Hijab: Suppression or Liberation??

[*noor]

:sister: Hijab: Suppression or Liberation?



"Why do Muslim women have to cover their heads?" This question is one which is asked by Muslims and non-Muslims alike. For many women it is the truest test of being a Muslim.
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.

Allah (SWT) said, "O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies. That is better in order that they may be known (as free respectable women) and not annoyed..." (Holy 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. 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.

The Muslim woman who covers is filled with dignity and self esteem; she is 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 Muslim 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 minds. We want them to take us seriously and treat us as equals and not just chase us around for our bodies and physical looks."

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 Holy Qur'an says: " Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and protect their private parts. That will make for greater purity for them. Verily, Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And tell the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their private parts and not to display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof and to draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands..." (Holy Qur'an, 24:30-31)

These verses from the Qur'an contain two main injunctions:
1. A woman should not show her beauty or adornments except what appears by uncontrolled factors such as the wind blowing her clothes.
2. 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 (PBUH) who was chosen by Allah to be the role model for mankind.

The following is a Tradition of the Prophet (PBUH): " 'Aeshah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that Asma'a, the daughter of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him,) came to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) while wearing thin clothing. He approached her and said: 'O Asma'a! 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 (PBUH) 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:
1. Women must not dress so as to appear as men. "Ibn Abbas narrated: 'The Prophet (PBUH) cursed the men who appear like women and the women who appear like men.'" (Bukhari)
2. Women should not dress in a way similar to the unbelievers.
3. 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 requirements 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.

[NahidSarvy]

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. 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.

Peace, Nor of Islam.

Anyone can dress the part, but just because you wear a head-covering doesn't make you a good person. There are many people who wear it because they want to appear as such, not because they are.

The Holy Qur'an says: " Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and protect their private parts. That will make for greater purity for them. Verily, Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And tell the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their private parts and not to display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof and to draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands..." (Holy Qur'an, 24:30-31)

1. A woman should not show her beauty or adornments except what appears by uncontrolled factors such as the wind blowing her clothes.
2. The head covers should be drawn so as to cover the hair, the neck and the bosom.

I disagree with your interpretation of the words. What is actually said? That translation - which is comparatively close to the Arabic - says the following:

• men and women should both cover their private parts
• women should cover their jayb (pl. juyûb), or cleavage, with their khimar.

Now, in these days and times, it is understood that this orders believing women to wear a head-veil, which is what a khimar was in ancient times. The khimar was worn by women and by men; it was an outer garment worn to protect the head from the hot sun.

This verse does not order the Believers to wear khimar; it orders us to cover our jayb - with the commonly-worn piece of clothing of the day, a large piece of cloth to protect the head from the sun. If we are not wearing a khimar, we can cover the jayb with something else. The issue here, for men and women alike, is modesty, and the words of the Qur'ân indicate that for women, the breasts are also to be covered in public, just like the genitals are.

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.

I disagree again. Ask my grandmother about trying to work while dressed in those outfits - this is why working women adopted jeans and pants and the like, because traditional clothing was impractical, designed to highlight their sexual attractiveness rather than enabling work and very, very uncomfortable.

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.

I agree! Modesty (rather than the limiting term hijab, which is not a Qur'ânic term for modesty but for a sheet or curtain) is about dress and action - and is for both sexes. I choose not to cover my head, but I am a respectful person who dresses modestly. I wear jeans, because they are plain, loose, practical and not sexualised - they are plain clothing, tough, cheap and egalitarian. I speak with respect to others and I do not treat others as sexual objects, nor do I present myself as one. This is the heart of the commandment to modesty.

[sadieadel]

I wear jeans, because they are plain, loose, practical and not sexualised - they are plain clothing, tough, cheap and egalitarian. I speak with respect to others and I do not treat others as sexual objects, nor do I present myself as one. This is the heart of the commandment to modesty.

If we don't walk around with sex on our mind all the time, we won't treat others as sexual objects, regardless of their dress.

[sonz]

salama

this is posted in wrong forum and ive reported it but modz r not doing anything

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[Sister_6038]

i dont see why people fall under the impression that wearing a hijab make a muslims sister oppressed...i personally think its more oppressive that women feel the need to use their bodies in a sexual manner to get them places....

[ivanna25]

hijab is a suppression for some and liberation for others. when you choose to do it yourself bc u understand its importance and that by doing that you obey God, in this case is liberation bc it s your choice. when your father, your brother, or your husband order you to do it, its suppression. My dad is not a religious man at all, but he orders me to do hijab and curses those who do not do hijab.n but i never cared bout him, i did hijab when i read a lot bout islam. if i followed him, then, this would be a suppression. how sb wants me to do hijab and he himself full of mistakes.

liberation is when a sister chooses to do hijab bc she knows that its is a must by Allah not by human beings.

[*noor]

i dont see why people fall under the impression that wearing a hijab make a muslims sister oppressed...i personally think its more oppressive that women feel the need to use their bodies in a sexual manner to get them places....

this is so true............and its not an opinion......its a fact.

most women and teenage girls who dont wear the hijab use their bodies as tools to get what they want or need. a muhajjabah simply doesnt do that and obviously has more respect for herself.

[root]

Suppression:

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exer...E26CFC42E7.htm

when many women defy the rules by wearing trousers that stop above the ankles,

[Guli7]

If we don't walk around with sex on our mind all the time, we won't treat others as sexual objects, regardless of their dress.

thank you! well said.

[NahidSarvy]

this is so true............and its not an opinion......its a fact. most women and teenage girls who dont wear the hijab use their bodies as tools to get what they want or need. a muhajjabah simply doesnt do that and obviously has more respect for herself.

Most women who don't wear a veil use their bodies as tools to get what they want or need? Muhajjabât obviously have more respect for themselves?

<sarcasm>You certainly aren't judging or generalising here at all.</sarcasm>

Look, just because a woman wears a veil doesn't automatically equal more self-respect. Equally true is that a woman who doesn't wear a veil doesn't automatically mean she has no self-respect.

Women's bodies aren't high-explosive power tools. They are just bodies. Men have them too, and they can be just as attractive to women in return. Modesty is modesty, period. Some women prefer to veil; others don't want to. It doesn't mean they are nefarious and ruin the dîn and use sex to control men yadda yadda.

There is a difference between serious discussions by Muslimât about the veil and anti-Islâm propaganda. My objections to veiling don't mean I'm a ----.

[*noor]

Most women who don't wear a veil use their bodies as tools to get what they want or need? Muhajjabât obviously have more respect for themselves?

<sarcasm>You certainly aren't judging or generalising here at all.</sarcasm>

Look, just because a woman wears a veil doesn't automatically equal more self-respect. Equally true is that a woman who doesn't wear a veil doesn't automatically mean she has no self-respect.

Women's bodies aren't high-explosive power tools. They are just bodies. Men have them too, and they can be just as attractive to women in return. Modesty is modesty, period. Some women prefer to veil; others don't want to. It doesn't mean they are nefarious and ruin the dîn and use sex to control men yadda yadda.

There is a difference between serious discussions by Muslimât about the veil and anti-Islâm propaganda. My objections to veiling don't mean I'm a ----.

im sorry if i hurt your or anyone else's feelings, maybe i was generalizing.
but i was basing what i wrote on my own experiences and experiences of my close friends and acquaintances. from that, i can conclude that in general, muhajjabaat have more respect for their bodies.

[Sunflower]

im sorry if i hurt your or anyone else's feelings, maybe i was generalizing.
but i was basing what i wrote on my own experiences and experiences of my close friends and acquaintances. from that, i can conclude that in general, muhajjabaat have more respect for their bodies.

i agree wiv u n i dont fynk at all that awearing a hijaab is supression:heated: ..more like giving us modesty and dignity as i alwys sy:)

[Guli7]

yeah it depends on the situation