- 04 Mar 2007, 00:15
#9321
Salams ..article on hijab
Hijab: The Identity of a Muslim Woman…
>
> The question of Hijab for both Muslims & Non-Muslims has been a controversy for centuries & will probably continue for many more.
>
> The word ‘Hijab’ comes from the Arabic word ‘Hajaba’ meaning to hide from view or conceal.
>
> A Muslim woman observing Hijab is making a statement of her identity.
> Anyone who sees her will know that she’s a Muslim & has a good moral character. Unlike, when you see an American, Japanese or even a Christian, you will fail to identify as to which Religion she is following.
>
> As a chaste, pure & a modest woman, she does not want her sexuality to enter into the interactions of men in the smallest degree.
> A woman who covers herself is concealing her sexuality but allowing her femininity to be brought out.
> In other words, she is less likely to be harassed by men with lusty motives.
>
> 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?
>
> "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..."
> (Holy Qur’an 24:31)
>
> The above verse from the holy Qur’an contains 2 main injunctions:
> 1 – A woman should not show her beauty or adornments except what appears by uncontrolled factors such as the wind blowing her clothes.
> 2 – And the head covers should be drawn so as to cover the hair, the neck and the bosom.
>
> Hijab is a word that indicates not just the headscarf but clothing in its entirety which meets the following conditions:
> -Clothing must cover the entire body (only the hands and face upto wrists may remain visible.
> -The material must not be so thin that one can see through it.
> -The clothing must hang loose so as not to reveal the shape of the body.
> -The female clothing must not resemble the male’s clothing.
> -The design of the clothing must not resemble the clothing of the non-believing women.
> -The material must not contain bold designs which attract attention.
> -Hijab should not be worn for the sole purpose of gaining reputation or increasing one’s status in the society.
>
> The following are the minimum requirements of Hijab for a Muslim woman
> (According to our Grand Ayatollah Al-Uzama Syed Ali Al-Husaini Seestani):
>
> 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.
> A woman should conceal her body and hair from a man who is non-Mahram, and as an obligatory precaution, she should conceal herself even from a Na-baligh boy who is able to discern between good and evil, and could probably be sexually excited.
> But she can leave her face and hands upto wrists uncovered in the presence of Na-Mahram, as long as it does not lead him to casting a sinful, evil glance or her to doing something forbidden; for in both these cases, she must cover them.
>
> In today’s society, women are being exploited, female sexuality is being openly used for advertising purposes, mainly to attract the desires of men and ofcourse sell off the product.Is the woman really free in today’s society?
> The answer is obviously no, the constant bombardment by the media as to how the ideal woman should look and dress testifies to this.
>
> In conclusion, Islam liberated women over 1,400 years ago through the guidance of the Holy Qur’an & the Ahlulbait (A.S).
> I end with a saying of our Holy Prophet (S.A.W):
> “Modesty results in good alone and nothing else”. (Bukhari and Muslim).
>
> By: Laila Mohamedhusein A.Kermali.