Assalamualaikum!
this one, i got from my ukhti, syarifah zulaikha..
may Allah upgrade your understanding about hijab =D
Ameen!!!
Answer :
The status of women in Islam is often the target of attacks in the secular media. The ‘hijab’ or the Islamic dress is cited by many as an example of the ‘subjugation’ of women under Islamic law.Before we analyze the reasoning behind the religiously mandated ‘hijab’, let us first study the status of women in societies before the advent of Islam.
1. In the past women were degraded and used as objects of lust. The following examples from history amply illustrate the fact that the status of women in
earlier civilizations was very low to the extent that they were denied basic
human dignity:
a. Babylonian Civilization:
The women were degraded and were denied all rights under the
Babylonian law. If a man murdered a woman, instead of him being punished,
his wife was put to death.
b. Greek Civilization:
Greek Civilization is considered the most glorious of all ancient
civilizations.Under this very ‘glorious’ system, women were deprived
of all rights and were looked down upon. In Greek mythology, an
‘imaginary woman’ called ‘Pandora’ is the root cause of misfortune of
human beings. The Greeks considered women to be subhuman and inferior
to men. Though chastity of women was precious, and women were held in
high esteem, the Greeks were later overwhelmed by ego and sexual
perversions. Prostitution became a regular practice amongst
all classes of Greek society.
c. Roman Civilization:
When Roman Civilization was at the zenith of its ‘glory’, a man even had
the right to take the life of his wife. Prostitution and nudity were
common amongst the Romans.
d. Egyptian Civilization:
The Egyptian considered women evil and as a sign of a devil.
e. Pre-Islamic Arabia:
Before Islam spread in Arabia, the Arabs looked down upon women and very
often when a female child was born, she was buried alive.
2. Islam uplifted women and gave them equality and expects them
to maintain their status. Islam uplifted the status of women and
granted them their just rights 1400 years ago. Islam expects women to
maintain their status.
Hijab for men
People usually only discuss ‘hijab’ in the context of women. However,
in the Glorious Qur’an, Allah (swt) first mentions ‘hijab’ for men
before ‘hijab’ for the women. The Qur’an mentions in Surah Noor:
“Say to the believing men 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.”
[Al-Qur’an 24:30]
The moment a man looks at a woman and if any brazen or unashamed thought
comes to his mind, he should lower his gaze.
Hijab for women.
The next verse of Surah Noor, says:
“ And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze
and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and
ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should
draw veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to
their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons...”
[Al-Qur’an 24:31]
3. Six criteria for Hijab.
According to Qur’an and Sunnah there are basically six criteria for
observing hijab:
1. Extent:
The first criterion is the extent of the body that should be covered.
This is different for men and women. The extent of covering obligatory on
the male is to cover the body at least from the navel to the knees.
For women, the extent of covering obligatory is to cover the complete
body except the face and the hands up to the wrist. If they wish to,
they can cover even these parts of the body. Some scholars of Islam insist
that the face and the hands are part of the obligatory extent of ‘hijab’.
All the remaining five criteria are the same for men and women.
2. The clothes worn should be loose and should not reveal the figure.
3. The clothes worn should not be transparent such that one can see
throughthem.
4. The clothes worn should not be so glamorous as to attract the
opposite sex.
5. The clothes worn should not resemble that of the opposite sex.
6. The clothes worn should not resemble that of the unbelievers i.e.
they should not wear clothes that are specifically identities or symbols
of the unbelievers’ religions.
4. Hijab includes conduct and behaviour among other things.
Complete ‘hijab’, besides the six criteria of clothing, also includes
the moral conduct, behaviour, attitude and intention of the individual.
A person only fulfilling the criteria of ‘hijab’ of the clothes is
observing ‘hijab’ in a limited sense.
‘Hijab’ of the clothes should be accompanied by ‘hijab’ of the eyes,
‘hijab’ of the heart, ‘hijab’ of thought and ‘hijab’ of intention.
It also includes the way a person walks, the way a person talks,
the way he behaves, etc.
5. Hijab prevents molestation
The reason why Hijab is prescribed for women is mentioned in the Qur’an
in the following verses of Surah Al-Ahzab:
“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 molested.
And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
[Al-Qur’an 33:59]
The Qur’an says that Hijab has been prescribed for the women so that they are
recognized as modest women and this will also prevent them from being molested.
6. Example of twin sisters
Suppose two sisters who are twins, and who are equally beautiful,
walk down the street. One of them is attired in the Islamic hijab i.e.
the complete body is covered, except for the face and the hands up
to the wrists. The other sister is wearing western clothes, a mini skirt
or shorts. Just around the corner there is a hooligan or ruffian who is
waiting for a catch, to tease a girl. Whom will he tease?
The girl wearing the Islamic Hijab or the girl wearing the skirt or the mini?
Naturally he will tease the girl wearing the skirt or the mini.
Such dresses are an indirect invitation to the opposite sex for teasing
and molestation. The Qur’an rightly says that hijab prevents women from being molested.
7. Capital punishment for the rapists
Under the Islamic shariah, a man convicted of having raped a woman, is
given capital punishment. Many are astonished at this ‘harsh’ sentence.
Some even say that Islam is a ruthless, barbaric religion! I have asked
a simple question to hundreds of non-Muslim men. Suppose, God forbid,
someone rapes your wife, your mother or your sister. You are made the
judge and the rapist is brought in front of you.
What punishment would you give him? All of them said they would put
him to death. Some went to the extent of saying they would torture
him to death. To them I ask, if someone rapes your wife or your mother
you want to put him to death. But if the same crime is committed on
somebody else’s wife or daughter you say capital punishment is barbaric.
Why should there be double standards?
8. Western society falsely claims to have uplifted women
Western talk of women’s liberalization is nothing but a disguised
form of exploitation of her body, degradation of her soul, and deprivation
of her honour.Western society claims to have ‘uplifted’ women.
On the contrary,it has actually degraded them to the status of concubines, mistresses and society butterflies who are mere tools in the hands of
pleasure seekers and sex marketeers, hidden behind the colourful screen of
‘art’ and ‘culture’.
9. USA has one of the highest rates of rape
United States of America is supposed to be one of the most advanced
countries of the world. It also has one of the highest rates of rape in
any country in the world. According to a FBI report, in the year 1990,
every day on an average 1756 cases of rape were committed in U.S.A alone.
Later another report said that on an average everyday 1900 cases of rapes
are committed in USA. The year was not mentioned.
May be it was 1992 or 1993. May be the Americans got ‘bolder’ in
the following years.
Consider a scenario where the Islamic hijab is followed in America. Whenever
a man looks at a woman and any brazen or unashamed thought comes to his
mind, he lowers his gaze. Every woman wears the Islamic hijab, that is the
complete body is covered except the face and the hands upto the wrist.
Afterthis if any man commits rape he is given capital punishment. I ask you,
in such a scenario, will the rate of rape in America increase, will it remain
the same, or will it decrease?
10. Implementation of Islamic Shariah will reduce the rate of rapes.
Naturally as soon as Islamic Shariah is implemented positive results will be inevitable. If Islamic Shariah is implemented in any part of the world,
whether it is America or Europe, society will breathe easier. Hijab does
not degrade a woman but uplifts a woman and protects her modesty and chastity.
Copy and Paste :ILUVISLAM
P/S : This article is quite formal..so dont get boring to read this..
Believe me, it may wider and correct your view on hijab . And you will
realize how beautiful this religion,Allah SWT 's religion,that totally
complete and considerable for humans necessary.
Subhanallah Walhamdulillah..
What important is, we should adapt our intention on covering the aurah only
because of Allah The Almighty,its not because we are following the others
or just because of 'kawan aku pakai,aku pakai la' or 'bese la,trend..'
Through this, InsyaAllah you will find the feeling of closeness to Allah whenever,wherever, whoever you are..
STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE IN ACHIEVING ACCEPTANCE AND PIETY FROM ALLAH..
"It is you worship Allah as if you are seeing Him.For though
you see Him not, verily He is seeing you"
