The Real Purpose of Physical Dress

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The Real Purpose of Physical Dress 

Living by the Covenant with Allah

The Covenant which the transgressors disavow refers to the one that all humans made with Allah before any of them came down to the earth. The Holy Qur'an says that Allah brought together the spirits of all humans, and asked them:

"Am I not your Lord?" And they replied with one voice: :

"Yes" (7:172). This acceptance and affirmation of Allah as their only Lord and Master requires that Humans should in no way be disobedient to Him. Allah's books and His prophets come down to the world to remind them of this Covenant, to renew it, and to teach them in detail how to act upon it. Now, those who break this Covenant, how can they ever be expected to learn from the prophets and the books of Allah?

Surah Al Araf 7:19-27

And 0 'Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise, and eat from wherever you like, but do not go near this tree, otherwise you shall join the transgressors." [19] Then Satan whispered to them, so that he may uncover to them what was covered of their shame; and said, 'Your Lord has not prohibited this tree for you, but to avoid your becoming angels or your becoming eternal." [20] And he swore on oaths, "I am one of your well- wishers." [21] So he cast them down by deception. So, when they tasted (the fruit of) the tree, their shame became apparent to them, and they began to patch together upon themselves some 'leaves of Paradise, and their Lord called them, "Did I not forbid you from that tree, and did I not tell you that the Satan is an open enemy for you?" [22]

They said, "Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and do not bless us with mercy, we shall, indeed, be among the losers." [23]

He said, "Go down, some of you enemies of some; and for you on the earth there will be a dwelling place and enjoyment for a time." [24] (Further) He said, "There you shall live and there you shall die and from there you shall be taken out." [25]

O children of 'Adam, We have sent down to you clothing so, that covers your shame and dress that adorns. And the dress of Taqwa! that is the best. That is one of the signs of Allah, so that they may be receptive to advice. [26] 0 children of 'Adam, "Do not let Satan put you in trouble the way he had your parents expelled from Paradise, having their dress removed from them, so that he could show them their shame. Indeed, he sees you - he and his company - from where you do not see them. Surely, We have made the satans (Devils) friends for those who do not believe. [27]

Commentary

Mentioned in almost a section preceding the verses cited above was the event relating to Sayyidna 'Adam and Satan, the accursed. The first outcome of the satanic instigation was that the heavenly apparel of 'Adam (pbuh) and Huwa (Eve) (pbuh) (ra) came off leaving them cover-less as a result of which they began hiding their cover-able body with leaves.

In the first of the present verses (7:26), Allah Ta'ala has addressed all children of 'Adam and told them that the dress they wear is a great blessing the worth and value of which must be recognized by them. The address here is not to Muslims alone. It is to all children of Adam. This is a sharp pointer to the fact that the act of covering the coverable parts of the body and the wearing of dress is both a human need and a natural desire. Everyone abides by it without any distinction of religion or community. Then, giving its details, three kinds of clothing's were mentioned.

First of all, it was said:

(clothing that covers your shame). Here, the word:(Yuwari) is a derivation from(Muwarat) which means to cover, hide or conceal. And the word: 

(sau'at) is the plural form of(sau'ah). This is applied to body parts the uncovering of which is taken, by nature, as bad and shameful by all human beings. The sense of the statement is that Allah has sent down for people dress with which they could cover their body parts the exposing of which is a matter of shame.After that, it was said: (wa risha). The dress one uses for adornment and decency is called:(Rish). The meaning is that just to cover up the cover-worthy body parts, even a simple set of clothing is enough. But, Allah has provided for you much more than simply clothing, He blessed you with dresses which make you look handsome, or decent, neat and civilized.

At this place, the word used by the Holy Qur'an is (anzalna We have sent down). It means to bestow or bless with. It is not necessary that it be sent down from the heavens ready to wear. This is like another expression: 7:25). It means: 'We sent down the iron,' which is dug out of the earth as everyone can see. However, at both these places, by saying( anzalna) We have sent down), it was indicated that the way no human planning or artifice operates as active agent in what 'descends from the heavens,' so it is with the essential mother element of dress, cotton or wool etc., where human ingenuity has no role to play.

That is simply a gift from the great creative power of Allah Ta'ala. But, human artifice does work in efforts to make out of these materials dresses to individual taste, temperament, and the need to stay safe against heat or chill. Even the way to that artifice is shown by Allah Ta'ala. Therefore, eyes that see reality see all this as nothing but Divine gift sent from the heavens.

Two Uses of Dress

Identified here are two uses of dress:

(1) To cover the cover-worthy parts of the body (satr).

(2) Protection from hot and cold weather, and decor of the body. The first use has been placed first which indicates that the real purpose of human dress is to be able to cover the cover-worthy parts of the body (satr al-'awrah). This also happens to be its line of demarcation from animals. The dress given to animals has been naturally made a part of their body. The purpose it serves is either to protect from hot and cold weather, or beautify them. No elaborate arrangements have been made to cover up their satr. Nevertheless, formations of particular body parts in their bodies have been so placed that they do not remain totally exposed. Some would have a screen of a tail and many others would have other obstructers of view.

After having related the event concerning 'Adam and Hawwa' ('Adam and Eve) and how the Satan had instigated them, this mention of dress indicates that for human beings to be naked, or the exposure of their shame before others is a sign of abject disgrace and indecency at its worst. Moreover, it is an antecedent to all sorts of evils and disorders.

The Modern Obsession for Nudity: The Tempter of 'Adam and Eve still Stalks

So, the first attack of Satan came from this opening against human beings when their dress dropped off from where it belonged. Even today, when Satan wishes to confuse and waylay human beings through his accomplices, it always picks up a chic front like being trendy, hip, hot or cool, a fashion statement, art etc. and ends up pulling people out from homes into streets and alleys naked or just about. It would seem that what Satan has classified as modern advancement does not happen unless women are deprived of their sense of shame and modesty and made to parade around in the near-nude.

After 'Iman, the First Duty is to Cover your Body Properly

When Shaytan, sensing this weakness in human beings, made the first assault on their body cover, the Shari'ah of Islam acted smartly as it is responsible for the inculcation, protection and flowering of every good in its people that it took the issue so seriously that it enjoined the covering of human body as the first duty after 'Iman or faith. The Salah, the Sawam, and duties like those come after that.

Sayyidna Faruq al-A'zam (ra) says that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) said: When someone wears a new dress, he should recite the following Du'a while wearing it:

Praise be to Allah who gave me clothes with which I am to cover the cover-worthy parts of my body and look handsome with it in my life.

 The Great Reward of Giving the Old Dress as Sadaqah after Wearing the New One

He also said: If a person who wears a new dress and gives away the old one as Sadaqah (charity) to anyone poor and needy, he comes under the protection and patronage of Allah Ta'ala in all states of his life and death. (Ibn Kathir from the Musnad of ahmad )

In this Hadith too, one is reminded of the two considerations in wearing a dress which is why Allah Ta'ala has created the human dress.

Covering of Body is Natural and the Theory of Evolution is False

The event of Sayyidna 'Adam and the statement of the Qur'an make it clear that covering the body and using a dress is a natural desire and an inborn necessity of human beings which has been with them since the very beginning. Those who profess that the first man went around naked and it was only after having passed through stages of evolution that he invented the dress, they are patently false.

The Ultimate Dress

After having identified the dress of two kinds, that which covers the body properly and that which gives comfort and beauty, a third kind of dress was mentioned by saying     (And the dress of Taqwi [fear of Allah]! that is the best). In some readings (Qira'at) of the Qur'an, the word (libas: dress) has been rendered with a fathah on the letter(sin) as: Thus, read with:

(anzalna), it will mean: We have sent down a third dress of Taqwa. But, in accordance with the well-known reading of it, it means that everyone knows the two dresses mentioned, however, there is a third kind of dress, that of Taqwa - and that is the best of all dresses. The dress of Taqwi, as explained by Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas and 'Urwah ibn Zubayr (ra) means right conduct, good deed and fear of Allah. ( Ruh Almani )

The sense is that the way the visible physical dress of human beings serves the purpose of covering the cover-worthy parts of the body, protecting from hot and cold weather and giving beauty and embellishment - very similarly, there is a spiritual dress, that of right and becoming conduct, good deed and fear of Allah. This libas or dress of Taqwa conceals human weaknesses and moral shortcomings. It delivers one from immediate hardships and ultimate losses. Therefore, it is the best of dresses one can wear.

Present here is the hint that an evil-doing person who has no fear of Allah and does not care for acting right, must be disgraced ultimately, no matter how he covers up - as reported by Ibn Jarh from Sayyidna 'Uthmin al-GhanI (ra) that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) said: By Allah in whose hands rests the life of Muhammad whatever a person does in secret, Allah Ta'ala wraps his deed like a sheet around him and announces it - the good of it, if the deed is good, and the evil of it, if the deed is evil. Wrapping like a sheet on the body means that it is visible to everyone. No matter how secretly one may do something, Allah Ta'ala makes its effects become evident on the face and the body. Then, to authenticate his statement, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) recited this verse:

(... and dress that adorns. And the dress of Taqwa, that is the best. That is one of the signs of Allah).

The Real Purpose of Physical Dress Too is to Achieve Taqwa

The expression, 'Dress of Taqwa,' indicates that the purpose of physical dress which fulfills the function of covering the body properly, and helps beautify it as well, is really a way of achieving the ability to fear Allah, or Taqwa as in the Qur'an. This ability should manifest itself in the way one dresses. The parts of the body which must be covered should be fully covered. It should be ensured that one's modesty stays concealed. Neither should it be allowed to remain naked, nor should the dress on the body be so tight-fitting through which body parts look like being naked. Then, this dress should not have the flair of pride and arrogance, instead, it should reflect modesty and humility. Then, it should not be extravagant either. The cloth material used should be tailored to need. And neither should the dress for women be masculine, nor the dress for men be feminine, which is odious and repugnant in the sight of Allah. Also, there should be no imitation in wearing a dress like others which is a sign of deviation from the established norms of one's community.

Along with it, there is the crucial need to correct one's morals and deeds which is the real purpose of dress. At the end of the verse comes the invitation to understand:

(That is one of the signs of Allah, so that they may be receptive to advice).

In the second verse (27), the address reverts to all children of Adam and the admonition given is that they should keep guarding against the deception of Shaytan in everything they do under whatever circumstance they are - lest, Shaytan puts them on another trial as he did with their parents, 'Adam and Eve. He made them leave Paradise, caused them to shed their dress and render their essential cover to be uncovered. He was their eternal enemy. His enmity was something, they were never to lose sight of. At the end of the verse, it was said:

 Indeed, he sees you - he and his company - from where you do not see them. Surely, We have made the satans friends for those who do not believe - (27)

Here, the word:(Qabil) means company or group. A joined family group is called: quabilah or tribe. Common groups are known as quabil The sense of the verse is: For you the Satan is a kind of enemy that he and his accomplices do see you but you do not see them. Therefore, the chances that you would fall a victim to their deception are fairly strong.

But, in other verses, it has also been clarified that people who keep turning to Allah Ta'ala and maintain their guard against the deception of Shaytan, for them, the wily web of Shaytan is much too weak.

Then, what has been said at the end of this verse - that 'We have made the Satans (Devils) friends and guardians of those who do not believe' - also indicates that those who believe should not find staying away from their web of deception at all difficult.

Some righteous elders have said that the defense against the enemy who sees us but we cannot see him is simple. Let us come under the protection of Allah Ta'ala. He sees these Satans (Devils), watches how they move and act - but they cannot see Him. And the statement, that human beings cannot see Shaytan (Satan/Devil), is in terms of general conditions and habit. If a human being were to see them contrahabitually, that would not be considered contrary to it - as is the case of Jinns coming to the Holy Prophet (pbuh) who asked questions and embraced Islam, which appears in authentic narrations of Hadith. (Ruh al-Ma'ani)

For a advanced and more detailed study of Adam (pbuh) and Huwa (Eve) (ra) as well as the attacks of our enemy the Shaytan (Satan/Devil) including a a scientific approach see below article Insha Allah (God willing )

The Covenant taken by all humans prior

The verse (7:172) in Surah Al-Araf speaking of the covenant of Eternity 

 In the preceding pages has used the word

for the children of Adam. According to Imam Raghib al-Isfahani the word 

has been derived from the Arabic root

which signifies to create. The Holy Qur'an has used this word to signify the same meanings in a number of verses. The word 'Dhurriyyah'

therefore signifies all those created. This implies that the covenant of Eternity included all the human beings as they are the progeny of Adam (pbuh).

The aim of this pledge taken from the whole mankind was to make them acknowledge that Allah Almighty is the Nourisher, The Sustainer or the Lord of all the created beings. This implies that the children of Adam (pbuh) coming forth from the back of the Prophet Adam (pbuh) were not in the form of spirit alone but also had a certain kind of physique made of some fine elements. It is because the function of nourishing is directly related to body which is made to progress from one state to another. The spirits do not require this kind of nourishment as they remain in one state from the moment of their creation. This is also supported from the above traditions speaking of the fair and black color or the brilliance on their forehead because both, the color and brilliance, require some material form to show their existence. The spirits obviously have no color.

One may wonder how all the human beings to be created up to the Last Day could have gathered in one place. This also has been explained by the Tradition narrated by the Companion Abu al-Darda (ra) which said that they did not appear with their usual size rather they appeared in the size of a small ant. In this age of scientific knowledge it should be of no surprise how a man of human size can be reduced to the size of an ant. The science has established the fact that a perfect system similar to our solar system is functioning in and around the nucleus of an atom. The books of hundreds of pages can be reduced to a dot of small size through a process of micro filming. It should not, therefore, be a matter of surprise that Allah, the All- Powerful, might have reduced them to the size of an ant at this occasion.

The above discussion with regard to the covenant of eternity gives rise to a couple of questions:

1. Which was the time and place of the covenant?

2. This pledge was taken prior to the creation of all human beings, excluding Adam . How did the children of Adam have knowledge and reason to acknowledge Allah almighty as being the Nourisher or their Lord which requires the experience of their being nourished which was not possible prior to coming as human being on the earth.

The first question has been answered by the Companion 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas (ra) reported through authentic sources by Imam Ahmad and Nasa'i that the covenant was taken at the time when Adam (pbuh) was sent down from heavens to the earth. The place was the valley of Nauman known as the plain of 'Arafat (Near Makkah).

As to the second question with regard to inability of their acknowledging Allah as their Lord prior to their creation, the answer is quite simple. Allah Almighty who has all the powers to do anything He wills, and who was able to make all the human beings appear in a size of an ant could more easily imbue knowledge and reason enough to make them capable of recognizing their Lord, the Nourisher. Allah made them appear with body and soul in a small size with all the physical functions needed by a perfect human being.

Reason and understanding being the most significant functions must have been included.

Another question which remains unsettled is as to what value can be attached to a covenant occurring prior to the actual creation of human beings, and which is not remembered by them after they take their actual existence on the earth? Before proceeding to answer this question we may add that, in some cases, there have been individuals who remembered the occasion of this covenant. For example, the great spiritual leader Dhul Nun al-Misri has said, "I remember the occurrence of this covenant as clearly as I am hearing it this very moment."

Some of the elders have reported to have remembered even the people who were present near them. True, that such cases are rare and do not make an answer to the above question.

The answer to this question, therefore, is that there are many things or acts which are effective in their very nature without any regard to their being remembered or understood by others. They imprint the effect on others quite naturally.

For example, the common practice, among Muslims, of saying Adhan in the right ears of a new born and reciting iqamah in his left ear is an obvious example of such acts. The baby neither understands the meaning of this call nor does he remember it after becoming an adult.

The wisdom behind this religious practice is nothing but to revive the pledge he has taken with Allah, and sow the seed of Faith in his heart by repeating the message of the covenant in his ears. The influence of this act is so obvious that can be seen in every Muslim individual even if he is not practically a good Muslim. He takes pride in calling himself a Muslim and utterly dislikes being deprived of this categorical entity.

Similarly the commandment of reciting the Quran even to those who do not know Arabic is perhaps for the same reason that their hearts are enlightened with the impact of the Qur'anic words, and their Faith in Allah is renovated therewith.

The wisdom behind this covenant is similarly to sow the seed of Faith in the heart of every human being. This seed is taking it's nourishment in the soil of human heart , no matter weather people are conscious of it or not. The fruit of this seed manifests itself in the form of love and respect for god (Allah) which is a part of human nature. The expression of this love and respect, may take unjust forms like worshipping false gods - idols or created beings. The worships, just or unjust, is in itself, an expression of love and respect for the creator.

The billions of people have this respect and love for Allah which is expressed by them through their worship according to their ideas of worship guided by their knowledge or ignorance. There is no need to speak of those few who, under the influence of mundane pursuits have deteriorated their natural understanding and forgot the pledge they made with Allah.

The Holy Prophet (pbuh) has said:

Every baby is born on Fitrah (nature, that is, Islam) then he is converted by his parents to their religion. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) has said in a Tradition that Allah Almighty has said, 'I have created my servants as Hanif, that is, having faith in Allah, the one, then they were led astray by Satanic influences."

The next sentence of the verse has said:

"Lest you should say on the Day of Doom, "We were ignorant of this."

That is to say, the pledge taken by Allah has lit the candle of Faith in their hearts. Now with little reflection they can easily recognize Him as their Lord. Therefore, their excuse of ignorance shall not be of any avail to them on the Day of Judgement. Another possible excuse from them was to say:

Or you should say, "It was our forefathers who associated partners with Allah and we were (only) a progeny after them. So, would you destroy us on account of what the false ones did?"

The verse precludes them from seeking refuge in saying that they were unaware of the Truth. Being a progeny of their forefathers they only followed their path. Therefore they should not be punished for the error of their forefathers. The verse has said that they shall not be punished for the acts of their forefather. It was their own fault and their apathetic attitude that led them to this disaster. It is because the covenant had sown the seed of Truth in their heart and it was not difficult for them to decide that the stones, shaped by themselves into idols, or the fire, the trees and other created beings could, in no way, be considered as being their creator or possessing powers of helping them in their need.

The next verse 174 said:

"And this is how we elaborate the verses, so that they may return."

That is, Allah has made His signs clear through His elaborate verses to facilitate people to turn back to their pledge and acknowledge Him as their Lord. Any one applying his reason can find the Truth and save himself from ever lasting punishment.

Islamic concern about relationship to others

The cutting asunder of what Allah has commanded should be joined includes all kinds of relationships -- the one between Allah and His servant, the one between a man and his parents and relatives, between him and his neighbors and friends, between one Muslim and another, between one man and another. Actually, Islam means fulfilling one's obligations with regard to all these relationships, and this is also the way to follow the Shariah. Deficiency in fulfilling these obligations produces all kinds of disorder among men, and thus the transgressors end up by being destructive for others and for themselves. It is these, the Holy Qur'an says, who are the losers – in this world as in the other.

Injunctions and related considerations:

(1) In Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 2:26 shows if one intends to explain something useful or essential for the spiritual guidance of one's readers or listeners, it is neither sinful nor reprehensible to refer to something which is generally supposed to be contemptible or dirty, nor does it go against the dignity of the writer or the speaker. Examples of the use of such images or parables occur in the Holy Qur'an, the Hadith and, in the writings of the Sufis and other great Muslim scholars, all of whom have disregarded the habitual idea of modesty or seriousness in the interest of the real object to be attained.

(2) The reference to the disavowing of one's covenant with Allah indicates that the infringement of a contract or agreement made with one's fellow men is a grave sin, which may have the consequence of depriving a man of the ability to do good deeds.

(3) Verse 2:27 shows that it is essential for us to maintain the relationships which the Shariah has commanded us to keep intact, and that it is forbidden to break them. Indeed, religion itself signifies the divinely ordained laws which bind us to fulfill our obligations with regard to Allah (Huququllah) and with regard to His servants (Huqiuq al-'Ibad). According to this verse, the fundamental cause of disorder in human society is the sundering of these relationships.

(4) The Holy Qur'an says that real losers are those who go against divine commandments. There is a suggestion here that real loss pertains to the other world, the loss of this world being too small a thing to be worthy of serious consideration.

The time has come to choose will you not fear Allah and obey Him? Insha Allah you will pick the correct side.

I have thus discharged again my duty of conveying His message and advice.

If you like what you hear may you accept it and if not you can disregard it.

Allah Knows Best

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                              May He, for whom you have loved me, love you.

Barakal-lahu feekum

Unto Allah I commend thy faith, Thy trust and the consequence of thy work,

JZK

Allah Hafiz

Allah’s Property Mujaddid

Mahmoud Muhammad Ibrihim 

(Of Sinai Peninsula )

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