Hijab versus Saffron Shawls Row in Karnataka: Mischief Galore
By
Bilal Ahmad Paray, New Age Islam
9 February 2022
Motive
behind World Hijab Day Was To Encourage Women Irrespective Of Her Religious
Background to Wear and Experience the Purdah
Main
Points:
1.
'Hijab' is
derived from the Arabic word 'Hajub' which means to refrain someone from
accessing something.
2.
Islam
teaches that a woman is a creature of Lord that needs to be kept hide from
strange men.
3.
Islamic
veiling takes many forms, and there is no absolute set of rules for how women
should dress.
-----
February 1st is observed as World Hijab Day
founded by New Yorker Nazma Khan in 2013. The motive behind this movement was
to encourage women irrespective of her religious background to wear and
experience the Purdah. Literally in Persian the word ' Purdah ' means “curtain,
veil or attire “which is a long, voluminous robe worn over other clothing by
many Muslim women. The word 'Hijab' is derived from the Arabic root word
'Hajub' (حَجْبٌ) which means to refrain someone from accessing something.
A question arises here in the reader's
mind; why it is so important for a women folk only? To answer this, Islam
teaches its followers that actually woman is a woman that means it is a
creature of Lord that needs to be kept hide from strange men. And on the other
side, it is an Islamic symbol which is mandatory for a women to wear Hijab
since 4 Al - Hijri of the Islamic calendar. It covers from the neck to the
feet, covering even the wearer's shoes from view, with sleeves extending to the
wrists. The purdah or hijab is a dress code, traditionally black in colour, and
is usually worn with a light. The wearing of purdah or Abaya defines women in
the region as a symbol of religious integrity and national identity.
Today the Hijab is not only hot debated
issue on local level but on international platforms too. The recent row raised
in the Karnataka state. Since end of December last year, students in Karnataka
protesting against their schoolmates wearing hijab started coming to a college
in Udupi wearing saffron scarves. The hijab-versus-saffron scarves issue then
spread to some other institutions in other parts of the state such as
Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, Hassan, Chikkaballapura, Mandya, Kalaburagi,
Bagalkote, Belagavi and Vijayapura. This burning matter was pending before the
Hon'ble High Court of Karnataka. This Court on Tuesday appealed to the students
and people to maintain peace and tranquillity as the hijab row escalated in
parts of the state.
After hearing the petitions filed by some
students studying in the Government Pre-University College for Girls in the
coastal town of Udupi. This petition sought a declaration from the Court that
they have a "fundamental right to practice essential religious practices,
including wearing of Hijab as per Islamic faith, on the college premises."
The single bench of Justice S. Dixit observed that this Court has full faith in
the wisdom and virtue of public at large and hopes that the same would be put
to practice in the premises." However Justice S. Dixit also observed that
only some mischievous people were keeping the issue burning. Advocate D. Kamat
appearing for the petitioner-students wanted hijab to be permitted.
Muskan stood her ground as she was heckled by a large group of
slogan-shouting young men wearing saffron scarves at a Karnataka college.
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In one of its viral video, there was crowd
chased and raising slogans of "Jai Sri Ram" versus "Allah-hu-Akbar"
a chanting counter slogan by Muskan Khan on the premises of PES College of
Arts, Science and Commerce in Mandya district that raised concerns all over the
state. However the college authorities have supported and protected her.
However, in the last twenty years, a new
trend has emerged through different fashion houses and mischievous groups. This
new trend has challenged the traditional Abaya in its popularity, the religious
and national identities symbolized by the Abaya's traditional form.
There are two chapters in the Holy Qur'an
that refer to female veiling. In Chapter No. 33, (Al-Ahzab) under verse No. 33
“The Joint Forces,” reads, “When you ask ( the Prophet's ) wives for something,
do so from behind a screen: this is purer for your hearts and for theirs.”
Later in the same chapter, it says under
verse No. 73 “O Prophet! Tell your wives, our daughters, and women believers
to make their outer garments hang low over them so as to be recognized and not
insulted”.
The verse 53 of the above chapter is
ambiguous in its applicability to veiling; the word translated as “screen” from
the original Arabic is “hijab,” which is interpreted historically as a literal
screen or curtain between different parts of a house. This screen was present
to give the Prophet's wives privacy from the many believers who came to the
Prophet Muhammad's house for prayers five times a day. However, many jurists do
interpret it as a literal veil, as the word is colloquially used today. While
as in verse No. 73 of the above said chapter is more useful when it comes to
creating veiling requirements: women are asked to “make their outer garments
hang low over them,” which is often interpreted as a requirement for baggy
clothes or cloaks.
In chapter No. 24 "Al-Noor" ( The
Light ) it explains about the veil as , “And tell believing women that they
should lower their glances, guard their private parts, and not display their
charms beyond what ( it is acceptable ) to reveal; they should let their
headscarves fall to cover their necklines and not reveal their charms except
....” (Al Qur'an). This verse provides the greatest justification for
veiling in Islam; it describes proper modest behaviour and mentions the wearing
of headscarves.
Many Muslims agree that these verses exhort
women to wear loose clothing that covers much of their bodies. However, Islamic
veiling takes many forms, and there is no absolute set of rules for how women
should dress, nor is there a single garment that is objectively “better” or
“more Islamic” than all others. The three rules that are set around it are
dressing with righteousness (Al- Qur'an; 7: 26), covering up of the bosoms with
Khimar (24: 31) and lengthening of the garments (33: 59).
According to one of the tradition of the
Prophet Muhammad PBUH, related in Book of Abu Da'ud's collection, after the
above verses were revealed, “women walked to dawn prayers looking like crows,”
which some scholars cited as the reason women should wear black Abayas.
However, the many proponents of the Abaya-as-fashion
feel that, since the garment is generally “all covering” just like the judicial
Abaya, there is no harm in embellishing the garment itself.
The Abaya-as-fashion “privileges the
concept of fashion over piety” and disrupts the function of the veil.
Mischievous elements has changed not only
the face of the Abaya, but also its essence. Currently Abayas look more like
dresses than hijabs (i.e., veils). Nowadays, some Abayas actually reveal the
female figure rather than conceal it. Some of them are even designed to look
like dresses.
Saffron Shawl Vs Hijab Row Ends in Karnataka College/
Photo: This News
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There are many examples in support of Hijab
as well as against it throughout the world. In USA, the most westernised
country, Raffia Arshad was appointed as a first hijab-wearing judge. Need of an
hour is that all the Islamic jurists and religious organisations come forward
to generate awareness of Hijab in light of the primary and secondary sources
(Qur'an and Hadith) of Islam. And to review the contemporary Abaya as per the
standard of Islamic judicial or Shari'ah with simple in design and colour. It
is also necessary to resolve the said burning issue amicably with inter-faith
dialogue, so that mischievous elements and new fashion trends can be curbed
once for all.
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Bilal Ahmed Pare is a regular columnist for New Age Islam.
He is from Tral in the southern part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. He has
a Masters in Islamic Studies from the University of Kashmir.
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