In the name of Allah ,the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

  Why do we need to wear the Hijab?

 

 

 Question

Hello! I'm sort of new at this, so please see if you can help me out.

Over the past year I have been undergoing changes and have been thinking a lot about Islam and what my duties and responsibilities as a Muslim woman should be. I used to wear mini skirts and tight shirts but I have presently stopped and now wear loose fitted clothes, which cover my body completely. Although sometimes I do get tempted to wear other kinds of clothes to look different, I now know that it is wrong and I would never do it. This summer I contemplated on wearing the hijab, and did in fact do so for about a month, but then gave up when I could not find any substantial reason to wear it. I believe that my change in clothing is good enough, and that since I do not wear tight clothes and display my body, I am not attracting attention. Please tell me, besides just quoting verses from the Qur'an and Hadith, why should one wear a hijab. Is there some logical explanation or rationale?

 Answer

Asalam Alaikum

First and foremost, we must wear hijab because Allah has commanded us to do so: "O Prophet! Tell your wives and daughters and the believing women that they should caste their outer garments over their persons (in abroad). That is most convenient, that they should be known and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." [Qur'an, 33:59].

" And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and their ornaments except what appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty..." [Qur'an 24:31].

We must obey Allah because He created us to obey Him: "I have only created jinn and man that they obey Me." [Qur'an 56:51]. Therefore, being Muslim means to obey Allah whatever He commanded us to do. We know that whatever Allah has commanded us to do is for our own benefit and it does not profit nor harm Him.

Some of the benefits are:

a) We are protected from sexual attention. Have you noticed how women who beautify themselves and walk down the street get a lot of sexual attention? The West says that it is not the women's fault that she is sexually molested and rapped. And that it is her right to dress as she pleases. But it is her fault for enticing the offender and his fault for committing the crime. Both are at fault. When a Muslim woman is fully covered, she will not get the sexual attention. She may get attention at first out of curiosity but this is not the same as sexual attention, for sexual attention is the dangerous one.

b) Society is not corrupted by evils. It is common knowledge, even amongst Western psychologists who would admit it, that man is a sexual creature. When he sees a beautiful woman, he will get sexual urges. You can just imagine what happens to a society with so many women flaunting their beauty around! Where will these men (and women) go to fulfill their urges? Look around your society - rape, pedophilia, buggery, gayism/lesbianism, adultery, broken homes, mistresses etc - all sorts of indecency arises. A'uthubillah! We seek refuge with Allah from such vulgarity!!! At the other extreme, when women's beauty is seen as a common thing because it is everywhere, people will get bored with it and therefore want to try something different - hence, homosexuality, buggery etc. A'uthubillah! We seek refuge with Allah from such horror!!! So it does not matter whether a woman is in mini skirts or in loose clothing, as long as she is not totally covered, her beauty is still seen. Have you noticed how a change in hairstyle can beautify a person? Or how long, beautiful, not-so-clinging clothing actually accentuates the body? If you have seen those 'make overs' you will understand that it is the hair, make-up and clothing that beautify the person (superficially of course).

c) Promotes modesty. Women don't become slaves to their vanity. They don't compete with each other and 'bitch' over it. This is not to say that wives don't try to look good for their husbands. In fact, they should because this is the norm: the woman and man makes her/himself beautiful for her/his partner. What makes more sense? A woman who beautifies herself for the all and sundry to see but does not do so inside her home for her loved one, or a woman who beautifies herself for her husband and covers and protects herself from the eyes of the world?

We pray that this has helped. May Allah guide you.

Courtesy of Nida'ul Islam magazine  


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