CHAPTER-23
HIJAB (SCARF)
Islam requires the believers, both men and women, to lower their
gaze and guard their modesty. First the Qur’an requires the men to
lower their gaze and guard their modesty and then it requires the
women to discharge these obligations. However for women, the
fulfillment of certain additional responsibilities in the matter of
dress and make-up have been prescribed. Let us discuss the
obligations of men and women in the light of the verses of the Holy
Qur’an and the Traditions of the Prophet as under:
Obligations of men to guard
modesty
Verse 30 of
Surah 24 of the Qur’an says: “Tell the believing men to lower their
gaze and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Verily,
Allah is Aware of what they do.” Thus verse 30 of chapter 24 of the
Qur’an makes it obligatory on men to keep modesty. The following
rules emanate from this verse as held by the scholars and the
jurists.
a)
The
men should lower their gaze. They should cast down their looks. In
other words it means that they should restrain their gaze and avoid
looking at women intentionally or purposely. The men have been thus
commanded to avoid gazing or looking at the women or at the “satar”
(shame) of others or at indecent scenes.
There are so many Traditions reported in Hadith literature,
according to which the Prophet (peace be upon him) strictly forbade
his followers to cast their gazes at the women intentionally and
unnecessarily. According to one Hadith, the Holy Prophet told Hadrat
Ali: “Do not cast a second look after the first look. The first look
(look by chance) is pardonable but not the second one (which is
generally intentional).” In another Tradition quoted in Abu Daud, it
is related that Hadrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) turned the face
of his young cousin Fazal-bin-Abbas to the other side, on one
occasion, when the latter was fixing his gaze at a woman. The
Prophet of Islam once declared: “Evil look at the other woman is the
adultery of the eyes…..” (Bukhari, Muslim). However, when it is
really necessary to look at a woman, the same is permitted. The
Prophet permitted to see a woman when one wants to marry her.
Jurists have held that a physician can look at his female patient, a
judge can look at a woman witness and in similar occasions, when it
is very essential, a man can look at a woman.
b)
They should observe modesty or they should be modest. According to
the literal translation of the relevant Arabic words, the men should
guard their private parts. Guarding the private parts means: firstly
that they should not indulge in unlawful sex activities like
fornication, adultery etc., and secondly that they should abstain
from exposing their private parts (satar) before others. In other
words, the men should keep chaste and avoid exposing their Satar.
According to a Tradition, the Prophet (Allah’s peace be upon him)
prohibited the believers to expose their satar except before their
wives. (Abu Daud)
For males, the satar is the part of man’s body from the navel to the
knee and this part of the body is not to be exposed intentionally
before any body. Thigh is included in satar and on some occasion the
Prophet of Islam declared: “Do not expose your thighs”. (Abu
Daud).
Obligations of women to guard
modesty
1-Verse 31 of
Surah 24 of the Qur’an says: “And tell the believing women to lower
their gaze and guard their private parts, and not to display their
adornment except what normally appears thereof, and draw their veils
over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment except to their
husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers or their
sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers, or their brother’s
sons, or their sister’s sons, or their women, or their slaves, or
male servants, who lack vigour, or children who have no knowledge of
women’s shame. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal
what they hide regarding their adornment. And turn to Allah in
repentance together, O believers, so that you may attain success.”
From this verse, following rules are derived: -
a)
The
believing women should lower their gaze and should not intentionally
gaze at men or at the satar of others or at the indecent scenes.
According to the traditions of the Prophet of Islam, the
commandments regarding restraining of gaze in case of
women are rather less strict as compared to those regarding
restraining of gaze by men. It is reported that a deputation of some
negroes came to Al-Madinah in 7 A.H. and they gave a performance of
physical skill in the courtyard of the mosque of the Prophet
and the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself showed that
performance to his wife Hadrat Ayesha. Similarly according to
another Tradition, the Holy Prophet instructed a divorcee
Fatimah-b-Qais to observe her Iddah in the house of a blind
man.
b)
They should be modest, protect their chastity and guard their
private parts. Guarding of private parts means abstaining from
indulging in illicit sex gratification and also to avoid exposing
their private parts or satar. Satar of a woman is the entire body
except her face and hands.
Hadrat Ayesha reports a Tradition that her sister Asma once came in
thin clothes and the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace be upon
him) turned his face away from her and remarked: “O, Asma when a
girl attains maturity, she is not permitted to expose any part of
her body except face and hand.”
c)
The
women should not display their adornment except that which is
displayed of itself. Adornment means ornamentation and decoration
and, to use the modern terminology, make-up. The women have been
prohibited to display their make-up except that which is apparent
and which is beyond their control to hide. It means that they cannot
intentionally display their adornment except that which becomes
exposed without any intention or purpose on their part.
The words “what is apparent”or“which is displayed of itself” have
always generated a lot of controversy and difference of opinion
among the Muslim scholars and jurists. Even the Companions of the
Prophet of Islam had different views about the interpretation of
this expression. ‘What is apparent’ or ‘which is displayed of
itself’, according to Abdullah-b-Abbas, means all those parts of the
body which normally remain exposed like hands and face. So, in his
view, the hands and face can be kept exposed and need not be
covered. On the other hand Hadrat Abdullah-b-Masud and his followers
hold that hands and face and the adornment of these parts cannot be
exposed. The view of Ibn Abbas has been accepted by the Hanafi
jurists and their followers and according to them the woman can keep
uncovered their hands and face along with adornments of these parts
of the body.
d)
The
women should draw their veils on their bosoms. It means the women
should cover their bosom properly with a wrapper and should not keep
exposed any part thereof.
e)
The
women should not reveal their adornment except before the following:
I. Their
husbands. II. Their fathers. It includes grandfathers and great
grandfathers on paternal and maternal side. III. Their husband’s
fathers: It includes grandfathers and great grandfathers on
maternal and paternal side of their husbands. IV. Their sons.
It includes their grandsons through their sons as well as
daughters. V. Their husband’s sons, including grand sons. VI.
Their brothers. VII. Their brother’s sons, including
grandsons. VIII. Their sister’s sons, including
grandsons. IX. Their female associates: Such women who are
familiar or who are known or who are friends etc. X. Their slaves.
XI. Male servants who lack sexual vigour and are not
interested in sex matters. XII. Children who have no knowledge of
sex.
f)
The
women should not stamp their feet on the ground so as to reveal
their hidden adornment. Thus the sound of ornaments should not be
audible.
2-
Verse 59 of Chapter 33 of the Qur’an says: “O Prophet! Tell your
wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to
draw their cloaks over their persons (when they come out of
their homes). That will be better, so that they may be recognized
(as noble women) and then they may not be annoyed. And Allah is ever
Forgiving, Merciful”. Thus the Qur’an in this verse commands the
women to draw their cloaks close round them when they go abroad. The
purpose of this injunction has been disclosed in the latter part of
this verse in the words: “…so that they may be recognized (as decent
and noble ladies) and not annoyed (being taken as women of ill
repute).”
The Arabic word ‘Jalabeeb’ is the plural of ‘Jalbab’ which means
cloak or gown or outer garment. A lot of heat has been generated
about the interpretation of this verse. The Orthodox opinion is
that the word ‘Jalbab’ means veil and it should cover the face also.
But the liberal commentators interpret it to mean that the women
should wrap up their gowns or outer garments covering their heads,
necks and bosoms but not faces and hands.
3-
Verse 60 of the chapter 24 of the Holy Qur’an says: “As for the
women past the age of child-bearing who have no hope of getting
married, it is no sin for them if they lay aside their outer
garments in such a way as not to show their adornment. But to
refrain from it is better for them. And Allah is Hearer, Knower.”
Thus the above verse of the Holy Qur’an relaxes the conditions
regarding purdah in respect of the old women who are past the
prospect of marriage and no longer capable of exciting the passions
of men. According to the verse, it is no sin for them if they
discard their outer clothing in such a way as not to display or
exhibit their adornment or make-up. However this permission cannot
be used by those women who still have sexual desires or who want to
attract others by displaying their embellishments.
Criticism against Hijab
It is clear from the discussion made above that the Qur’an obliges
both the Muslim men and the Muslim women to lower their gaze and
guard their modesty, particularly when they come in presence of each
other. It is also clear that the women are required to fulfill
certain additional responsibilities in matters of dress and
adornment or make-up. They are instructed to cover their bodies and
bosoms properly and not to disclose their make up except to their
husbands, near relatives, children and servants. Verse 59 of Surah
33 especially directs the women to cast their cloaks or gowns over
them when they come out of their homes. This casting of cloaks over
them is called Hijab or scarf which has unfortunately been subjected
to very hostile criticism by the western people.
According to them, Islam shuts the women
within four walls of the house like prisoners and thus keeps one
half of human beings backward. This view is highly misconceived and
misleading. Islam in no way debars the women from playing their
useful role in socio-economic development of the Muslim community.
In the days of the Prophet of Islam, the women participated in
public worship like prayer and Hajj; they were permitted to
participate in Jihad; they attended the classes held by the Prophet
in the mosque for imparting religious instructions and Qur’anic
teachings, and above all they were allowed to come out of their
homes to earn livelihood and engage in business or profession. So
Islam does not treat a woman like a prisoner and does not want to
keep her within the four walls of the house. She can come out of her
house for getting education, for participation in Eid or Jumuah
prayers, for earning livelihood for the family, for participation in
other socio-political activities, etc. after decently observing her
obligations regarding dress.
Recently some western countries have
either put some restrictions on scarf of Muslim women or have
totally banned it. This has been done inspite of the fact that these
countries claim to be secular democratic states and are champions of
the human rights. Religious freedom is one of the fundamental human
rights, but it is unfortunate that they are not going to honour it
in respect of Muslim woman’s freedom to observe her religious
obligations.