The Virtues of Hijab
1.An act of obedience.
The hijab is an act of
obedience to Allah and to his prophet (pbuh), Allah says in the Qur'an:
`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.' (S33:36).
Allah also said: '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.'(S24:31).
2.The Hijab is IFFAH
(Modesty).
Allah (subhana wa'atala) made
the adherence to the hijab a manifestation for chastity and modesty. Allah
says: '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.'
(S33:59). In the above Ayaah 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 (swt) made it permissible for them to lay aside their
outer garments and expose their faces and hands reminding, however, that
is still better for them to keep their modesty.
3.The hijab is Tahara
(Purity)
Allah (swt) had shown us the
hikma (wisdom) behind the legislation of the hijab: `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.'
(S33:53).
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:
`Be not soft in speech, lest
he in whose heart is a disease (of hypocrisy or evil desire for adultery,
etc) should be moved with desire, but speak in an honorable manner.'
(S33:32)
4.The hijab is a
Shield
The prophet (pbuh) said:
"Allah, Most High, is Heaven, is Ha'yeii (Bashful), Sit'teer (Shielder).
He loves Haya' (Bashfulness) and Sitr (Shielding; Covering)." The Prophet
(pbuh) also said: "Any woman who takes off her clothes in other than her
husband's house (to show off for unlawful purposes), has broken Allah's
shield upon her. "The hadith demonstrates that depending upon the kind of
action committed there will
be either reward (if good) or
punishment (if bad).
5. The hijab is Taqwah
(Righteousness)
Allah (swt) says in the
Qur'an: `O children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover
yourselves (screen your private parts, etc) and as an adornment. But the
raiment of righteousness, that is better.'(S7:26). The widespread forms of
dresses in the world today are mostly for show off and hardly taken as a
cover and shield of the woman's body. To the believing women, however the
purpose is to
safeguard their bodies and cover their private parts as a
manifestation of the order of Allah. It is an act of Taqwah
(righteousness).
6.The hijab is Eemaan (Belief or
Faith)
Allah (swt) did not address
His words about the hijab except to the believing women, Al-Mo'minat. In
many cases in the Qur'an Allah refers to the "the believing women". Aisha
(RA), the wife of the prophet (pbuh), addressed some women from the tribe
of Banu Tameem who came to visit her and had light clothes on them, they
were improperly dressed: "If indeed you are believing women, then truly
this is not the dress of the believing women, and if you are not believing
women, then enjoy it."
7. The hijab is Haya'
(Bashfulness)
There are two authentic hadith
which state: "Each religion has a morality and the morality of Islam is
haya'" AND "Bashfulness is from belief, and belief is in Al-Jannah
(paradise)". The hijab fits the natural bashfulness which is a part of the
nature of women.
8.The hijab is Gheerah
The hijab fits the natural
feeling of Gheerah, which is intrinsic in the straight man who does not
like people to look at his wife or daughters. Gheerah is a driving emotion
that drives the straight man to safeguard women who are related to him
from strangers. The straight MUSLIM man has Gheerah for ALL MUSLIM women
In response to lust and desire, men look (with desire) at other women
while they do not mind that other men do the same to their wives or
daughters. The mixing of sexes and absence of hijab destroys the Gheera in
men. Islam considers Gheerah an integral
part of faith. The dignity of the wife
or daughter or any other Muslim woman must be highly respected and
defended