Hijaab and gossip.
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
(May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
Assalam
Alaikum
Dear
Burhan,
I
would like to ask you a question regarding the wearing of the hijab for women.
I am well aware that it is required for all women to cover up properly and wear
the hijab around their head, however, many of my Muslim friends who wear this
only wear it "so no sexual activity will happen between them and the
opposite sex or that they would not attract others". However, I see the
hijab as a symbol of Islam, and strongly believe that a women should not only
wear it because the Quran says so, but should be able to present an exemplary model
for Islam, whereas my friends think it is okay to do other things forbidden in
Islam (esp. gossiping) as long as they wear hijab because the profess
"hijab is the best way to represent youre faith".
So my
question for you is, Is Hijab the best way to present your faith in Allah? And
is there even any point in wearing it if the woman is commiting other wrong
deeds like a possessing a flawed personality?
I`d
really appreciate it if you could answer me.
Allah
Hafiz.
(There may be some grammatical and spelling
errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
Hijaab and gossip
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His
help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide,
and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear
witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear
witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His
Messengers.
Your
Question: …. many of my Muslim friends who wear this only wear it "so no
sexual activity will happen between them and the opposite sex or that they
would not attract others". However, I see the hijab as a symbol of Islam,
and strongly believe that a women should not only wear it because the Quran
says so, but should be able to present an exemplary model for Islam,
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah
Ahzaab verse 59:
O Prophet, enjoin your wives and daughters, and
the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their
persons. It is expected that they
will thus be recognized, and not molested. Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah
An-Noor verse 31:
And O Prophet,
enjoin the believing women to restrain their gaze and guard their
private parts and not to display their ‘zeenata hunna’ (beauty, adornment,
etc.) except that which is displayed of itself,
and to draw their veils over their bosoms and not to display their
‘zeenata hunna’ (beauty, adornment, etc.) except before their husbands, their
fathers, the fathers of their husbands,
their sons and the sons of their husbands,
their brothers, their brothers
sons, their sisters’ sons, their female
associates, and those in their possession and male attendants incapable of
sexual desire, and those boys who have
not yet attained knowledge of sexual matters.
Also forbid them to stamp their feet on the ground lest their hidden
ornaments should be displayed.
The wisdom behind the Divine Command to the believing
women to adorn the ‘hijaab’ fulfills all the three reasons quoted by you and
your friends…and more….
Your
Statement: ……whereas my friends think it is okay to do other things forbidden
in Islam (esp. gossiping) as long as they wear hijab because the profess
"hijab is the best way to represent youre faith".
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah
Anaam verse 120:
120 Eschew (to keep far away, shun, avoid, scrupulously guard agasint,
etc.) all sin, whether open or secret: those who earn sin will get due
recompense for their "earnings."
Just because one obeys one Command of their Lord Most
Gracious does not give them the right to disobey or violate the other
prescribed boundaries of the Lord!
Guidance Commands and Demands that one strive to enter into the fold of
Islam completely, so that all their beliefs, their acts, their deeds and their
talks are well within the prescribed boundaries of Allah Subhanah….
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chatper 2 Surah
Baqarah verses 208-209:
208 O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly; and follow not
the footsteps of the Shaytaan; for he is to you an avowed enemy.
209 If ye backslide after the clear (Signs) have come to you, then know
that Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise.
Your
Question: So my question for you is, Is Hijab the best way to present your
faith in Allah?
If one truly wishes to know the absolute ‘best-way’ to
present one’s faith in Allah…there is no better guidance than the one
comprehensive ‘verse of piety’ as related by the Lord Most Gracious Himself in
His Glorious Quran…..
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah
Baqarah verse 177:
177 It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces toward East or West;
but it is righteousness to believe in Allah, and the Last Day, and the Angels,
and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend of your substance out of love for
Him for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who
ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer and practice
regular charity; to fulfil the contracts which ye have made (with Allah and
with mankind); and to be firm and patient in pain (or suffering) and in adversity,
and throughout all periods of panic.
Such are the people of truth, the Allah-fearing.
As obligatory as it is in Islam for a believing woman to
honor the Commands of ‘hijaab’, to claim that the adornment of the ‘hijaab’ is
the ‘best way’ to present one’s faith in Allah would be to place it in a place
of importance which it might not rightfully deserve! In our humble opinion that
position of importance in Islam should be reserved for the elements of belief
in the Absolute Oneness of Allah Subhanah, in His Last and Final Messenger
(saws), in His Last and Final Message, in the concept of the Hereafter, in
fulfilling one’s duties unto their Creator as well as the created, in the
development of ‘taqwa’ or the fear or constant consciousness of Allah Subhanah,
etc…..
Your
Question: ……And is there even any point in wearing it if the woman is commiting
other wrong deeds like a possessing a flawed personality?
If one acts in obedience of the Laws and Commands of Allah
and His Messenger (saws), they shall have their due reward for their submission;
and if the same person happens to violate one of the Commands of their Lord and
His Messenger (saws), they shall have their due accounting….
The best amongst mankind would indeed be those who strive
to fulfill all the Commands of their Lord and strive to abstain from all what
has been prohibited. The more one
strives to move towards obedience, the more one will strive to move away from
disobedience….
Thus if there is a sister who adorns the ‘hijaab’ and has
some character flaws……it would only be piety on her part to continue adorning
her ‘hijaab’ in accordance with the guidance, fear Allah her Lord, and strive
her utmost to eliminate the flaws in her character.
But to say or assume or believe or proclaim that one
should not obey and honor the obligatory Commands of the Lord (‘hijaab’ being one of them) unless and until
one has completely removed all the flaws from their character would be absolute
and utter misguidance!
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only
due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me
alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is
the Only Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan
