hmmmmm.....

1.) We all clamour for being practical but what in fact it is ? Dear we, being Pakistanis, have our specific norms and culture. Certainly consider hijab as part of our culture. But then what is the problem of hijab at Europe or America or in Africa. It means that the hijab is also part of their culture! It means that we share this aspect with them. This sharing is becuase of the fact that we follow teachings of the same religion i.e. Islam. It is undeniable fact that Islam is devine religion which means that ALLah pak HIMSELF prescribed its code and conduct, which were preached by AnHazrat (PBUH). The teachings of AnHAZRAT (PBUH) were not time specific it were for all times as ALLAH pak HIMSELF said in the HOLY QURAN....

Now just think for a while that who is the Creator of all things? Being followers of Book (not for we Muslims but also for Jews and Christians) the answer is certainly ALLAH pak..... If Creator has set up certain rules and ordered for their following thn who we are to say no or raise questions thereon?

2). Women and Men both are equally human beings, if some thing is started to go wrong or started to improve then it is not because of a single gender. Both genders are involved in destruction or construction of human aspects, though a gender may have greater share thn the other.... As per Holy Quran "Believers, men and women are mutual friends. They enjoin what is just and forbid what is evil," (12:71). ... As per Islamic teachings both genders are equal however, ALLAH pak gave a slight a very slight edge to males. ..The same thing applies in spouses, by GOD a good partner is blessing of ALLAH pak and a person can do great things with a nice spouse at his/her shoulders....If a wife is not doing any job, it doesnt mean that she is not contributing any thing for uplift of the family. rearing and looking after the childern, home and needs of her husband is the prime respnsiblity of the wife. Islam never stoped the wife to work. the prime example is of Hazrat Khadija r.a.

other examples could be:

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Hazrat Busra bint Uzwan (ra) was the sister of a Sahabi Hazrat Utbah bin Uzwan al-Mazini, he also remained the governor of Basra (in Iraq). Hazrat
Busra hired Hazrat Abu Huraira (ra) and he was her employee during the time of AnHazrat (pbuh). Later she married him.

Hazrat Nafisa bint al-Hasan (d. 208/824) taught hadith to Hazrat Imam ash-Shafi'i (ra).

Women Farmers:

Hazrat Sahl ibn Sa'd, a Sahabi mentioned a woman who had her own farm. She used to cultivate beets and barley to feed the companions of the Prophet (PBUH) with it after Friday prayer.

The daughter of Hazrat Abu Bakr r.a. , Hazrat Asma' ra , mentioned that when she was married to Hazrat Zubair r.a. , they did not have wealth. The Prophet gave them some land about two miles away from their home. She used to farm and transport the produce herself. Hazrat Asma' bint Abu Bakr r.a. reported, "One day I was coming back with date stones on my head. Then I met the Prophet with some people from Madinah. He asked me to ride with him on his camel's back."

Women Traders:

Many sahaabiat-e karaam were engaged in trading. Hazrat Khadija r.a. is the most famous example. Other women such as Khaula, Lakhmia, Thaqafia, and Bint Makhramah traded perfumes.

A Sahabia Hazrat Quila said to the Holy Prophet (PBUH), "I am a woman who buys and sells things." Then she asked several questions about buying and selling. The wife of Hazrat Abdullah ibn Mas'ud met her expenses by manufacturing and selling handicrafts.

These able ladies may be compared to modern women who craft computer chips and other high technology equipment and appliances, or to women bioengineers who design artificial limbs, hearts and respirators.

Hazrat Saudah r.a. – Umul Momaneed was an expert in tanning skins. She sold her tanned goods to trading caravans and local men throughout Medina.

Women Surgeons:

Hazrat Rufaidah Aslamiyyah was an expert in medicine and surgery. She used to tend to the sick and wounded in the battlefields. According to Hazrat Ibn Sa'd, her tent was equipped with equipment for surgery and first aid. When Sa'd ibn Mu'adh was injured in the Ghazvae Khandaq, the Prophet (PBUH) transferred him to her tent for medical care.

Other women experts in medicine and surgery were Umm Muta', Umm Kabashah, Hamnah bint Jahsh, Mu'adhah, Laila, Umaimah, Umm Zaid, Umm 'Atiyyah, and Umm Sulaim.

Rubayyi' bint Mu'awwaidh ibn 'Afra was a great companion of the Prophet (PBUH). She tended to the wounded and sick and supplied water to the thirsty soldiers in many battles. With other women, she transported the wounded and the dead in the war.

If the Prophet (PBUH) and his companions were defending Islam today, those women warriors would be carrying machine guns, manning submarines, and manufacturing arms.

If the modern ambulance systems had been in existence, the women would have been giving cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and transporting the sick to the nearest hospital.

Those Muslim women would have been trained in nursing and medical schools to take care of wounded soldiers. These women companions of the Prophet (BPUH) would have been in the forefront of designing Star Wars technology to defend Muslims.

Women in Politics and Scholars:

For example, the Prophet (PBUH) consulted with Umm Salamah when he negotiated the treaty of Hudaibiah. Many companions were angry at the weak terms of the treaty. It was Umm Salamah whose counsel helped ease the situation.

Fatima binte Qais was a very able and intelligent scholar. When Hazrat 'Umar r.a. died, the nomination committee also consulted Qais on the selection of the next Caliph.

Hazrat 'Umar r.a. appointed Hazrat Shifa bint 'Abdullah ibn Shams as the administrator of the Market of Madinah which was one of the largest markets in those days.

According to 'Allama ibn 'Abd al-Barr, Hazrat Shifa bint 'Abdullah was a very intelligent and scholarly woman. Hazrat Umar r.a. often took the initiative of asking her opinion to other people.

Women not only gave their opinion on various problems but also criticized state matters and participated in the evaluation and reckoning of a ruler's actions.

It is commonly believed that freedom of speech originated recently in the West. This is no more than myth. Islam introduced equal rights and freedom of expression for women fourteen hundred years ago. The incident about mahr (dowry) in the Caliphate of 'Umar is well known. When he decided to fix the dowry money, an old woman protested that he had no right to decide about it.

Women Jurists:

There are many female jurists in early Islamic history. In jurisprudence, Hazrat Aisha r.a. had few equals and Hazrat Umm Salam also gave many legal rulings.

Others are Hazrat Safiyyah, Hazrat Hafsa, Hazrat Umm Habiba, Hazrat Juwayriyyah, Hazrat Maymuna, Hazrat Fatima Zahra, Hazrat Umm Sharik, Hazrat Umm 'Atya, Hazrat Asma' bint Abu Bakr, Hazrat Haila bint Qanif, Hazrat Khaula bint Tuwait, Hazrat Umm al-Darda, Hazrat Atika bint Zaid, Hazrat Sahalah bint Suhail, Hazrat Fatima bint Qais, Hazrat Zaynabah bint Abu Salamah, Hazrat Umm Ayman, and Hazrat Umm Yusuf (r.a)

A noted medieval Muslim scholar, Imam Badr al-Din Kashani, explained the rationale for appointing a women Qadi judge): "Where there is ability to give testimony, there is also the ability of qada (ruling)." According to al-Tabari, a woman can be an absolute judge in every matter.

It is reported that Dawud ibn Husayn, a companion of the Prophet, used to take Qur'anic lessons from Umm Sa'd Jamilah bint As'ad Ansariyyah, daughter of As'ad ibn Rabi who fought in the Battle of Badr and achieved martyrdom in the Battle of Uhud. According to ibn Athir, Umm Sa'd had memorized the Qur'an and used to give regular lessons.

Khansa bint 'Amr was a woman of great stature and a poetess of great fame. According to ibn Athir, all poets of fame unanimously agree that no poetess ever equaled Khansa, and the Prophet appreciated her verses.

Su'da, Safiyyah, 'Atikah, Muridiyyah, Qunila Abduriyyah, Umm Ayman, Umm Ziad, and Kabsah bint Rafi were also well known poetesses at the time of the Prophet .

'Amra bint 'Abdu'r-Rahman was one of most prominent women of second generation. She was one of those who gave legal opinions in Madina after the Companions. Her opinion overrode the views of other authorities. She is the first authority for three legal issues dealing with the prohibition against digging up graves, the ban on selling unripe fruit, and the effect of crop damage on the sale of agricultural produce. In one case, she reversed the decision of her nephew to cut off the hand of a man who stole some iron rings. Her authority was accepted on matters such as business transactions and punishments (hudud). Imam Malik takes her as a legal precedent for details on the hajj.

Women Warriors:

Many examples of women actively participating in war could be found at the time of the Prophet (PBUH). One companion, Hazrat Umm 'Umarah, demonstrated courage and fearlessness in the battle of Uhud.

Umm Hakim, wife of Hazrat Ikrimah ibn Aji Jahl participated in the war against the Romans.

When Muslims suffered defeat in the Battle of Uhud, there was some confusion in the Muslim camp. Then Hazrat Safiyah bint 'Abd al-Muttalib left Madinah armed with a spear and aroused a sense of shame among those who were returning from the battle. She angrily asked them, "Did you leave the Prophet (PBUH) behind?"

Hazrat Asma' bint Yazid fought and killed nine enemy soldiers in the battle of Uhud.

Hazrat Umm Salaim, mother of Anas, went to battle with a dagger .(the text in green is excerpt from http://www.crescentlife.com/thisthat...arly_islam.htm)

Apart from them Hazrat Khaula binte Azwar sister of Hazrat Zarrar bin Azwar (Pakistani Tank Al-Zarraar was named after him) fought bravely in the leading troops of Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed r.a. during his expeditions of Syria.

There are many legendary chronicles of fighting by Muslim Women including Saaahibaate Karaam at the three day pitched battle of Yarmouk.

3). In furtherance the definition of Hijab as per wikipedia is as under:

'''Hijab''' or ħijāb (باجح) is the Arabic term for "cover" (noun), based on the root بجح meaning "to veil, to cover (verb), to screen, to shelter"
In some Arabic-speaking countries and Western countries, the word hijab primarily refers to women's head and body covering, but in Islamic scholarship, hijab is given the wider meaning of modesty, privacy, and morality. The word used in the Qur'an for a headscarf or veil is khimār (ر ا م خ).
Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World by Macmillan Reference states about hijab:
The term hijab or veil is not used in the Qur'an to refer to an article of clothing for women or men, rather it refers to a spatial curtain that divides or provides privacy. The Qur'an instructs the male believers (Muslims) to talk to wives of Muhammad behind a hijab. This hijab was the responsibility of the men and not the wives of Muhammad. However, in later Muslim societies this instruction specific to the wives of Muhammad was generalized, leading to the segregation of the Muslim men and women. The modesty in Qur'an concerns both men's and women's gaze, gait, garments, and genitalia. The clothing for women involves khumūr over the necklines and jilbab (cloaks) in public so that they may be identified and not harmed. Guidelines for covering of the entire body except for the hands, the feet, and the face, are found in texts of fiqh and hadith that are developed later.(The text in blue is taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hijab)

It is evident from above that hijab is a wider term, even more than wearing modest clothes or burkaahs or in other words very long clothes, and it is not only the responsibility of women folk to profess it alone…… and men are equally responsible for it…..

Moreover, please dont try to make it mix with Mullahism.... It is crystal clear from the pristine injuctions of ALLAH pak and AnHazrat (PBUH). It does not suit us- being muslim- to term it mullah rhetoric.

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'Thee woh ik shakhs kay tasawar saay - abb woh ranayee khayal kahaan'