"Why
Muslim Women must wear Hijab?"
Saturday, January 12, 2008
The answer to
the question is very simple - Muslim women observe HIJAB (covering the head and
the body) because Allah has told them to do so.
"O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw
their outer garments around them (when they go out or are among men). That is
better in order that they may be known (to be Muslims) and not annoyed..."
(Qur'an 33:59)
Other secondary reasons include the requirement for modesty in both men and
women. Both will then be evaluated for intelligence and skills instead of looks
and sexuality. An Iranian school girl is quoted as saying, "We want to
stop men from treating us like sex objects, as they have always done. We want
them to ignore our appearance and to be attentive to our personalities and
mind. We want them to take us seriously and treat us as equals and not just
chase us around for our bodies and physical looks." A Muslim woman who
covers her head is making a statement about her identity. Anyone who sees her
will know that she is a Muslim and has a good moral character. Many Muslim
women who cover are filled with dignity and self esteem; they are pleased to be
identified as a Muslim woman. As a chaste, modest, pure woman, she does not
want her sexuality to enter into interactions with men in the smallest degree.
A woman who covers herself is concealing her sexuality but allowing her femininity
to be brought out.
The question of
hijab for Muslim women has been a controversy for centuries and will probably
continue for many more. Some learned people do not consider the subject open to
discussion and consider that covering the face is required, while a majority
are of the opinion that it is not required. A middle line position is taken by
some who claim that the instructions are vague and open to individual
discretion depending on the situation. The wives of the Prophet (S) were required
to cover their faces so that men would not think of them in sexual terms since
they were the "Mothers of the Believers," but this requirement was
not extended to other women.
The word "hijab" comes from the Arabic word
"hajaba" meaning to hide from view or conceal. In the present time,
the context of hijab is the modest covering of a Muslim woman. The question now
is what is the extent of the covering? The Qur'an says:
"Say to the believing man 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. And say to the believing women that they
should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not
display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof;
that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their
beauty except to their husbands..." (Qur'an 24:30-31) These verses from
the Qur'an contain two main injunctions:
A woman should not show her beauty or adornments except what appears by
uncontrolled factors such as the wind blowing her clothes, and the head covers
should be drawn so as to cover the hair, the neck and the bosom. Islam has no
fixed standard as to the style of dress or type of clothing that Muslims must
wear. However, some requirements must be met. The first of these requirements
is the parts of the body which must be covered. Islam has two sources for
guidance and rulings: first, the Qur'an, the revealed word of Allah and
secondly, the Hadith or the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (S) who was
chosen by Allah to be the role model for mankind. The following is a Tradition
of the Prophet:
"Ayesha (R) reported that Asmaa the daughter of Abu Bakr (R) came to the
Messenger of Allah (S) while wearing thin clothing. He approached her and said:
'O Asmaa! When a girl reaches the menstrual age, it is not proper that anything
should remain exposed except this and this. He pointed to the face and
hands." (Abu Dawood)
The second requirement is looseness. The clothing must be loose enough so as
not to describe the shape of the woman's body. One desirable way to hide the
shape of the body is to wear a cloak over other clothes. However, if the
clothing is loose enough, an outer garment is not necessary. Thickness is the
third requirement. The clothing must be thick enough so as not to show the
color of the skin it covers or the shape of the body. The Prophet Muhammad (S)
stated that in later generations of his ummah there would be "women who
would be dressed but naked and on top of their heads (what looks like) camel
humps. Curse them for they are truly cursed." (Muslim) Another requirement
is an over-all dignified appearance. The clothing should not attract men's
attention to the woman. It should not be shiny and flashy so that everyone
notices the dress and the woman. In addition there are other requirements:
Women must not dress so as to appear as men.
"Ibn Abbas narrated: 'The Prophet (S) cursed the men who appear like women
and the women who appear like men.'" (Bukhari)
Women should not dress in a way similar to the unbelievers.
The clothing should be modest, not excessively fancy and also not excessively
ragged to gain others admiration or sympathy. Often forgotten is the fact that
modern Western dress is a new invention. Looking at the clothing of women as
recently as seventy years ago, we see clothing similar to hijab. These active
and hard-working women of the West were not inhibited by their clothing which
consisted of long, full dresses and various types of head covering. Muslim
women who wear hijab do not find it impractical or interfering with their
activities in all levels and walks of life. Hijab is not merely a covering
dress but more importantly, it is behavior, manners, speech and appearance in
public. Dress is only one facet of the total being. The basic requirement of
the Muslim woman's dress apply to the Muslim man's clothing with the difference
being mainly in degree. Modesty requires that the area between the navel and
the knee be covered in front of all people except the wife. The clothing of men
should not be like the dress of women, nor should it be tight or provocative. A
Muslim should dress to show his identity as a Muslim. Men are not allowed to
wear gold or silk. However, both are allowed for women.
For both men and women, clothing requirements are not meant to be a restriction
but rather a way in which society will function in a proper, Islamic manner.
In the Quran: " And say to the believing women that they should lower
their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display theri beauty
and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof, that they should
draw theri veils over their bosoms adn not display their beauty except to their
husbands, tathers, husbands' fathers, sons, or their sisters' sons, or their
women or the slaves whom their right hand possess or male servants free of
physical needs, or small children who have no sence of the shame of sex; and
that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their
hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! Turn ye all together towards Allah(S.W.T)
that ye may attain Bliss (Surah 24:31)
Kadang2 ALLAH sembunyikan Matahari,DIA datangkan Petir dan Kilat.Kite menangis
dan tertanye2 kemene hilangnye matahari.Rupe2nye ALLAH hendak memberikan kite
pelangi..
Posted by
alhussaini at 8:38
AM
http://anuar-alhussaini.blogspot.com/2008/01/why-muslim-women-must-wear-hijab.html
