The Virtues of The Hijab
20-06-2008
With the name of Allah the most gracious the most merciful
1. The Hijab is an act of Obedience
Wearing hijab is an act of obedience to Allah (swt). Obedience manifests as
worship to Allah (swt) which is part of our Tawheed. 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. [Surah Al
Ahzab 33:36]
2. The Hijab is Modesty
Allah (swt) 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. [Surah Al Ahzab 33:59]
In the above verse there Allah (swt) gives the hijab as a preventative action
to safeguard their chastity.
Abu Dawud related that `Aiesha (ra) said:
"After this Ayah was revealed the women of the Ansar appeared like crows
(because of the color and shape of the cloaks they wore).
3. The Hijab is Tahara (Purity)
Allah (swt) had shown us the hikmah (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. [Surah Al
Ahzab 33:53]
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
honourable manner. [Surah Al Ahzab 33:32]
4. The Hijab is a Shield
The prophet (saw) said:
"Allah, Most High, is Heaven, is Ha'yeii (Bashful), Sit'teer (Shielder). He
loves Haya' (Bashfulness) and Sitr (Shielding; Covering)."
The Prophet (saw) 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. "
5. The Hijab is Taqwah (Piety)
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. [Surah Al A'raf 7:26]
The widespread forms of dresses in the world today are mostly for showing 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 body and cover their private
parts as a manifestation of the order of Allah. It is an act of Taqwah (piety).
6. The Hijab is Iman (Belief or Faith)
Allah (swt) did not address His words about the hijab except to the believing
women, Al-Mu'minat. In many cases in the Qur'an Allah refers to the "the
believing women".
Aiesha (ra), the wife of the Prophet (saw), 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, the Messenger (saw) said:
"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
Gheerah is a driving emotion that drives the straight man to safeguard women
who are related to him from strangers. 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.
The Muslim man should have 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.
Submitted by a Mujahid