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Mary
C. Ali
THE
QUESTION OF HIJAB: SUPPRESSION OR LIBERATION?
"Why
do Muslim women have to cover their heads?" This
question is one which is asked by Muslim and non-Muslim alike.
For many women it is the truest test of being a Muslim.
The answer to
the question is very simple - Muslim women observe HIJAB
(covering the head and the body) because Allah has
told them to do so.
"O
Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing
women to draw their outer garments around them (when they go
out or are among men). That is better in order that they may
be known (to be Muslims) and not annoyed..." (Qur'an
33:59)
Other secondary
reasons include the requirement for modesty in both men and
women. Both will then be evaluated for intelligence and skills
instead of looks and sexuality. An Iranian school girl is
quoted as saying, "We want to stop men from treating
us like sex objects, as they have always done. We want them to
ignore our appearance and to be attentive to our personalities
and mind. We want them to take us seriously and treat us as
equals and not just chase us around for our bodies and
physical looks." A Muslim woman who covers her head
is making a statement about her identity. Anyone who sees her
will know that she is a Muslim and has a good moral character.
Many Muslim women who cover are filled with dignity and self
esteem; they are pleased to be identified as a Muslim woman.
As a chaste, modest, pure woman, she does not want her
sexuality to enter into interactions with men in the smallest
degree. A woman who covers herself is concealing her sexuality
but allowing her femininity to be brought out.
The question of
hijab for Muslim women has been a controversy for centuries
and will probably continue for many more. Some learned people
do not consider the subject open to discussion and consider
that covering the face is required, while a majority are of
the opinion that it is not required. A middle line position is
taken by some who claim that the instructions are vague and
open to individual discretion depending on the situation. The
wives of the Prophet (S) were required to cover their faces so
that men would not think of them in sexual terms since they
were the "Mothers of the Believers," but
this requirement was not extended to other women.
The word
"hijab" comes from the Arabic word "hajaba"
meaning to hide from view or conceal. In the present time, the
context of hijab is the modest covering of a Muslim woman. The
question now is what is the extent of the covering?
The Qur'an says:
"Say to
the believing man 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.
And say to the believing women that they should lower their
gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not
display their beauty and ornaments except what must
ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils
over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to
their husbands..." (Qur'an 24:30-31)
These verses from
the Qur'an contain two main injunctions:
- A woman
should not show her beauty or adornments except what
appears by uncontrolled factors such as the wind blowing
her clothes, and
- the head
covers should be drawn so as to cover the hair, the neck
and the bosom.
Islam has no fixed
standard as to the style of dress or type of clothing that
Muslims must wear. However, some requirements must be met. The
first of these requirements is the parts of the body which
must be covered. Islam has two sources for guidance and
rulings: first, the Qur'an, the revealed word of Allah
and secondly, the Hadith or the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad
(S) who was chosen by Allah to be the role model
for mankind. The following is a Tradition of the Prophet:
"Ayesha
(R) reported that Asmaa the daughter of Abu Bakr (R) came to
the Messenger of Allah (S) while wearing thin
clothing. He approached her and said: 'O Asmaa! When a
girl reaches the menstrual age, it is not proper that anything
should remain exposed except this and this. He pointed to the
face and hands." (Abu Dawood)
The second
requirement is looseness. The clothing must be loose enough so
as not to describe the shape of the woman's body. One
desirable way to hide the shape of the body is to wear a cloak
over other clothes. However, if the clothing is loose enough,
an outer garment is not necessary. Thickness is the third
requirement. The clothing must be thick enough so as not to
show the color of the skin it covers or the shape of the body.
The Prophet Muhammad (S) stated that in later
generations of his ummah there would be "women who
would be dressed but naked and on top of their heads (what
looks like) camel humps. Curse them for they are truly
cursed." (Muslim) Another requirement is an over-all
dignified appearance. The clothing should not attract men's
attention to the woman. It should not be shiny and flashy so
that everyone notices the dress and the woman. In addition
there are other requirements:
- Women must
not dress so as to appear as men.
"Ibn Abbas narrated: 'The Prophet (S) cursed the
men who appear like women and the women who appear like
men.'" (Bukhari)
- Women should
not dress in a way similar to the unbelievers.
- The clothing
should be modest, not excessively fancy and also not
excessively ragged to gain others admiration or sympathy.
Often forgotten is
the fact that modern Western dress is a new invention. Looking
at the clothing of women as recently as seventy years ago, we
see clothing similar to hijab. These active and hard-working
women of the West were not inhibited by their clothing which
consisted of long, full dresses and various types of head
covering. Muslim women who wear hijab do not find it
impractical or interfering with their activities in all levels
and walks of life. Hijab is not merely a covering
dress but more importantly, it is behavior, manners, speech
and appearance in public. Dress is only one facet of the total
being. The basic requirement of the Muslim woman's
dress apply to the Muslim man's clothing with the difference
being mainly in degree. Modesty requires that the area between
the navel and the knee be covered in front of all people
except the wife. The clothing of men should not be like the
dress of women, nor should it be tight or provocative. A
Muslim should dress to show his identity as a Muslim. Men are
not allowed to wear gold or silk. However, both are allowed
for women.
For both men
and women, clothing requirements are not meant to be a
restriction but rather a way in which society will function in
a proper, Islamic manner.
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