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In the ongoing battle between truth and falsehood, the Hijab has taken center stage. It has always been a sensitive issue, but it has received a great deal of attention due to legislation and proposed legislation in several European countries (e.g., France, Germany) that ban its use in government institutions. For women who wear Hijab out of religious conviction, the truth is obvious and indisputable. For others with limited knowledge or understanding of Hijab, it can be confusing.
Historical background
As a preliminary, it is important to understand several points related to Hijab and modesty. The first point is that modesty had been the norm in history, up until the later part of the past century. If one were to peruse historical books of various times and ages, one would find modest covering of women to one degree or another. The other point is that modesty is a component in several world religions, particularly Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Many people are surprised to realize that modesty and Hijab were not introduced by Islam. This injunction existed in the laws of religions revealed before Islam, and remnants can still be found in the altered books of those faiths. With the final message given to Prophet Muhammad, 
, the order for Hijab was confirmed and finalized.
, the order for Hijab was confirmed and finalized. This is the reality since all of those revelations came from the same Source, Allah. Mary, mother of Jesus, may Allah exalt their mention, is rarely depicted without a traditional headcovering and one would assume her to be Muslim (which, of course, she was). One can still find both Jewish and Christian women today who cover in much the same way as Muslim women. It is one of the common bonds that are shared by these three major faiths.
Functions of Hijab
To truly understand the marvelous nature of Hijab, it is essential to review its functions. Of course, a Muslim does not need justification for Allah’s commandments and willingly submits without question, but Hijab is an aspect of the religion that has a rationale that fits perfectly with the logic of humans.
More than a religious symbol
The definition of a symbol is “a sign; something that stands for or suggests something else by reason of relationship, association, convention, or accidental resemblance; a visible sign of something invisible.” Of course, Hijab is a symbol since it represents a woman’s submission to her Creator and her connection with the religion of Islam. Allah Almighty mentions this in the Quran when referring to Hijab –– “That is more suitable that they will be known...” This means that a woman will be known to be a Muslim. But, while Hijab is a symbol, it is in reality much, much more than that. The following purposes and functions of Hijab will clarify this point.
Command and test from Allah
Although often overlooked, it cannot be forgotten that Hijab is a test for the Muslim woman. Will she submit to her Lord or Creator, or will she follow her own desires? It is clear from Quran and Hadeeths that Hijab is a religious obligation. There is no scholarly difference on this point and the Muslim Ummah has applied it for 14 centuries (and beyond). When a Muslim woman wears Hijab she is obeying and submitting to Allah. To tell her to take it off would be the same as telling her not to pray her obligatory prayers. When she chooses not to wear Hijab, she is disobeying her Lord and brings upon herself the possibility of punishment for her transgression. This matter cannot be taken lightly since it is included amongst the major sins in Islam. Unfortunately, one will find Muslim women who argue that Hijab is not obligatory and that the text of the Quran on the matter is not clear. This is an even graver error since one is denying the verses of the Quran and distorting them to fit personal whims.
The following verses of the Holy Quran refer to the obligatory nature of Hijab:
- {And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.} [Quran 24:31].
- {O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 33:59]
Preservation of modesty
As mentioned previously, one of the main purposes of Hijab is to hide or conceal the beauty of a woman and to preserve her modesty. Modesty can be defined as reserve or propriety in dress, conduct, and speech as well as freedom from conceit and vanity.
Related concepts would be simplicity, moderation, and chastity. These are considered as noble virtues that are encouraged by religious and value systems around the world. Each person has a certain degree of comfort in relation to dress, and a Muslim woman’s more extensive covering should be no less validated. Asking a Muslim woman to remove her head- scarf would be similar to asking a non-Muslim woman to remove her blouse. The Muslim woman would feel just as violated. Her strong sense of modesty would cause her to feel ashamed to leave the home without her complete covering. An interesting question to ask is “Why is a nun respected for her modest dress, but a Muslim woman with Hijab is viewed as oppressed?”
Elevation of status
A woman who covers herself informs those around her that she is more than her body and looks. She has a mind, she has a heart, she has a personality, she has faith. It is through this process that her status is elevated. She has dignity, honor, and decency, and she expects to be treated as such. She refuses to be used as a toy merely for her beauty and the pleasures of men. Women have much more to offer than physical attractiveness, and the Hijab in Islam guarantees that she is seen for more than that. Contrary to popular opinion, the status of women is Islam is elevated beyond that found in any other social system. Spiritually, she has the same obligations and rewards as men; socially, she is valued and honored as a mother, sister, daughter, wife, and contributor to society; economically, she has ownership, independence and decision making ability unparalleled before Islam. The Hijab is one component in a comprehensive system that places women on a pedestal of respect and high esteem.
Liberation
The Hijab is not a symbol of female oppression or inequality. On the contrary, it is an instrument of liberation. A woman who wears Hijab liberates herself from the vain and selfish desire to show off her beauty and to compete with other women around her. This is an innate desire that is exacerbated by wanton display and tamed by modesty and covering. With the Hijab, a woman does not have to live up to society’s expectations of what is desirable, and she no longer has to use her beauty to obtain recognition or acceptance from those around her.
As much as women are prone to the temptation of vanity, the nature of man makes him more tempted by seeing this. Hijab also liberates man from his natural desire to gaze at and enjoy the attractiveness of women. It assists in freeing him from the lower desires that can be debasing. With Hijab, the concern of both women and men is no longer superficiality and this, in turn, frees them to address higher motives and goals such as spirituality and inner beauty.
Security and protection
In the chapter of Al-Ahzaab mentioned above, Allah Almighty Says what means “That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused.” Thus, one of the functions of Hijab is to protect women from abuse and harm. This particularly includes various forms of sexual abuse and harassment, which are prevalent in societies in which few women cover. Men often get mixed signals and believe that women want their advances by the way they reveal their bodies. The Hijab, on the contrary, sends a signal to men that the wearer is a modest and chaste woman who should not be annoyed.
People often argue that this sort of reasoning places blame on the victim, the woman herself. It is important to understand that the intention is not to take the responsibility away from the offender, but rather to highlight the reciprocal nature of Hijab. Men and women must work together for the protection of themselves, each other, and society. Along with women, men also have a degree of modesty, including most importantly lowering of the gaze and protecting of the private parts (see Quran verses above). On account of the difference between men and women in nature and physical makeup, a greater amount of covering is required for women than for men. Both men and women, however, are instructed first to lower their gaze in the presence of the opposite gender before being told to cover. Again, this emphasizes their mutual responsibility in this regard. But, it must be recognized that uncovering of women does play some roll in increased incidence of abuse and harassment in society.
Safeguarding of society
When a woman exposes herself she is likely to be doing it for selfish motives (i.e., showing off her body, to gain attention). A devout woman covers herself for the benefit of herself and also for the society Imagine, if you will, a society in which all of the women covered... Now imagine a completely different picture in which all of the women exposed themselves, wearing very little. What is different about those two societies? In which society would there be less evils and temptations?
“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze, and protect their private parts. . . ” The believing woman protects her private parts from not being seen and from immoral actions (fornication). This is one of the most serious aspects of modesty and Hijab due to its implications. Fornication is a poison that destroys individuals, families, and societies. One only needs to look at societies in which fornication is prevalent to understand this point. Diseases (e. g., AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases) are spread rampantly, divorce increases, people become pre occupied with lower desires. Fornication is amongst the greater sins in Islam for these reasons. A woman who covers safeguards herself and, in turn, the society from this evil. Islam is a religion of prevention and, as such, prescriptions are in place to preclude people from falling into the traps of Satan. Hijab, lowering the gaze, limited mixing of men and women are all preventative tools against fornication. When humans adhere to these prescriptions, life becomes wholesome and strong families are built necessities for a healthy social order.
With all of these benefits one begins to wonder why a woman would choose not to wear Hijab?
Reasons for Hijab ban (and the Islamic response)
Secularism
One of the main reasons for the Hijab ban in a country such as France is a concept known as secularism. Secularism is a system in which government functions with little or no connections to religion or religious institutions. Religion does not dictate political decisions or thinking. As a philosophy, secularism is the belief that life can best be lived with little or no reference to God or gods. In secular societies, people do not assume religious beliefs to be widely shared and over time religion becomes less important in their lives. The obvious danger of this philosophy is that it encourages atheism and agnosticism. There is an emphasis on rationalism and a denigration of religions and religious teachings.
France is a pure secular states as noted in the first sentence of its constitution (1905) “France is an indivisible and secular Republic…” In relation to the Hijab, the President of France, Jacques Chirac, is quoted as stating, “What is at stake is supporting the principle of secularism, which is one of the pillars of our Republic.” Jean-Pierre Raffarin, the Prime Minister of France, has stated, “Secularism in France is a fundamental value, particularly in France’s foremost Republican sanctuary, her schools, where every young person is learning about citizenship, universality, and where he or she must benefit from the principles of equality and liberty, the neutrality of public service.” Seventy percent of French people support the Hijab ban. This is also one of the main reasons that Hijab is banned in the secular countries of Turkey and Tunisia.
Islam is a threat to these governments since it is quite the opposite of secularism. Islam is not only a religion, but a deen, a way of life. As a way of life, it is comprehensive, covering virtually every aspect. A Muslim is not able to separate religion from the rest of life for the deen is the life. A true practicing Muslim breathes, walks, and lives Islam, even down to the smallest details. Upon rising in the morning, she remembers Allah. She immediately washes for pray and completes the fajr prayer. She eats with his right hand during meals. During social interactions she follows Islamic etiquette. Hijab is a part of this way of life and as such it cannot be altered or removed. The religion of Islam pervades both private and public life. These cannot be separated and one cannot say that she i1l be religious in private life but not public life. An individual takes her deen to public life when she wears Hijab. She takes her religion to public life when she refuses to shake hands with males. The religion comes into play during social interactions, economic transactions, and political decisions. A Muslim can never live a “secular” life. Unfortunately, this is what nations are forcing Muslims to do, even in so-called Islamic countries. But, Allah has guaranteed to preserve the religion and to reward those who work for His cause in its protection.
Equality of genders/ emancipation of women
The second reason given for the Hijab ban is reflected in the following quote by Jacques Chirac —“Regardless of their origins and their convictions, French men and women have the same rights, the same duties, and they have a right to the same respect and the same opportunities.” The goal of these societies is to make men and women totally equal or the same; exactly identical in rights, duties, and opportunities. It is somehow strange to think that by removing Hijab men and women will somehow become magically equal in status. These people also assume that women who wear Hijab are oppressed, subjugated and in need of liberation. They seem to think that Muslim women want to be liberated and to be told to remove the Hijab. It is as if they are doing a favor for the Muslim woman.
From an Islamic perspective, it is important to realize that although men and women are similar in many ways (i.e., spiritual), Allah Almighty has created specific rights and responsibilities for each gender in certain realms of life. He has not only done that, but He has also created each gender uniquely to best fulfill the duties that have been assigned to each. Science, in fact, has affirmed these concepts. This does not imply the superiority of one gender over the other since both roles are honorable and operate in a complementary manner. They are both essential for effective functioning of the society. One may ask the question, “If Allah Almighty had intended for men and women to be equal or the same, would it be necessary to have two genders?”
A Muslim woman does not need the “freedom” that is being offered, for the she is already liberated. Her liberation comes through submission to her Lord and Creator. The Hijab liberates her from the focus on worldly and lower desires and elevates her into the domain of spirituality and nearness to Allah. The “liberation” they promise is only subjugation deceptively shrouded in the cloak of goodness. There can never be liberation in disobedience to Allah.
Protection from force of parents
Although secular countries proclaim to support freedom of religion and speech, these can easily be compromised in defense of the secular philosophy. The following quote highlights this fact: “The European Court in Stasbourg protects secularism when it is a fundamental value of the State. It allows limits to the freedom of expression in public services, especially when it is a matter of protecting minors against external pressures.” In these societies, everything is upside down, even to the point of giving minors rights above their parents. In essence, what they are doing is taking control from parents and giving it to the state. So, it is no longer parents who are telling their children to wear Hijab, but it is the state telling them to take it off. There is still no freedom, only a different force. This is not much different from saying that you have come to liberate a country, only to occupy it yourself.
In Islam, the rights of parents are sacred and honored. Allah commands the believers to obey and respect their parents and this is often placed next to submission and obedience to Allah in importance. They are attempting to tear down this fundamental aspect of the deen and the culture, but this cannot be allowed. From an Islamic perspective, parents can force their daughter to wear Hijab since this is a religious obligation. They are only requiring her to do what is best for her, her family, and her society. This is really no different than enforcing a curfew or placing limitations on friends or outings. In reality, it is more essential since the benefits are immense. It is important to note that girls are not obligated to wear Hijab until puberty, but they should be taught about the essentials of Hijab from an early age. If they are properly taught the beauty and meaning of Hijab, they will willingly make their own choice to don it when the time is right.
