STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST THE HIJAB

STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST THE HIJAB

"O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful." Surat No. 33 Ayat NO. 59?

How to become a Queen

This specific topic was chosen due to that which is stirred regarding it within this time from doubts. This is because the topic of the woman is important within the society; for she is the primary pillar of the offspring from which society is formulated. So if she is rectified then she is a reason for the rectification of her offspring and her family.

The mother is a school; if you prepare her Then you have prepared generations of good

The topic is in refutation of the doubts of those who have taken, from the woman, a post behind which they cover themselves in order to ridicule Al-lslam; they desire, as well, to corrupt the woman and to corrupt the society from behind it. The enemies of Allah and His Messenger continuously, within every time and place, spread corruption in the earth in order to destroy crops and cattle. So the topic of the woman has become a topic of importance to which it is befitting to give concern, and to clarify her status within Al-lslam in order that that fog which has accumulated from the propaganda of the deviants may vanish. The topic of the woman has become casual speech in this time. The radio broadcasts, in most cases, comprise the topic of the woman; being focused upon it. The newspapers and magazines comprise the topic of the woman, focusing upon it so that by way of it they may bring many doubts which perhaps perplex the confused or the ignorant. Upon investigation into the history of the woman over the passing of time, the loftiness of her status within Al-lslam-rather, in all of the divine religions- Al-lslam— rather, in all of the divine religions— becomes clear to us.

WHAT IS HIJAB?

In the Qur'an, the term?hijab?refers to a partition or curtain in the literal or metaphorical sense. It is a screen of some sort that partitions an individual from another.

It is important to clarify that only the wives of the prophet (pbuh)?had to enforce this type of hijab. The hijab of the prophets wives, were extra due to the fact that they were the wives of the Prophet. They had to be covered not just in their garments, but also the space in which they occupied. This is explicit in the Qur’an:?

"AND?WHEN YOU ASK?[HIS?WIVES] FOR?SOMETHING,?ASK THEM FROM BEHIND?A PARTITION. THAT IS PURER FOR YOUR HEARTS AND?THEIR?HEARTS".?

SURAH AL-AHZAB, VERSE 53

It is important that we should pay attention to the original language?used in the Quran to avoid?any confusion.

In our modern interpretation nowadays, we commonly refer to the hijab as the scarf Muslim women wear on their heads, but this is not necessarily the same term used in the Qur’an. The term for head covering in the Qur’an is known as ‘Khimar’.

The khimar originates from the trilateral verb `khamara', which means `ghatta' meaning to conceal, hide, or to cover something.

“Let them wear their Khimar over their juyub”?which is their chest. From this verse we understand that the believing women are instructed by Allah SWT to wear the Khimar and to then drape it over their chests.

It was common culture amongst the women of jahiliyyah (pre Islam) to wear a headscarf. It was a bandana type style of head covering that was wrapped and then thrown to the back. This was at the time referred to as a ‘khimar.’ However, when Allah SWT revealed these verses and used the word Khimar in the Qur’an, to not then confuse the two styles of Khimar, Allah instructed the believing women to bring the fabric to their front by drawing their khimar over their chests, as a covering.

“O PROPHET, TELL YOUR WIVES AND YOUR DAUGHTERS AND THE WOMEN OF THE BELIEVERS TO BRING DOWN OVER THEMSELVES [PART] OF THEIR OUTER GARMENTS. THAT IS MORE SUITABLE THAT THEY WILL BE RECOGNISED AND NOT BE ABUSED. AND EVER IS ALLAH FORGIVING AND MERCIFUL.”

SURAH AL-AHZAB, VERSE 59

Interestingly, when addressing hijab, the Quran does not address women first. It addresses men first. That’s not a typo error either! Islam places the primary responsibility of observing hijab not on women – but on men. It’s critical to understand this point.

Wearing the headscarf is one form of hijab, but men often forget that hijab is much more. The Quran commands men to not stare at women and to not be promiscuous. The Quran (Chapter 24, verse 31) instructs men to observe modesty:?“Say to the believing men that they restrain their eyes and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Surely, Allah is well aware of what they do.”

An example of this was when the Prophet rode with his companion Al Fadl bin Abbas. A woman described as strikingly beautiful approached the Prophet to seek his guidance on some religious matters. Al Fadl began to stare at her because of her beauty. The Prophet Muhammad did not scold the woman for dressing immodestly or revealing her beauty. Instead, he “reached his hand backwards, catching Al Fadl’s chin, and turned his face to the other side so that he would not gaze at her”. Thus, the Prophet Muhammad once more established that the primary burden to observe hijab rests on men.

6C of HIJAB

Based on the Qur’an and Sunnah (the teachings of the prophet Muhammad peace be upon him) there is a six point criteria for observing hijab correctly:

1.???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 up to the wrist. If they wish to, they can cover even these parts of the body.

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 non-Muslims i.e. they should not wear clothes that are specifically identities or symbols of other religions.

How to Elimination the Violence of Hijab

Hijab includes conduct and behavior among other things. Complete ‘hijab’, besides the six criteria of clothing, also includes the moral conduct, behavior, 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

In conclusion, the hijab is a protection for both men and women.

For a women, it is a protection for her and it creates a barrier from the potential harm and the harassment of unrighteous men. It is not something worn for especially for her husband as incorrectly said nowadays. Hijab is observed before marriage, long before the husband is even in the picture. Can he enjoy her beauty once married? Sure! She is safe to do so. If it was solely for the husband, the woman would start to wear the hijab after marriage and this simply is not the case. Narcissistic ideologies are just that, narcissistic ideologies and they should be left there with the ignorant. The wearing of the hijab is a commandment from Allah, our creator, for the protection of the believing women. It has nothing to do with men oppressing women.

Our belief as Muslim women (and Muslims in general) is that this life is a temporary testing ground for us before we pass on to the eternal life of the hereafter. When the ignorant make comments of oppression because of the hijab, a believing woman knows this is simply not true.

Our focus is different.

We don’t live solely for this world, it’s not ‘YOLO’ for us. It's more like YOGOSIL ! (you only get one shot in life!... so we're making it count).

We live for the next world and the promise of Paradise.

The rulings of hijab are for our protection, not oppression.

Thanks & Regards

Muhammad Kashif Siddiqui