ISLAM NEWSROOM UPDATE:
HIJAB - Oppression or Freedom? Questions of Hijab (and "YoLo")
You Got Questions?
"Why do Muslim women have to cover their heads?"
"Why do Muslim women have to cover their heads?"
We Got Answers!
Non-Muslims (even Muslims) ask about "hijab" (covering for ladies). For women it is a test of being a good Muslim.
Answer: Believing women cover themselves - the way God has decreed - Because God said so.
(I know, sounds like Christian preachers, right?) But it is true. However, God (Allah) has given us plenty of answers (for everything)!
Allah (God Almighty calls Himself "Allah") in His Reciting (Quran) says to us:
"O My prophet, tell your wives and daughters and believing women to cover up themselves with outer clothing all around them (when out in public or around men who are not close relatives). This is best for them so they are known (as believing women) and to be annoyed.."
(Surah Al-Ahsab, 33:59)
It is a Commandment of God ~ So, what else is necessary?
Let's use common sense to find out what are the reasons for "Hijab" (covering up). First, let's use common sense to find out what modesty is for women (and men).
Consider the status of people when they are valued for their intelligence, abilities and skills - instead of appearance, attractiveness and sexuality.
How? How do women feel about the treatment of men?
A Muslim school girl once said, "We want men to stop treating us as objects for sex, as they have always done. We want them to look past appearance and pay attention to our personalities and our minds. We want to be taken seriously and treated as equals, not just chase after us for our bodies and physical attraction."
What? What do most people think of women covering?
Any women woman who covers her head with a scarf or veil is making a statement about herself.
A nun of the Catholic Church covering herself from head to toe or a Jewish woman, following the Torah, or a Muslim woman with hijab - All are immediately identified and considered as a "religious" or "God-fearing" woman.
Anyone seeing her knows she is a woman of good, moral character. Women who cover themselves feel dignity and self esteem - happy in knowing God sees them as believing women.
What does “hijab’ mean?
Hijab comes from "hajaba" meaning: (to hide, put out of view, conceal). Now the reference to "hijab" is: (modest cover up for Muslim women).
What is to be covered?
Almighty Allah (God) explains in His Reciting (Quran):
"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, their sons, their husbands sons (and continues to name men who are excluded from this general statement)..."
[Surah An-Nur 24:31]
These verses from the Quran 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.
What do Muslim want by covering themselves?
Muslim women want to be respected as modest and chaste women - not objects of sexual attraction, not at all. She conceals her sexuality for her husband in private, while exhibiting true felinity out in the open.
Questions about Hijab for our Muslim sisters has always been a topic of discussion for centuries in the past, and likely will continue for centuries into the future.
Is "Face Cover" ordered for Muslim women?
Some scholarly folks will not consider this an open discussion and might even require a woman's face to be covered along with her hair as well.. The vast majority hold the belief this is not required, while some of them consider face covering at least as extra reward.
Some hold the belief that exact details are not quite clear and therefore, left open to individual's discretion according to their particular circumstance.
Where any women specifically ordered to cover their faces?
The Prophet's (peace be upon him), wives were definitely ordered to cover their faces, so no men would see them and think of them in any way of sexual desire - because these women have been designated by Islam as "Mothers of the believers". Certainly no sane person would want to think of their mother in any such manner. This was not the case of other women, so it is likely the face cover for others is not an order and only an option according to a lady's desire.
Cover?Why? Who? When?
Do Muslim women have to wear like ’nuns’? (And men like priests?)
NO. Actually, in Islam we find there is no fixed standard as to style of dress or type of clothing Muslims should wear. But there are some requirements to be met.
Certain parts of the body must be covered in public. Islam has two sources for guidance and rulings:
1st, the Recitation (Quran), the revealed word of Allah
2nd, Hadith (reliable stories of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him) of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
"Aysha (the wife of the prophet, peace be upon him) reported Asma', (her sister and the daughter of Abu Bakr) came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) while wearing thin clothing.He approached her and said:
'O Asma'! When a girl reaches the menstrual age, it is not proper anything should remain exposed except this and this. He pointed to the face and hands."
[hadith in Abu Dawud ~ from Uzbekistan]
Is there another requirement?
3rd, is looseness. Your clothes are to be loose enough so they do not describe the shape of the body. A 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.
4th, is thickness of the clothing, It must be thick enough so it does not show the color of the skin and covers the shape of the body. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stated in the later generations of his Ummah there would be:
"Women who are dressed but still naked and on top of their heads like humps of camels. Curse them for they are truly cursed."
[hadith in Muslim]
5th, Now the big requirement! The clothing should give an over-all dignified appearance. But not attract men's attention to the woman - Not be shiny or flashy to get attention. The clothing should not draw attention to the women.
Are there any more requirements?
6th, Yes. The believing women must not like men.
"Ibn Abbas narrated:
'The Prophet (peace be upon him) cursed the men who appear like women and the women who appear like men.'"
[Hadith in Bukhari]
What are some limits of dress for Muslim women?
7th, Women should not dress in a way similar to the unbelievers. Clothing should be modest, not excessively fancy and also not excessively ragged to gain others admiration or sympathy.
What about "modern" dress for Muslim women?
We forget the fact the modern clothes of the West is a new invention.
80 years ago, all the women covered themselves in respectful manner.
As a boy in the 1940's I saw women wearing similar to Hijab. In those days, hard-working, active women mostly wore full dresses and garments covering their entire bodies.
And, they even wore scarves around their heads when it was hot.
How? - How do Muslim women feel about the hassles and bother of covering?
To Muslim women wearing Hijab is not impractical or interfering with their activities in all levels and walks of life. Hijab is not merely a covering dress. It is behavior, manners, speech and her appearance in public. Clothes are only one facet of the total being. The basic requirement of a Muslim woman's dress applies to Muslim men’s clothing, with the differences mainly in degree.
What? - What must be covered all the time?
Modesty requires that the area between the navel and the knee be covered in front of all people except the wife.
What? - What other limits are there on dress code?
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 gold and silk are allowed for women.
What? - What is the over all benefit of covering?
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.
Source ~ Our site for sisters: IslamsWomen.com/hijab
I didn't forget 'YoLo'
Meaning:
"You Only Look ONCE"
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