بسم
الله الرحمن
الرحيم
In the Name
of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Virtues
of Hijaab
by Irshad Mahmood - Director, Siraat-al-Mustaqeem Dawah Centre
Most IMPORTANT about
Hijaab is that Allah has ordered to
wear Hijaab. For detail please
see Al_Quraan_033.059,
024.030, 024.031.
"O children of Adam, we have provided you with garments to cover your bodies, as well as for luxury. But the BEST GARMENT is the GARMENT of RIGHTEOUSNESS. These are some of GOD's signs, that they may take heed.” (Al_Quraan_07:026).
Build Relations: Hijaab does not mean to Break
Relations:
Hijaab means to cover yourself in a modest way. There are two kinds of Hijaab, one is for inside the house among relatives and close friends and the other is for outside which needs extra outer garments with face open. Keeping in mind, it is to protect women from many things, BUT if they cover their face will not protect them, since no one knows who is inside, really a female or a terrorist man trying to escape. This will for sure concerns security personals and may cause stopping you and causing more delays. In case of face open it can be easily identify from distance and no one needs to stop you unnecessarily for questions or concerns. Now security is getting more tougher and recently new equipments which can see-through the cloths, means you will be naked in front of this new machines and may cause many Muslims to reduce their unnecessary travel trips.
Generally it has been observed that some people are breaking relationships due to wearing Hijaab. If every one thinks negatively, then life will sure become miserable. In reality they need to do research from the Quraan, to find out what Allah really means about Hijaab. There is a limit for everything and we need to find the right way to wear Hijaab. There could be many things to keep in mind. Let us study a few sample cases.
Case-1:
Suppose you are the only brother of your only sister, who has
one
teenaged daughter, is very poor, and due to some reason her husband
either passed away or separated. Where should she go other than come to
live with you, since you are the only Mahram and she cannot afford to
pay rents etc.? What if you have also a teenaged son? Will you
send away your only son, or want him to live with you and have a good
education, since now a days, it is extremely hard to find jobs
that require manual labour. Those type of jobs are done with machines
these
days. So your son needs to go for professional education. In brief
everyone needs to live in one house, because it is too expensive to
have more than one. You will
be stuck if you are narrow minded.
Case-2:
Suppose you are very
sick and need urgent help to save your life and you have teenaged
daughter. How can your teenaged nephew help you?
You will
be stuck if you are narrow minded.
Case-3: Suppose your cousin-sister has only one relative, which is you, who is middle-aged, and due to some reason your cousin-sister's husband either passed away or separated. She has no children, does not want to marry again, cannot afford to pay rents, etc. Where should she go? Where will she feel safe other than with you, since you are the only closest relative (cousin)? You will be stuck if you are narrow minded.
Quraan answers all these issues and frees you from all negative thinking. Teach your kids to behave like brothers or sisters among their cousins. There is NO place for talks of love affairs or negative thinking in Islaam, although it allows marriages among cousins, such negative thinking is not tolerated. Religious Talks, Family Talks, Educational Talks are always allowed among cousins as well. Let us do a detailed analysis on these issues.
And (as for) the believing men and the believing women, they are guardians of EACH OTHER; they enjoin good and forbid evil and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, and obey Allah and His Messenger; (as for) these, Allah will show mercy to them; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise. (Al_Quraan_009:071)
Quraan tells us there is ZERO Tolerance for negative thinking and it comes into boundary limits:
Say: "Come, I will recite unto you what Allah has (really) prohibited you from": Join not anything as equal with Him; be good to your parents; kill not your children for (fear of) poverty;- We provide sustenance for you and for them;- come not near to shameful deeds(acts). Whether open or secret; take not life, which Allah hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: this He has command you, that you may learn wisdom. (Al_Quraan_006:151)
Nor come near to adultery: for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road (to other evils). (Al_Quraan_017:032)
And those who launch a charge against chaste women, and produce not four witnesses (to support their allegations),- flog them with eighty stripes; and reject their evidence ever after: for such men are wicked transgressors; Unless they repent thereafter and mend (their conduct); for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Al_Quraan_024.004-005)
And those who guard their chastity, Except in the case of their wives or those whom their right hands possess-- for these surely are not to be blamed, But he who seeks to go beyond this, these it is that go BEYOUND THE LIMITS (are TRANSGRESSORS, out of Islaam). (Al_Quraan_070.029-031)
Quraan tells us to lower our gaze:
"Say
to the believing men that they should lower
their gaze and guard their modesty......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 ordinarily appear
thereof; that
they should draw
their veils over
their bosoms...." (Al_Quraan_024:030-031)
Quraan is the only Holy Book which suggests you to Marry only one:
And if you fear that you cannot act equitably towards orphans, then marry such women as seem good to you, two and three and four; but if you fear that you will not do justice (between them), then (marry) ONLY ONE or what your right hands possess; this is more proper, that you may not deviate from the right course. (Al_Quraan_004:003)Quraan tells us to Bequest in favour of your wives of maintenance for a year (minimum) unless they themselves go away:
And
those of you who die and leave wives behind, (make) a bequest in favor
of their wives of maintenance for a year (minimum) without turning
(them) out, then if they themselves go away, there is no blame on you
for what they do of lawful deeds by themselves, and Allah is Mighty,
Wise. (Al_Quraan_002:240)
Quraan tells us that Momin and Mominah are Protecting Friends of each other:
And (as for) the believing men and the believing women, they are guardians of each other; they enjoin good and forbid evil and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, and obey Allah and His Messenger; (as for) these, Allah will show mercy to them; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise. (Al_Quraan_009:071)Are our cousins worse than our slaves (war captives)? We are commanded to help righteous slaves financially and help them to get married as well:
And marry those among you who are single and those who are fit among your male slaves and your female slaves; if they are needy, Allah will make them free from want out of His grace; and Allah is Ample-giving, Knowing. And let those who do not find the means to marry keep chaste until Allah makes them free from want out of His grace. And (as for) those who ask for a writing from among those whom your right hands possess, give them the writing if you know any good in them, and give them of the wealth of Allah which He has given you; and do not compel your slave girls (war captives) for sex, when they desire to keep chaste, in order to seek the frail good of this world's life; and whoever compels them, then surely after their compulsion Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (Al_Quraan_024.032-033)Are our cousins worse than our slaves (war captives)? Do not turn your home into a torture cell for your cousins:
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. 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 their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or their slaves (war captives) whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! turn ye all together towards Allah, that ye may attain Bliss. (Al_Quraan_024.030-031)Nephews and nieces are allowed to come at our home:
There is no blame on the blind man, nor is there blame on the lame, nor is there blame on the sick, nor on yourselves that you eat from your houses, or your fathers' houses or your mothers' houses, or your brothers' houses, or your sisters' houses, or your paternal uncles' houses, or your paternal aunts' houses, or your maternal uncles' houses, or your maternal aunts' houses, or what you possess the keys of, or your friends' (houses). It is no sin in you that you eat together (including JOINT-FAMILY-SYSTEM which may help saving lots of expenditures) or separately. So when you enter houses, greet your people with a salutation from Allah, blessed (and) goodly; thus does Allah make clear to you the communications that you may understand. (Al_Quraan_024:061)
Hijaab of the sound of Jewelry:
And say to the believing women that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts and do not display their ornaments except what appears thereof, and let them wear their head-coverings over their bosoms, and not display their ornaments except to their husbands or their fathers, or the fathers of their husbands, or their sons, or the sons of their husbands, or their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or those whom their right hands possess, or the male servants not having need (of women), or the children who have not attained knowledge of what is hidden of women; and let them not strike their feet so that what they hide of their ornaments may be known; and turn to Allah all of you, O believers! so that you may be successful. (Al_Quraan_024.031)Hijaab of the sound of Voice or Tone:
O wives of the Prophet! you are not like any other of the women; If you will be on your guard, then be not soft in (your) speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease yearn; and speak a good word. (Al_Quraan_033.032)Hijaab of the Eyes:
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. 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 their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! turn ye all together towards Allah, that ye may attain Bliss. (Al_Quraan_024.030-031)Hijaab of Body to put outer garments when going out:
O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their body (when abroad): that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Al_Quraan_033.059)Relatives and Friends need each other:
O ye who believe! let those whom your right hands possess, and the (children) among you who have not come of age ask your permission (before they come to your presence), on three occasions: before morning prayer; the while ye doff your clothes for the noonday heat; and after the late-night prayer: these are your three times of undress: outside those times it is not wrong for you or for them to move about attending to each other: Thus does Allah make clear the Signs to you: for Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom. And when the children among you have attained to puberty, let them seek permission as those before them sought permission; thus does Allah make clear to you His communications, and Allah is knowing, Wise. And (as for) women advanced in years who do not hope for a marriage, it is no sin for them if they put off their clothes without displaying their ornaments; and if they restrain themselves it is better for them; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing. (Al_Quraan_024.058-060)There is no blame on the blind man, nor is there blame on the lame, nor is there blame on the sick, nor on yourselves that you eat from your houses, or your fathers' houses or your mothers' houses, or your brothers' houses, or your sisters' houses, or your paternal uncles' houses, or your paternal aunts' houses, or your maternal uncles' houses, or your maternal aunts' houses, or what you possess the keys of, or your friends' (houses). It is no sin in you that you eat together (including JOINT-FAMILY-SYSTEM which may help saving lots of expenditure) or separately. So when you enter houses, greet your people with a salutation from Allah, blessed (and) goodly; thus does Allah make clear to you the communications that you may understand. (Al_Quraan_024:061)
Warning for Negative thinkers: Those who wishes to go for zina and practically performs it, could be out of Islaam:
And those who guard their chastity, Except in the case of their wives or those whom their right hands possess-- for these surely are not to be blamed, But he who seeks to go beyond this, these it is that go BEYOUND THE LIMITS (are TRANSGRESSORS). (Al_Quraan_070.029-031)
Remember: Build your Sweet Home to not only smell good but also taste sweet as well, which can only be done through positive attitudes. A father would never like to see his sons living separately in his life, and prefer to live in a joint-family-system along with his grand children, if all can afford with positive attitudes. A JOINT-FAMILY-SYSTEM may help save lots of expenditures, if you all have positive attitudes. Wish you all the best. AMEEN.
Do you
wear a Hijaab? Give it a try today.
The
pea
is a splendid plant. It proudly displays its strong green Hijaab. It protects it from the hot
and cold weather and guards
it from insects. Allah has blessed the pea with a special Hijaab, because without
it, the seeds would
scatter, dry up and die.
The
orange
keeps itself within its shiny orange
Hijaab
to protect its
delicious fruit. Otherwise
it-looses its taste too.
So
are the banana,
the coconut
and the
pomegranate.
Each one has an elegant
and unique Hijaab,
which protects
it from disease and destruction.
The
jewel
of the sea, the
pearl,
has been given a very tough and rugged Hijaab
- oyster shell. It protects
it from sea animals and keeps it sparkling and shining inside.
However,
the most beloved of Allah in all His creation is the Muslim
girl who wears the Hijaab.
She knows it is a
gift
from Allah. It protects
her from harm, injury and mischief. She
wears it knowing it gives
her dignity, beauty and
respect. So precious she can be that she hides herself
beneath her Hijaab.
Allah has Ordered to wear Hijaab:
"Allah
does not look at your body
and face; rather he looks at your heart" [at-tirmidhi]
"O
children of Adam, we have provided you with garments to cover your
bodies, as well as for luxury. But the BEST GARMENT is
the GARMENT of
RIGHTEOUSNESS.
These are some of GOD's signs, that they may take
heed.” (Al_Quraan_07:026).
"Say
to the believing men that
they should lower
their gaze and guard their modesty......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 ordinarily appear
thereof; that
they should draw
their veils over
their bosoms (chest)...." (Al_Quraan_024:030-031)
"The
world is prison for the
believer and paradise for the disbeliever" [Muslim]
"O
Prophet, tell your wives and
daughters and the believing women that they should cast their outer
garments
over their bodies (when abroad) so that
they should be known and not molested" (Al_Quraan_033:059).
"The
Hijaab is an act of obedience
to Allah and to his prophet (Peace Be Upon Him)"
"It
is not for a believer, man or
woman, when Allah and His messenger have decreed a matter that they
should have
an option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His
messenger, had
indeed strayed in a plain error.” (Al_Quraan_033:036)
"Allah
had shown us the wisdom
behind the legislation of the Hijaab"
"And
when you ask them (the Prophets
wives) for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen, that is
purer for
your hearts and their hearts.” (Al_Quraan_033:053).
The
Science behind the Veil (Hijaab)
There
are number of healths and moral
benefits
that wearing the veil can provide the moral duty of wearing the veil
(Hijaab)
in Islam is an Often-discussed topic among Muslim women. However,
little has
been written about scientific reasons that the veil is beneficial for
society.
There are, in fact, a number of health benefits that wearing the veil
can
provide, as well as many behavioural science studies that suggest that
the Veil
is the best attire (clothes) for women.
Protecting
the head is very important from a
health perspective. Results Of medical tests show that 40-60% of body
heat is
lost through the head, so persons wearing head coverings during cold
months are
protected about Fifty-percent more than those who do not. Chinese
& Muslim
medical texts take this concept even further. In the Hua Di Nei Jing
(The Yellow
Emperor's Classic on Internal Medicine), wind is said to cause sudden
changes
within the body, & shaking, swaying, & Other movements
that potentially
upset the body's equilibrium; thus, creating bad health.
These
texts attribute the common cold
to wind elements entering the body & causing the typical
symptoms of
sneezing & a Runny nose. In the traditional Islamic medical
texts of Al
Jawziyya, we can find numerous references to the "four elements" of
fire, water, air, & earth, & How these affect the body
in adverse ways.
In particular, we are advised to stay away from drafts & to
protect our
heads in wind, breezes, drafts, & Cold weather.
All outdoor workers should
wear some
sort of head covering:
For
this reason; protecting the head is
even more important in warm weather. V.G. Rocine, a prominent brain
research
specialist, has found that brain Phosphorus melts
at 108 degrees; a temperature
that can be easily reached if one stays under the hot sun for any
length of
time without a head covering. When this happens, irreversible brain damage,
memory loss & loss of some brain functions can
result. Although this example is extreme, Brain
damage can
still be measured in small degrees from frequent exposure
to & overheating of the head. Bernard Jensen, a naturopath
&
chiropractor, States that this is because the brain runs on the mineral
phosphorus, which is very affected by heat.
Hygienic
Purposes:
All
public should wear a veil or
head-covering Workers serving society to ensure cleanliness &
purity.
Workers in a Number of professions wears "veils" - nurses, fast food
workers, and deli Counter workers, restaurant workers &
servers, doctors,
health care Providers, & many more. In fact, when we compare
the number of
workers who cover their heads to the number who do not, we find that
more
people Probably cover their heads than do not.
Social
Influence:
Aside
from personal & public health
benefits of the Veil, it has numerous other benefits to society. In
analysing
visual data, Ball & Smith discuss the acknowledgement of
sociologists that
visual representations are influential in shaping people's views of the
world
& their interpretations of life. Men use visual data to
interpret their
relationships with the women around them.
Many
studies have found that when a
person tries to rewire there instinctual perceptions, they are usually
only
rewired on the surface; their original perceptions still exist on some
level.
Brain studies show that we exist in a world of constantly varying light
variables that force the brain to perform what is called "lateral
inhibition" consequently, it provides us with a "steady" image
as opposed to a "true" image of what we see.
Furthermore,
lateral inhibition
networks operate as part of the "Unconscious" brain;
largely, without providing
any information to the "Conscious" part
of the brain about what
they are doing. Therefore, the brain can provide varying perceptions of
the
world without our even being fully conscious of what it is processing.
Further
studies cited in Encyclopedia
Britannica show that how a female presents herself to society falls
under
the category of ritualised behaviour through
which animals provide specific
information to other animals, usually members of its own species.
Virtually
all-higher animals, Including humans, use displays to some extent to do
this,
& the best known displays are visual ones.
Some
biologists actually restrict the
term display to refer to visual signals or gestures. These visual
signals,
which in animals can be simply a bright colour or plume, encourage
attraction.
In humans, they are usually exhibited in ornamental hair, make up, or
clothing.
In
our society, most of the time
attractive hairstyles & clothing are worn for the purpose of
making the
adorner more
attractive
(advertising & Television has
institutionalised this reality). The ever-changing variations in
fashion tend
to affect the brain because it typically has trouble constantly
adjusting to
changing shadows & forms in the world.
Reasonably then, through "lateral inhibition," the brain automatically simplifies these images into the unconscious message that attractive hair & clothing is meant to attract. Joining these two concepts together, we can see how the human male could receive the signal of "attraction" from the brain before he has enough time to "block" it by "lowering his gaze." Having to re-form an image already processed by the lateral inhibition network is a cause of stress for most people. Doing this day after day, after seeing many "displays," potentially causes a great cumulative stress on society. Having to re-form an image already processed by the lateral inhibition network is a cause of stress for most people. Doing this day after day, after seeing many "displays," potentially causes a great cumulative stress on society.
Present
day stresses arise from many
things; among these are the vast amounts of visual & physical
input we are
bombarded with in this "Information age" of personal freedom. The problem we face in this
is
that the body
still continues to
respond in the same fashion as during
primitive times, releasing large
amounts of these hormones, which can be very
harmful. They
can cause an increase in blood pressure,
damage muscle tissue, lead
to infertility, inhibit growth, damage the hippocampus, &
suppress the
immune system.
The
two
most effective solutions to this
problem are, first, to
convince the advertising industry, & society as a
whole, to alter the presentation of women to our males. The second
& more
viable way is to simply influence women to dress modestly, which
will
help ensure that they do not send inappropriate visual signals to men.
Female
Psychological Balance:
Last,
but not least, covering the hair
can also have a beneficial effect on the female psyche as well. Studies
of
women being interviewed for jobs show that there is a high correlation
between
what they wear & their perceptions of how successful they will
be in their
interviews. There are many more examples of how what we wear can
Influence how
we act.
Wearing
a veil can serve to remind
women of their religious duties & behavioural expectations.
It
can also serve as a reminder to
women that we are not
only individuals, but also representatives
& diplomats of our "Ummah."