The Virtues of Hijab

(1) an act of obedience

the hijab is an act of obedience to allah the almighty and to his

 messenger muhammad (pbuh).he says:

} ‏ وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

أَمْرًا أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ وَمَنْ يَعْصِ اللَّهَ

وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا مُبِينًا‏{ [الأحزاب، 36]

"it is not for a believer, man or woman,

 when allah and his messenger have

 decreed a matter that they should have

an option in their decision.  and

whoever disobeys allah and his

messenger, has indeed strayed in a

 plain error." (qur'an 33:36)

allah the almighty also says:

} ‏ ‏فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ

بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِمَّا قَضَيْتَ

وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا‏‏{ [ النساء، 65 ]

"but no by your lord, they can have no

 faith, until they make you

(muhammad (pbuh)) a judge in all

disputes between them, and find in

themselves no resistance against your

decisions, and accept (them) with full

 submission." (qur'an 4:65)

indeed,, allah ordered that women must put on the hijab(1).

 he (pbuh) says:

} ‏ وَقُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ

فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ

بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَى جُيُوبِهِنَّ ‏‏{ [النور،31]

"and tell the believing women to lower

their gaze (from looking at forbidden

 things) and protect their private parts

 (from illegal sexual acts, etc.) and not

 to show off their adornment except

what must (ordinarily) appear thereof,

 that they should draw their veils over

 their juyubihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms)." (qur'an 24:31).

allah considered the dazzling display of beauty an act of ignorance:

} ‏ وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَى‏‏{  [الأحزاب،33]

"and stay in your houses and do not

 display yourselves like that of the times

 of jahiliyeeyah (pre-islamic paganism). " (qur'an 33:33)           

he, most glorified, says:

} ‏ وَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَاعًا فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍ

ذَلِكُمْ أَطْهَرُ لِقُلُوبِكُمْ وَقُلُوبِهِنَّ‏‏{ [الأحزاب، 53 ]

"and when you ask the prophet's wives

 for anything you want, ask them from

 behind a screen." (qur'an 33:53)

the above ayah (verse) does not apply only to the prophet's

 wives but to all of the believing women. carefully read the

following saying of allah (the almighty):

} ‏ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لِأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَنْ يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ ‏‏{ [الأحزاب،59]

"o prophet! tell your wives and your

daughters and the women of the

 believers to draw their cloaks (veils)

over their bodies (when outdoors). that

 is most convenient that they should be

 known and not molested."(2) (qur'an 33:59)

the prophet (pbuh) said:

" المَرأة عَوْرةَ "

"the woman (i.e. any woman) is a'wrah (that is she must be covered).

ـــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ

(1)this is not something cultural. it is allah's order. its conditions are not

arabian, egyptian, pakistani, black or white american, etc. its

conditions are specified in the qur'an and sunnah to provide a protection

and safeguarding of women. no one knows about what is good for men

 and women more than their creator, allah. his laws are wise as it is the

case with all of his actions.

(2) no one can ignore the molestation of women that exists in the so called

"open" societies. the question is: why it is happening? the answer

 begins to shape up when people think about the purpose behind

creation. allah created us for the single purpose of worshipping him

 alone. he detailed all the ways to fulfill this purpose in the last

revelation to all mankind, the qur'an. in it we can find how women and

 men can safeguard their dignity, honor, and morality. the worship of

 allah is manifested in the following of his orders. allah orders that

 men and women must avoid all the roads that lead to animalistic ways of

 living. the hijab is one of allah's commands. it is an honor and

protection for women as well as a true freedom for her body from the

 hands and eyes of aggressors and molesters.

(2) the hi jab is iffah (modesty):

allah (the almighty) made the adherence to the hijab a manifestation

for chastity and modesty:

} ‏ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لِأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَنْ يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا

يُؤْذَيْنَ ‏‏{ [الأحزاب،59]

"o prophet! tell your wives and your

daughters and the women of the

believers to draw their cloaks (veils)

over their bodies (when outdoors). that

is most convenient that they should be

known and not molested." (qur'an 33: 59)

in the above ayah there is an evidence that the recognition of

the apparent beauty of the woman is harmful to her. when the

 cause of attraction ends, the restriction is removed. this is

 illustrated in the case of elderly women who may have lost

 every aspect of attraction. allah (sw) made it permissible for

 them to lay aside their outer garments and expose their faces

 and hands reminding, however, that it is still better for them to

 keep their modesty:

} ‏ ‏وَالْقَوَاعِدُ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ اللَّاتِي لَا يَرْجُونَ نِكَاحًا

فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ جُنَاحٌ أَنْ يَضَعْنَ ثِيَابَهُنَّ غَيْرَ مُتَبَرِّجَاتٍ

بِزِينَةٍ وَأَنْ يَسْتَعْفِفْنَ خَيْرٌ لَهُنَّ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ‏ ‏‏{ [النور،60 ]

"and as for women past child-bearing

 who do not expect wed-lock, it is no sin

for them if they discard their (outer) in

 such a way as not to show their

adornment; but it is best to be modest

 and allah knows and sees all things

provided they do not make a display of

 their beauty; but it is best to be modest

 and allah knows and sees all

 things." (qur'an 24:60)

so how about young women? clearly they must stay modest

find not display their beauty.

(3) the hijab is tahara (purity)

allah (the almighty) had shown us the hikma (wisdom) behind the

legislation of the hijab:

} ‏ وَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَاعًا فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍ

ذَلِكُمْ أَطْهَرُ لِقُلُوبِكُمْ وَقُلُوبِهِنَّ‏‏{ [الأحزاب، 53]

"and when you ask them (the prophet's

wives) for anything you want, ask them

from behind a screen, that is purer for

your hearts and their hearts." (qur'an  33:53)

the hijab makes for greater purity for the hearts of believing

men and women because it screens against the desire of the

 heart. without the hijab, the heart may or may not desire.

that is why the heart is more pure when the sight is blocked

(by hijab) and thus the prevention of fitna (evil actions) is

very much manifested. the hijab cuts off the ill thoughts and

the greed of the sick hearts:

} ‏ فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ فَيَطْمَعَ الَّذِي فِي قَلْبِهِ مَرَضٌ

وَقُلْنَ قَوْلًا مَعْرُوفًا ‏‏{ [الأحزاب، 32]

"be not soft in speech, lest he in whose

heart is a disease (of hypocrisy or evil

desire for adultery, etc.) should be