THE CONCEPT OF HIJAB

by Afdhal (Afzal) S. Kerawalla

Tafseer III Course Shariah Academy of America April 8, 2011

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................3 WHAT IS AWRAH?.........................................................................................................8 HIJAB FOR MEN...........................................................................................................15 LATER DEVELOPMENTS...........................................................................................16 RECENT TRENDS.........................................................................................................18 CONCLUSION................................................................................................................20 BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................................................................................22

Bismillah Ar Rahman Nir Raheem. INTRODUCTION The hijab in Islam is not only a sign of modesty and religious faith but also a symbol of the defense of deen (religion), the preservation of the family, and, therefore, the identity of Muslim society. [Linguistically,] hijab [comes] from the verb hajaba which means to hide from view, conceal [and is referred to] any veil placed in front of a person or an object in order to conceal it from view or to isolate itScarcely anything is known of the pre-Islamic use of this word; but the Quran, though it is found there only seven times, provides as valuable information on the basic and metaphorical meaning of the term... In general hijab in the Quran means a separation: i. It is the veil or the curtain behind which Maryam isolated herself from her family (Soorah Maryam, 19:17); ii. It is also the separate establishment (later the gynaeceum1) which was imposed at first only on the wives of the Prophet (Soorah Al-Ahzab, 33:53; 33:32); iii. On the Day of Judgment, the saved will be separated from the damned by a hijab (Soorah ar-Araf, 7: 46), which is glossed as wall (sur) by the commentators, who deduce this interpretation from Quran (Soorah Al-Hadid, 57:13); iv. It belongs not to any mortal that God should speak to him, except by revelation, or from behind a veil (Soorah Ash-Shura, 42:51), a veil apparently intended to protect the elect from the brilliance of the Divine countenance; v. [It is] a sort of veil which envelops, either actually the sun which vanishes behind the veil of the night, Quran (As-Saad, 38:32)...; vi. The unbelievers say to the Prophet our hearts are veiled...; and in our ears is a heaviness; and between us and thee there is a veil (Al-Fussilat, 41:5); and vii. We place between thee and those who do not believe in the world to come, a curtain obstructing (hijab, mastur) (Al-Isra, 17:45)2 [From the above, it is clear that] the concept of the word hijab is three-dimensional, and the three dimensions often blend into one another. The first dimension is a visual one: to hide something from sightThe second dimension is spatial: to separate, to mark a border, to establish a threshold. And finally, the third dimension is ethical: it belongs to the realm of the forbidden. So we have not just tangible categories that exist in the reality of the senses the visual, the spatial but also an abstract reality in the realm of ideas.3 [In the common parlance,] Hijab [nowadays] has become almost synonymous with the head-scarf In fact various pieces of clothing have specific names in the Arabic language and hijab is the word which rather refers to the whole ensemble of the required Islamic [code of] dress4 based on the understanding on the above analysis of
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A building or a portion of the house reserved for women (a womens quarter) The Encyclopedia of Islam, (The Netherlands: E. J. Brill, 1986) Vol. III, pg 359 3 Fatima Mernissi, Women and Islam: An Historical and Theological Enquiry, Translated by: Mary Jo Lakeland (Great Britain: Basil Blackwell, 1991) pg 93 4 Sara Harold, The Experience of Hijab (Cairo: Al-Falah Foundation, 2004) pg 2

its definition. Khimar 5 is the piece of cloth which women use to cover their head, and it also covers up the neck and bosom. Juyub is the plural of jayb which means upper part of the shirt just below the neck.6 The distinguishing factor is the wearing of an over-garment known as a jilbab7 and sometimes referred to as an abaya or burqa or chador.8 On the other hand, niqab is that with which a woman veils her face (tantaqib9). Hence, the difference between the hijab, khimar and niqab is that the hijab is something which covers all of the body, whilst the khimar in general is something with which a woman covers her head and niqab is that which covers a womans face only. In this discourse, we will try to understand the Quranic verses supported by ahadith which specifically refers to hijab as part of the dress code, conditions for proper attire, scholars opinions over the meaning of awrah and last but not least, the present status of ummah with regard to hijab. PROOF IN DIVINE TEXTS The orders of hijab were introduced for the first time in Soorah Al-Ahzab, which was revealed following the battle of Ahzab after the fifth year of Hijrah. Soorah An-Noor was revealed in 6th year after Hijrah and contains explicit commands about Hijab.10 Lets understand these ayaat: Allah (swt) says in the Quran in Soorah Al-Ahzab, 33:59: O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their Jalabib over their bodies. That will be better that they should be known so as not to be annoyed. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Allah (swt) tells His Messenger (saws) to command the believing women - especially his wives and daughters, because of their position of honor - to draw their Jilbabs over their bodies, so that they will be distinct in their appearance from the women of the Jahiliyyah and from slave women.11 From among the general run of hypocrites, was they used to molest bondwomen from Muslim homes when they came out to take care of family chores. Then on occasions, they would mistreat free women under the
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Khimar comes from the word khamara, the root meaning of which is to cover. Maulana Mufti Muhammad Shafi', Ma'ariful-Qur'an, Translated by Prof. Muhammad Hasan Askari, Prof. Muhammad Shamim, Revised by Justice Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani (Karachi: Maktaba Darul-Uloom, 2005) Vol. 6 pg 413 7 The jilaab is a wrapper, which Ibn Masood and others called the rida (cloak), and which the common folk [i.e. at the time of Ibn Taymiyyah] call the izaar (Islam-qa.com - Question #45869: Ruling on covering the hands in the presence of non-mahram men < http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/45869> 25 February 2011 8 Sara Harold, The Experience of Hijab (Cairo: Al-Falah Foundation, 2004) pg 3 9 For example the hadith of Hajj, when Prophet (saws) said Wa laa tantaqib al-marah (And the woman should not cover her face with Niqab) 10 Dr. Israr Ahmad, Religious Obligations of Muslim Women (Lahore: Markazi Anjuman Khuddam ul Qur'an, 2003) pg 36 11 Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri, Tafseer Ibn Kathir (Abridged) (Riyadh: Darussalam Publishers & Distributors, 2000) Vol. 8 pg 45

impression that they were bondwomen. Islam never allowed difference to exist between free women and bondwomen in the matter of providing protection to the chastity and honor, but has protected free women and left bondwomen (to fend for themselves). The truth of the matter is that this difference was made by these wicked and low people themselves, as they simply did not dare act high-handedly against free women, but chose to tease bondwomen. The Shari'ah of Islam took a functional advantage from this difference put into practice by them by ordering the free women to distinguish themselves, so that the majority of women become automatically protected through their own standing conduct in this matter.12 Abu Dawud related that Aishah (ra) said: "After this Ayah was revealed the women of the Ansar appeared like crows." (Because of the color and shape of the cloaks they wore). The scholars have interpreted part of the meaning of appeared like crows as meaning that their jilbabs were plain and black. Also, Allah (swt) says in the Quran in Soorah An-Noor, 24:30): Tell the believing men to lower their gaze, and protect their private parts. That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they do. In the above verse, the word (yaghuddu) is derived from (ghadd), which means to bring down or to lower, (Raghib) lowering of eyes or to keep eyes down as enjoined in the verse, means to turn the eyes from something which is prohibited to be seen by Shari'ah (Ibn Kathir). Ibn Hibban has given the explanation that to look at a nonMahram woman with intent to have (sexual) pleasure is totally prohibited, and to look without any such motive is makruh (undesirable).13 The initial act is to cast eye, and the ultimate is adultery. Tabarani has quoted 'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (ra) that the Prophet (saws) once said: Casting eye is a poisonous arrow among the arrows of Satan. Whoever turns away his eye fearing from Me (despite demand of the heart), I will give him such strong faith, the delight of which he will feel in his heart (Ibn Kathir) 14 Also, Allah (swt) says in the Quran in Soorah An-Noor, 24:31)15: And tell the believing women to lower their gaze, and protect their private parts and not to show off their adornment except that which is apparent, and to draw their veils all over their Juyub 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 women, or their right hand possessions, or the Tabi`in among men who do not have desire, or children who are not aware of the nakedness of women. And let them not stamp their feet so as to
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Maulana Mufti Muhammad Shafi', Ma'ariful-Qur'an, Translated by Prof. Muhammad Hasan Askari, Prof. Muhammad Shamim, Revised by Justice Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani (Karachi: Maktaba DarulUloom, 2005) Vol. 7 pg 239-241 13 Ibid., Vol.6 pg 408 14 Ibid., Vol.6 pg 408-409 15 The ayaat 24:30-31 were revealed at the time of incident of lfk, which had happened on return from the battle of Bani Mustaliq or Muraisi' which took place in the 6th Hijrah (Ibid., Vol.6 pg 407)

reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful. In the initial part of this long ayah the injunction is the same which has been enjoined on men-folk in the preceding ayah, that is, keep the eyes down or turn away the eyes. Women-folk are also included in the injunction along with men, but in the next verse there is a separate injunction for them for laying more emphasis. Hence, it is clear that for women it is forbidden to look at any man except their mahrams. In a hadith, once 'Umm Salamah and Maimunah (ra) both were with the Prophet (saws) when suddenly 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umm Maktum (ra) who was blind, came in, and the Prophet (saws) asked them to go inside. This incident had happened after the injunction of women was revealed. On this 'Umm Salamah (ra) pleaded O Prophet! But he is only blind, he can't see us'. Then the Prophet (saws) replied 'Is it that you are blind too?' (Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi Tirmidhi declared this hadith as hasan) 16 However, some scholars said that it is permissible for women to look at non-Mahram men without desire, as it was recorded in the Sahih that the Prophet (saws) was watching the Ethiopians playing with spears in the masjid on the day of Eid, and A'ishah (ra) was watching them from behind him and he was concealing her from them, until she got bored and went away.17 Later in the ayah, the order is that women should not show anything of their adornment to non-Mahram men except for whatever it is impossible to hide and that they should wear the outer garment in such a way as to cover their chests and ribs, so that they will be different from the women of the Jahiliyyah, who did not do that but would pass in front of men with their chests completely uncovered, and with their necks, forelocks, hair and earrings uncovered.18 The issue relating to definition of awrah will be covered in detail in the section What is Awrah? Later, a list of woman's close relatives are mentioned whom she can never marry (Mahram), slaves, hermaphrodite and children, who do not understand anything about women or their awrah and hence, it is permissible for her to show her adornments to them, but without making a wanton display of herself.19 The last part of the ayah refers to the period of Jahiliyyah, when women walked in the street wearing anklets and no one could hear them, they would stamp their feet so that men could hear their anklets ringing. Allah (swt) forbade the believing women to do this. By the same token, if there is any other kind of adornment that is hidden, women are forbidden to make any movements that would reveal what is hidden. 20 Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saws) said: Indeed Allah has decreed for the descendants of Adam his portion of zina (fornication or adultery). He will attain it inevitably, the zina of the eyes is looking, the zina of the tongue is speech,
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Ibid., Vol.6 pg 409-410 Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri, Tafseer Ibn Kathir (Abridged) (Riyadh: Darussalam Publishers & Distributors, 2000) Vol. 7 pg 68 18 Ibid., Vol. 7 pg 68-69 19 Ibid., Vol. 7 pg 70-72 20 Ibid., Vol. 7 pg 73

and the soul craves and desires and the private parts consent or disprove it. (Reported by Bukhari, Muslim and Abu Dawud) THE CONDITIONS FOR HIJAB Based on the understanding of the concept of hijab in the divine revelations, the following conditions are to be observed: It should cover the awrah: There is difference of opinion among the scholars as to the permissibility of uncovering the face and the hands of the woman; some scholars permit, as long as there is no fitna caused by her or inflicted upon her. They see that if she is beautiful and beautifies her face and hands with external substances or if the society around her is corrupt where men do not lower their gaze, then it is prohibited for her to uncover her face and hands. We will look at the opinions of the various scholars on the subject in the next section What is Awrah? It must not be transparent: The Messenger of Allah (saws) said:"There shall be, in the latter part of my nation, women who are dressed but (in fact) naked, on their heads are humps like those of Bukht (one kind of camels), curse them for they are surely cursed."21 It must be roomy, flowing and not tight: It should not outline the shape of the body; the purpose of the clothes should be to disguise the shape. It must not be perfumed with incense: The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Any woman who perfumes herself and passes by some people that they smell her scent, then she is a Zaniyah (prostitute). (Related by Imam Ahmed, An-Nasa'i, and AlHakim who said: "it has an authentic chain of narration" and Ad-Dahabi agreed)22 It should not resemble men's dress: The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Women who assume the manners of men are not from us and also those of men who assume the manners of women. (Reported by Imam Ahmad and Abu Na'eem. Al-Albani authenticated it in his book "Al-Hijab", pg 66-67)23 Abu-Hurayrah (ra) narrated that: "The prophet (saws) cursed the man who wears the dress of a woman and the woman who wears the dress of a man."(Related by Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Al-Hakim, and Imam Ahmed. Al-Hakim said:" it is an authentic hadith in accordance with the conditions of Imam Muslim," and Ad-Dahabi agreed. It was also authenticated by Imam Al-Nawawi)24
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At-Tabarani related this hadith in "Al-Mu'jam As-Sagheer" p.232 and Al-Albani said it Saheeh as in his book "The Hijab" p.56. As-Siyouti related on behalf of Ibin Abdul'barr that: "The Prophet (saws) intended women who put on light clothes that shows off and shapes the body descriptions. In reality they are naked although they have clothes on them. (Dr. Muhammad Ismail, The Hijab Why?, Translated by: Dr. Saleh As-Saleh ([n.p.]:[n.p.],[n.d.]) pg 16) 22 Ibid., pg 33 23 Ibid., pg 34 24 Ibid., pg 34

 It must not resemble the garments of the kuffar: The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "The one who takes the similitude (manner) of a certain people becomes one of them. (Related by Abu Dawud, Ahmed (as part of a another hadith), Ibn Taymiyyah said that the hadith has a good chain of narration (i.e. that reported by Abu Dawud) and that it is a "good hadith"; As-Siyouti said:"it is "Hassan: Good" and Ibn Hag'er reported it in Fath Al-Bari and supported it with another evidence (a Mursal) with a good chain of narration)25 Abdullah bin Umar (ra) said: "The Prophet (saws) saw me wearing two clothes dyed in saffron, whereupon he said: these are the clothes (usually worn) by the Kuffar, so do not wear them."(Reported by Muslim, V. 3, hadith # 5173)26 It must not be a display and fame: Allah (swt) considered the dazzling display of beauty an act of ignorance: And stay in your houses and do not display yourselves like that of the times of Jahiliyyah (ignorance). (Soorah Al-Ahzab, 33:33) Ibn Umar (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saws) said, Whoever wears a garment of fame and vanity, Allah (swt) will dress him in a garment of humiliation on the Day of Resurrection, then set it ablaze. (Reported by Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah) 27 WHAT IS AWRAH? The phrase except that which is apparent which appears in Soorah An-Noor, 24:31 is a point of difference among scholars. The question was; what is the area or object which can be shown? Some have explained this to mean unintentional revealing of the body and adornments when the wind blowsThe two Companions of the Prophet (saws), Said and Ibn Masud (ra) explained that it in fact referred to ones clothes. Ibn Abbas and Qatadah (ra) were of the opinion that it included antimony or kohl on the eyes, rings and hand-paint. Ibn Umar (ra) explained that it referred to the face, hand and ring. Some scholars also included the feet in what could be seen. The rationale for the uncovering of face and hands was that this was normal when women were buying and selling or perhaps acting as witnesses. The point was that women were not supposed to deliberately go out to entice men and to show off their beauty and adornments.28 In the following treatise, we will discuss the opinions of the scholars who favor the covering of the face and hands and their supporting evidences. Following, we will cover the opinions of the other side, those who are against this understanding and the refutation of their views as offered by some scholars. Arguments of proponents of full veil (with no display of face and hands):
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In the ayah 24:31, there are three proofs of the obligation of Hijab:

Ibid., pg 35 Ibid., pg 35 27 Safiyyah Zagloul, Sweetness of Hijab (Cairo, Al-Falah Foundation, 2006 ) pg 23 28 Sara Harold, The Experience of Hijab (Cairo: Al-Falah Foundation, 2004) pg 11-12

i. The part of the verse And not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent Here Allah (swt) forbids women to show off their adornment absolutely except that which is apparent, such as their outer clothes, this is the interpretation of Abdullah ibn Masud of this verse. Also, examining this verse, we see that Allah (swt) says: Except only that which is apparent and He does not say: Except only that which they expose, because what is exposed is something you cannot hide but what is apparent is under your control, you can hide it if you wish to do so and you can show it off if you wish to do so; therefore, women can only show off their outer clothes because they cannot hide them even if they wish. ii. The part of the verse And to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e. their body, face, necks and bosoms)... A womans veil is what she puts over her head, so if she is ordered to draw her veil all over her body starting from the head ending at the toes, then her face will be the first part of her body to be covered. Also, it is common sense that a great part of a womans beauty lays in her face. Hence, if Allah (swt) commands the woman to draw her veil over her body to prevent others from looking at her curves, forbiddance of exposing ones face takes priority. iii. The part of the verse And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment As discussed earlier, during Jahiliyyah, women used to wear anklets and they would stamp their feet on the ground to produce a rattle in order to attract the attention of men, so Allah (swt) made it forbidden for Muslim women to walk in such a manner. If women are forbidden to stamp their feet on the ground to avoid having men infatuated, exposing their face is anytime more attractive than hearing the sound of the rattling anklets. This is a very clear proof that a womans face must be covered whenever strange men or non-maharim are present. As discussed earlier, the purpose of the revelation of the verse 59 of Soorah alAzhab is that the free women were harassed by the hypocrites, so Allah (swt) revealed this verse to command the Prophets wives, daughters, and the believing women to cover themselves in order to be distinguished from the slave girls. Regarding this verse, Ibn Kathir holds that: Allah (swt) commanded His Messenger (saws) to order the believing women, especially his wives and daughters, (for their honor) to draw cloaks on themselves to be distinguished from the non-Muslim women and slave girls. The word Jilbab (cloak) means the cover over the veil (yashmak), according to the following interpreters of Quran: Ibn Masud, Ubaydah, Qatadah, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Saeed bin Zubayr, Ibrahim An-Nakhai, and Atta AlKharasani. Narrated Ali ibn Abi Talhah, that Ibn Abbas is reported to have said: Allah (swt) has commanded the believing women to cover their faces when they leave their houses for a necessity. Mohammad ibn Sereen (a great Muslim scholar) said, I asked Ubaydah As-Salmaani about the meaning of Allahs saying Draw their cloaks all over their bodies, so he covered his face and head while exposing his left eye. Also, many Muslim scholars such as Abu Bakr Ar-Razi (died 370 AH), Emmad Ad-Deen At-Tabari (died 516 AH) Imam Al-Baqawi (died 516 AH), Ibn Al-Jawzi (died 597 AH) in his tafseer of the Quran, Sheikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (died 728 AH) and many others confirmed that this verse implies an obvious command that a woman

must cover her face when non-maharim men are around. In the presence of all these proofs, we can see that this verse undoubtedly means that a Muslim woman must wear a Hijab that will cover her body from head to toes. There is no dispute among the Muslim scholars about the meaning of the word hijab (signifying covering of face and hands) as it appears in ayah 53 of Soorah AlAzhab. The only dispute is about one issue whether this verse is restricted only to the wives of the Prophet or is extended to all Muslim women. Imam At-Tabri, the greatest scholar of Tafseer, stated in his Book of Tafseer that When you ask the Prophets wives and the believing women who are not your wives, ask them from behind a Hijab and do not enter their homes (while they are inside the house alone), this is purer for your hearts and their hearts is a an obligatory ruling, which is not only for the Prophets wives but also for all Muslim women. Allah (swt) says in the Quran in Soorah An-Noor, 24:60): And the Qawa`id29 among women who do not hope for marriage, it is no sin on them if they discard their (outer) clothing in such a way as not to show their adornment. But to refrain is better for them. And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower. In this ayah, Allah (swt) has removed the sin on elderly women (those who had past childbearing age and have no attraction to men) if they discard their outer clothes provided that they do not show their adornment. The obvious meaning in this verse is to discard the outer clothing only and not all their clothing. Hence, elderly women can expose their faces and hands (in the presence of men who are non-maharim) if they wish, but if they do not, it is better for them. In his explanation of the above-mentioned verse, Imam At-Tabri holds that it means there is no sin on them if they discard their veils and their gowns (abayas). Also, Imam Abu Yaala said: In this verse there is a proof that it is permissible for elderly women to expose their faces and hands in the presence of men but not their hair because it is forbidden for them as it is forbidden for young women. Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Baaz adds: Allah says that elderly women who are past the age of marriage are not to be counted for misdemeanor for removing their clothes (coverings or veils) off their faces and hands as long as they are not exposing their adornments. So it is clear that elderly women who are allowed to expose their faces and hands must still observe bashfulness and modesty by not exposing their adornments. It must be noted that Allah (swt) has encouraged them to observe Hijab (full covering) when He (swt) says: But to refrain (not to discard their outer clothing) is better for them. Hence, if Allah (swt) has encouraged elderly women (who by nature do not appear attractive to men) not to remove their veils (covering) from their faces, it is evident that young women should observe more stringent norms. In a hadith narrated by Aishah (ra): May Allah bestow His Mercy on the early emigrant women when Allah (swt) revealed, the meaning of which can be translated
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Sa`id bin Jubayr, Muqatil bin Hayyan, Ad-Dahhak and Qatadah said that these are the women who no longer think that they can bear children or they no longer have any desire for marriage. (Shaykh SafiurRahman Al-Mubarakpuri, Tafseer Ibn Kathir (Abridged) (Riyadh: Darussalam Publishers & Distributors, 2000) Vol. 7 pg 124)

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as: and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) - they tore their Muruts (a woolen dress, or a waist -binding cloth or an apron, etc.) and covered their faces with those torn Muruts. (Reported by AlBukhari) Safiyya bint Shaiba (ra) narrated that Aishah (ra) used to say: When the verse: (24:31) was revealed, (the ladies) cut their waist sheets at the edges and covered their heads and faces with those cut pieces of cloth. (Reported by AlBukhari and Abu-Dawud) The above cited authentic ahadith actually tell us how Muslim women at the time of the Prophet (saws) obeyed Allah (swt) and subsequently implemented the obligation of Hijab. If this verse has a different meaning to it, then the Prophet (saws) or at least Aishah (ra) (who is one of the Mothers of Believers) would have informed or corrected them regarding the real interpretation of Hijab. The Prophet (saws) is reported to have said The woman is awrah (one who is forbidden to be exposed) (Reported by at-Tirmidhi who said it is Hassan Ghareeb. Also As-Siyouti hinted that it is authentic). Sheikh Hamoud At-Tiwijri said This Hadith proves that a womans body is all awrah (not to be seen by or exposed to men who are non-maharim). It was also reported that Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal said: A womans nails are awrah and when she leaves her home, she must not expose any part of her body, not even her shoes, because the shoes can reveal the shape of the feet, and I also prefer that she buttons her sleeves so that no part of her body should be seen by others. Sheikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah reported that Imam Ahmad said: Every part of a womans body is awrah, even her finger nails. Sheikh Al-Islam also said: This is also the interpretation of Imam Malik. In another hadith narrated by Ibn Umar (ra): Allahs Messenger (saws) is reported to have said, A woman who is in a state of Ihram (ritual purity during Hajj or Umrah) must not wear a niqab (covering the face except the eyes) or gloves. (Reported by Al-Bukhari, Malik, AtTirmidhi, Abu-Dawud, and Ahmed) Abu Baker ibn Al-Arabi said: In the hadith of Ibn Umar, when the Prophet (saws) said the woman must not wear niqab that is because covering the womans face is obligatory on every woman who is not elderly except in Hajj (and when praying where no man who is not her mahram sees her). Aishah (ra) said: Men on camels used to pass by us while we were with the Prophet (saws) and we were in a state of ihram. We would cover our faces with our gowns when they passed by us, and then uncover them again. (Reported by Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah) Atta, Malik, AthThawri, Ash-Shafii, Ahmad, and Is-haq hold that it is permissible for women to cover their faces while in a state of ihram. (Fiqh us-Sunnah 5:49). In another hadith narrated by Ibn Umar (ra), Prophet (saws) is reported to have said, On the Day of Resurrection, Allah (swt) will not look at the one who trails his loincloth out of arrogance. Umm Salamah (ra) asked: what should women do with the hem of their clothes? He (saws) said: They may lower them a hands span she said: But their feet would still remain exposed. He (saws) said Let them lower those

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equal to an arms length but not more than that. (Reported by Abu-Dawud, AtTirmidhi, An-Nasai, Imam Ahmed; At-Tirmidhi said that this hadith is authentic). Imam At-Tirmidhi said: In this hadith, there is permission for women to trail their clothes so that their feet would be covered. And Imam Al-Baihaqi said: This hadith is a proof of the obligation of covering the feet. Sheikh Muhammad ibn Saleh ibn Uthaymeen said In this hadith, there is a proof that women are obligated to cover their feet; and this ruling was known to the wives of the rightly-guided companions. And it needs no special emphasis that the feet are less attractive than the face or the hands. 30 It was narrated from Aishah (ra) that Safwaan ibn al-Muattal al-Sulami alDhakwaani was lagging behind the army. He came to where I had stopped and saw the black shape of a person sleeping. He recognized me when he saw me, because he had seen me before hijab was enjoined. I woke up when I heard him saying Inna Lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raajioon (verily to Allah we belong and unto Him is our return), when he saw me, and I covered my face with my jilbaab. (Narrated by alBukhari, 3910; Muslim, 2770) Narrated Aishah (ra) Prophet (saws) used to offer the Fajr prayer and some believing women covered with their veiling sheets used to attend the Fajr prayer with him and then they would return to their homes unrecognized . (Reported by Bukhari Volume 1, Book 8, hadith No. 368) Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen in tafseer of this hadith explains This hadith makes it clear that the Islamic dress is concealing of the entire body as explained in this hadith. Only with the complete cover including the face and hands can a woman not be recognized. This was the understanding and practice of the Sahabah and they were the best of group, the noblest in the sight of Allah (swt) with the most complete emaan and noblest of characters. So if the practice of the women of the Sahabah was to wear the complete veil then how can we deviate from their path? Arguments of opponents of full veil (permitting display of face and hands): Some scholars have a dissenting opinion regarding the obligation of Hijab and they claim that they have textual evidence from the Quran and the Sunnah that can be taken for a proof of the legitimacy of exposing a womans face. Let us examine very closely those proofs as to their relevance and authenticity: As for verse 31 of Soorah An-Noor, it is held that this verse implies permission for women to expose what is apparent from them that is, the face and the hands, thus following the explanation offered by Abdullah ibn Abbas (ra) who said: Except only that which is apparent refers to the face and hands. Refutation: The statement of Ibn Abbas (ra) is extracted from what has been reported by Ibn Jareer At-Tabri who said: Ibn Abbas (ra) said that And not to show off their
30

Abdulaziz Addwesh, The Hijab of Muslim Woman ([n.p.]: Saudi Arabia, [n.d.]), pg 16-35

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adornment except only that which is apparent means Kohl (eyeliner in modern terms) and rings. This report of At-Tabri has one person in the chain of transmitters who is weak (his narration is absolutely not reliable); his name is Muslim ibn Kisan Addabi Al-Kufy. Ibn Hajar said: Muslim is a weak narrator. Also, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal said: His (Muslims) hadith should not be written down. Imam AlBukhari commented on the same hadith saying: They (the scholars of hadith) referred to Muslims narration as being weak. So with this narrator (Muslim) being in the chain of transmitters of the saying reported by Ibn Abbas (ra), we see that this evidence is also weak and therefore cannot be taken for a sound proof. There is another narration of this saying of Ibn Abbas that was reported by Imam AlBaihaqi, who said in his book Assunan Al-Kobra: Ibn Abbas explained that And not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent refers to what is in the face and hands. Similarly, there are two weak transmitters among the narrators of the hadith. The first is Ahmed ibn Abdul Jabbar ibn Muhammad Al-Utaradi, who was described by Ibn Hajar as being weak. And Imam ath-Thahabi said that more than one scholar agreed that the narration is weak. Besides, Ahmeds own son, Abdur-Rahman, said: I used to write down what my father dictated to me, but I stopped doing so when people started referring to him as being weak. The second is Abdullah ibn Muslim ibn Harmooz Al-Makki, who was also described by Ibn Hajar as being weak. Imam Ath-Thahabi reported that Ibn Maain said that Abdullah ibn Muslim is weak; and Ibn Al-Madini repeated the word twice. So none of what has been reported on behalf of Ibn Abbas regarding the hijab verse is authentic. On the other hand, it has been reported that Abdullah ibn Masud said that And not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent refers to the clothes, which is an authentic narration as confirmed by Ibn Jareer, Ibn Shaibah and Al-Hakim. And authenticity here is based on the conditions set by Muslim; and Imam Ath-Thahabi agreed with him. Sheikh Muhammad ibn Saleh ibn Uthaymeen commented on the entire situation saying: We could have accepted what Ibn Abbas (ra) reported had not we had a different opinion of another Companion that bears more weight to it, the opinion held by Ibn Masud (ra). In a hadith, Abu-Dawud said: "Yaqoub ibn Ka'b Al-Antaki and Mu'amal ibn AlFadil Al-Harrany informed me that Al-Walead told them that he quoted Sa'eed ibn Basheer, who quoted Qatadah, who quoted Khalid ibn Duraik who stated that Aishah (ra) is reported to have said: "Asmaa' bint Abi Bakr (ra) walked in front of the Prophet (saws) wearing thin clothes, then He (saws) turned his face away from her and said: 'O Asmaa! When a girl reaches the age of puberty it is not permissible for her to reveal any part of her body except this and this (pointing to his face and hands)." (Reported by Abu-Dawud) Refutation: As for this hadith, it is weak in two respects. First, there is a disconnection in the chain of transmitters (one of the narrators had never met the one whom he claimed he quoted). In the chain of the narrators of this hadith, Abu-Dawud, the compiler of the set, said: Khalid ibn Duraik did not hear from Aishah (ra). Second, in the chain of the narrators, there is Sa'eed ibn Basheer who was described as being 'weak' by Ibn Hajar, Ibn Ma'ain, An-Nasai, Ali ibn Al-Madini and Ibn

13

Hiban. Therefore, those who claim that this hadith is a proof that a Muslim woman can expose her face and hands to non-mahram must disregard this piece of unreliable evidence. It was narrated by Sahl ibn Sa'd (ra): ''A lady came to Allah's Messenger (saws) and said: "O Allah's Messenger! I have come to offer myself to you in marriage). He (saws) raised his eyes and looked at her and then lowered his head. When the lady saw that he did not make any gesture or put any facial expression indicating acceptance, she sat down ...etc." (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim) The issue here is that Prophet (saws) looked at the woman and did not show any interest in marrying her; and if her face had not been exposed, he (saws) would not have looked at her. Refutation: There are three logical and sound answers to this allegation: First, there is nothing in this hadith that states that the woman was exposing her face, and for the Prophet (saws) to look up and down at the woman does not necessary mean she was exposing her face and that he (saws) was looking at it. Secondly, this story could have occurred before the obligation of hijab. Thirdly, it is legal for a man, when he proposes to a woman, to look at her face. So if this woman did expose her face in front of the Prophet (saws), it could be for that reason that she exposed her face to the Prophet (saws) hoping that he would marry her. It was narrated by Abdullah ibn Abbas (ra): 'Al-Fadl ibn Abbas (ra) rode behind Allah's Messenger (saws) as his companion rider on the back of his camel on the Day of Nahr (slaughtering of sacrifice, 10th day of the month of Thul-Hijjah) and Al-Fadl was a handsome man. The Prophet (saws) stopped to give the people verdicts (answers to their question regarding Hajj). In the meantime, a beautiful woman from the tribe of Khath 'am came to ask the Prophet (saws) a question. Al-Fadl stared at her as her beauty attracted him. The Prophet (saws) looked behind while Al-Fadl was staring at her. The Prophet (saws) held his hands backwards and caught the chin of Al-Fadl and turned his face (to the other direction). She said: "O Allah's Messenger (saws)! The obligation of performing Hajj enjoined by Allah on His worshippers has become due (compulsory) on my father who is an old man and who cannot sit firmly on a beast of burden. Will it be convenient if I perform Hajj on his behalf?" He (saws) said "Yes". (Reported by Al-Bukhari) The issue here is that the woman in this hadith was exposing her face in the presence of the Prophet (saws) and he did not command her to cover it. Refutation: First, there is no proof in the hadith that states it is legal for a man to look at a woman's face (one who is non-mahram) because the Prophet (saws) did not approve of what Al-Fadl (ra) did. Instead, he (saws) turned Al-Fadl's face to the other direction, so that he would not be able to look at her. Imam An-Nawawi said: "One thing to be concluded from this hadith is that it is forbidden for men to look at women who are non-mahram". If someone would ask why the Prophet (saws) did not command the woman to cover her face, the answer is, he (saws) might have ordered the woman to cover her face but the narrator of the hadith did not report it. Not

14

reporting something does not necessarily mean it did not happen. Secondly, this hadith was narrated by Abdullah ibn Abbas (ra) who was not present with the Prophet (saws) when this incident took place, because Abdullah ibn Abbas (ra) left for Muzdalifah at night, but the Prophet (saws) left in the morning as reported by AlBukhari and Muslim and he was informed of this story by his brother Al-Fadl (ra). However, his brother never told him that the woman was exposing her face. Also, when he said she was beautiful, he did not mean he saw her face, but he could have seen the curves of her body or part of her skin. The whole matter could have happened by accident; her veil might have fallen down from her face since women in a state of ihram are forbidden to wear niqab. Thirdly, this hadith was also narrated by Ali ibn Abi Talib (ra) and Jabir ibn Abdullah (ra) and was compiled by Imam Muslim, but none of them mentioned anything about the beauty of the woman or that she was exposing her face. 31 HIJAB FOR MEN This discussion will be inconclusive if there is no reference to hijab for men. As mentioned earlier, Allah (swt) commands men to lower their gaze and guard their modesty in ayah 24:30 which precedes the ayah 24:31 referring to hijab for women. Hence first, men are required to take the lead in respecting women. They should not engage in or approve of any activity which objectifies or demeans a woman. They are also required to cast down their gazes in humility and to observe the general philosophy of modesty of the heart and dress. They must wear decent clothing and avoid activities and places that will cause them to witness that which they should not. All the conditions relating to hijab mentioned above for women are equally applicable to men except for the first one, which refer to awrah. The awrah of a man is from below his navel up to (and including) the knee. On the authority of `Ata' ibn Yisar, on the authority of Abu Ayyub, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say, "That which is above the knees is [part] of nakedness, and that which is below the navel is [part] of nakedness." (Narrated by Daraqutni (p.85) and Bayhaqi (vol. II, p. 229)32 The Messenger of Allah (saws) also said: O Ali, do not follow a glance with another, for you will be forgiven for the first, but not for the second. (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 2701; see Saheeh al-Jaami, 7953). Imam Malik has also ruled that it is not allowed to see the face and palms of a non-Mahram woman without a lawful need. Ibn Hajar Makki Shafi'i has quoted in his zawajir that Imam Shafi'i's view is also the same that although women's face and palms are not part of their [awrah], and they are allowed to pray while these parts are uncovered, yet non-Mahrams are not allowed to see them without a lawful need.33
31 32

Ibid., pg 36-49 Amad ibn Muhammad Quduri and Abia Afsar Siddiqui, The Mukhtasar Al-Quduri: A Manual of Islamic Law According to the Hanafi School (London:Ta-Ha Publishers Ltd, 2010) pg 97 33 Maulana Mufti Muhammad Shafi', Ma'ariful-Qur'an, Translated by Prof. Muhammad Hasan Askari, Prof. Muhammad Shamim, Revised by Justice Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani (Karachi: Maktaba DarulUloom, 2005) Vol.6 pg 412

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LATER DEVELOPMENTS There were some significant developments which took place in the 19th and 20th century with regard to the donning of hijab worth mentioning. In turn-of-the-century Egypt, a number of intellectuals had engaged the questions of seclusion and veiling in unprecedented ways. Qasim Amin, a French-educated jurist, raised the issues in two books he published, Tahrir al-Mara (1899) and Al-Mara alJadida (1901). He took a firm stand against female seclusion and face veiling, arguing that Islamic law did not require either practiceandthe impeccable public behavior of European women amply demonstrated that women could maintain their modesty without these encumbrances. His position sparked a number of reactions in juridical circles. Muhammad Abduh, [Grand Mufti in Egypt] who was rumored to have collaborated with Amin in the writing of Tahrir al-Mara, chose to sidestep the issue Malak Hifni Nasif held that Islamic law did, in fact, support the right of women to appear in public unveiled, but added that society was not yet ready for the unveiled woman.34 In Tunisia, al-Tahir al-Haddad marshaled an array of arguments against the face-veil, some of which directly addressed the problem of fitna. [He commented that] Putting a veil on a womans face to prevent prostitution resembles putting a muzzle on a dogs mouth to prevent bites and we nurture weakness with the veil. The veil also represents obstacles to healthy marriages: [it] precludes a meaningful choice of marriage partner and therefore closeness between the couple and it place the entire burden of work and public life upon the man, impoverishing home life for husband and wife alike. Veiling stands in the way of a woman realizing her civil rights in court, encourages homosexuality and lesbianism, and, most importantly of all, prevents a woman from acquiring the worldly knowledge she needs to manage her house and educate her children for the good of society as a whole. Similar arguments from Jamil Sidqi al-Zahawi, an Iraqi legal scholar who taught in Baghdad, [were heard] in 1910. [He] called for an end to veiling, noting that the Quran does not prescribe the custom, and outlining the social costs of the practice. 35 Al-Tahir al-Haddad queried six of the prominent Hanafi and Maliki jurists as to what part of a womans body should be covered in accordance with the moral practices of the sunnah? he received a range of answers The differences of opinion among ulama on veiling helps explain why it was not until 1937 that the Fatwa Committee of al-Azhar in Cairo finally took up the issue of the face-veil and declared that the Hanafi school of law was not opposed to unveiling and that the Maliki school did not consider veiling a religious requirement. This was, by all accounts, something of a rearguard action because the Egyptian women, mostly urban and middle to upper class, who had worn the face-veil in modern times had by and large abandoned it in the 1920s and 1930s, as had most Muslim women in other countries. There were places, of course, where the face-veil
34

Judith E. Tucker, Women, Family, And Gender In Islamic Law (UK: Cambridge University Press, 2008) pg 200-201 35 Ibid., pg 201

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endured as a standard item of dress much longer: it was worn by many urban Moroccan women into the 1970s and is still required, as a matter of law, for women in Saudi Arabia. 36 The modern state of Turkey emerged in 1923 after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire [and] the government took a consciously secular course and aspired to westernize its population It encouraged women to remove both the face-veil and the traditional headscarf in favor of western fashions. The state did not ban these items of clothing, but rather issued a number of rules and regulations that prohibited the wearing of them in a variety of locations.37 The issue of Islamic dress codes acquired a new global prominence in late 2003 when French President Jacques Chirac endorsed the recommendations of a38 commission [which] was set up to investigate the principles of Lacit39, in its 2003 report, recommended new legislation to prohibit the wearing of ostensible items of dress that manifest religious or political affiliation in the public schools. An overwhelming majority of the legislature passed the law in 2004.40 One of the most prominent jurists to weigh in on the issue was Muhammad Sayyid Tantawi, the Grand Imam of al-Azhar in Cairo. In late 2003, Shaykh Tantawi made a public declaration to the effect that wearing the hijab (in the meaning of headscarf) was a divine obligation for every Muslim woman. He was quick to add, however, that France, as a non-Muslim and sovereign country, had the right to ban its wearing in state schools. Muslim women who found themselves in this situation, i.e. constrained to remove their hijabs in order to abide by the rules of the country they inhabited, were to be regarded as forced by necessity to uncover and therefore were not disobeying the commands of their religion. Other Muslim jurists and organizations joined the discussion like the official umbrella organization of French Muslims, the Conseil Franais du Culte Musulman (CFCM)41 In early 2003, the European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR) reacted with respectful disagreement to Shaykh Tantawis statement and later in the year issued a fatwa affirming thatwearing of hijab was a religious obligation for adult Muslim women. 42 There were subtle differences in the jurists positions on the law, exhibiting an ongoing diversity in Islamic legal opinion. Some chose to emphasize the hijab as an incontrovertible religious obligation and others recast the debate in the language of universal human rights and constructed the wearing of a headscarf as a right, as a religious observance that must be permitted for those women whose personal beliefs so
36 37

Ibid., pg 202 Ibid., pg 203 38 Ibid., pg 206 39 In French, it is a concept of a secular society, denoting the absence of religious involvement in government affairs as well as absence of government involvement in religious affairs <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La%C3%AFcit%C3%A9> 22 February 2011 40 Anne Phillips, Multiculturalism without Culture (New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2007) pg 115 41 Judith E. Tucker, Women, Family, And Gender In Islamic Law (UK: Cambridge University Press, 2008) pg 207 42 Ibid., pg 208-209

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dictated. 43 [Irrespective of all these debates, presently] hijab has been banned in public institutions in Turkey, in public schools in France, for public officials in courtrooms in Austria and the Netherlands, and in numerous other contexts.44 RECENT TRENDS With veils in modern days becoming increasingly transparent and cloaks becoming more seductive, veiling per se is not necessarily an expression of modesty. The idea and practice of hijab had lost its original meaning. The enemies of Islam have started to spread innovated forms of "Hijab" as a "midway" solution by which the Muslim woman can "please" Allah (swt) (according to their claim) and at the same time "accommodate" her society and preserve her "beauty" and "glamour". The modern "boutique" stores were declining in their trade due to the widespread use of the true Islamic Hijab. Suddenly, the markets were flooded with altered forms of Tabar'ruj and Sufur45 under the name 'modern/ contemporary Hijab'. In the beginning, this was protested and women were cautious. A group of "displaying women" who were embarrassed with the Islamic Hijab rushed towards the "contemporary Hijab" to "relief' themselves from the pressing social realities caused by the spread of Hijab. With time the phenomenon of "concealed display" became widespread and known as "contemporary Hijab". Moreover, under the guise of calling for the liberation of women, the advocates of immorality sometimes use the feminist agenda to claim that if women remove their veils, wear skimpy clothes and bare their bodies they become liberated.46 This has led many of the women to shed the hijab terming it as backwardness and low-class status, especially in the Western World47. To quote a few examples: A new trend of Islamic Swimming Costume with Hijab aka burquini48 has emerged with skin-tight top and leggings. It started among the Australians of Middle Eastern background... to make Surf Life Saving Clubs around Australia more open and diverse. A swimming costume designed especially for Muslim women recruits, received a lot of media attention.49 [Amazingly, in the most controversial country, France], the official statistics indicate only twelve hundred cases of girls wearing headscarves to school in 2003,
43 44

Ibid., pg 209 Anne Phillips, Multiculturalism without Culture (New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2007) pg 114 45 Tabarruj means being in public all made up and wearing seductive outfits. Sufur means to uncover ones body parts for show and seduction, including immodest clothing. The closest two words which can depict the action of Tabarruj and Sufur are flaunting and vanity, which in this context means to display your beauty ostentatiously, uncovering you hair, wearing enticing and seducing outfits, makeup and perfume, all worn purposely to seduce men, and hence showing your beauty to marriageable men. (Safiyyah Zagloul, Sweetness of Hijab (Cairo, Al-Falah Foundation, 2006 ) pg 26 (footnote) 46 Sara Harold, The Experience of Hijab (Cairo: Al-Falah Foundation, 2004) pg 15 47 Katherine Bullock, Rethinking Muslim Women and The Veil: Challenging Historical And Modern Stereotypes (UK: The International Institute of Islamic Thought, 2002) pg 67 48 Designed by a Lebanese Australian, Aheda Zanetti 49 Keith D. Suter, All about Terrorism (Australia: Random House Australia Pty Ltd, 2008) pg 231

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thirty court cases, and four exclusions, a surprisingly low number in a country whose Muslim population is estimated at four million.50 Rima Fakih, a Lebanese born American Shiite Muslim won the Miss USA 2010 title. The media grabbed the opportunity - in an article Outside Looking In which appeared on Newsweek.com by Lee Smith51 on May 21, 2010, he states that the crowning of a Michigan girl whose family hails from an area of Lebanon dominated by Hizbullah is a victory for freedom: in the face of dour Islamic fundamentalists, these pundits claim, the celebration of female beauty will serve as an instrument of liberation A Muslim womans willingness to show off her flesh is no more a triumph for modernity and moderation than the veil is an index of extremism52 She is noted to have said I don't define myself around religion and my family does not as well. We are Muslim. We respect the religion. We might not be as strict, but we're not defined by religion but we do spiritually appreciate every religion,53 Women who dont wear hijab, in other words, dress immodestly, dont understand that it may feel they are in control in the public situation but they dont realize that they are attracting undesirable men as well as those who attract them. A woman may attract men who will do her harm and inadequate men who have been unable to establish a partnership of their own. Finally, they end up destroying each other and their respective families. Neither men nor women get what they are entitled to in this framework. To enumerate some of the consequences of unveiling: Fitnah (temptation): A woman may be tempted to do things to make her face look more beautiful. This has lead to commercial abuse of women in the world of advertisement, entertainment and other areas. This is one of the greatest causes of evil and corruption. Taking away haya (modesty, shyness): Haya is part of faith and of a womans nature (fitrah). Women are examples of modesty, as it was said, more shy than a virgin in her seclusion. Taking away a womans modesty detracts from her faith and the natural inclination with which she was created. This has led to competition amongst the displaying women in showing off their beauty. This is seduction, and it leads to the spoiling of morality and leaves women as merchandise articles exhibited for anyone to look at. Undesirable attention: Men may be tempted by her, especially if she is beautiful and she flirts, laughs and jokes, as happens in the case of many of those who are unveiled. This leads to corruption of morality in men, especially among the youth and those in adolescence. It pushes them to commit various kinds of sins. The Shaytaan flows through the son of Adam like blood.
50 51

Anne Phillips, Multiculturalism without Culture (New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2007) pg 118 Smith is a columnist for Tablet Magazine and author of The Strong Horse: Power, Politics, and the Clash of Arab Civilizations. 52 Newsweek.com, <http://www.newsweek.com/2010/05/21/outside-looking-in.html> February 24, 2011 53 Voice of America News < http://www.voanews.com/english/news/usa/Arab-American-Miss-USA-Center-of-Controversy-94608029.html> February 24, 2011

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Free mixing of men and women: If a woman thinks that she is equal with men in uncovering her face and going around unveiled, she will not be modest and will not feel too shy to mix with men. This liberal demeanor causes destruction of family ties and causing a lack of trust between spouses and the rate of divorce is on rampant. All of these further lead to zina (fornication and adultery), rapes, high rate of divorces, unknown diseases (HIV) and children being born out of wedlock. As Prophet (saws) said Sins didn't spread in any particular nation until they openly conduct it and as a result, plague and other illnesses that were not present among their predecessors became widespread amongst them.54 This is widespread in the Western Society and this contagion is gradually conquering other parts of the world. CONCLUSION The Hijab is an act of obedience, iffat (modesty), tahara (purity), shield, taqwah (righteousness), emaan (belief) and haya (bashfulness). Hijab is indeed a religious duty that Allah (swt) has enjoined upon the believing men and women for their own protection and success. It is a manifestation of adherence to the Quran and Sunnah. It indicates obedience to Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saws). For women, it is a sign of her strength that would safeguard her dignity and honor against the wickedness of some men; and accordingly, it is a protection of the society where she belongs. The "restrictions" placed upon her regarding her dress and the display of her beauty and ornament is only to guard against all ways of corruption arising from such dazzling displays. What Islam has established is not a restriction on the freedom of women but is a firm protection for her from falling down to the lowest levels of humility. The woman wearing her Hijab may be looked upon as reactionary, old fashioned, a walking tent But, she will be the winner on the Day of Judgment and it shows her preference for the Hereafter where she will be among those who will be given the honor to see Allah's Face; and those who mock her, subject themselves to the Wrath of Allah (swt). Indeed, Hijab is camouflage in a world of flux. In the end, I would like to quote the following two verses from the Quran: Allah (swt) says: It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger he has indeed strayed into a plain error. (Soorah Al-Ahzab, 33:36) Allah (swt) also says: "But no by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (Muhammad (saws)) a judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission." (Soorah an-Nisaa, 4:65)

54

Part of a lengthy hadith related by Ibin Majah, Abu Na'eem, and Al-Hakim who said: "it has a good chain of narrators". Ad-Dahabi agreed to Al-Hakim's report

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Allah (swt) knows best.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY Addwesh, Abdulaziz, The Hijab of Muslim Woman, [n.p.]: Saudi Arabia, [n.d.] Ahmad, Dr. Israr, Religious Obligations of Muslim Women, Lahore: Markazi Anjuman Khuddam ul Qur'an, 2003 Bullock, Katherine, Rethinking Muslim Women and The Veil: Challenging Historical and Modern Stereotypes, UK: The International Institute of Islamic Thought, 2002 The Encyclopedia of Islam, The Netherlands: E. J. Brill, 1986 Harold, Sara, The Experience of Hijab, Cairo: Al-Falah Foundation, 2004 Islam-qa.com, website offering insight into Muslim belief and practice through questions, with answers supervised by Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid Ismail, Dr. Muhammad, The Hijab Why?, Translated by Dr. Saleh As-Saleh, [n.p.]: [n.p.], [n.d.] Mernissi, Fatima, Women and Islam: An Historical and Theological Enquiry, Translated by Mary Jo Lakeland, Great Britain: Basil Blackwell, 1991 Al-Mubarakpuri, Shaykh Safiur-Rahman, Tafseer Ibn Kathir (Abridged), Riyadh: Darussalam Publishers & Distributors, 2000 Newsweek.com Phillips, Anne, Multiculturalism without Culture, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2007 Quduri, Amad ibn Muhammad and Siddiqui, Abia Afsar, The Mukhtasar Al-Quduri: A Manual of Islamic Law According to the Hanafi School, London: Ta-Ha Publishers Ltd, 2010 Shafi', Maulana Mufti Muhammad, Ma'ariful-Qur'an, Translated by Prof. Muhammad Hasan Askari, Prof. Muhammad Shamim, Revised by Justice Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani, Karachi: Maktaba Darul-Uloom, 2005 Suter, Keith D., All about Terrorism, Australia: Random House Australia Pty Ltd, 2008 Tucker, Judith E., Women, Family, and Gender in Islamic Law, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2008

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Voice of America News, a Trusted Source of News & Information Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Zagloul, Safiyyah, Sweetness of Hijab, Cairo, Al-Falah Foundation, 2006

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