Why Hijab

Society Religion & Philosophy
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Quran is the highest source of Allah's will but any interpretation of the Quran that is not consistent with Hadith is not a valid interpretation..., secondly there are many aspects of Islamic theology that are not in the Quran but specified in Hadith & there are certain commandments in the Quran whose jurisdiction has been made general or specific through Hadith of our Holy Prophet
e.g. Rajam = > The stoning of a married Adulterer , is not in the Quran.., In the Quran the punishment mentioned for an Adulterer is Slashes, but our holy prophet PBUH clarified the commandments mentioned in the Ayat to be applicable on unmarried Adulterers & for married Adulterer the punishment shall be the same as was prescribed in Mosiac Law in Taurat.

You are absolutely right here but that does not imply anything for or against the obligation of Hijab.

To me making an association with a women experiencing a sense of modesty with self-harming is a fundamental fallacy based on a preconceived notion which this video argues is errected by protagonists of consumerism who benefit by alluring to the desires of both men & women through objectifying women. Now , I agree that it is perhaps not the most compelling argument on this topic but it was very insightful to me as I had never thought on this subject from this perspective.

Urdu Word Game
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Re: Why Hijab

Ok, I know I keep refering to the Koran but what I meant in my last comment is that Islam (including hadith but I am not well-equipped with the knowledge of the whole body of ahadith) does not ordain a complete self-denial when it comes to fashion or self-adornment, which this video seems to imply.
I did not mean to associate modesty with self-harm. I probably took a very extreme and offensive example but I mean to say that people fighting for something does not imply that their fight is well-informed. It does not prove that women are better protected, that male gaze is inevitable whether you like it or not, etc.
I wouldn't deny that Hijab (head scarf and abaya or even just loose plain clothes) keeps women from excessive indulgence in fashion (showing off to female friends or other men) but it does not keep them from indulgence in fashion (for friends or husband) completely esp. if they are rich. There you have to think about a general teaching of modesty in Islam which is to be moderate-- not be completely self-denying or excessively luxurious.

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Re: Why Hijab

The first video is good - but here is a problem with it. At 30 seconds the woman says its in the Quran.

Here is the fact:

ITS NOT IN THE QURAN TO WEAR HIJAB. The only thing that Quran mentions is Jilbaab.

**** (based on the post below I will have to check this - but according to amna it does appear seven times. so once checked I will edit this post. Sorry for the misinformation)

BUT like Amina has said below none of them means a covering the hair and face of a woman.

So right there it makes it a false video.

I am all for hijab if a woman wants to wear it - nothing wrong with that...but saying something in the Quran when its not, is not right.

The mention of Hijab is in a hadeeth only.

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Re: Why Hijab

“And tell the believing women to subdue their eyes, and maintain their chastity. They shall not reveal any parts of their bodies, except that which is necessary. They shall cover their chests, (with their Khimar) and shall not relax this code in the presence of other than their husbands, their fathers, the fathers of their husbands, their sons, the sons of their husbands, their brothers, the sons of their brothers, the sons of their sisters, other women, the male servants or employees whose sexual drive has been nullified, or the children who have not reached puberty. They shall not strike their feet when they walk in order to shake and reveal certain details of their bodies. All of you shall repent to GOD, O you believers, that you may succeed.” 24:31

God does not wait for a Scholar to put the correct words for Him!

The Arabic word for CHEST, GAYB is in the verse (24:31), but the Arabic words for HEAD, (RAAS) or HAIR, (SHAAR) are NOT in the verse. The commandment in the verse is clear - COVER YOUR CHEST OR BOSOMS, but also the fabrication of the scholars and most of the translators is clear by claiming- cover your head or hair.

The last part of the verse (24:31) translates as, “They shall not strike their feet when they walk in order to shake and reveal certain details of their bodies.” The details of the body can be revealed or not revealed by the dress you wear, not by your head cover.

Notice also the expression in 24:31,

“They shall not reveal any parts of their bodies, except that which is necessary.”

This expression may sound vague to many because they have not understood the mercy of God. Again God here used this very general term to give us the freedom to decide according to our own circumstances the definition of “What is necessary”.

It is not up to a scholar or to any particular person to define this term. God wants to leave it personal for every woman and no one can take it away from her. Women who follow the basic rule number one i.e. righteousness, will have no problem making the right decision to reveal only which is necessary.

The word “zeenatahunna” in this verse refers to the woman’s body parts (beauty) that can be exaggerated by the movement of the body while walking and not to the artificial ornaments and decorations as some people interpret it or translate it. At the end of the verse, God told the women not to strike with their feet to show their “zeenatahunna.” Striking the feet while walking can emphasize , exaggerate or shake certain parts of the body that do not need to be emphasized. It is important to remember that striking the feet while walking does not have this effect on the head, hair or face, they are not part of what God calls in this verse the hidden zeena.

Accepting orders from anybody but God, means idol-worship. That is how serious the matter of Hijab/khimar is. Women who wear Hijab because of tradition or because they like it for personal reasons commit no sin, as long as they know that it is not part of this perfect religion. Those who are wearing it because they think God ordered it are committing Idol-worship, as God did not order it, the scholars did. These women have found for themselves another god than the One who revealed the Quran, complete, perfect and FULLY detailed to tell them they have to cover their heads to be Muslims.

THE WORD “HIJAB” in the QURAN

“Hijab” is the term used by many Muslims women to describe their head cover that may or may not include covering their face except their eyes, and sometimes covering also one eye. The Arabic word “Hijab” can be translated into veil or yashmak. Other meanings for the word “Hijab” include, screen, cover(ing), mantle, curtain, drapes, partition, division, divider.

Can we find the word “Hijab” in the Quran??

The word “Hijab” appeared in the Quran 7 times, five of them as “Hijab” and two times as “Hijaban,” these are 7:46, 33:53, 38:32, 41:5, 42:51, 17:45 & 19:17.

None of these “Hijab” words are used in the Quran in reference to what the traditional Muslims call today (Hijab) as a dress code for the Muslim woman.

God knows that generations after Muhammed’s death the Muslims will use the word “Hijab” to invent a dress code that He never authorized. God used the word “Hijab” ahead of them just as He used the word “Hadith” ahead of them.
Source(s):

Khimar" is an Arabic word that means, cover, any cover, a curtain is a Khimar, a dress is a Khimar, a table cloth that covers the top of a table is a Khimar, a blanket can be used as a Khimar..etc. The word KHAMRA used for intoxicant in Arabic has the same root with Khimar, because both covers, the Khimar covers (a window, a body, a table . . . etc.) while KHAMRA covers the state of mind. Most of the translators, obviously influenced by Hadith (fabrications) translate the word as VEIL and thus mislead most people to believe that this verse is advocating the covering of the head.

In 24:31 God is asking the women to use their cover (khimar)( being a dress, a coat, a shawl, a shirt, a blouse, a tie, a scarf . . . etc.) to cover their bosoms, not their heads or their hairs. If God so willed to order the women to cover their heads or their hair, nothing would have prevented Him from doing so. GOD does not run out of words. GOD does not forget. God did not order the women to cover their heads or their hair.
Exactly where in the Quran does it say that a woman must cover her HEAD? (not chest or neck, but head/hair)? - Yahoo! Answers

I find this piece interesting because it talks about Allah giving women personal discretion and because it argues that “zeenatahunna” means body parties not ornaments. Although, I don’t like that it doesn’t mention the stand of hadith.

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Re: Why Hijab

Amna,

I will check the word Hijab in the Quran again…based on what you have posted above.

But thanks for the excellent post. :cheer:

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While doing some research, I found articles, arguments that quoted Hadiths & historical references to prove the obligatory status of Hijab & its widespread practice during the era of our holy prophet PBUH & subsequent centuries of muslim imperialism,at the same time I found articles & arguments that used the same hadiths & same historical references to argue that hijab is not obligatory , because this hadith has a weak reference , or that the meaning of the words are misinterpreted or using the same historical references argued that it was a cultural practice permitted but not necessarily promulgated by Islam.I found myself incapable of forming an independent opinion as to which arguments lead to a veracious conclusion because of my lack of knowledge of Arabic Language & thesaurus, cultural/social anthropology & sound knowledge of Islamic history, so I would opt to drop out of the debate of what manifestation of Hijab constitutes the righteous position, not because I believe this debate is fruitless or useless but because of my ignorance.

However , the fact that there is consensus on modesty, there should atleast be some focus on reflection & self-introspection for the attainment of this attribute & the right of those people who who consider Hijab as a means towards attainment of this goal should be respected.

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It's a difficult topic.

I had read many arguments, explanations of hadith etc. in favor of hijab. Then again I read those saying it's not obligatory on your head, only one should cover the body and lower the gaze. Both sides sound plausible. I've used the hijab and completely covered myself for several years and nowadays I don't have a hijab on my head, though am still modestly dressed.

(I also think that when living in a non-Islamic country, it's very difficult to do everything exactly according to Islam. Wearing a hijab on my head, covering up my body and not looking people in the eyes has for example caused problems for me, people around me invented all kinds of terrible lies about why I covered myself and lowered my gaze. Lowering a gaze is also a cultural thing, while growing up, we were often told not to look people older than us, in the eyes out of respect, but people here think it's weird.
Anyway, if you really want to live exactly according to Islamic ways, I don't think being in a non-Islamic country would be the right place. I once read somewhere in an Urdu Islamic book, that when the rules of a non-Islamic country are such, that you aren't allowed to do the more important things of Islam, you shouldn't stay there, but go to a place where you are allowed to do those.)

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Re: Why Hijab

I came across the same meaning: Hijab to mean a curtain, a divider etc, but not an article of clothing to cover a woman. Many things were change and brought into practice because of the matriarchal society at the time. Certain 'important' people could not handle the idea of being ruled by a woman and so came the so called 'revelations from god' that women MUST do this and women must do that! It was all put into place to control women...

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The females using hijab as head covering, should have a clear understanding if they are doing it for fashion, society or if they really understand what it means in Islam. It's not easy to start wearing hijab as head covering, it isn't easy either to stop covering your head with hijab.

If it really is obligatory on your head or not, I think in the end it should be the choice of the females. Nobody should force them to use one or not to use one.

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Re: Why Hijab

^well said! its a decision that shud come from within - not forced! I didnt wear a hijaab ever before I came to Canada.. I started wearing a hijaab properly after starting univ.. and even before that dressing modestly was something i always adhered to -

I was going thru lectures to find out more information and I came across this article by Dr.Farhat Hashmi.. I recently started listening to Alhuda lectures and i think the meaningof the verse from Surah Nur that is constantly being refered to is well explained here, then again some of you might not agree which is fine.. im just refering to what is written here and this is what i have heard and knwn ever since ive known about hijaab and the way its to be worn

Farhat Hashmi > Hijab