby.net/?p=39 1.An act of obedience. The hijab is an act of obedience to Allah and to his prophet (pbuh), Allah says in the Qur’an: `It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His messenger have decreed a matter that they should have an option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His [...]]]>

1.An act of obedience.

The hijab is an act of obedience to Allah and to his prophet (pbuh), Allah says in the Qur’an: `It is not for a believer, man or woman, 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 in a plain error.’ (S33:36).

Allah also said: ‘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 adornment except what must (ordinarily) appear thereof, that they should draw their veils over their Juyubihinna.’(S24:31).

Juyubihinna: The respected scholars from As-Salaf As-Saleh (righteous predecessors) differed whether the veil cover of the body must include the hands and face or not. Today, respected scholars say that the hands and face must be covered. Other respected scholars say it is preferable for women to cover their whole bodies.

2.The Hijab is IFFAH (Modesty).

Allah (subhana wa’atala) made the adherence to the hijab a manifestation for chastity and modesty. Allah says: ‘O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) over their bodies (when outdoors). That is most convenient that they should be known and not molested.’ (S33:59). In the above Ayaah there is an evidence that the recognition of the apparent beauty of the woman is harmful to her. When the cause of attraction ends, the restriction is removed. This is illustrated in the case of elderly women who may have lost every aspect of attraction. Allah (swt) made it permissible for them to lay aside their outer garments and expose their faces and hands reminding, however, that is still better for them to keep their modesty.

3.The hijab is Tahara (Purity)

Allah (swt) had shown us the hikma (wisdom) behind the legislation of the hijab: `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 their hearts.’ (S33:53).

The hijab makes for greater purity for the hearts of believing men and women because it screens against the desire of the heart. Without the hijab, the heart may or may not desire. That is why the heart is more pure when the sight is blocked (by hijab) and thus the prevention of fitna (evil actions is very much manifested. The hijab cuts off the ill thoughts and the greed of the sick hearts:

`Be not soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease (of hypocrisy or evil desire for adultery, etc) should be moved with desire, but speak in an honourable manner.’ (S33:32)

4.The hijab is a Shield

The prophet (pbuh) said: “Allah, Most High, is Heaven, is Ha’yeii (Bashful), Sit’teer (Shielder). He loves Haya’ (Bashfulness) and Sitr (Shielding; Covering).” The Prophet (pbuh) also said: “Any woman who takes off her clothes in other than her husband’s house (to show off for unlawful purposes), has broken Allah’s shield upon her. “The hadith demonstrates that depending upon the kind of action committed there will be either reward (if good) or punishment (if bad).

5. The hijab is Taqwah (Righteousness)

Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an: `O 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.’(S7:26). The widespread forms of dresses in the world today are mostly for show off and hardly taken as a cover and shield of the woman’s body. To the believing women, however the purpose is to safeguard their bodies and cover their private parts as a manifestation of the order of Allah. It is an act of Taqwah (righteousness).

6.The hijab is Eemaan (Belief or Faith)

Allah (swt) did not address His words about the hijab except to the believing women, Al-Mo’minat. In many cases in the Qur’an Allah refers to the “the believing women”. Aisha (RA), the wife of the prophet (pbuh), addressed some women from the tribe of Banu Tameem who came to visit her and had light clothes on them, they were improperly dressed: “If indeed you are believing women, then truly this is not the dress of the believing women, and if you are not believing women, then enjoy it.”

7. The hijab is Haya’ (Bashfulness)

There are two authentic hadith which state: “Each religion has a morality and the morality of Islam is haya’” AND “Bashfulness is from belief, and belief is in Al-Jannah (paradise)”. The hijab fits the natural bashfulness which is a part of the nature of women.

8.The hijab is Gheerah

The hijab fits the natural feeling of Gheerah, which is intrinsic in the straight man who does not like people to look at his wife or daughters. Gheerah is a driving emotion that drives the straight man to safeguard women who are related to him from strangers. The straight MUSLIM man has Gheerah for ALL MUSLIM women In response to lust and desire, men look (with desire) at other women while they do not mind that other men do the same to their wives or daughters. The mixing of sexes and absence of hijab destroys the Gheera in men. Islam considers Gheerah an integral part of faith. The dignity of the wife or daughter or any other Muslim woman must be highly respected and defended.

Source : University of Essex Islamic Society

Wearing the Hijaab isn’t just a matter of simply putting a piece of cloth on your head, it is an attitude, a way of thinking and behaving, and accepting yourself for who and what you are. Basically it constitutes an Islamic way of life, it is a statement which indeed should portray a certain attitude.

A woman may indeed wear a long skirt and a scarf, but if she flirts constantly, then she can’t be really described as wearing the Hijaab (Indeed clothes should be long, loose and not see through, after which any style of clothing is applicable). The whole idea involves conducting oneself with dignity at all times (that means running for the bus and boisterous behaviour in public is not a good idea!!). As previously mentioned, the Hijaab depicts a statement, and that is something one should be continually aware of. It identifies you as a Muslim, and ultimately people will judge Islam by you, and that is a heavy responsibility!! Yet sisters, we must also be thankful that by wearing the Hijaab, we go a long way in fulfilling our duties of Dawah. Curiosity prompts people to question us, giving us the opportunity to show the non-muslims the beauty of our religion. O.k., so we may get the stares at times (to which one rapidly becomes immune), but it is amazing how many are sincerely interested, oh and not to forget the redoubtable old British ladies on the Tube (”Oh I do like your headdress, my dear!!!”).

Hijaab isn’t meant to restrict you from doing the kind of things you want to do, it is a blessing because it makes us check our behaviour continuously, preventing us from doing the things that muslims shouldn’t be doing anyway. Anything (with the blessings of the Almighty, is possible) -studying, working etc. etc. -provided it is within the bounds of Islam (Halal).

Sometimes, however the decision to wear the Hijaab can become extra complicated through external pressures, notably family and friends. Unfortunately, even some muslims nowadays look upon the Hijaab as being too “extreme”, and the like and when these attitudes come from members of your family then the decision becomes all the more difficult. Speaking from experience, things do change, because ultimately, you are doing this for Allah (s.w.t), and he will make it easy for you, by “softening” the hearts of those that may not be all that encouraging. Eventually they themselves will want to follow you because deep down they know that it is the right thing to do. If that doesn’t help, then this should convince you:

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said : Allah the Almighty says:

“I am as my servant thinks I am…If he draws near to Me a hand’s span, I draw near to him an arms length; and if he draws near to Me an arm’s length, I draw near to him a fathom’s length. And if he comes walking, I go to him at speed.”

On the other side, it is important to ascertain the motive for wearing the Hijaab. If you are thinking of wearing it to please your husband, to impress people at the mosque, or just as a change, then please think again. Hijaab (as with everything else) is to please Allah (s.w.t) only, any other motive will not sustain that conviction.

A word also to our brothers; Hijaab may seem to be merely a woman’s issue, but that is not so. Muslim men have to follow a dress code too, no matter if it isn’t as extensive as for women it still exists! The men, like women, should also wear loose clothes -so no tight fitting jeans please!! Their attitude to all women should also always remain respectful and business like, as the women’s attitude to men should be.

Finally, all of the above pales in significance to the words of our Creator (s.w.t):

Say to the believing men
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: that they
Should not display their
Beauty and ornaments except
What (ordinarily) appear
Thereof; that they should
Draw their veils over
Their bosoms and not display
Their beauty except
To their husbands, their fathers,
Their Husband’s fathers, their sons,
Their brothers or their brothers’ sons,
Or their sisters’ sons,
Or their women, or their slaves
Whom their right hands
Possess, or male attendants
Free of sexual desires.
Or small children who
Have no carnal knowledge of women;
And that they
Should not strike their feet
In order to draw attention
To their hidden ornaments.
And O ye Believers!
Turn ye all together
Towards Allaah in repentance that ye
may be successful.
(Al -Quran, ch.24:30-31)

It is amazing the way things changed overnight when I started on with Hijab. I can feel the extra respect coming my way. People take me more seriously; friends at college think it looks very neat and smart, and I feel protected and confident when I step out. Dr. Mrs. N.Z.Vakil (Medical Student)

The most important thing about Hijab is that it gives you an identity of a Muslim. Moreover, it is another way of obedience to Allah’s (SWT) command. People often gives me due respect which I would have not got without a Hijab. Traveling among men has become easy for me as it makes me feel safe and protected. It also gives me a lot of confidence and last but not the least this has brought me one step closer to Allah (SWT). Therefore, I consider Hijab as a blessing from Allah (SWT) and I thank him for His blessing. Reshma Qazi (Arts Student)

The Angel of Death, Azrael (Ezra’il) said: “Obedience to Allah’s (SWT) Commandments is better than compassion to the earth”. Initially I felt I would be looked down upon in society, but after wearing Hijab, I realized that people do not give you as much importance as you feel they should. The nearness, which I felt to Allah (SWT) by obeying His commandment, is beyond expression. Moreover wearing Hijab has created an aura of respectability in my environment and has enabled me to remember Allah (SWT) more often. Mrs. S.A. Vakil (House Wife)

I feel that at present when demoralization is increasing in the society, every woman should wear Hijab, It is the only thing which protects a woman and makes her feel secured. Shenaz. F. Raj (College Student)

In the modern society of today, a woman has always been looked upon as just another sexual object for the men. Why should one display one’s beauty for unwanted eyes to feast upon? The Hijab protects a woman’s honor and doesn’t arouse unwanted passion from the opposite sex. I feel if the women were to universally adopt the Islamic code of dressing (Islamic dress for women); the rate of incidences of eves teasing, molestation, rape, etc. would be negligible. Wearing the Hijab gives me more confidence in myself as a woman and it doesn’t obstruct me in any way in my profession. Mrs. Salva I. Rasool (Graphic Designer)

Hijab is a word that indicates not just the headscarf but clothing in its entirety which meets the following conditions :

1. Clothing must cover the entire body, only the hands and face may remain visible (According to some Fiqh Schools) .

2. The material must not be so thin that one can see through it.

3. The clothing must hang loose so that the shape / form of the body is not apparent.

4. The female clothing must not resemble the man’s clothing.

5. The design of the clothing must not resemble the clothing of the non believing women.

6. The design must not consist of bold designs which attract attention.

7. Clothing should not be worn for the sole purpose of gaining reputation or increasing one’s status in society.

The reason for this strictness is so that the woman is protected from the lustful gaze of men. She should not attract attention to herself in any way. It is permissible for a man to catch the eye of a woman , however it is haram (unlawful) for a man to look twice as this encourages lustful thoughts.

Islam protects the woman. It is for this reason that Allah gave these laws. In today’s society womankind is being exploited, female sexuality is being openly used in advertising, mainly to attract the desires of men and therefore sell the product. Is the woman really free in today’s society ? The answer is obviously no, the constant bombardment by the media as to how the ideal woman should look and dress testifies to this.

Islam liberated woman over 1400 years ago. Is it better to dress according to man or God ?

Allah has stated in the Quran 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. ” [Quran : 24.31]

” Say to the believing man that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty ; that will make for greater purity for them, and God is well acquainted with all they do. ” [Quran : 24.30]

” And O ye believers turn ye all together toward God, so that ye may attain bliss. ” [Quran : 24.31]

With this I should conclude that Allah has given us guidance through the Quran and Sunnah, He also given us the logic and commonsense to apply these in our everyday life. However, Allah is not unreasonable and understands the mankind’s weakness and to this I will refer you to the hadith in Sahih Al-Bukhari.

Narrated (Abu Huraira):

The Prophet said, “Religion (Islam) is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded; and gain strength by offering the prayers in the mornings, afternoons and during the last hour of the night.” [1:38-O.B.]