"An Ungendered State of Being": Part III

...Continued from previous

Ok, I join the blogsphere once again. And let me start by finishing my series on hijāb.

Disclaimer: Most of this discussion is based not on my personal opinions, but rather is in line with the opinions of various scholars that have commented on this matter. My personal thoughts have mostly been used to put them into context.

Let us now turn to our final misconception: that hijāb has something to do with the hair and covering the hair somehow does the trick. To find out if this is the case or not, we have to look at the texts that propose, or rather legislate, hijāb for Muslim women.

In the Qur'ān, it is said (Khan and Hilali translation):

And tell the believing women to lower their gaze, and protect their private parts and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils all over their Juyūb (bodies; necks; bosoms; and in some interpretations, faces) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband's fathers, or their sons, or their brother's sons, or their sister's sons, or their women, or the persons whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigor, or small children who have no sense of feminine sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allāh to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful.
[al-Nūr – 24: 31].

Among other things, following points can be clearly derived from this āyah:

• That hayā’ is the characteristic that is sought after in hijāb.
• Hijāb is to hide adornment of a woman.
• It is achieved by covering Juyūb (bodies; necks; bosoms; and in some interpretations, faces).
• Further, this covering is achieved by an extension of veils all over the Juyūb.
• There is no special one-to-one connection between hijāb and the hair.
• This adornment can be revealed only to specific people listed in the āyah.
• Even such actions as reveal the adornment are forbidden.

Furthermore, it is evident that this whole thing would be pointless if the beauty of a woman is ‘covered’ in a way that it is visible over their clothes. The truth of this statement is as clear as the sun. No male, unless they fall in the category of small children who have no sense of feminine sex, would have a hard time figuring out that there is more to a woman’s beauty than just her hair. If the hair is covered such that the rest of the outfit is tight enough to highlight all the – forgive me – cuts and curves of the body, than the hair might as well be let loose. This fact has been pointed in the following famous Hadīth of the Prophet (SAW) (indigenous translation):

Women that are dressed, yet naked: they attract (men), and are attracted (to them). They will not enter Jannah, nor will they find its smell: and its smell can be found at a distance of five hundred years (worth of traveling).
[al-Bukhārī]

One might still argue that covering the skin hides the adornment and should be enough. Luckily, the Prophet (SAW) addressed this reasoning too.

Asmā’ bint Abū Bakr (daughter of Sayyidnā Abū Bakr and Umm al-Mu’minīn `Ā’ishah’s half-sister), came to the Prophet (SAW) while her veil was woven out of a very thin cloth. The Prophet (SAW) was gravely displeased and he addressed Asmā’ saying (what amounted to) that when a girl reaches puberty, it is no longer lawful for her to reveal her figure. And then he had `Ā’ishah give her a thicker veil.

If the rationale of covering for the sake of covering does not extend to thin veils, than it definitely does not extend to tightly-fitted clothes.

Another angle that this issue can be looked at from, is that the āyah does not say, “cover their Juyūb,” rather it says, “draw their veils all over their Juyūb.” This makes a huge difference, because as anyone would be able to notice, if you draw a veil – a loose piece of cloth with little form – over your Juyūb, your body-figure and what attracts men is very much covered; whereas, other forms of clothing can be designed to reveal body-figures.

It is also important that we pay attention to the last of our points from this āyah. Women in the age of ignorance (before Islam) used to fashion a lot of ornaments and as they would walk in the streets, they would stomp their feet such that their ornaments would jingle and attract people. A modern equivalent of this might be – and I am speculating here – women wearing a lot of face make-up and fragrances that carry way beyond their bodies. It is even such practices that have been forbidden by this āyah. This is basically saying, “once you’ve covered yourselves in ways described above, do not come up with other ways to attract people.” Here, we can notice how far Islām goes to ensure induction of modesty and hayā into its followers.

In the light of the above discussion, I believe the minimum directions are clear and simple: Muslim women’s hair, bodies, necks, and bosoms are to be covered by an extension of their veils over the said parts. If only the hair is covered and the rest of the body is open to detailed study and interpretation by inquisitive eyes, then the purpose is not served and vice versa. And of course, once that has been done, avoid other such practices as might attract other men’s attentions.

Now once again I would like to repeat that I do understand that it is a great feat for Muslim sisters to even put on a scarf that covers their hair. I honor all of them and respect them for taking this step for the sake of Allāh (SWT). I also believe in progression and taking baby-steps one at a time. Yet I argue that if this end result is not clear in their minds, or if there is confusion about this complete hijāb being the final goal, then there is little to be achieved by covering of hair.

A corollary to this whole discussion resolves another misconception that exists about hijāb in the minds of many Muslims, which is concerned with the level of obligation that exists with respect to hijāb. Some think that it is something left to personal choice and does not form the basis of Islamic practice. Others feel that it is a suggested practice, and not necessarily something that Muslim women are required to do.

Yes, it is left to personal choice, in the same way that proclaiming shahādah is left to personal choice and praying five times a day is left to personal choice. Hijāb is one of the most basic tenets of the Islamic society and sits at the very core of its family system. It is a practice that has been made obligatory for all believing women by virtue of a direct command from Allāh (SWT); that they choose to follow it or not, it up to them. I would however, encourage that Muslim sisters and brothers, especially while raised and living in a society that has a different basis than an Islamic one, familiarize themselves with the Islamic theory of society and family; and its views on gender roles, etc so that their hearts are content and their minds are focused with their decisions to follow it.

And Allāh knows best.

Should there be any discrepancy in my references, I expect to be corrected.