Do you know about hijab in Islam? In Islamic country or maybe around of you, you will see many Muslim women wear hijab. Do you know why hijab is so important in Islam?
For me who was born in religious family, hijab is not the new thing. I always see my mother wear hijab when she goes out. So does my sister. Most of the girls in my school also do the same.
If you ask them why they should wear hijab, I’m sure that you will hear various answers. Some says: “We are Muslim. We have to follow what’s written in Quran as our guidance.” Some might be say: “Actually I don’t like it, but my parents want me to wear this”. Another says: “It’s fashionable, don’t you see it?” or “I just follow my friends”.
There are a lot of reason why they use hijab. But basically, for all Muslim, we have to wear hijab as written in our holy book, Quran, 24:30-31 (see in the writing-red). Then, what’s the reason why God told us to do this?
There must be a reason right?
If you want to know more, try to read this until finish. I’m sure that you will not get bored to read this writing…
Before we go further, would you like to read first about the condition of women in our history?
Babylonian Civilization:
The women were degraded and were denied all rights under the Babylonian law. If a man murdered a woman, instead of him being punished, his wife was put to death.
Greek Civilization:
Greek Civilization is considered the most glorious of all ancient civilizations. Under this very ‘glorious’ system, women were deprived of all rights and were looked down upon. In Greek mythology, an ‘imaginary woman’ called ‘Pandora’ is the root cause of misfortune of human beings. The Greeks considered women to be subhuman and inferior to men. Though chastity of women was precious, and women were held in high esteem, the Greeks
were later overwhelmed by ego and sexual perversions. Prostitution became a regular practice amongst all classes of Greek society.
Roman Civilization:
When Roman Civilization was at the zenith of its ‘glory’, a man even had the right to take the life of his wife. Prostitution and nudity were common amongst the Romans.
Egyptian Civilization:
The Egyptian considered women evil and as a sign of a devil.
Pre-Islamic Arabia:
Before Islam spread in Arabia, the Arabs looked down upon women and very often when a female child was born, she was buried alive. Have a daughter is just like a disgrace that time. (This is real happened, you can asked the Arabian people about this).
What do you think about them? How about current condition? Is it getting better or…
Commonly, people, who don’t know Islam well, only know that hijab is only for women. Well, that’s not true. Even the Quran explained the hijab for men before hijab for women. Let’s see what Quran said in Surah Noor about hijab for men:
“Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do.” (Al-Qur’an 24:30)
The moment a man looks at a woman and if any brazen or unashamed thought
comes to his mind, he should lower his gaze.
The next verse of the same Surah, it’s written in Quran:
“And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons…” [Al-Qur’an 24:31]
According to Qur’an and Sunnah there are basically six criteria for observing hijab:
1. Extent:
The first criterion is the extent of the body that should be covered. This is different for men and women. The extent of covering obligatory on the male is to cover the body at least from the navel to the knees. For women, the extent of covering obligatory is to cover the complete body except the face and the hands upto the wrist. If they wish to, they can cover even these parts of the body. Some scholars of Islam insist that the face and the hands are part of the obligatory extent of ‘hijab’.
All the remaining five criteria are the same for men and women.
2. The clothes worn should be loose and should not reveal the figure.
3. The clothes worn should not be transparent such that one can see through them.
4. The clothes worn should not be so glamorous as to attract the opposite sex.
5. The clothes worn should not resemble that of the opposite sex.
6. The clothes worn should not resemble that of the unbelievers i.e. they should not wear clothes that are specifically identities or symbols of the unbelievers’ religions.
Hijab is not only about the clothes that we wear. Complete ‘hijab’, besides the six criteria of clothing, also includes the moral conduct, behaviour, attitude and intention of the individual. A person only fulfilling the criteria of ‘hijab’ of the clothes is observing ‘hijab’ in a limited sense. ‘Hijab’ of the clothes should be accompanied by ‘hijab’ of the eyes, ‘hijab’ of the heart, ‘hijab’ of thought and ‘hijab’ of intention. It also includes the way a person walks, the way a person talks, the way he behaves, etc.
Do you believe that hijab can prevent molestation?
Well, I do. It’s written in Quran in Surah Al-Ahzab:
“O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad); that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Al-Qur’an 33:59]
The Qur’an says that Hijab has been prescribed for the women so that they are recognized as modest women and this will also prevent them from being molested. Cool.
Here’s the example of twin sisters. Let’s think together.
Suppose two sisters who are twins, and who are equally beautiful, walk down the street. One of them is attired in the Islamic hijab i.e. the complete body is covered, except for the face and the hands up to the wrists. The other sister is wearing western clothes, a mini skirt or shorts. Just around the corner there is a hooligan or ruffian who is waiting for a catch, to tease a girl. Whom will he tease? The girl wearing the Islamic Hijab or the girl wearing the skirt or the mini? Naturally he will tease the girl wearing the skirt or the mini. Such dresses are an indirect invitation to the opposite sex for teasing and molestation. The Qur’an rightly says that hijab prevents women from being molested.
Do you know what kind of punishment can be given for those who raped a woman under Islamic law?
Here is the answer of Dr. Zakir Naik in one open discussion.
“Under the Islamic shariah (Islamic law), a man convicted of having raped a woman, is given capital punishment. Many are astonished at this ‘harsh’ sentence. Some even say that Islam is a ruthless, barbaric religion! I have asked a simple question to hundreds of non-Muslim men. Suppose, God forbid, someone rapes your wife, your mother or your sister. You are made the judge and the rapist is brought in front of you. What punishment would you give him? All of them said they would put him to death. Some went to the extent of saying they would torture him to death. To them I ask, if someone rapes your wife or your mother you want to put him to death. But if the same crime is committed on somebody else’s wife or daughter you say capital punishment is barbaric. Why should there be double standards?”
United States of America is supposed to be one of the most advanced countries of the world. It also has one of the highest rates of rape in any country in the world. According to a FBI report, in the year 1990, every day on an average 1756 cases of rape were committed in U.S.A alone. Later another report said that on an average everyday 1900 cases of rapes are committed in USA. The year was not mentioned. May be it was 1992 or 1993. May be the Americans got ‘bolder’ in the following years.
Consider a scenario where the Islamic hijab is followed in America. Whenever a man looks at a woman and any brazen or unashamed thought comes to his mind, he lowers his gaze. Every woman wears the Islamic hijab, that is the complete body is covered except the face and the hands up to the wrist. After this if any man commits rape he is given capital punishment. In such a scenario, will the rate of rape in America increase, will it remain the same, or will it decrease?
This is how Islam respect the women by protect them from molestation and rape.
NB: I got the information about this from the book written by Dr. Zakir Naik, a medical doctor from India, Answers To Non Muslims Common Questions About Islam.
For the Better Future 