Hijab, or "veil"

It seems that there has been a lot of confusion regarding the issue of hijab. I would like to make a few comments regarding this issue as I have noticed that not only people have been using logically flawed arguments, but that they have also been using incorrect translations of the Quraanic words. I will first comment about the two verses that people often quote in support of hijab (or head cover):

<Wa qul lilmumina_ti yagdudna min absa_rihin na wa yahfazna furu_jahun na wa la_ yubdina zinatahun na il la_ ma_ zahara minha_ wal yadribna bikhumurihin na ala_ juyu_bihin na wa la_ yubdina zinatahun na ila_ libuu_latihin na au a_ba_ ihin na au a_ba_i buu_latihin na au abna_ ihin na au abna_i buu_latihin na au ikhwa_nihin na au bani ihwa_nihin na au bani ahwa_tihin na au nisa_ ihin na au ma_ malakat aima_nuhun na awit ta_ bi ina ghairil ulil irbati minar rija_li awit tiflil lazina lamyaz haru_ ala_ aura_tin nisa_i wala_ yadrib na biarjulihin na liyulama ma_ yukhfina min zinatihin na wa tu_bu_ ilal la_hi jamian ay yuhal muminu_na la'al lakum tuflihu_n>

"And say to the believing women,to lower their gaze and guard their private parts. And they should not display their adornment <zinatahunne> save what is apparent there from. And they should place their covers <khummerehenne> over their bosoms<juyu_bihin>. And they should not display their adornment 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 brother's sons or sister's sons` or their women or those whom their right hands posses or Those under their authority other than skillful men or small children who are not aware of women's nakedness. And they should not strike their feet so as to make known what they hide of their adornment. O Believers turn you all together to Allah so that you may be successful."(24:31)

The two words often mistranslated here are "khummerehenna", and "juyubihin". People often say that khummer means "head cover", and that "juyub" means "neck, ears, hair, bosom" (and sometime also "face"). The word khummer is from the root "Kh Ma Ra", which is also the root for "khimaar" (the word in Arabic that describes intoxicants). KhMaRa means something that covers, which is why intoxicants are described as "khimaar" as they cover (or befog) the mind. The word "khummer" simply means a piece of cloth that covers - there is no indication in this word that says that the word means to cover the hair.

The second mistranslated word is "juyub", which is from the root word "jayb", i.e. chest pocket that people have on their shirts. This word has been used in the Quraan elsewhere to mean the chest:

"And enter your hand into your bosom <jaybika>, it shall come forth white without evil; among nine signs to Firon and his people, surely they are a transgressing people." (27:12)

Obviously, Moses did not put his hand inside his hair and ears and neck and chest, etc....he simply was told to put it in his chest. Those people who have translated the word "juyub" as "bosom, ears, neck and hair", have put their own interpretation into the words of Allah.

Reading these verses without human additions, it simply says that the believing women should put a covering on their bosoms. Some people put forth the logically flawed argument that "khummer" means a "head covering", and therefore, it is implied here that head is to be covered. This argument is logically flawed as one it assigns an incorrect meaning to the word "khummer", and second, it assumes a commandment which is not implied here. People must understand that Allah says what He wants to say, and He means what He says. It is the sickness of older religions that they say "by this Allah means such and such..." What kind of sickness is this? Allah means what He says. Who are you and I to say that "actually Allah means..." If Allah wanted to make a commandment to cover the head, He would have said so. Simple.

Further, I feel that people would still say, a woman still should have the option to cover her head if she wants to. I say , "Yes, she does". However, the problem arises, when she or those who want her to cover the head propagate it as a commandment of Allah. This means that they are telling those women who do not cover their heads that they are breaking Allah's commandment -this would be a lie as Allah has never made any such commandments.

Let us read the second verse that is associated with "hijaab". This verse is 33:59. Before, we read this verse, we should read a few verses around it to see the whole context of the verse:

"Those who annoy <yu'zuna> Allah and His Messenger - Allah has cursed them in this World and in the Hereafter, and has prepared for them a humiliating Punishment."(33:57)

"And those who annoy <yu'zuna> believing men and women undeservedly, bear (on themselves) a calumny and a glaring sin." (33:58)

"O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad): that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not annoyed <fala yu'zaina>. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (33:59)

"If the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease and the agitators in the city do not desist, We shall most certainly set you over them, then they shall not be your neighbors in it but for a little while." (33:60)

"They shall have a curse on them: whenever they are found, they shall be seized and slain." (33:61)

Reading these verses together makes it very clear that there were hypocrites who annoyed <yu'zuna> Allah, His Messenger, and the believing men and women. The women are advised to put a loose outer garment (jilbaab) in public so these hypocrites do not annoy them. In addition, if these hypocrites do not stop this loathsome practice, then Allah's curse will be on them and they should be slain. These verses are regarding the hypocrites and not commandments for women to wear hijaab. There is no punishment for women described here for not wearing a jilbaab - the curse of Allah is on the hypocrites.

Finally, some people make another flawed argument that what was good for the wives of the Prophet must also be good for other women also. They point to the following verse:

"O you who believe! do not enter the houses of the Prophet unless permission is given to you for a meal, not waiting for its cooking being finished-- but when you are invited, enter, and when you have taken the food, then disperse-- not seeking to listen to talk; surely this gives the Prophet trouble, but he forbears from you, and Allah does not forbear from the truth And when you ask of them any goods, ask of them from behind a curtain (hijaab); this is purer for your hearts and (for) their hearts; and it does not behoove you that you should give trouble to the Messenger of Allah, nor that you should marry his wives after him ever; surely this is grievous in the sight of Allah." (33:53)

People say that if the wives of the Prophet were told to stay behind a curtain (hijaab), so must other Muslim women be behind a hijaab. This argument is logically flawed in two ways: One, the argument does not take the whole verse into account and only applies part of it to other women, and second, the argument again puts words in the "mouth" of Allah that are not there.

If one reads Surah Ahzaab, it is easy to see that many verses in this surah are meant only for the wives of the Prophet and not the general women. In fact, the above verse (33:53) itself is meant specifically for the wives of the Prophet as the verse does not end at the commandment of hijaab for them, but continues to forbid them from marrying after the death of the Prophet. Why are the Muslims choosing what they will take from this verse and what they will not take? If they want to follow the laws made for the wives of the Prophet, then they should apply the whole verse to all  the Muslim women - therefore, it should be forbidden for all Muslim women to marry after the death of their husbands...after all, "what was good for the wives of the Prophet must be good for other women also".

If we read other verses of this surah, we will see that the wives of the Prophet had special laws, and harsher punishments for them than other Muslim women:

"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." (33:32)

And two verses before this:

"O Consorts of the Prophet! If any of you were guilty of evident unseemly conduct <Fahishatin>, the Punishment would be doubled to her, and that is easy for Allah." (33:30)

Here, Allah warns the wives of the Prophet that if the commit any fahish <shameful, indecent> act, then their punishment would be twice the usual punishment. Therefore, if a wife of the Prophet were guilty of zina, she would be punished by 200 lashes instead of 100 lashes, which is the law for zina in 24:2. Thus, if we are to follow the flawed logic that "what is good for the wives of the prophet, must be good for other women also", then the punishment for all the Muslim women for zina would be 200 lashes instead of 100 lashes.

Reading these verses, it is obvious that when humans try and insert their own meanings, interpretations and biases into the Word of Allah, they introduce logical fallacies and oppressive laws. For Allah says what He means and NONE has the right to say "...but Allah means...".

“Verily We take upon Ourselves to guide, And verily unto Us (belong) the End and the Beginning.”(92:12-13)

"Say:'The Guidance of Allah, that is the only Guidance'.."(2:120)

"It is those who believe and confuse not their beliefs with wrong - that are (truly) in security, for they are on (right) guidance."(Qur’an 6:82)

“And Allah increases in guidance those who seek His Guidance; and ever-abiding good works are with your Lord best in recompense and best in yielding fruit.”(Qur’an 19:76)