Perhaps if you ask any person about what they know about Islam, they would be quick to point out that Muslim women wear covering on their heads. Well, this covering is called Hijab in Islam. It is a religious obligation upon all Muslim women beyond the age of puberty to wear.
Hijab literally means a barrier and this is what it really is. It is a barrier between the sanctity of the Muslim woman wearing it and the prying eyes or groping hands of the public especially those of lascivious men. It does not take a malicious man to make a Muslim woman wear the Hijab but its primarily done as an act of worship. A Muslim woman expects to be rewarded simply by wearing Hijab the same way Virgin Mary did.
A Muslim woman wears Hijab whenever there are other men around her which are not her immediate family. If a male cousin, brother in law or anyone beyond these in blood relations is around, a Muslim woman or a Muslimah must wear Hijab. But if she is alone with her husband, children or brothers, she may not wear Hijab provided that her privacy is protected and she is not seen by the public through open doors or windows or anything similar.
Hijab is also a prerequisite for performing the Salah or Muslim prayer in order for it to be valid. A Muslimah praying without Hijab even if she is totally alone in a room will have her Salah invalidate by not fulfilling this condition. Allah said in the Quran,
“O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e. screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allaah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful” Quran 33:59
“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, headcover, apron), and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment 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 brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of feminine sex.” Quran 24:31
THE PROPER HIJAB
According to the first verse above, the Hijab should cover the body of the woman properly which means that Hijab is actually not only the covering for the head. It is supposed to cover the whole body. A Muslimah is expected to cover her entire body with clothing that is of enough size so that it will not reveal the shape of her body, enough length so that none of her body parts are seen when she moves and enough thickness of fabric so that the color of her skin or undergarments are revealed. A Muslimah, however, may have her face and hands uncovered even in public although some prefer to cover their faces and hands as well.
This is the proper Hijab and it is sad to note that many Muslimah thinks that Hijab is only the covering for the hair so they leave the other body parts exposed. Anything that is opposite of the proper Hijab is improper whether the Muslimah is simply walking in public or performing her prayers in private.
Similarly, Hijab is not only in clothing, as Allah said in second verse above, Muslimahs are ordered to lower their gaze which means to be modest in the way she speaks or interact with others especially the opposite sex which are not Mahram which is someone who is not a near relative as mentioned or she may marry even if she is already married. Muslimahs are expected not to flirt with them or even shake their hands because these are violations of Hijab even in she is fully covered from head to toe.
Because of Hijab, the Muslimah is expected to behave in public to be involved in any free mixing of men and women in any form of gathering where there may be a buildup of flirting, temptations or even sexual molestation.
Being online does not exempt Muslimahs from not wearing Hijab. Muslimahs who upload their photos to social media or flirt with the opposite sex are sinning because life online is also your life offline.
A Muslimah may wear any color or style of Hijab that she likes provided that it is not too attractive because it will defeat the purpose of the Hijab.
THE WISDOM OF HIJAB
In spite of the good intentions that come with the legislation of Hijab for Muslim women, many are quick to criticize Hijab as oppressive and women should be liberated by allowing them not to wear Hijab. But what they fail to realize is that Hijab is never meant to be oppressive. Rather, it’s an empowering legislation that Muslim women are not objectified or sexualized especially in this age when voyeurism is rampant. The Hijab forms that barrier that sends signals to everyone including sexual predators to back off.
In today’s world where women are raped, groped and abused, the last thing we need is to leave our women with nothing to wear except a few pieces of clothing that almost cover nothing that tempts any would be attacker as if he’s being dared to come and get it if you know what I mean.
Islam is the most feminist religion even if only a few people realize this and this is shown in how we protect our women with the Hijab – the veil of piety.
If you want to know more about Islam, watch Mensahe TV via Cignal channel 184.
