Clarification on hijaab
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:
Brother Burhan,
Assalamu -
Alaikum,
Subject: Veil -
Pardah / Hijab
I feel with
regards to "Veil" - Hijab, Muslim Ummah go to either of the extremes.
One group believes that women should cover themselves completely in presence of
everybody other then those relative mentioned in Quran.
Other group does
not believe in Hijab at all and they think it is not ordered by Allah hence not
necessary.
understand:
Sure Nur verse
No.31, the word used is 'Zina or Zinat' which means
'make-up' and women are prohibited from showing their 'Zina". And if the
woman is not using any "Zina'- make-up then what? Then on what basis
women are instructed to cover their face. Also there ahadeeth which say women
can keep their face and fore arms open.
2. Sure Ahzab
verse 53 is the verse ordering Hijab. But it is explicitly for the wives of
Prophet (SAS). Some muslim ulema say that best people were from Prophet's
(SAS) household and if they are ordered to observe 'Hijab", we have all
the more reasons to observe "Hijab". Other ulema say that we should
follow his (SAS) sunnah.
3. Sure Ahzab
verse 59 is for women to wear burqa while going out doors.
Allah (SOT)
whenever gives an order, he also advises us What are the benefits of it. In the
same way Allah (SOT) tells us that muslim women should wear burqa so that they
are recognized and not teased or molested.
In view of above I
have the following question to ask:
I am form Mumbai.
Muslim population of Mumbai is well in excess of two millions. In Mumbai a man
spends all his life just to have a roof over his
head, because as
you are well aware that accommodation in Mumbai is scares and very
expensive. In such a place if a father has more then one grown up sons then how
the Hijab is going to be observes in the family living in the same flat? In
particular in light of following hadeeth where Prophet (SAS) says
"brothers in law are like death
Best Regards,
(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:
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 no one (no idol,
no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam,
no dai, nobody!) worthy of
worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His
slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
Allah says in the Holy
Quran Chapter 33 Surah Al Ahzaab verse 59:O Prophet! Tell your wives and daughters,
and the women of the believers,
that they should cast their outer garments over their persons. It is expected that they will be recognized
and that they will not be molested.
And 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 (their face
and hands), 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.
Q-1: Sure Nur verse No.31, the word used is 'Zina or Zinat' which means 'make-up' and women are prohibited from showing their 'Zina". And if the woman is not using any "Zina'- make-up then what? Then on what basis women are instructed to cover their face. Also there ahadeeth which say women can keep their face and fore arms open.
The Quranic term ‘zeenat’ is
very vast in its meaning and implications, and means a lot more than just
simple ‘make-up’. The ‘zeenah’ of the
woman would mean anything that would relate to the beauty or attraction of the
woman. And Allah has commanded the
believing woman not to display any of her ‘zeenah’ or beauty to anyone except
those specifically mentioned in the Aayah.
Thus translating ‘zeenah’ to
mean only make-up is an incorrect and a very narrow view of the Quranic
term.
The best way to understand any
command of Allah Subhanah in the Quran, is to study how did the Messenger of
Allah (saws) understand and implement the particular command. And there is absolutely no doubt that after the
Revelation of the Quranic Aayah, the Messenger of Allah (saws) commanded his
wives and his daughters to veil themselves completely from non-mehram men.
Q-2: Sure Ahzab verse 53 is the verse ordering Hijab. But it is explicitly for the wives of Prophet (SAS). Some muslim ulema say that best people were from Prophet's (SAS) household and if they are ordered to observe 'Hijab", we have all the more reasons to observe "Hijab". Other ulema say that we should follow his (SAS) sunnah.
Allah says in the Holy
Quran Chapter 33 Surah Al Ahzaab verse 59:O Prophet! Tell your wives and daughters, and the women of the
believers, that they should cast their outer garments over their
persons. It is expected that they will
be recognized and that they will not be molested. And Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Allah Subhanah explicitly
commands the Prophet (saws) to tell his wives, his daughters, AND the women
of the believers, that they should observe hijaab! Thus it is incorrect to believe that the
command was specific to the noble and chaste wives of the Prophet (saws)
alone! The command of hijaab is for
all believing women.
Q-3: I am form Mumbai. Muslim population of Mumbai is
well in excess of two millions. In Mumbai a man spends all his life just to
have a roof over
his head, because as you are well aware that accommodation in Mumbai is
scares and very expensive. In such a place if a father has more then one
grown up sons then how the Hijab is going to be observes in the family living
in the same flat? In particular in light of following hadeeth where Prophet
(SAS) says "brothers in law are like death”.
Whether one lives with the
extended family in the same flat, or
the same room; the believers, who sincerely fear Allah and the Last Day, must strive to obey and follow the commands
of Allah and His Messenger (saws).
The wisdom behind the statement
of the Messenger of Allah (saws) in his warning that the ‘brothers in law are
like death’, is because this relationship between the wife and the husband’s brother
is so close, that it might often become extremely difficult to suspect any
wrong doing. And because this
relationship is not a ‘mehram’ relationship in Islam, the Messenger of Allah
(saws) warned the believers to beware of the proximity and implications of the
brother-in-law building an immoral relationship with one’s wife, or
vice-versa. If Allah forbid, an
immoral relationship between the brother-in-law and the wife of a brother is
allowed to develop, the whole family structure which is the core of Islamic
values and principles, is threatened and shattered. It is precisely to protect and honor the family and its
structure, that the Messenger of Allah (saws) made the believers beware of this
delicate relationship.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit
is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of
me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is
the Only Source of Strength.
Your Brother in
Islam,
