Islamic concept of hijab/veil and the West
Hijab is to dress modestly in such a way as the outline of the female body is not visible.
Islam is a reformatory and revolutionary religion which provides guidance to its followers for eternal success in all walks of Islam. The Islamic Shariah consists of articles of faith i.e. beliefs, modes of worship — rituals, moral standards or ethical values, Civil and criminal laws. Islam gives dignity and respect to both sexes. For promoting healthy values and decency in the society, Islam ordains different dress code for men and women keeping into consideration their physical bodily structure and human instincts.
In order to give impetus to healthy moral standards, Islam has prohibited free inter mixing of men and women. Islam has prescribed strict punishment for those men and women who commit adultery or lead immoral life. Islam promotes the institution of marriage for satisfying our physical bodily needs in a legal and positive manner and for halting lewdness and abominable sources of copulation. In this regard Islam has prescribed such dress code for both sexes which prevents incitement of lust and is a symbol of decency and dignity.
Hijab or veil which is a dress code for Muslim women requires that a woman should not expose her beauty in front of strangers. Hijab is to dress modestly in such a way as the outline of the female body is not visible. This is meant and intended for reducing potential attraction between men and women who are not marriage partners. It is compulsory for Muslim women not to wear skin tight or transparent clothing, or to breast feed their babies in front of strangers.
Hijab is a symbol of modesty, privacy and morality. It has to be distinguished from satar. Hijab (veil) is to be observed from strange men while satar relates to the covering of body. Satar, according to Shariah, are the parts of body of a person which are unlawful to expose — these are between the naval and knee for a male and the entire body for a female except the face and the hands as far as the wrists. It is obligatory to observe satar during salat and the one who offers salat without adhering to the requirement of satar has done a sin and his/her salat is not going to be accepted by the Almighty God.
A large majority of Muslim jurists are of the opinion that covering face as well as other parts of the body is included in hijab, whereas some have opined that face and hand up to wrist are excluded from hijab. However all the Muslim scholars are having consensus on this point that a women is not allowed to expose her beauty and adornment/Zeenat in front of those people who are not her Mahram i.e those with whom she can enter into marital knot.
There is no difference of opinion about condemning and abhorring free inter mixing of opposite sexes, wearing of obscene/half naked dress, promotion of extra marital sexual relations, and inciting of sexual relationship.
Islam ordains both men and women to abstain from obscenity and lewdness. In verse No. 30 of Surah Noor Almighty God commands Muslim men to be modest and says, “(O Prophet) enjoin believing men to cast down their looks and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Surely Allah is well aware of all what they do”.
Similarly about the importance of Hijab Almighty God says in verse No. 53 of Surah Ahzaab, “…..And when you ask of them (the wives of Prophet) anything, asks it of them from behind a curtain. That is purer for your hearts and for their hearts….” The aged women are exempted from certain limitations of Hijab as the God says in verse No. 60 of Surah Noor, “The women who are past their youth (and can no longer bear children) and do not look forward to marriage will incur no sin if they cast off their outer garments without displaying their adornment. But if they remain modest, that is still better for them. Allah is All-Hearing, All-knowing”.
Islam promotes the institution of marriage for satisfying our physical bodily needs in a legal and positive manner and for halting lewdness and abominable sources of copulation.
The other divine religions also exhort their followers to eschew including in indecent and immoral acts. It has been written in the Gospel of John, “Those women, who do not cover their head during worship of God, let their head be shaved of.” Similarly at another place it has been written, “Those men and women who try to appear belonging to apposite sex are cursed by Almighty God.” The present moral values of the West/European countries are not those which have been prescribed in their religions but are in contradiction of their religious values.
The West has even gone to such extent of moral decline that they are legalising homosexuality which is having no place in any divine religion and is completely inhuman, immoral and shameful. In this regard, the West has also launched a disgusting campaign against the dynamic and golden Islamic principles of morality and modesty.
In order to halt the rapid growth of Islam in the West and to promote obscenity and lewdness in Islamic society, they are raising undue hue and cry against the Islamic concept of Hijab/Veil and some of the western countries like France has even banned use of Hijab by Muslim women. This act of the west is a sheer violation of fundamental rights. The West is also making an abortive attempt to project Islamic laws as Anti women.
Unfortunately some so called feminists of the Muslim World are also out for assisting those western elements who are aspirant to malign Islamic laws. Instead of halting the spread of Islam, such anti-Islam moves of the West are counter productive and is making the Muslims realise the nefarious designs of such elements and is further elaborating the glory and utility of Islamic codes of ethics such as Hijab.
Hijab in no way obstructs the development of women life in any field of life, but it protects the inner and outer adornment/beauty of women and ameliorates the moral and ethical values of society as the God Almighty says in verse No. 19 of Surah Noor, “Verily those who love that indecency should spread among the believers deserve a painful chastisement in the world and the Hereafter. Allah knows, but you do not know.”
Atta ur Rehman Khilji