False allegations against Hijab

25/11/2010| IslamWeb

It is falsely alleged that chastity is a behavior which stems from a chaste self which hates filth and insolence and that wearing the Hijab (Islamic covering) and avoiding intermixing with non-Mahram (marriageable) men does not necessarily mean purity of behavior and avoiding impermissible things. To substantiate such claims, the advocates of corruption try to find proofs everywhere. There is no room here to mention these proofs and refute them.

Nevertheless, I truly wonder at those who do not allow a wholesome healthy person to intermix with those who are ill and they themselves are the first to flee from the places of epidemics, while at the same time they push pure and chaste women to the places of corruption claiming that the strength of their faith will protect them.

Dear reader, the scope of this article does not permit me to discuss the issue of Hijab in detail; however, I will refer to some points:

First: The Sharee‘ah-approved Hijab is substantiated with multiple proofs from the Quran and the Sunnah (prophetic tradition). Allah The Exalted Says (what means):

·        {O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments.} [Quran 33: 59]

·        {And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a partition.} [Quran 33: 53]     

·        {…and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests} [Quran 24: 31]

Second: There are multiple Sharee‘ah texts to prevent intermixing between the two sexes, including:

·        It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, , said: "The best rows for men are the first rows and the worst, the last rows; and the best rows for women are the last rows and the worst, the first rows." [Muslim, Abu Daawood, At-Tirmithi and An-Nasaa’i]

·        It was narrated on the authority of Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, that she said, "After ending the prayer by saying Tasleem (saying Assalaamu-'Alaykum), the Messenger of Allah used to remain in his place for a while." It is said that he used to do so, so that women could go out before the men."[Al-Bukhari]

·        It was narrated on the authority of Abu Usayd, Maalik ibn Rabee‘ah, may Allah be pleased with him, that he heard the Messenger of Allah , say to women when he was coming out of the Masjid, and men and women were intermixed in the road: "Draw back, for you must not walk in the middle of the road; keep to the sides of the road." After that women kept so close to the wall that their garments used to rub against it. [Abu Daawood and Ibn Hibbaan]

·        Naafi‘ narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, that the Messenger of Allah, , said: "It would be better if we left this door for women." Naafi‘ added, "Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, never entered the Masjid through this door until he died."[Abu Daawood]

·        It was narrated on the authority of Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah, may Allah be pleased with them, that women used to go out for the ‘Eed prayer but they were away from the men's place of prayer. [Al-Bukhari]

Third: There are many religious and worldly harms for intermixing and non-adherence to the Hijab:

·        It is an act of disobedience to Allah The Almighty and His Messenger, .

·        It entails curse and expulsion from the Mercy of Allah The Almighty.

·        It contributes to spreading immorality in the society.

·        It features imitation of the Jews and similar people who seek corruption on earth.

Intermixing between the sexes and non-adherence to Hijab occurred when the Ummah (nation) was weak, humiliated and backward. Such things spread among Muslims when they were controlled by secularists and agents such as Ataturk, the Khedive and the likes of them.

They are the causes of many worldly harms including the spread of crimes, destroying family ties, abusing women by turning them into goods, the spread of incurable diseases, the spread of sexual deviation as well as other diseases.

Fourth: We do not say that every woman who is adherent to the Hijab is infallible or that every unveiled woman is a sinner; rather, we ask: was it the Hijab that led the adherent woman to vice or was it the weakness of her faith? Was it faith and morals that prevented the unveiled woman from vice or was it the impermissible exposure of her body and her indecency? The Hijab is the best support for the woman to maintain her bashfulness and save her from evil eyes and immoral gazes. You can ask those who indulged in intermixing between the sexes about the consequences of their approach.

Finally, I conclude with a statement by Helen Stanberry, an American journalist who spent several weeks in Cairo then returned to America. She said,

" Arab society is complete and wholesome. It is appropriate for this society to maintain its traditions which place restrictions on young men and women within reasonable limits. Unlike European and American societies, Arab society enjoys a set of inherited morals that impose restrictions on women, respecting parents and more than this, preventing Western immorality which is today destroying society as well as the family in Europe and America…. Stop intermixing between the sexes and put restrictions on young women. Rather, return to the era of Hijab, for this is better for you than the dissoluteness, freedom and insolence of Europe and America. The American community has become complicated and filled with all forms of permissiveness and insolence. Victims of intermixing between the sexes and freedom fill prisons, sidewalks, bars and secret houses. The freedom which we have given to our young sons and daughters has turned them into gangs of delinquents, addicts and slave traders."