Hijab
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Hijab
III&E Brochure Series
(published by The Institute of Islamic Information and Education (III&E) and
reproduced in electronic form by Islamic Academy for Scientific Research with
permission)
THE QUESTION OF HIJAB: SUPPRESSION OR LIBERATION?
"Why do Muslim women have to cover their heads?"
This
question is one which is asked by Muslim and non-Muslim alike. For many women it
is the truest test of being a Muslim.
The answer to the question is very simple - Muslim women
observe HIJAB (covering the head and the body) because Allah has told
them to do so.
"O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the
believing women to draw their outer garments around them (when they go out
or are among men). That is better in order that they may be known (to be
Muslims) and not annoyed..."
(Qur'an 33:59)
Other secondary reasons include the requirement for modesty
in both men and women. Both will then be evaluated for intelligence and skills
instead of looks and sexuality. An Iranian school girl is quoted as saying,
"We want to stop men from treating us like sex objects, as they have always
done. We want them to ignore our appearance and to be attentive to our
personalities and mind. We want them to take us seriously and treat us as equals
and not just chase us around for our bodies and physical looks." A Muslim
woman who covers her head is making a statement about her identity. Anyone who
sees her will know that she is a Muslim and has a good moral character. Many
Muslim women who cover are filled with dignity and self esteem; they are pleased
to be identified as a Muslim woman. As a chaste, modest, pure woman, she does
not want her sexuality to enter into interactions with men in the smallest
degree. A woman who covers herself is concealing her sexuality but allowing her
femininity to be brought out.
The question of hijab for Muslim women has been a controversy
for centuries and will probably continue for many more. Some learned people do
not consider the subject open to discussion and consider that covering the face
is required, while a majority are of the opinion that it is not required. A
middle line position is taken by some who claim that the instructions are vague
and open to individual discretion depending on the situation. The wives of the
Prophet (S) were required to cover their faces so that men would not think of
them in sexual terms since they were the "Mothers of the Believers,"
but this requirement was not extended to other women.
The word "hijab" comes from the Arabic word
"hajaba" meaning to hide from view or conceal. 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? The Qur'an says:
"Say to the believing man 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; 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..."
(Qur'an
24:30-31)
These verses from the Qur'an contain two main injunctions:
A woman should not show her beauty or adornments except
what appears by uncontrolled factors such as the wind blowing her clothes,
and
the head covers should be drawn so as to cover the hair,
the neck and the bosom.
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. The
first of these requirements is the parts of the body which must be covered.
Islam has two sources for guidance and rulings: first, the Qur'an, the revealed
word of Allah and secondly, the Hadith or the traditions of the Prophet
Muhammad (S) who was chosen by Allah to be the role model for
mankind. The following is a Tradition of the Prophet:
"Ayesha (R) reported that Asmaa the daughter of Abu Bakr (R)
came to the Messenger of
Allah (S) while
wearing thin clothing. He approached her and said: 'O Asmaa!
When a girl reaches the menstrual age, it is not proper that anything should
remain exposed except this and this. He pointed to the face and hands."
(Abu Dawood)
The second requirement is looseness. The clothing must be
loose enough so as not to describe the shape of the woman's body. One desirable
way to hide the shape of the body is to wear a cloak over other clothes.
However, if the clothing is loose enough, an outer garment is not necessary.
Thickness is the third requirement. The clothing must be thick enough so as not
to show the color of the skin it covers or the shape of the body. The
Prophet Muhammad (S) stated that in later generations of his ummah there
would be "women who would be dressed but naked and on top of their heads
(what looks like) camel humps. Curse them for they are truly cursed." (Muslim)
Another requirement is an over-all dignified appearance. The clothing should not
attract men's attention to the woman. It should not be shiny and flashy so that
everyone notices the dress and the woman. In addition there are other
requirements:
Women must not dress so as to appear as men.
"Ibn Abbas narrated: 'The Prophet (S) cursed the men who appear like
women and the women who appear like men.'" (Bukhari)
Women should not dress in a way similar to the
unbelievers.
The clothing should be modest, not excessively fancy and
also not excessively ragged to gain others admiration or sympathy.
Often forgotten is the fact that modern Western dress is a
new invention. Looking at the clothing of women as recently as seventy years
ago, we see clothing similar to hijab. These active and hard-working women of
the West were not inhibited by their clothing which consisted of long, full
dresses and various types of head covering. Muslim women who wear hijab do not
find it impractical or interfering with their activities in all levels and walks
of life. Hijab is not merely a covering dress but more importantly, it
is behavior, manners, speech and appearance in public. Dress is only one facet
of the total being. The basic requirement of the Muslim woman's dress
apply to the Muslim man's clothing with the difference being mainly in degree.
Modesty requires that the area between the navel and the knee be covered in
front of all people except the wife. The clothing of men should not be like the
dress of women, nor should it be tight or provocative. A Muslim should dress to
show his identity as a Muslim. Men are not allowed to wear gold or silk.
However, both are allowed for women.
For both men and women, clothing requirements are not meant
to be a restriction but rather a way in which society will function in a proper,
Islamic manner.
Mary C. Ali
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Reprinted with the permission of World Assembly of Muslim
Youth (WAMY), P.O. Box 10845, Riyadh 11443, Saudi Arabia
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Interpreting Veils
Articles by Eli Sanders Seattle Times staff reporter
Illustrations by Paul Schmid/ The Seattle Times
reprinted from an article published Friday October 5th,
2001 in the Seattle Times
The Burka
The burka comes in many variations, but in its most conservative form, it
thoroughly covers the face of the person wearing it, leaving only a meshlike
screen to see through. This refugee is wearing the conservative burka
that the Taliban regime requires women in Afghanistan to don outdoors. The
burka is thought to have originated in the Arabian peninsula and can
still be found there today. It is not always as conservative in form as the
one displayed here and often allows parts of a woman's face to show through.
Hijab
the word hijab means to cover or screen in classical Arabic. American
Muslims use the word to refer to the variety of styles in which Muslim women
use scarves and large pieces of cloth to cover their hair, neck and
sometimes shoulders. In the Middle East, however, the word hijab has
a more specific meaning, referring to the tight white headscarves favored by
a younger generation of Islamist women.
Nikab
Many Pakistani Muslims wear some form of veil. This woman is wearing the
nikab along with a bandana that reads, "God is great!" The veil existed
before Islam existed, but it has been embraced and spread by the religion.
Not all Muslim women wear a veil, but among those who do, styles vary
wildly, from kerchiefs and elaborate head scarves to full face-and-body
coverings
The Chador
The Chador is the full-body cloak Muslim women in Iran are expected to wear
outdoors. Depending on how it is designed and on how the woman holds it, the
chador may or may not cover the face. The chador was forbidden
in Iran under the reign of Mohammad Reza Shah, who was brought to power with
help from the United States and sought to modernize the country. After the
shah was exiled during the Islamic Revolution in 1979, the chador
became required wear for all Iranian women. Many Iranians today subvert
their dress code by wearing Western-style clothing beneath the chador.
Dupatta
Hindu women also wear a veil, a practice that highlights the fact that
veiling is not exclusively Muslim. Traditional and orthodox Hindu women will
cover their heads and at least partly obscure their faces in the company of
unrelated adult males. Sometimes veiling is accomplished with a loose end of
the woman's sari, and sometimes it is done with a scarf-like fabric known as
a dupatta
The Nikab
The nikab is the form of Muslim veiling that comes closest to what is
actually meant by the English word "veil." English speakers tend to use the
word veil as a catch-all term that covers all types of Muslim head and body
coverings. The nikab, worn in black by this Moroccan woman, is a veil
in the true sense of the word. It covers everything below the bridge of the
nose and the upper cheeks, and sometimes also covers the forehead.
To many Western eyes, the Muslim veil is not an innocent piece of cloth.
It is a symbol of women's oppression, a metaphor for Islam's
inscrutability, a way of identifying those who don't share "our" values.
These ideas have been projected onto the veil for ages, and many were
clinging to it long before the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks. Since the
colonial era -- and perhaps ever since it was first donned -- the veil has
been defined more by the imaginations of those viewing it than by the voices
of those wearing it.
But with the new focus on Islam and terrorism, the imagined meanings of
the veil have made Muslim women targets. In cities in Australia, England,
Canada and the U.S. -- and here in Seattle -- veil-wearing Muslim women have
reported being harassed, attacked and insulted.
The anger directed at them has left those beneath the veils feeling
saddened and misunderstood.
They are being defined, they feel, by a piece of clothing they proudly
wear but whose meaning to others they cannot control -- whose meaning, in
fact, they don't even agree on among themselves.
It is impossible to say exactly what the veil means. Its use predates
Islam. Its many forms and styles are as diverse as the myriad peoples and
cultures that have adopted the religion. And its significance has never been
static or monolithic.
Instead, the veil and its meanings are constantly evolving and changing,
often the subject of intense debate and political agendas, and always
buffeted by the tides of history and individual preference.
A question of semantics
The difficult relationship between Westerners and the veil often begins
at the basic level of language.
In English, the word "veil" has mostly negative connotations, bringing to
mind ideas of concealment and obfuscation.
In addition, English speakers in the West tend to use the word "veil"
broadly to refer to all Muslim head coverings, which diminishes our ability
to differentiate between the many types, some of which involve no veil at
all.
Muslims use Arabic and Persian words to make these distinctions clear.
The word hijab, which in classical Arabic means simply to cover or
screen, is used by American Muslims to refer to all types of headscarves,
and by Middle Easterners to refer to the tight, white headscarves favored by
many younger Muslim women. The word nikab refers to face veils. And
the word for full-body coverings varies from region to region.
In Saudi Arabia, the full-body cloak is called the abaya. In Iran
a similar cloak is called the chador. In Afghanistan, the full body
and face covering is called the burka.
Origins are ancient
The origin of veiling is unknown, but scholars agree it existed long
before Islam. Some 4,000 years ago, in the ancient civilizations of
Mesopotamia, women wore veils, said Paula Holmes-Eber, professor of
anthropology and Middle East studies at the University of Washington.
More than two millennia later, when Islam arose in the seventh century
C.E., the religion absorbed local veiling practices into its culture.
And at first, Homes-Eber said, even among Muslims the idea of the veil
was less about religion than it was about class.
In the dry, desert plains of what is now Saudi Arabia, where Islam was
born, nomadic and rural women were too busy working to be bothered with
something so impractical as a face veil. But in the urban centers where
Islam later took hold, veiling was seen as a sign of privilege -- a luxury
afforded women who did not have to work.
In the Koran, the Muslim holy book, there are only vague references to
the need for head coverings and humility before God, but no description of
what form this should take.
"It's so unspecific that those who interpret it the most richly can walk
around wearing these things that look like black sacks, and then on the
other hand there are devout Muslims who don't cover their hair at all," said
Samia El-Moslimany, a Seattle woman who wears the hijab.
As with many ancient religions, the right to interpret the rules of Islam
was in the past mostly given to men, who over the years divined some forms
of head and body covering for women that are for more elaborate than El-Moslimany
thinks necessary.
"I thin that a big part of it is that the books have been interpreted in
a very, very male-oriented way," she said.
Their infinite variety
When she is in Seattle, El-Moslimany's hijab takes the form of a
loose headscarf that covers her hair and neck but not her face. It is tied
beneath her chin in a manner so sturdy she has worn it water-skiing.
But for the nine months of every year that El-Moslimany spends in Saudi
Arabia, she must also wear an abaya, the loose robe that women in
that country are expected to wear when going outside.
In America, El-Moslimany chooses to wear the hijab because it
identifies her as a Muslim and because it allows her more control over how
men treat her. In Saudi Arabia, she wears the abaya because "that
society has decided that this is the norm."
But just because the abaya is the norm doesn't mean Saudi women
lack ways to express regional differences and individuality.
These days the abaya in Saudi Arabia comes in different colors,
designer fashions and with detailed embroidery.
In Egypt, a country that does not require head coverings, it would not be
hard to find a family in which the different generations display the
nation's wide variety of veiling practices.
In such a family, the grandmother might be too illiterate to even read
the Koran, but because of tradition would wear a scarf called a mandil
covered by a length of black cloth known as the turha; the mother, an
urban professional, might wear no head covering because she wants to be seen
as a modern woman; and the daughter, a college graduate, might wear the
white hijab out of respect for her culture and resentment toward her
country's increased Westernization.
"A woman wearing a veil could be living in a hovel, with six children who
have died and no education," Holmes-Eber said. "Or she could be a minister
in the government with a $200,000 income and a fancy car."
Symbolic meanings
Muslim veils and body coverings, like all types of fashion, are
constantly evolving despite recent efforts to dictate their one true and
proper form in a small minority of Muslim countries.
Iran began requiring women to wear the chador after the 1979
Islamic revolution. Saudi Arabia requires women to wear the abaya
outdoors under penalty of arrest. In Afghanistan, the Taliban regime forces
women to don the burka.
Many Muslim women in these countries chafe under the restrictions and
often resist them by wearing makeup or Western clothing under the body
coverings.
Most Middle Eastern countries have no laws requiring veiling, and in
fact, in Tunisia, veiling is illegal.
But that doesn't mean that in countries without veiling laws, women
aren't pressured to veil. Among fundamentalist and very conservative Muslim
men, there is a tendency to expect women to cover their heads.
However, that tendency has to be seen in the context of the rapid
modernization and increased Western influences affecting cultures across the
Muslim world, writes Moroccan sociologist Fatima Mernissi in the 1987
edition of her book, "Beyond the Veil."
"The fundamentalist wave is about identity," she writes. "Their call for
the veil for women has to be looked at in light of the painful but necessary
and prodigious reshuffling of identity that Muslims are going through.
The profound cultural changes brought about by women's increasing access
to education and positions of power, Mernissi contends, are still being
worked through.
"To understand the fanatic rejection of women's liberation in the Muslim
world," Mernissi writes, "one has to take into account the time factor. Most
of us educated women have illiterate mothers.
"The conservative wave against women in the Muslim world," she continues,
is "a defense mechanism against profound changes in both sex roles and the
touchy subject of sexual identity."
Customs are contradictory
Still, many Westerners see the veil as simply backward, anti-feminist and
oppressive.
Scholars and Muslims counter that there has long been a certain amount of
hypocrisy in this view.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, when European powers colonized much
of the Muslim world, the need to free veiled Muslim women from oppression
was often cited as a justification for colonialist actions.
But, as anthropologist Dawn Chatty has pointed out, the colonists
themselves were rarely proponents of women's liberation back home.
In one example, Chatty notes that a staunch British colonialist who
promoted the "liberation" of Egyptian women was, back home, a member of the
Men's League for Opposing Women's Suffrage.
Such apparent contradictions continue to this day.
For example, Western bridal veils have their origins in the Mediterranean
tradition of female seclusion and arranged marriages -- but they are rarely
criticized as vehemently as the Muslim veil.
"We in the West clearly find veiling offensive," Holmes-Eber said. "Which
is very bizarre because we don't find it offensive that nuns walk around in
essentially the same clothing."
El-Moslimany adds that she thinks the veil is "actually a very feminist
ideal."
Many of her friends, she said, see the hijab as a source of
freedom from oppressive male advances.
"I can tell you, I look a whole lot better with my hair showing," she
said.
But in her work as a photographer, she said, wearing the hijab
helps to keep her dealings with men "on a professional level."
"I choose whom I want to deal with on a sexual level," she said. "It's an
equalizer to me."
Attacks change the equation
After the terrorist attacks, however, it was less an equalizer than an
identifier, and El-Moslimany began wearing her hijab differently out
of fear.
She tied it in a more Western style, covering it with a straw hat. She
warned her mother not to cover her hair. a friend in Arizona told of having
her hijab ripped off.
It was only in the past few days, after time had passed and the anger had
subsided, that El-Moslimany went back to wearing the hijab as she
normally does -- over her head, loosely, in the way that best expresses her
sense of self.
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Is Nikab Necessary?
Q: Is it necessary for a woman to cover her face in the
presence of strangers (who are not her designated Mahaarim) according to Shariáh?
This question is answered in this article in the context of
the claim that the veil or Niqaab is primarily 'a social requirement and custom
according to the environment and custom and according to the environment and
customs of a particular country.' In endeavouring to answer the question, we
will confine ourselves to a brief examination of the relevant Qurănic verses.
Surah An-Nur, Verses 30 and 31
And Say to the believing women to lower their gaze (from
looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal
sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is
apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands
or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, head-cover, apron), and to draw their
veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bossoms) and not
to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their
husband's fathers, or their sons, or their husband's sons, or their brothers or
their brother's sons, or their sister's sons, or their (Muslim women) (i.e.
sisters in Islam), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old
male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of feminine
sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their
adornment. And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you
may be successful.
It is apparent that upon a plain reading the purpose of the
verse is to eradicate promiscuity, fornication and adultery and all the
preliminary steps that lead directly to the commission of such shameful acts.
The references to 'lowering their gaze', 'drawing their veils over their bosoms'
and 'striking their feet to draw attention' indicate that all acts or omissions
which, in the ordinary course leads directly to sexual promiscuity and FITNAH
are forbidden.
In order to totally eradicate sexual promiscuity and FITNAH,
the verse goes on to say that a woman is not permitted to display her beauty and
charms except in degrees to her husband, father and the other classes of person
specified in the verse. The exempt class would constitute the MAHAARIM, and any
other would qualify as strangers or GHAIR MAHRAM. The principle fixed by the
verse is, therefore, that a woman cannot display her beauty to any male person
other than the persons exempted by the verse. It goes without saying that the
face is the focal-point of a woman's beauty, and the main source of attraction.
Hence, the face of a woman cannot be displayed or shown to a stranger in normal
circumstances whether in public or private according to the general principle
fixed by the verse as stated above. She is permitted to display her beauty to
the exempt class (the MAHAARIM) for obvious reasons of close contact, and
because of the considerably lesser danger of sexual promiscuity and FITNAH
within that class. (Zamakhshari)
The Shariáh, however, is practical, dynamic and takes into
account the real situations of life. A woman may - in the case of genuine need -
be forced to expose her face in the presence of strangers. For example, when she
appears in court to give witness, etc.
It is against this background that the preceding portion of
the verse 'they should not display their beauty and charms except what must
ordinarily appear unavoidable' falls into proper perspective. The words 'Illaa
maa dhahara min'haa' are in context an exception to the general rule, and cover
those cases of genuine need and necessity when a woman is forced to expose her
face in the presence of a stranger. That is how the great commentators of the
Noble Qurăn have interpreted the verse.
Take the following two examples:
"Women must not display any part of their beauty and charms
to strangers except what cannot possibly be concealed." (Ibn Katheer)
"Why is the woman permitted to display her external beauty
and charms? Because to conceal that would cause her inconvenience. A woman is
forced to deal in commodities with her own hands. She is compelled by genuine
need to expose her face especially at the times of giving evidence, litigating
in court and marriage. She is compelled to walk the streets and expose her feet,
especially poor women. This is the meaning of 'illaa maa dhahara min' haa' that
is 'except what the situations of ordinary life compel her to expose." (Zamakhshari)
A further point is the interpretation of 'illaa maa dhahara
min'haa' has been highlighted by the well known scholar, Moulana Ashraf Ali
Thanwi (RA). He states that the verb used is that of the first form 'dhahara'
and not 'adhhar' which (in fourth form) signifies a deliberate exposure or
display. The use of 'maa dhahara' indicates that the exposure of the face is
confined to need. (Imdaadul Fataawa vol. 4 p. 181)
It follows from the aforegoing that upon a proper
interpretation of the verse the face and hands of a woman can only be exposed to
strangers in a situation of genuine need where concealment would cause her
serious inconvinience. However, genuine need is not open to wide
interpretations.
SURA AL-AHZAAB - VERSE 53
And when you ask them for anything you want, ask them from
behind a screen.
The meaning of this verse is clear: the companions of the
Holy Prophet (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) were ordered to communicate with the
wives of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) from behind a screen and not
directly face to face. It is obvious that this instruction is not limited to the
wives of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaau Álayhi Wasallam). The verse has general
application and the fact that the noble wives of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Álayhi
Wasallam) are specifically mentioned emphasises the importance of the subject
matter. The distinguished jurist, Abubakar Jassas (RA) in his Ahkaamul Qurăn
states:
"This order, although revealed specifically in relation to
the Holy Prophet (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) is general in application because
we are ordered to follow him."
Similarly, the well known commentator of the Noble Qurăn
Imaam Qurtubi (RA) in his Al-Jamia li Ahkaamul Qurăn states:
"All women are in effect covered by the terms of the verse
which embraces the Sharée principle that the whole of a woman is 'Áwrah' (to be
concealed) - her body and voice, as mentioned previously. It is not permissible
to expose those parts except in the case of need, such as the giving of
evidence."
SURAH AL-AHZAAB - VERSE 59
O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women
of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e. screen
themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way).
In his commentary to this verse, Allama Abubakar Jassas (RA)
states the following:
"This verse proves that a young woman is ordered to cover her
face from strangers, and to manifest SATR and modesty in public so that doubtful
people may not be desirous of her."
It is sufficient to quote the following authentic
commentators in their interpretation of the verse:
"They (women), shall cover their faces and bodies with their
outer garment when they appear in public for a valid reason."
[They shall cover their faces and...]
Ibn Ábbaas states that the Muslim women are ordered to cover
their head and faces with outer garments except for one eye.
And Allah Taăla Knows Best.
Mufti Ebrahim Desai, www.ask-imam.com FATWA DEPT.
Male Hijab (covering)
According to Quran and Sunnah
Cover in Righteousness
The Noble Qur'an Al-A'raaf 7:26
O Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment* upon you to cover yourselves
(screen your private parts, etc.) and as an adornment, and the raiment of
righteousness, that is better. Such are among the Ayât (proofs, evidences,
verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allâh, that they may remember
(i.e. leave falsehood and follow truth).
*clothing/covering
What Must Be Covered During Prayer
The male 'Aura for prayer is that he must cover himself with clothes from
umbilicus of his abdomen to his knees, and it is better that his both shoulders
should be covered.
The Noble Qur'an 7:32
O Children of Adam! Take your adornment (by wearing your clean clothes),
while praying and going round (the Tawâf of) the Ka'bah, and eat and drink but
waste not by extravagance, certainly He (Allâh) likes not Al-Musrifűn (those who
waste by extravagance).
Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Who has forbidden the adoration with clothes given by
Allâh, which He has produced for his slaves, and At-Taiyibât [all kinds of Halâl
(lawful) things] of food?" Say: "They are, in the life of this world, for those
who believe, (and) exclusively for them (believers) on the Day of Resurrection
(the disbelievers will not share them)." Thus We explain the Ayât (Islâmic laws)
in detail for people who have knowledge.
The Thighs
The thighs are part of the aura and it should be a man's intentions to keep
it covered.
Reported Muhammad Jahsh, "The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, passed
by Ma'mar while his thighs were uncovered. He said, to him, 'O Ma'mar, cover
your thighs, for they are (part of the) 'aurah." This is related by Ahmad,
al-Hakim and al-Bukhari in Tareekh and in mu'allaq form in his Sahih.
Reported Jurhad, "The Messenger of Allah passed by me when the cloak I was
wearing did not cover my thigh. He said, 'Cover your thigh, for it (is part of
the) 'aurah." This is related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi, who called it
hassan, and by al-Bukhari in mu'allaq form in the Sahih.
Envelope (completely cover) oneself in Clothing
and Keep It Clean
The Noble Qur'an 74:1-4
1. O you (Muhammad SAW) enveloped (in garments)!
2. Arise and warn!
3. And your Lord (Allâh) magnify!
4. And your garments purify!
Fiqh 1.109b
Concerning bodily purity, Anas related that the Prophet upon whom be peace,
said, "Stay clean of urine, as the majority of punishment in the grave is due to
it." This is related by ad-Daraqutni, who said it is hassan.
Reported 'Ali, I used to have a great deal of prostatic fluid flowing, so I
asked a man to ask the Prophet about it (as I was shy to ask him, due to my
relationship with him through his daughter). He asked him and the Prophet, upon
whom be peace, said, "Make ablution and wash your penis." (Related by al-Bukhari
and others.)
'Aishah also related that the Messenger of Allah said to women with a
prolonged flow of blood, "Wash the blood from yourself and pray . "
Concerning purity of clothing, we have the following: Says Allah, "And purify
your raiment" (al-Muddathir 4). Jabir ibn Sumrah reported that he heard a man
ask the Prophet, "May I pray in the same clothes that I had on during
intercourse with my wife?" He said, "Yes, but if you see some stains on it, you
must wash it." This hadith is related by Ahmad and Ibn Majah. Its narrators are
trustworthy. Reported Mu'awiyyah, "I asked Umm Habibah, 'Did the Prophet pray in
the same clothes that he wore when he had intercourse?' She said, 'Yes, if there
were no stains on it."'(Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah.)
Abu Sa'eed reported that the Prophet removed his shoes and the people behind him
did likewise. When he finished the prayer, he asked, "Why did you remove your
shoes?" They said, "We saw you remove yours." He said, "Gabriel came to me and
informed me that there was some filth on them. Therefore, when one of you comes
to the mosque, he should turn his shoes over and examine them. If one finds any
dirt on them, he should rub them against the ground and pray with them on." The
hadith is related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Hakim, Ibn Hibban and Ibn Khuzaimah.
The latter grades it as sahih.
This hadith shows that if one enters the mosque (with his shoes on) and is
unaware of some impurity or has forgotten it, and he suddenly remembers it
during the prayer, he must try to remove it and proceed with the prayer. He does
not have to repeat it later on.
Hadith - Abu Dawood 3150, Narrated Ubadah ibn as-Samit
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The best shroud is a lower garment
and one which covers the whole body, and the best sacrifice is a horned
ram.
Clothing must not be Tight.
Covering entire body is preferred over covering just lower
half.
Hadith - Sahih Bukhari 1.357, Narrated Said bin Al Harith
I asked Jabir bin 'Abdullah about praying in a single garment. He said, "I
traveled with the Prophet during some of his journeys, and I came to him at
night for some purpose and I found him praying. At that time, I was wearing a
single garment with which I covered my shoulders and prayed by his side. When he
finished the prayer, he asked, 'O Jabir! What has brought you here?' I told him
what I wanted. When I finished, he asked, 'O Jabir! What is this garment which I
have seen and with which you covered your shoulders?' I replied, 'It is a
(tight) garment.' He said, 'If the garment is large enough, wrap it round the
body (covering the shoulders) and if it is tight (too short) then use it as an
Izar (tie it around your waist only.)' "
Silk Garments
Hadith - Sahih Al-Bukhari 7.693, Narrated Uqba bin Amir
A silken Farruj was presented to Allah's Apostle and he put it on and offered
the prayer in it. When he finished the prayer, he took it off violently as if he
disliked it and said, "This (garment) does not befit those who fear Allah!"
Saffron (Yellow, Red/Yellow) Colored Garments
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Bowl of Harvested Saffron
Among Crocus Blossoms
Harvesters pick the three red-orange stigma from each
saffron crocus blossom to be sold as the saffron spice.
A Saffron Shoulder Bag
History records that the Phoenecians and Carthegenians used Saffron’s
golden hues to dye the veils of their brides. Even now, Buddhist monks use
it for coloring their robes. Indian brides use it for the ceremonial
painting of their skins. The Irish use it for tinting wool. The Japanese use
it for hand painting kimonos. It has also been used in the arts and
paintings.
Before the Renaissance, saffron had several religious uses. Even today,
Indian hindu women, when offering prayers, receive a paste of saffron on
their foreheads (Tikka) as a symbol of blessings, good luck and benevolance.
Also in India, saffron is offered as a sacrifice in many hindu temples.
Certain Hindu texts have been known to be written with saffron ink.
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Hadith - Sunan of Abu Dawood #4037,
Narrated Imran ibn Husayn
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: I do not ride on purple, or wear a
garment dyed with saffron*, or wear shirt hemmed with silk.
Hadith - Sunan of Abu Dawood #4210, Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud
The Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) disliked ten things: 1. Yellow
colouring...
Hadith - Sunan of Abu Dawood #4055, Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As
We came down with the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) from a turning of
a valley. He turned his attention to me and I was wearing a garment dyed
with a reddish yellow dye. He asked: What is this garment over you? I
recognised what he disliked. I then came to my family who were burning their
oven. I threw it (the garment) in it and came to him the next day. He asked:
Abdullah, what have you done with the garment? I informed him about it. He
said: Why did you not give it to one of your family to wear, for there is no
harm in it for women.
*a moderate orange to orange yellow color |
Patterns/Marks In the Clothing: Simple Clothing Preferred
Hadith - Sunan of Abu Dawood, #4041, Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin, r.a.
The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) once prayed wearing a garment having
marks. He looked at its marks. When he saluted, he said: Take this garment of
mine to AbuJahm, for it turned my attention just now in my prayer, and bring a
simple garment without marks.
Hadith - Muwatta 3.72 - Looking in the Prayer at What Distracts You From It
Yahya related to me from Malik from AIqama ibn Abi AIqama from his mother that
A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,
"Abu Jahm ibn Hudhayfa gave the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and
grant him peace, a fine striped garment from Syria and he did the prayer in it.
When he had finished he said, 'Give this garment back to Abu Jahm. I lookedat
its stripes in the prayer and they almost distracted me.' "
Sadaqa Not Accepted with Unlawful Clothing
Hadith - Muslim
Then [the Messenger saaws] mentioned a man who had traveled for a long time.
Unkempt and covered in dust, he raised his hands to the heavens (and cried): 'O
my Lord! O my Lord!' His food was unlawful, his drink was unlawful, his clothing
was unlawful, and what he had provided to sustain himself with was also
unlawful. How could his invocation be accepted?"
Gratitude to Allah for the Protection of Clothing
The Noble Qur'an An-Nahl 16:81
And Allâh has made for you out of that which He has created shades, and has made
for you places of refuge in the mountains, and has made for you garments to
protect you from the heat (and cold), and coats of mail to protect you from your
(mutual) violence. Thus does He perfect His Grace unto you, that you may submit
yourselves to His Will (in Islâm).
Wearing White
Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi 4623, Narrated 'Aisha, r.a.
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) was questioned about Waraqah and Khadijah
said to him, "He believed in you, but died before you appeared as a prophet."
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) then said, "I was shown him in a dream,
wearing white clothes, and if he had been one of the inhabitants of Hell he
would have been wearing different clothing." [Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it]
Hadith - Sahih Al-Bukhari 7.717, Narrated Abu Dharr, r.a.
I came to the Prophet while he was wearing white clothes and sleeping....
Wearing Green
Hadith - Sahih Al-Bukhari 7.705, Narrated 'Aisha, r.a.
When Allah's Apostle died, he was covered with a Hibra Burd (green square
decorated garment).
Hadith - Sunan of Abu Dawood, Narrated Abu Rimthah, r.a.
I went with my father to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and saw two green
garments over him.
Wearing Red
It is permissible to wear red clothes if the red is combined with another
colour; it is not permissible to wear plain red, because the Prophet (saaws)
forbade doing so.
The hadith which forbid wearing plain red
From al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib (may Allah be pleased with him): "The Prophet (saaws)
forbade us to use soft red mattresses and qasiy – garments with woven
stripes of silk." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5390)
From Ibn ‘Abbaas, who said: "I was forbidden (to wear) red garments and
gold rings, and to recite Qur’aan in rukoo’." (Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, no.
5171. Imam Albaani said: its isnaad is sahih. Saheeh Sunan al-Nasaa’i,
1068).
From ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-Aas (may Allaah be pleased with them
both), who said: "A man passed by the Prophet SAWS wearing two red garments
and greeted him with salaam, but he SAWS did not return the greeting."
(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, no. 2731; Abu Dawood, no. 3574. Al-Tirmidhi said:
this hadeeth is hasan ghareeb with this isnaad). According to the scholars,
the meaning of this hadith is that the Prophet SAWS disliked the wearing of
garments dyed with safflower (the red dyestuff obtained from safflowers),
but he had no objection to garments dyed with clay or other substances, so
long as it was not dyed with safflower. This hadeeth was classed as da’eef
by al-Albaani (Da’eef Sunan Abi Dawood, 403; Da’eef Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 334.
He said: its isnaad is da’eef).
Hadith which may be understood to mean that it is permissible to wear red if
it is mixed with another colour
From Hilaal ibn ‘Aamir from his father, who said: "I saw the Messenger of
Allaah SAWS in Mina, giving a khutbah sitting on his mule, wearing a red
cloak, and ‘Ali was in front of him, repeating what he said (in a loud
voice, so that the people could hear)." (Narrated by Abu Dawood, no. 3551;
classed as sahih by al-Albaani – Sahih Sunan Abi Dawood, 767).
The hadeeth of al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib (may Allaah be pleased with him) who
said: "The Messenger of Allah SAWS was of average build. I saw him in a red
hullah, and I never saw anyone more handsome than him." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari,
no. 5400; Muslim, 4308).
From al-Baraa’, who said: "I never saw anyone who has hair wearing a red
hullah and looking more handsome than the Messenger of Allah SAWS (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him). He had hair down to his shoulders, he was
broad-shouldered and was neither short nor tall." (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi,
no. 1646. He said: in this chapter there is a report from Jaabir ibn Samurah
and Abu Rimthah and Abu Juhayfah. This hadeeth is hasan saheeh…)
From al-Baraa’ who said: "The Messenger of Allaah SAWS had hair down to
his earlobes. I saw him wearing a red hullah, and I have never seen anyone
more handsome than him." (Narrated by Abu Dawood, no. 4072; Ibn Maajah, no.
3599. Classed as sahih by Albaani – Saheeh Sunan Abi dawood, 768).
Al-Bayhaqi narrated in al-Sunan: "[The Prophet] SAWS used to wear a red
cloak on Eid."
What is meant by a red hullah is a suit of two Yemeni garments which are
woven with red and black stripes, or red and green stripes. It is described as
red because of the red stripes in it.
This is the view of a number of scholars, such as al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (Fath
al-Baari Sharh ‘ala Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 5400) and Ibn al-Qayyim (Zaad al-Ma’aad,
1-137). And Allah knows best
Wear an 'Izar
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An 'Izar (loing wrap) is a
rectangular piece of cloth
worn wrapped around the
waist for modesty.
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Hadith - Bukhari 7.695 (Also 7.744)
Narrated Ibn Abbas, r.a.
The Prophet (saaws) said, "Whoever cannot get an Izar, can wear trousers,
and whoever cannot wear sandals can wear Khuffs."
Related Link: Purchase Khuffs from the "Misc." Section of Muttaqun Bookstore
& More
|
Garment Should Not Hang Past Ankles
Hadith - Al-Muwatta 48.12, Similar narration in Abu Dawood #4082
Yahya related to me from Malik from al Ala ibn Abd ar-Rahman that his father
said, "I asked Abu Said al-Khudri about the lower garment. He said that he would
inform me with knowledge and that he had heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah
bless him and grant him peace, say, 'The lower garment of the mumin should
reach to the middle of his calves. There is no harm in what is between that and
the ankles. What is lower than that is in the Fire. What is lower than that is
in the Fire. On the Day of Rising, Allah will not look at a person who trails
his lower garment in arrogance.' "
Hadith - Sahih Al-Bukhari 7.678, Narrated Abu Huraira, r.a.
The Prophet (saaws) said, "The part of an Izar which hangs below the ankles is
in the Fire."
Hadith - Sunan of Abu Dawood, Narrated AbuJurayy Jabir ibn Salim al-Hujaymi
The Prophet saaws said, "Have your lower garment halfway down your shin; if you
cannot do it, have it up to the ankles. Beware of trailing the lower garment,
for it is conceit and Allah does not like conceit."
Folding up the hem because your garment is too long, is forbidden. Pull the
trousers upwards, instead. (hint: hard to do if your pants are too tight to
start with!)
Hadith - Sahih Muslim #5200, Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar, r.a.
I happened to pass before Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) with my lower
garment trailing (upon the ground). He said: Abdullah, tug up your lower
garment. I tugged it up, and he again said: Tug it still further, and I tugged
it still further and I went on tugging it afterward, whereupon some of the
people said: To what extent? Thereupon he said: To the middle of the shanks*.
*The part of the leg between the knee and ankle.
Said Ibn 'Abbas, "The Prophet ordered us to prostrate on seven bodily parts
and not to fold back the hair or clothing: the forehead, the hands, the knees
and the feet." In another wording, the Prophet said, "I have been ordered to
prostrate on seven bodily parts: the forehead, and he pointed to his nose, the
hands, the knees and the ends of the feet." (Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
In another narration, he said, "I have been ordered to prostrate on seven bodily
parts and not to fold back the hair or clothing: the forehead, the nose, the
hands, the knees and the feet." (Related by Muslim and an-Nasa'i.)
Be Known as a Muslim
The Noble Qur'an 7:3
[Say (O Muhammad SAW) to these idolaters (pagan Arabs) of your folk:] Follow
what has been sent down unto you from your Lord (the Qur'ân and Prophet
Muhammad's Sunnah), and follow not any Auliyâ' (protectors and helpers, etc. who
order you to associate partners in worship with Allâh), besides Him (Allâh).
Little do you remember!
Narration - al-Hakim and Tirmidhi (hasan)
"Allah likes to see the mark of His benevolence on His servant."
Wearing the izar (loin-wrap), thawb (long cloth), `imama (turban), jubba
(coat or mantle), sirwal (baggy pants), etc. is of the Prophet's (SAAWS) Sunnah
of dress. There is no such thing as an unimportant or unnecessary Sunnah.
Hadith - Tirmidhi (hasan), Book of knowledge; al-Baghawi, Sharh al-sunna
1:233.
Whoever gives life to one of my Sunnahs which was eliminated after my time will
receive the reward of all those who practice it without their reward being
diminished...
Hadith - Tirmidhi (hasan gharib), Book of knowledge.
Whoever gives life to one of my Sunnahs, he loves me: and whoever loves me is
with me.
And Abu Hurayra (r.a.) narrates the following hadith in Muslim, Nasa'i, Malik,
and Ahmad:
The Prophet came to the graveyard and said: "Peace be upon you, O abode of a
people of believers! We shall certainly join you, if Allah will. How I long to
see my brothers!" They said: "O Messenger of Allah, are we not your brothers?"
He
replied:
"You are my Companions! As for my brothers, they are those who have not yet
appeared." They said: "How will you recognize those of your Community who had
not yet appeared (in your time), O Messenger of Allah?" He
replied:
"Suppose a man had horses with shiny white marks on their foreheads and legs:
would he not recognize them among other horses which are all black?" They said:
"Yes, O Messenger of Allah!" He
continued:
"Verily, they (my brothers) shall be coming with shiny bright foreheads and
limbs due to their ablutions, and I shall precede them to my Pond."
Dressing according to the sunnah is an act of ibadah that brings with it a
reward, insha'Allah.
The Companions were quick to imitate every aspect of the Prophet's example of
dress:
Hadith - Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 92, Number 401. Narrated Ibn 'Umar
The Prophet saaws wore a gold ring and then the people followed him and wore
gold rings too. Then the Prophet said, "I had this golden ring made for myself."
He then threw it away and said, "I shall never put it on." Thereupon the people
also threw their rings away.
The very least that has been said by the scholars of the Shari`a in the
matter is that following the Prophet in matters of dress or everyday matters
such as eating, walking, and sleeping is a matter of excellence (ihsan) and
perfection (kamal) and is desirable (mustahabb) and part of one's good manners (adab)
in the religion. Every desirable practice performed on the basis of such
intention means a higher degree in paradise which the person who neglects it may
not attain to, and Allah knows best.
Wearing a Turban
The Prophet said: "Pray as you see me pray" . As Bukhari showed in the hadith
he cited in the chapter entitled "Wearing turbans," the Prophet wore it and
sometimes he wiped on top of it during ablution in order not to have to remove
it. [Bukhari, Book of Ablution, hadith of Ja`far ibn `Amr's father.]
He wore it in war and in the khutba, and he would receive it as a gift as
established by the following three hadiths:
Jabir said: "The Prophet entered Mecca on the Day of victory wearing a
black turban and he loosened its two ends between his shoulders." [Muslim
and Abu Dawud. The first part is also in Tirmidhi (hasan), Ibn Majah, and
Nasa'i.]
Ja`far ibn `Amr narrates from his father: "I saw the Prophet on the
pulpit wearing a black turban with the extremity loosened between his
shoulder-blades." [Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa'i, and Ibn
Majah.]
Abu Sa`id al-Khudri reported that when the Prophet got a new piece of
garment, he would mention it, whether a turban or a shirt or a cloak, and
then would say: "O Allah, all praise and thanks be to You. You have given me
this garment. I seek from You its good and the good that is made of it and I
seek Your refuge against its evil and the evil that it is made of." {Allahumma,
laka al-hamd, anta kasawtanih, as'aluka khayrahu wa khayra ma suni`a lahu,
wa a`udhu bika min sharrihi wa sharri ma ma suni`a lah.} [Abu Dawud and
Tirmidhi]
Ibn Abi al-Ahwas said: I came in shabby clothes to see the Prophet and he
said: "Do you have money?" I said yes. He said: "From where does your money
come?" I said: "Allah has given me camels and sheep and horses and slaves." He
said: "Then if Allah gave you money and possessions, he likes for you to show
it." [Narrated with a sound chain by Abu Dawud in the Book of
Garments and al-Nasa'i in the Book of Ornaments. Ahmad narrates something
similar in his Musnad.]
Abu al-Darda' said that the Prophet said: "You are coming to your brethren,
therefore mend your mounts and mend your garments until you stand out among the
people (due to your excellence) like a mole on the face. Verily, Allah does not
like obscene speech nor obscene behavior." [Narrated with a sound chain by Abu
Dawud in the Book of Garments and Ahmad in his Musnad.]
al-Khatib al-Baghdadi narrates in his Tarikh Baghdad that one time Abu Hanifa
asked a man who was shabbily dressed to stay behind after the others had left
from his circle of study. Then he told him: "Lift up the prayer-rug and take the
money that is there and buy yourself some nice clothes." The man told him he was
wealthy and had no need of the money. Abu Hanifa said: "Has it not reached you
that the Prophet said: Allah likes to see the mark of His benevolence on His
servant?" [al-Khatib, Tarikh Baghdad 13:263]
Bukhari also narrates in the book of Salat that Hasan al-Basri said that in
the time of the Prophet, because of scorching heat, "People used to prostrate on
their turban-cloth (`imama) and turban-cap (qalansuwa) with their hands in their
sleeves," and that Anas Ibn Malik said:
We used to pray with the Prophet and some of us used to place the ends of
their clothes at the place of prostration because of scorching heat.
They were wearing head-covers and long sleeves in scorching heat.
The following is a saying of `Umar ibn al-Khattab narrated by Malik in the
Book of Friday Prayer in his Muwatta:
"I love to see the reciter of the Qur'an [i.e. the leader of the Friday prayer]
wearing white."
The Prophet said on the authority of Ibn `Umar: "Whoso
resembles a people in appearance, he is one of them." [Narrated by Abu Dawud
(Libas) and Ahmad (2:50, 2:92) with a chain which has some weakness according to
Sakhawi in al- Maqasid al-hasana, however he states that its authenticity is
verified by other narrations. Also narrated by Ibn Abi Shayba in his Musannaf
(5:313), Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari 10:274 [Dar al-Fikr ed.], and Ibn Kathir in
his Tafsir (8:53). `Iraqi said its chain is sound (sahih). al-Bazzar also
relates it through Hudhayfa and Abu Hurayra, Abu Nu`aym through Anas, and al-Quda`i
relates it through Tawus, a chain which Ibn Hibban declared sahih. Ibn Taymiyya
in his Iqtida' al-siratal- mustaqim (p. 82) calls Abu Dawud's and Ahmad's chain
"a good chain."]
Note that shaving the beard is considered effeminacy and is
forbidden (haram) and recognized to be haram by the Four Imams.
Ibn Hibban's version of `Umar's saying is mentioned by Ibn
Taymiyya who interprets it as an explicit prohibition for Muslims in non-Muslim
countries against wearing unislamic clothing:
This is a prohibition on the part of `Umar directed at
Muslims against all that belongs to the manner of dress of non-Muslims (mushrikun).
[Ibn Taymiyya, Iqtida' as-sirat al-mustaqim (1907 ed.) p. 60]
Imam Nawawi in his Fatawa was asked: "Is there harm for one's
religion and his salat if he dresses other than in the fashion of Muslims?" He
answered: "It is forbidden to resemble the disbelievers in appearance, whether
in clothing or otherwise, because of the sound and well-known hadiths concerning
this; and wearing such clothing makes one's prayer incomplete tanqusu bihi al-salat."
Bayhaqi also cited the hadith of al-`Abbas al-Duri from Sa`id
ibn `Amir al-Dub`i from Sa`id ibn Abi `Azuba from Ayyub from Nafi` who said:
Ibn `Umar saw me pray in a single garment and he said: "Did I
not give you clothes?" I said yes. He continued: "And if I sent you on an errand
would you go out like this?" I said no. He said: "Then Allah is worthier of your
self-adornment."
It is narrated by Tahawi in Sharh ma`ani al-athar (1:221),
Tabarani, Bayhaqi in his Sunan al-kubra (2:236), and Haythami said in Majma` al-zawa'id
(2:51): "Its chain is fair (hasan)." Albani included it in al-Silsila al-sahiha
(#1369).
Bayhaqi also cited the hadith of Yusuf ibn Ya`qub al-Qadi
from Sulayman ibn Harb from Hammad ibn Zayd from Ayyub from Nafi`:
`Umar entered upon me one day as I was praying in a single
garment and he said: "Don't you have two garments in your possession?" I said
yes. He said: "In your opinion, if I sent you to one of the people of Madina on
an errand, would you go in a single garment?" I said no. He said: "Then is Allah
worthier of our self-beautification or people?"
How to tie a turban
A ghaffiya or plain cap of heavy cloth can be worn to
prevent hair from showing.
You start with one end of the turban about six inches
below the base of the neck; this is going to be the tail which one sees on
some period turbans.
From there, the turban passes over the head to just above
the forehead and then you start winding it. A single wind is a clockwise
circle tilted somewhat from the horizontal.
As you wind the turban, the circle grows; the low point
moves around the head by about 90 degrees each wind. So if the first time
around the low point is under the right ear then the next time it is at the
back of the head, then left ear.
As you go, you can let the tilt increase, since the
bottom of the circle will anchor itself below the bulge of cloth already
there.
When you are down to a small peice or so, make a
horizontal circle around the whole thing and tuck the end in. The result is
the horizontal band.
We seek refuge in Allah from misguidance and innovation.
Action Items for the Muttaqun:
Wear your best available clothes for prayer.
Do not resemble the disbelievers attire.
Always cover your awra (for men, this is the distance between the knees
and bellybutton, including both the knees and bellybutton being covered).
Cover more when able, such as the arms for modesty.
Keep your clothes clean.
Do not wear bright, flashy colors. Wear white when able to for prayer.
Do not wear images of people, animals, or insects on your clothes.
Hem your pants short so that they do not hang past the ankle.
Do not tuck your shirt in your pants, but instead have a thawb that
covers the knees, or wear an izar, etc.
Cover your hair for prayer when able.
Do not shave off your beard, for it is part of your required hijab.
Remember... Allah, subhana watala, sees everything we
do!
My body is my own business
Hijab (Veil) and Muslim Women
Ms.Naheed Mustafa
MULTICULTURAL VOICES
A Canadian-born Muslim woman has taken to wearing the traditional hijab
scarf. It tends to make people see her as either a terrorist or a symbol of
oppressed womanhood, but she finds the experience
liberating.
I often wonder whether people see me as a radical, fundamentalist Muslim
terrorist packing an AK-47 assault rifle inside my jean jacket. Or may be they
see me as the poster girl for oppressed womanhood everywhere. I'm not sure which
it is.
I get the whole gamut of strange looks, stares, and covert glances. You see,
I wear the hijab, a scarf that covers my head, neck, and throat. I do this
because I am a Muslim woman who believes her body is her own private concern.
Young Muslim women are reclaiming the hijab, reinterpreting it in light of
its original purpose -- to give back to women ultimate control of their own
bodies.
The Qur'an teaches us that men and women are equal, that individuals should
not be judged according to gender, beauty, wealth, or privilege. The only thing
that makes one person better than another is her or his character.
Nonetheless, people have a difficult time relating to me. After all, I'm
young, Canadian born and raised, university-educated -- why would I do this to
myself, they ask.
Strangers speak to me in loud, slow English and often appear to be playing
charades. They politely inquire how I like living in Canada and whether or not
the cold bothers me. If I'm in the right mood, it can be very amusing.
But, why would I, a woman with all the advantages of a North American
upbringing, suddenly, at 21, want to cover myself so that with the hijab and the
other clothes I choose to wear, only my face and hands show?
Because it gives me freedom.
WOMEN are taught from early childhood that their worth is proportional to
their attractiveness. We feel compelled to pursue abstract notions of beauty,
half realizing that such a pursuit is futile.
When women reject this form of oppression, they face ridicule and contempt.
Whether it's women who refuse to wear makeup or to shave their legs, or to
expose their bodies, society, both men and women, have trouble dealing with
them.
In the Western world, the hijab has come to symbolize either forced silence
or radical, unconscionable militancy. Actually, it's neither. It is simply a
woman's assertion that judgment of her physical person is to play no role
whatsoever in social interaction.
Wearing the hijab has given me freedom from constant attention to my physical
self. Because my appearance is not subjected to public scrutiny, my beauty, or
perhaps lack of it, has been removed from the realm of what can legitimately be
discussed.
No one knows whether my hair looks as if I just stepped out of a salon,
whether or not I can pinch an inch, or even if I have unsightly stretch marks.
And because no one knows, no one cares.
Feeling that one has to meet the impossible male standards of beauty is
tiring and often humiliating. I should know, I spent my entire teen-age years
trying to do it. It was a borderline bulimic and spent a lot of money I didn't
have on potions and lotions in hopes of becoming the next Cindy Crawford.
The definition of beauty is ever-changing; waifish is good, waifish is bad,
athletic is good -- sorry, athletic is bad. Narrow hips? Great. Narrow hips? Too
bad.
Women are not going to achieve equality with the right to bear their breasts
in public, as some people would like to have you believe. That would only make
us party to our own objectification. True equality will be had only when women
don't need to display themselves to get attention and won't need to defend their
decision to keep their bodies to themselves.
Naheed Mustafa graduated from the University of Toronto in 1992 with an
honours degree in political and history. She is currently studying journalism at
Ryerson Polytechnic University
NOTE:
This article appeared in IINN (Islamic Information & News Network)
publications. The Permission of Reprinting granted by "Islamic Information &
News Network" ([email protected]).
One Muslim woman on her choice to veil. Veiled?
by Maysan Haydar
...
And say to the believing woman that she should lower her gaze
and guard her modesty; that she should not display her beauty and ornaments
except what must ordinarily appear thereof... Quran,
Chapter 24, Verse 31
It never ceases to amaze me. As much as people preach the
importance of accepting differences, they still stare when I walk in the door.
It's the same old reaction every time.
Their eyes get really big, occasionally their jaws will drop,
and they watch my every move, trying to figure out just who I am. I don't have a
third eye or some strange growth on my face (except my nose, but that's a
different story). I happen to be a Muslim woman, and as such I wear clothes that
don't reveal anything except my hands and my face. This ensemble includes a
scarf that hides my hair, and loose clothing that doesn't hint at any sort of
body form. Most women begin veiling right around puberty (I started at 13). It
falls nicely into place there, since there are so many other changes going on. A
symbol of the maturing process, maybe. The reason I follow this tradition is
simply because I want people to respect and like me for me, and not because I'm
cute or have a nice butt. There are a lot of other reasons women decide to
cover.
Some do it just for the sake of pleasing God and others do it
to avoid feeling violated by lewd stares. A few years back, my clothing got lots
of confused looks. Now, thanks to movies like Not Without My Daughter,
and a series of Chuck Norris flicks, people ask instead, "I wonder if she gets
beaten by her father/brother/arranged husband/any guy whose harem she dances
in." Or, they think I'm a terrorist! So rather than explaining my culture, I'm
stuck reassuring the Hollywoodized masses that no, I don't have an Uzi hidden
under this thing.
Yet, veiling goes beyond religion. No matter how holy I feel
or how my faith fluctuates, veiling is something I just don't compromise. There
wouldn't be any sense in whipping it off one week and throwing it back on the
next. On the rare occasions that I do walk around scarfless (in semi-privacy), I
always feel bare. One of my teachers used to complain that she never knew what
the people who asked her out on dates really wanted. She even occasionally joked
that she'd like to borrow one of my outfits sometime to see if their opinions
would change. And employers have always been very respectful of my decision.
While I was interning for a newspaper last year, an editor told me that I was
chosen partially because of my willpower to be visibly different. These little
comments reaffirm my conviction. Also, I don't have to worry about what Sassy
says is cool for this season. I'm still stylin' in what I wore last year (and
what I'm planning on wearing again next).
Of course, not every Muslim woman chooses to veil. Many feel
oppositely from me, asserting that hiding behind a scarf is oppressive. Others
argue that veiling to avoid harassment is a form of victim-blaming, implying
that a woman "asks for it" by wearing fitted clothes. Then there are those
Muslim women, like my Aunt Leila, who simply don't feel it necessary to scarf.
In this country, there's no punishment for these women. It's simply their choice
and I respect that, just as I hope they'll respect mine.
The Obligatory Conditions For An Islamic Hijab
1. Covering ALL Of The Body
It is an agreed position by many respected scholars that the face and hands
of the woman must be covered. Some scholars say it is permissible to uncover the
face and the hands of the woman as long as there is no fitna (infatuation)
caused by this action. Two things must be taken into consideration
a) if she is beautiful and beautifies her face and hands with external
substances, or
b) the society around her is corrupt where men do not lower their gaze, then
it is prohibited for her to uncover her face and hands.
On the authority of the wife of the prophet (pbuh), Umm Salama (RA) said:
"When the verse was revealed that they should cast their outer garments over
their bodies' was revealed, the women of Ansar came out as if they had crows
over their heads by wearing outer garments.
2.The hijab must not be a display
The hijab itself must not be a display. Allah ordained it so as to cover the
beauty of women and not for showing off. Allah (swt) says `And not show of their
adornment except only that which is apparent.' (S24:31).
AND
`And stay in your houses and do not display yourselves like that of the times
of ignorance.' (S33:33).
It is in no way logical that the hijab itself be a source of display.
3. The hijab must not be transparent The purpose of wearing hijab must be
achieved. In order for the hijab to be a cover, it must not be made of
transparent material making the woman covered only by name, while in reality she
is naked. The prophet (pbuh) is quoted as saying: "In the latest part of my
Ummah (nation of Muslims) there shall be women who would be naked in spite of
being dressed, they have their hair high like the humps of the Bukht camel,
curse them, for they are cursed. They will not enter Al-Jannah and would not
even perceive its odour, although it's fragrance can be perceived from a
distance of 500 years travelling by camel" This indicates that a woman could
cause herself a grave and destructive sin if she puts on a garment that is thin
and transparent and which clearly shapes her body's features.
4.Hijab must be roomy, and not tight.
The hijab is a safeguard against fitna. If it is tight, it will be
descriptive of the woman's body and this violates and defeats the whole purpose
of hijab.
5.The hijab must not be perfumed
On the authority of Ad'Diya Al-Maqdisi, the prophet (pbuh) said:
"Any woman who perfumes herself and passes by some people that they smell her
scent, then she is a Zaniyah (adulteress)."
6. The hijab shouldn't resemble the dress of a man
Imam Ahmed, an-Nissa'ee reported the prophet (pbuh) to have said: "Women who
assume the manners of men are not from us and also those of men who assume the
manners of women." Abu Huraira narrated that: "The Prophet (pbuh) CURSED the man
who wears the dress of a woman and the woman who wears the dress of a man."
7.The hijab must not resemble the garments of the kuffar
Abu Dawoud and Ahmed have related the prophet (pbuh) said: "The one who take
the similitude (manner) of a certain people, then he/she becomes one of them."
Abdullah bin Ummar (RA) said: "The Prophet (pbuh) saw me wearing two garments
dyed in saffron (orange), whereupon he said: these are the clothes (usually
worn) by the kuffar, so do not wear them."
8.The hijab should not be for fame
Abu Dawoud and Ibn Majah have related the prophet to saying: "The one who
wears a garment designed for a worldly fame, Allah will make them wear a garment
of humility on the Day Of Resurrection then he will be set ablaze." The garment
of fame is any garment a person wears to make themselves look famous. This
applies whether the garment is highly precious and shows admiration to the life
of this world or if it is chosen of a low quality to show lack of interest to
this worldly life. The person may put on clothes with distinct colours so as to
draw attention, act proudly and/or arrogantly.
9.Concealed ways of display
Examining the various conditions about the hijab one can clearly recognise
that many of the young Muslim women are not fulfilling these conditions. Many
just take "half-way" measures, which not only mocks the community in which she
lives, but also mocks the commands of Allah (swt). They consider what they put
on now wrongly as "hijab" So, O muslimoon, be mindful to Allah (swt) and His
Messenger (pbuh), and do not deceived by those who "bless" this action of yours
and conceal their true intentions. Do not be deceived, and there is no excuse to
follow the evil.
If you are sincere in achieving Al-Jannah, then be mindful of these things,
insha'allah
Wassalaamu aleikum warahmuthullahi wabarakatahu.
The Virtues of Hijab
1.An act of obedience.
The hijab is an act of obedience to Allah and to his prophet (pbuh), Allah
says in the Qur'an: `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, has indeed strayed in a
plain error.' (S33:36).
Allah also said: 'And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from
looking at forbidden things) and protect their private parts (from illegal
sexual acts, etc) and not to show off their adornment except what must
(ordinarily) appear thereof, that they should draw their veils over their
Juyubihinna.'(S24:31).
Juyubihinna: The respected scholars from As-Salaf As-Saleh (righteous
predecessors) differed whether the veil cover of the body must include the hands
and face or not. Today, respected scholars say that the hands and face must be
covered. Other respected scholars say it is preferable for women to cover their
whole bodies.
2.The Hijab is IFFAH (Modesty).
Allah (subhana wa'atala) made the adherence to the hijab a manifestation for
chastity and modesty. Allah says: 'O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters
and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) over their bodies
(when outdoors). That is most convenient that they should be known and not
molested.' (S33:59). In the above Ayaah there is an evidence that the
recognition of the apparent beauty of the woman is harmful to her. When the
cause of attraction ends, the restriction is removed. This is illustrated in the
case of elderly women who may have lost every aspect of attraction. Allah (swt)
made it permissible for them to lay aside their outer garments and expose their
faces and hands reminding, however, that is still better for them to keep their
modesty.
3.The hijab is Tahara (Purity)
Allah (swt) had shown us the hikma (wisdom) behind the legislation of the
hijab: `And when you ask them (the Prophet's wives) for anything you want, ask
them from behind a screen, that is purer for your hearts and their hearts.'
(S33:53).
The hijab makes for greater purity for the hearts of believing men and women
because it screens against the desire of the heart. Without the hijab, the heart
may or may not desire. That is why the heart is more pure when the sight is
blocked (by hijab) and thus the prevention of fitna (evil actions is very much
manifested. The hijab cuts off the ill thoughts and the greed of the sick
hearts:
`Be not soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease (of hypocrisy or
evil desire for adultery, etc) should be moved with desire, but speak in an
honourable manner.' (S33:32)
4.The hijab is a Shield
The prophet (pbuh) said: "Allah, Most High, is Heaven, is Ha'yeii (Bashful),
Sit'teer (Shielder). He loves Haya' (Bashfulness) and Sitr (Shielding;
Covering)." The Prophet (pbuh) also said: "Any woman who takes off her clothes
in other than her husband's house (to show off for unlawful purposes), has
broken Allah's shield upon her. "The hadith demonstrates that depending upon the
kind of action committed there will be either reward (if good) or punishment (if
bad).
5. The hijab is Taqwah (Righteousness)
Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an: `O children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment
upon you to cover yourselves (screen your private parts, etc) and as an
adornment. But the raiment of righteousness, that is better.'(S7:26). The
widespread forms of dresses in the world today are mostly for show off and
hardly taken as a cover and shield of the woman's body. To the believing women,
however the purpose is to safeguard their bodies and cover their private parts
as a manifestation of the order of Allah. It is an act of Taqwah
(righteousness).
6.The hijab is Eemaan (Belief or Faith)
Allah (swt) did not address His words about the hijab except to the believing
women, Al-Mo'minat. In many cases in the Qur'an Allah refers to the "the
believing women". Aisha (RA), the wife of the prophet (pbuh), addressed some
women from the tribe of Banu Tameem who came to visit her and had light clothes
on them, they were improperly dressed: "If indeed you are believing women, then
truly this is not the dress of the believing women, and if you are not believing
women, then enjoy it."
7. The hijab is Haya' (Bashfulness)
There are two authentic hadith which state: "Each religion has a morality and
the morality of Islam is haya'" AND "Bashfulness is from belief, and belief is
in Al-Jannah (paradise)". The hijab fits the natural bashfulness which is a part
of the nature of women.
8.The hijab is Gheerah
The hijab fits the natural feeling of Gheerah, which is intrinsic in the
straight man who does not like people to look at his wife or daughters. Gheerah
is a driving emotion that drives the straight man to safeguard women who are
related to him from strangers. The straight MUSLIM man has Gheerah for ALL
MUSLIM women In response to lust and desire, men look (with desire) at other
women while they do not mind that other men do the same to their wives or
daughters. The mixing of sexes and absence of hijab destroys the Gheera in men.
Islam considers Gheerah an integral part of faith. The dignity of the wife or
daughter or any other Muslim woman must be highly respected and defended.