Muhammad said:
Some people might say that Hijab itself is not ordered in the Qur'an, but they forget that we take our religion from two sources and not one: the second being the Sunnah. Therefore it is not allowed to take from just one of these sources and neglect the other, because both come hand-in-hand and support one another.
Very true indeed, brother Muhammad! You have spoken the truth. Might I add that there is clear command in the Qur'an for Hijab. Let me begin by stating the following:
Muslim scholars of Qur'an agree that the commandment regarding the Hijab for women was revealed in the Ayah 33:53. This ayah is also knwon as Ayah of Hijab.
Qur'an 33:53
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتَ النَّبِيِّ إِلَّا أَن يُؤْذَنَ لَكُمْ إِلَى طَعَامٍ غَيْرَ نَاظِرِينَ إِنَاهُ وَلَكِنْ إِذَا دُعِيتُمْ فَادْخُلُوا فَإِذَا طَعِمْتُمْ فَانتَشِرُوا وَلَا مُسْتَأْنِسِينَ لِحَدِيثٍ إِنَّ ذَلِكُمْ كَانَ يُؤْذِي النَّبِيَّ فَيَسْتَحْيِي مِنكُمْ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَسْتَحْيِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ وَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَاعاً فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ مِن وَرَاء حِجَابٍ ذَلِكُمْ أَطْهَرُ لِقُلُوبِكُمْ وَقُلُوبِهِنَّ وَمَا كَانَ لَكُمْ أَن تُؤْذُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَلَا أَن تَنكِحُوا أَزْوَاجَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ أَبَداً إِنَّ ذَلِكُمْ كَانَ عِندَ اللَّهِ عَظِيماً
O you who believe! Enter not the Prophets houses, except when leave is given to you for a meal, (and then) not (so early as) to wait for its preparation. But when you are invited, enter, and when you have taken your meal, disperse, without sitting for a talk. Verily, such (behaviour) annoys the Prophet, and he is shy of (asking) you (to go), but Allah is not shy of (telling you) the truth. And when you ask (his wives) for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen, that is purer for your hearts and for their hearts. And it is not (right) for you that you should annoy Allahs Messenger, nor that you should ever marry his wives after him (his death). Verily! With Allah that shall be an enormity.
The Ayah 33:53 contains some etiuettes and Commandments of the Islamic way of life pertainint to the following:
1. Invitation of means and conduct of guest,
2. Hijab for women, and
3. Marriage with the wives of the Prophet MUhammad (SAW) after his demise.
Since the number # 1 & 3 are not the scope of my feedback, thus, I will conclude to affirm that # 2 i.e. Hijab was mandated for women through Ayah 33:53. Needless to point out that women were not required to observe Hijab before the revelation of this Ayah.
We also find similar way of addressing in Ayah 65:1, which I quote:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّسَاء فَطَلِّقُوهُنَّ لِعِدَّتِهِنَّ وَأَحْصُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ رَبَّكُمْ لَا تُخْرِجُوهُنَّ مِن بُيُوتِهِنَّ وَلَا يَخْرُجْنَ إِلَّا أَن يَأْتِينَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ مُّبَيِّنَةٍ وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ وَمَن يَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَ اللَّهِ فَقَدْ ظَلَمَ نَفْسَهُ لَا تَدْرِي لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ يُحْدِثُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَمْراً
O Prophet (SAW)! When you divorce women, divorce them at their Iddah (prescribed periods), and count (accurately) their Iddah (periods ). And fear Allah your Lord (O Muslims), and turn them not out of their (husbands) homes, nor shall they (themselves) leave, except in case they are guilty of some open illegal sexual intercourse. And those are the set limits of Allah. And whosoever transgresses the set limits of Allah, then indeed he has wronged himself. You (the one who divorces his wife) know not, it may be that Allah will afterward bring some new thing to pass (i.e. to return her back to you if that was the first or second divorce).
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّسَاء فَطَلِّقُوهُنَّ لِعِدَّتِهِنَّ وَأَحْصُوا الْعِدَّةَ
O Prophet (SAW)! When you divorce women, divorce them at their Iddah (prescribed periods), and count (accurately) their Iddah (periods ).
Obviously, not divorcing women in their prescribed periods (Iddat) and waiting until they are clean, was not meant only for Prophet's (SAW) wives, but all Muslim men and women are bound to this Divine Law..
Similarly , in the Ayah 33:53, although the address is similar to Ayah 65:1 (Prophet's (SAW) wives) the
Commandment is meant for all Muslim women. The explicit and obvious evidence of this Command in the Ayah 33:53 is the pharse ...
ذَلِكُمْ أَطْهَرُ لِقُلُوبِكُمْ وَقُلُوبِهِنَّ... (...that is purer for your hearts and for their hearts...)
This clearly means that immodesty (going wihtout Hijab) breeds filth and indecency in hearts.
I will pause for now on this topic, however, if some one thinks that Hijab is not an obligation and neither such a command is mentioned in the Qur'an
than I like to see his/her evidence and I am willing to take him/her on one-on-one, using Qur'an and Sunnah (mainly Qur'an) I will insha Allah impeach that person.
Preacher
