Traditional Islamic Opinion on the Importance and Necessity of Hijab
By
Badruddoja Razvi Misbahi, New Age Islam
(Translated
from Urdu by Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam)
24 February
2022
What is
The Meaning and Significance of Hijab or Purdah in Islam?
Main
Points:
1. The veil is
not only a woman's protector, but also a guarantee of her honour, dignity, and
chastity.
2. In the
Quran, Allah commands the pious wives and other princesses of Islam to cover
their bodies and faces with the chador when they leave their homes.
3. Women in
Islam should not follow the example of European society and film actresses who
display their beauty.
4. If one sees
a non-Mahram woman by accident, it is pardoned because it is the first glimpse
whereas the second intentional sight is a sin.
5. There is no
such thing as extremism in Islam. Islam is a religion that encourages people to
live in moderation.
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(File Photo)
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The
Literal Meaning of Hijab
Hijab means
veil and barrier in Arabic. In other words, the hijab refers to anything that
stands between two things. The gatekeeper is known as Hajib because he
prohibits people from entering without the owner's consent. Similarly, the eyes
and brows are referred to as "Hajib" and "Hawajib,"
respectively, because they prevent harmful objects from entering the eyes.
Hijab and
veil are terms used in common parlance to describe anything that shields a lady
from the gaze of a non-Mahram.
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The
Hijab Verse and the Reason for Revelation
In the
presence of the Prophet, Hazrat Umar Farooq (may Allah be pleased with him)
remarked, “O Messenger of Allah! People of all stripes, both good and bad,
flock to you. I wish you would impose veils on the exalted wives [Azwaaje
Muttahirat]. The following verse was revealed at that time:
“O
People who Believe! Do not enter the houses of the Prophet without permission,
as when called for a meal but not to linger around waiting for it – and if you
are invited then certainly present yourself and when you have eaten, disperse –
not staying around delighting in conversation; indeed that was causing
harassment to the Prophet, and he was having regard for you; Allah does not shy
in proclaiming the truth; and when you ask the wives of the Prophet for
anything to use, ask for it from behind a curtain; this is purer for your
hearts and for their hearts; you have no right to trouble the Noble Messenger
of Allah, nor ever marry any of his wives after him; indeed that is a very
severe matter in the sight of Allah.” (33:53)
According
to another narration, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was once having
lunch with several of his Companions when this blessed verse was revealed.
Meanwhile, someone's hand dropped on the hand of Hazrat Ayesha Siddiqah, Umm
Al-Mu'minin (may Allah be pleased with her). The Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) disliked this happening. The Hijab verse was revealed at that time.
However, because the commentator Abu Saud reported it using the word 'qeel,'
the preferred view about its cause of revelation is the one indicated above in
relation to Hazrat Umar Farooq's narration. (Tafsir Abi Saud, vol. 7. P.112)
Although
the reason for the revelation of this verse is specific, this divine admonition
applies to homes of all believers. As a result, it is essential for every
Muslim not to enter someone's home without his permission. This restriction is
also in conformity with natural principles, as men leave the house for work or
other reasons, leaving women alone in their homes, unable to care for the
concealable areas of their bodies [Satr-e-Aurah]. It's unclear which
state they're in. In this case, common sense indicates that no one enters the
residence without permission. Even if the husband is inside the house, the
outsider has no idea what the husband and his wife are going through. It's
feasible that they're in a one-of-a-kind situation. Watching a stranger in this
circumstance would be a humiliation to them. As a result, according to Islam,
before entering someone's home, you must first seek permission from the house
owner. We'll go through this in further depth later.
We want to
emphasise that the veil is not only a woman's protector, but also a guarantee
of her honour, dignity, and chastity. Wearing a veil enhances a woman's dignity
and self-respect. The veil holds the key to a woman's affluent existence. In
the verses of Surah Al-Ahzab and Surah Noor, Allah Almighty commands women to
be veiled.
Allah
Almighty says,
“O Prophet! Command your wives and your
daughters and the women of the Muslims to cover their faces with a part of
their cloaks; this is closer to their being recognised and not being harassed;
and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (33:59)
In this
verse, Allah Almighty commands the pious wives and other princesses of Islam to
cover their bodies and faces with the chador when they leave their homes so
that wanderers will know she is a noble, chaste, and virtuous woman and will
not try to tease her.
We can
notice in our surroundings now that ladies who wear hijab and veil when they
leave the house are less prone to lust. Human beasts are not afraid to touch or
approach them. Women who leave the house naked, on the other hand, quickly
become a source of sexual harassment, and their honour and dignity are
shattered as a result, and they are occasionally kidnapped and even murdered.
As a
result, women in Islam should not follow the example of European society and
film actresses who display their beauty and their concealable parts of bodies,
obtaining limelight in newspapers, magazines, and advertising, and trading
their honour for a few coins. Muslim women should follow in the footsteps of
the elevated ladies of Islam [Sahabiyat], study their biographies and
lifestyles, especially those of Umm Al-Mu'minin Hazrat Ayesha Siddiqa and
Hazrat Syeda Fatima Zahra, the Prophet's daughter, and adopt their lives and
teachings for themselves.
Now, for
the benefit of all, we give some impressions of Hazrat Ayesha Siddiqah and her
style of life and teachings.
Even before
the revelation of the verse of hijab, Umm Al-Mu'minin Hazrat Ayesha Siddiqah
(may Allah be pleased with her) used to take special care of the veil. Following
the revelation of the hijab verse, it became such a need in her life that she
would grow outraged at the sight of a lady who was not veiled and demand that
she be veiled.
Her niece
was Hazrat Hafsa bint Abdul Rahman. She wore a small scarf when she went to see
Hazrat Ayesha. When she saw the flimsy Dupatta, she became enraged and
tore it up, saying, "Do you not know what Allah has commanded in Surah
Noor?" (Ibn Sa'd's Tabaqat, vol. 8, p. 50)
When Hazrat
Ayesha was a visitor at a residence, she noticed two young daughters of the
owner praying without veils. Seeing this, she insisted that no girl offer
prayers without wearing a veil. (Hazrat Ayesha's Biography with Reference to
Musnad Ahmad, vol. 6, p. 96)
Women are
not permitted to wear sound-producing pieces of jewellery. She was once
presented with a girl dressed in Ghunghroo. When she saw her, she
remarked, “Do not bring her to me while she is wearing this Ghunghroo.”
One of the women was perplexed as to why this was the case. “When the bell
sounds, the angels do not come to the house or caravan,” Hazrat Ayesha
explained with reference to a hadith of Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him)
[From Musnad Ahmad's vol. 6 p. 225/240, Ayesha's biography]
When
Amir-ul-Momineen Hazrat Umar Farooq was buried in her room, it was a great
concern of Umm Al-Mu'minin Hazrat Ayesha Siddiqa for the sake of Taqwa that she
did not enter the room without covering herself, even though there is no
restriction of the veil from those who have died according to Islamic Sharia.
(File Photo)
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Women were
allowed to perform prayers in the mosque during the Prophet's time, and they
used to go to the mosque for prayers, but when their presence became a source
of disturbance, Amir al-Mu’minin Hazrat Umar Farooq barred women from entering
the mosque. When the women complained to Umm Al-Mu'minin Hazrat Ayesha, she
replied, “What Hazrat Umar Farooq knew about the women of these days; if
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) had seen them earlier, he would not have
let you enter the mosque,” [Fath ul-Qadir with Al-Kifaya, Vol. 1, p. 317]
Women were
prohibited from attending the mosque for prayers during the time of Hazrat Umar
Farooq. But what is the state of women in modern times, to say the least?
Nudity and other heinous crimes are so common that we turn to God Almighty for
refuge!
O, Islamic
Princess! Please don't display your good looks. Live your life in accordance
with Allah's and His Messenger's commandments. In Islam, the veil is so
well-designed that women are instructed to walk carefully in their houses so
that the sound of their jewels is not heard. Allah says:
“And let them not stamp their feet to make
known what they conceal of their adornment.” (24:31)
The sound
of jewels has been stated as a reason for the non-acceptance of dua [prayer] in
the hadith, therefore you can imagine how much it would displease God Almighty
if ladies did not wear veil.
Who
Should Women Be Veiled For And Who Should They Not Be Veiled For?
This is
stated explicitly in the following verse of the Holy Quran:
Allah Almighty says, [interpretation of the verse]: “And command the Muslim women to keep their
gaze low and to protect their chastity, and not to reveal their adornment
except what is apparent, and to keep the cover wrapped over their bosoms; and
not to reveal their adornment except to their own husbands or fathers or
husbands’ fathers, or their sons or their husbands’ sons, or their brothers or
their brothers’ sons or sisters’ sons, or women of their religion, or the
bondwomen they possess, or male servants provided they do not have manliness,
or such children who do not know of women’s nakedness, and not to stamp their
feet on the ground in order that their hidden adornment be known; and O
Muslims, all of you turn in repentance together towards Allah, in the hope of
attaining success.” (24:31)
According
to a well-known proverb, “First the eye, then the heart, and then the
concealable portions of the body [satr] go astray” Therefore, Islam has firmly
advised all believing men and women to safeguard their eyes and has mandated
that when they leave their homes, they should keep their eyes down. Allah says:
“Command the Muslim men to keep their gaze low
and to protect their private organs; that is much purer for them; indeed Allah
is Aware of their deeds.” (24:30)
In the same
way, Allah has taught believing women to protect their honour and dignity and
has covered it in a very effective way. Allah says:
“And command the Muslim women to keep their
gaze low and to protect their chastity, and not to reveal their adornment...” (24:31)
Women's
hearts are soft and sensitive, just like their skin. They have a soft
personality and are ready to react to external stimuli. That is why women are
severely forbidden from making eye contact with strangers and from displaying
their ornamentation and beauty in front of anybody except the Maharams, and
they must always wear the veil when leaving the house.
Hazrat Umme
Salma (May Allah be pleased with her) narrates that “Maimuna (Umm Al-Mu'minin)
and I were present at the Prophet's service. Then a blind Sahabi [companion]
namely Ibn Umme Maktoom came to the Prophet for some needs. The Prophet ordered
us to go behind the curtain. I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Isn't Ibn Umm
Maktoom blind? The Holy Prophet said, “Are you both blind?” [Sunan al-Tirmidhi]
There is no
such thing as extremism in Islam. Islam is a religion that encourages people to
live in moderation. It may appear to everyone that in today's society, men and
women sit, stand, and work in offices together, and face each other on trips
and other occasions; how can a man or a woman not look at each other? It is an
eye that has the ability to view anyone at any moment. This type of question
was also posed to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). Hazrat Jarir asked the
Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) about an unintended look (on a woman). He
(peace be upon him) said, “Turn your eyes away”. [Sunan Abi Dawud 2148]
This hadith
means that if one sees a non-Mahram woman by accident, it is pardoned because
it is the first glimpse. However, as soon as one notices her, one must avert
one’s gaze away. If one looks at her again, it will be classified as one’s intentional
look and thereby adultery of the eye. Similarly, it is necessary for women not
to glance at a non-Mahram male intentionally.
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Maulana Badruddoja Razvi Misbahi, Principal of Madrasa Arabia Ashrafia
Zia-ul-Uloom Khairabad, District Mau, UP (India) is a Sufi-minded,
well-mannered, classical Islamic scholar, an expert teacher, an excellent
writer, a good poet and orator. He has authored numerous books, some of which
are as follows: 1) Fazilat-e-Ramazan, 2) Zad-ul-Haramain, 3) Mukhzin-e-Tib, 4)
Tauzeehat-e-Ahsan, the commentary on the
well-known logical book “Mulla Hasan” 5) Muhazarat fi Halle Qutbi Tasawwurat,
6) Tahzib al-Faraid commentary on “Sharh al-Aqaid”, 7) Atayib al-Tahani fi
Halle Mukhtasar al-Ma’ani, 8) Commentary on Sahih Muslim
Urdu
Article: Traditional Islamic Opinion on the
Importance and Necessity of Hijab اسلام میں حجاب کی
اہمیت و ضرورت
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/traditional-islamic-hijab-purdah/d/126441
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