The word ‘Hijab’ comes from the Arabic word “hajaba” meaning to hide from view or to conceal. Many words including Hijab, Niqab, Burqa, Khimar and many more words were used but the word ‘Hijab’ has the most precise and clear definition in the Arabic language; it means a total barrier between two things. As an Islamic term, it points towards the modest covering of a Muslim women. A Muslim woman who uses Hijab is making a statement about her identity. Hijab (veil) is practiced in order to build one’s self-esteem and maintain one’s self-respect and dignity amongst society and its members. Until the Imperialists invaded Muslim Countries and the Muslims started mixing with non-believers, all our Muslim women walked in this world with great respect and dignity. The non-believers were finding it very difficult to come anywhere near the border of our Muslim sisters purity. The Hijab did not only protect them from those evil eyes of non-believers but also gave them freedom and independence from being misused by them. The non-believers planned to destroy their barrier through removal of Hijab (veil) and unfortunately, many of our sisters, without realizing what shame and destruction they were bringing to themselves, removed the Hijab (Muslim Veil) and exposed themselves. When imperialists invaded China, they were not faced with Hijab but were confronted with other obstacles and the Chinese refused to co-operate with them. In order to crush this resistance, the imperialists flooded China with opium and made it available to the Chinese free of charge. Once the Chinese were addicted, free distribution of opium ceased and it was given only to those who fulfilled their demands. Removal of the Hijab had exactly the same effect. At one time, you were independent and lived with dignity, but now you are nothing but a slave of your evil desire and behave worse than a Kafir (infidel). By removing your Hijab (An Act of Faith), you have destroyed your faith. Islam means submission to Allah (SWT) in all our action. Allah (SWT) states in Holy Qur’an: “And say to the believing women to lower their gazes, and to guard their private parts, and not to display their beauty (zeenah) except what is apparent of it, and to extend their head coverings (khimars) to cover their bosoms (jaybs), and not to display their beauty except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers, or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their womenfolk, or what their right hands rule (slaves), or the followers from the men who do not feel sexual desire, or the small children to whom the nakedness of women is not apparent, and not to strike their feet (on the ground) so as to make known what they hide of their adornments. And turn in repentance to Allah together, O you believers, in order that you are successful.” (Surat-un-Nur: 31). What kind of dignity a non-believer has by the way; they conduct their life and expose themselves. They have removed the shield of protection, that modesty of Hijab and left themselves unprotected and that is the cause for the assault, which takes place once every ten seconds in rape and murder around the world. But those true Muslims who observe proper Hijab are protected from such assaults. Moreover Hijab also gives the women an air of authority, dignity and respect, which a non-believer can never claim to possess. Hijab gives women a confidence in social participation as human being and not as sexual commodity. Those who reject Hijab and wish to attract men are suffering from inferiority complex. They believe men are superior and in order to overcome this feeling, they use their feminine charms. But why should a Muslim woman have such a feeling when she is fully aware of her equality with men. The Hijab is an act of obedience to Allah and to his Prophet (pbuh), Allah says, `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). Abu Dawood reported from Aishah (R.A) that Asma (R.A), the daughter of Abu Bakr (R.A), came to see the Prophet (S.A.W) wearing a thin dress. The Prophet (S.A.W) turned away and said to her, “O Asma! When a woman reaches the age of puberty, she cannot reveal any part of her body except this and this.” And he pointed to his face and hands. Allah and his Messenger have given us very clear and unmistakable instructions as to the way and when a Muslimah must wear the Hijab. Some Muslims in the 21st century tend to overlook the necessity of Hijab all together. The Prophet Muhammad (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: “In later (generations) of my ummah there will be women who will be dressed but naked. In a society full of uncovered women, appealing bodies, and lustful beauty, it is hard for any individual to avoid the amazing scenery the world sets up for its members. It is far too easy to abandon the Hijab for a man when attending co-education colleges and workforces. When Allah (SWT) commanded our sisters to observe Hijab, it was because of the universal damages that would be caused by refusing to observe it. It is not a matter of individual behavior, as many people may think. A woman going out exposing her charms attracts men, which sets off a chain of undesirable events, causing lot of harm to several people. Thus, the indecent behavior of one person affects the community as a whole. Although the person, who originally caused the damage, is to be blamed for all the consequences, other members of the community are also responsible to some extent for allowing such a thing to happen. Therefore, it becomes a collective responsibility of all of us to ensure that such damages are not caused. For example, some people were sailing in a boat, which they jointly owned when one of them stated making a hole in the place which was allocated to him in the boat. When others tried to stop him, he argued that it was his part of the boat and he was free to do whatever he wished. But if he was allowed to continue, the boat would sink and all of them would be drowned. Discarding Hijab will harm not only one’s own self but also millions of others. Exposure of physical charm of our women may destroy many homes and cause innumerable rapes and murders for which we all are responsible. Several heart-breaking stories are caused by discarding Hijab. With positive team spirit and work culture often observed within organizations in the 21st century, we often find ourselves throwing handshakes, slapping high fives, and patting each other on the back, irrespective of our gender. The saying of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) reminds us: “It is better for a man to have an iron nail drawn through the center of his forehead than for him to touch the palm of a strange (non-mahram) woman.”
Hijab amongst Islamic societies is given greater emphasis in regards to, if not entirely associated with, women, the Hijab is in fact a practice which is compulsory upon both genders. Allah (SWT) has given equal rights to both men and women; He forbids either sex claiming supremacy over the other. While women cover themselves from the gazes of men for their own benefit and dignity, likewise men have also been instructed to observe proper Hijab. Allah says, “Tell the believing men to lower their eyes and guard their private parts. There is for them goodness in this. God is aware of what they do.” ( Qur’an: (24, verse 30) A man’s Hijab does not consist of a loose covering over his body, but rather is a much more difficult practice: the lowering of his gaze. 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. The key to survival for Muslims in both Islamic and non-Islamic nations when it comes to Hijab is to simply maintain one’s modesty and keep one’s eyes to yourself. Modesty is the symbol of faith and whoever has no modesty (Hijab), has no religion. The Hijab, by many has been seen as a sign of ‘oppression’ upon Muslim women. However the true Muslimah considers it to be a humble act of worship. There was once an occasion where a journalist was visiting a university in Damascus. She came across a Muslim woman wearing the Hijab and asked her whether she found it too hot in the summer. The Muslim woman responded to her by quoting the following verse from the holy Quran: ‘The fire of hell is fiercer in Heat (Soorah Taubah:81). It is our shield, our protection from the evil in this life and a way of achieving good in the next. If someone feels a small bit of discomfort because of Hijab then this is nothing compared to security in this life and everlasting happiness in the next life. Islamic dress is modern and practical. Muslim women wearing Islamic dress work and study without any problems or constraints. Such should be attitude of every Muslim woman. Allah (SWT) had shown us the hikma (wisdom) behind the legislation of the Hijab. 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. 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) The Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: Allah loves Haya’ (Bashfulness) and Sitr (Shielding; Covering). The Holy 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. Allah (SWT) says in the Holy 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). 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 Muhammad (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.” 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. 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.
More and more people are wearing face masks and some countries have even mandated it in law. In European countries, Muslim women who wear niqab have been vilified for covering their face in public and such forms of dress were banned in some places. The COVID-19 spread changed the mentality of people and they accept wearing of hijab and even encouraged. May Allah guide us all towards true path.
Let’s look at the women of today’s society. Women all over the world, non-Arabs, are embracing Islam and wearing the Hijab as ? religious requirement. Hijab is becoming very popular amongst the West and amongst the Muslims. Every day the percentage of woman wearing Hijab is increasing. Many Muslim countries like Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia, Lebanon, Egypt, Turkey, Tunisia, Afganistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh etc are encouraging women to wear modest dress. In many Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia Hijab is essential and in some countries it is neither encouraged nor discouraged by the government. We conclude with some wonderful advice from the great Shaikh Abdur Rahman As-Sudais (the Imam of Masjid Haram, in Makkah Saudi Arabia). ?? Muslim sister! You will never be able to reach the perfection that you desire, nor wi1l you be able to regain your lost glory of the past or achieve your highest rank or position unless you follow the teachings of Islam and unless you stop at the limits and boundaries of the Sharee’ah (Islamic law). With Islam you are ? ‘protected jewel’, but without it you are dolls in the hands of wrongdoers, ? mere object of amusement and ? merchandise of trade. How many young women get trapped and how much tragedy happens when the Hijab is destroyed. Therefore, to all our Muslim sisters, in the east and the west of the Muslim world, 1 call upon you from this holy and pure land to hold fast to the Qur’an and bite onto the Sunnah of His Messenger (????? and blessings of Allah be upon him) with the molar teeth and to follow the teachings of Islam and its etiquette. The Covid-19 pandemic and physical distancing rules enacted by governments around the world have changed the way we act and present ourselves in public spaces. More and more people are wearing face masks and some countries have even mandated it in law. In European countries, Muslim women who wear niqab have been vilified for covering their face in public and such forms of dress were banned in some places. The COVID-19 spread changed the mentality of people and they accept wearing of hijab and even encouraged. May Allah guide us all towards true path…Ameen!
(The author an Associate Professor at S K University of Agriculture Sciences & Technology-SKUAST Srinagar writes regularly on Islamic topics for Kashmir Horizon exclusively. Views are his own)