HIJAB: FASHION OR OBLIGATION?

Unfortunately, we as Muslims live during a time when there is no Islamic State to

stop the Munkar we see on a daily basis. It is an obligation on Muslims that we
try to stop the different Munkars we see. It is one of the biggest challenges a
Muslim has to endure to stop a Munkar when there is no support from the Islamic
State.

We have been brought back to a time when the kuffar in Mecca used to order the
Muslims to stop carrying the dawah and not to worshipping publicly. As the ayah
stated;

Let their arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good (Islam),
commanding alMaruf (good) and forbidding alMunkar (evil) [Al-Imran, 3:104]

One type of Munkar that we see is the new trend of hijab. Hijab is not a fashion
statement and never was meant to be. It is an act of obedience that has been
clearly defined in the Quran and Sunnah. There is no debate on what is allowed
and what is prohibited. Allah has clearly defined the meaning and as time goes
on it should not meet the new trends of society. Unfortunately, we now see the
hair bangs showing from the veil, the earlobes showing their earrings, tight
fitting clothes, sandals displaying their feet. The neck is shown because the veil
is tied at the side or from the back, the huge barrettes to make a hump like style
under the veil. These are all types of tabarruj (revealing the beauty), which Islam
has prohibited. We see women in public wearing tight fitting clothes even though
the awrah is covered, that is under the category of Tabarruj.

A hadith of the Prophet stated that, Two categories of people; have not seen
them (yet): some people who hold whips like the tails of the cow by which they
lash people. And women who wear (clothes) but (are) half -naked, bending (their
bodies) and bending the sight of men to them. Their heads are like the tilted
humps of the camels. These women will not enter the paradise nor will they
experience its smell (odor), though its odor is felt at a distance of so and so.

It is disturbing to find hijab fashion magazines and websites to teach fashionable

hijab styles. It gives Muslim women the Western style format of how to match the
veil with the shirt, pants, and purse. One magazine steered clear of the idea of
the jilbab and only introduced Western clothing to go out with. This is
intentionally done to steer the Muslim sisters away from what Allah revealed.
This has weaved doubt among Muslims with their religion. Hijab should not merit
discussions on what is allowed or prohibited. Allah has defined his laws about
hijab.

Oh Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers
to draw their cloaks (Jalabeeb) all over their bodies. [Al-Ahzab, 33:59]

Did the Muslims forget when Umm Atiyya (ra) asked the PropheT, Oh Messenger
of Allah, what about one who does not have a jilbab? The Prophet replied, Let
her use the Jilbab of her sister. This clearly states that if her excuse is that she
does not own a jilbab, she is to borrow one from her neighbor.

The West is trying to redefine the meaning of hijab in order for Muslim women to
break ties with Islam. Discussions about hijab were generated by the colonialists
to corrupt the Islamic Aqeedah. The West realized that Muslim women all over
the world implemented the standards of hijab. The West gradually started to
place ideas of fashionable hijab. The West makes the women feel that the idea of
hijab is an oppressive and constraining form of dress. They are using so-called
scholars to give another meaning to the jilbab and distort what certain ayat
mean. The West purposely is encouraging scholars to change the meanings of
hijab to steer Muslims away from Islam. It is clearly stated in several ayat what
happens when proofs from Allah have been revealed. One being,

And be not as those who divided and differed among themselves after the clear
proofs had come to them. It is they for whom there is an awful torment. [Al-
Imran, 3:105]

The West mocks the Muslim woman for wearing hijab and tries to disgrace her.
The West has succeeded in passing laws banning the hijab. Tunis and Turkey
restricts the wearing of the headscarves in government buildings and public
schools, and discourages women from wearing the hijab on public grounds.
France has banned the wearing of any religious symbols, including the hijab in
public schools and government buildings. On June 22, 2009; the President of
France, Nicolas Sarkozy, said that burqas are not welcome in France,
commenting that, In our country, we cannot accept that women be prisoners
behind a screen, cut off from all social life, deprived of all identity. Belgium
passed a law that banned face-covering clothing in public as seen when a
Moroccan immigrant was fined due to wearing of the burqa. Some states in
Germany have also banned the hijab in public schools. This clearly shows that
the West is threatened by the hijab and Muslims in general.
Why are some Muslims then trying to fit in with a regime that is trying to destroy
Islam in all aspects? We need to stand together as one Ummah fighting this
Munkar we see on a daily basis. We as Muslims should not try to fit into a regime
that is man-made but a regime that was sent down by Allah. We need to forbid
this Munkar we are seeing and be strong in fighting for the cause of Allah. We
should not fear any laws that were man-made but only Allah. It is crucial that we
as Muslims join together and call for the Islamic ideology to lift this oppression on
all Muslims and decrease the Munkars we see. This cause needs perseverance,
steadfastness, and patience. As many ayat show the importance of patience as
such,

Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those
who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty, ailments
and were so shaken and that even the Messenger and those who believed with
him said, when will come the Help of Allah? Yes certainly, the help of Allah is
near! [Al-Baqarah, 2:214]
OCTOBER 31 Following the recent move by the State Government of Kelantan
to launch a special operation called "Operasi Gempur Aurat" to ensure Muslim
women wear hijab and cover up their aurat and modesty, mixed responses
have been expressed by the public.

Some have lauded such move and regarded it as a noble effort and a good
reminder for Muslims to comply with Islamic principles. This is, however, not
without polemic when some quarters took opposite views by saying that it is a
form of compulsion in practising the religion. A Muslim feminists rights group
Sisters in Islam (SIS), for example, in responding to such move was quoted in a
news portal as saying that Muslim women should be given freedom to make own
decision on whether to or not to wear hijab. Citing various Quranic versions such
as al-Baqarah: 2:256, Yunus: 10: 99-100 and al-Ghashiyah: 88:22 to support its
arguments, the group stated that there should be no compulsion in religion.

The motivation of this article is not to comment on the special operation

undertaken but rather lies in the authors belief that it is crucial for everyone,
especially for Muslims, to have a true and complete understanding of hijab and
its real meaning to know whether it is considered a religious duty in Islam or
merely a religiously-motivated cultural practice. Secondly, it is also important to
know whether a Muslim woman is given freedom to choose whether or not to
wear hijab in tandem with the notion of no compulsion in religion. Indeed, the
issues and polemics underlying the obligatory nature of hijab are not new.
Regrettably, such polemics are raised every now and then, not only in non-
Muslim countries but also in some Muslim countries including in our country
Malaysia. In the West, wearing hijab was seen as a symbol of oppression and a
mark of separation which is against the democratic value of the Western
community.

Generally, those who reject the hijab as being obligatory on Muslim women,
consider it part of the culture that has nothing to do with religion, though it is
part and parcel of the religion and constitutes the dress code ordained by Islam
on Muslim women.

To address this hijab polemic, it is noteworthy to initially understand the correct

definition and context of hijab. Literally speaking, the word hijab comes from the
Arabic word for veil and is used to describe the headscarves worn by Muslim
women. In Malaysia, it is famous with the term tudung whereas in Indonesia, it
is widely called jilbab. Hijab is a form of veiling and it can be much more
extensive, not only covering the head and neck, but also the face and some or
most parts of the body. The full-face version of hijab is commonly referred to the
niqab or purdah in Malay. It consists of covering up completely, including
gloves and a veil for the face leaving just a slit for the eyes, or covering them
too with transparent material.
Apart from the above two, there are other terms that reflect the different forms
of veiling. For instance, the bandanna, which left the hair partly visible, was worn
by modern women at funerals or by women in rural areas. The burka is the most
concealing of all Islamic veils. It covers the entire face and body, leaving just a
mesh screen to see through. It is worn by Afghan women and was an obligation
imposed by the Taliban when in power and on the basis of their interpretation of
Islam. The chador (worn in Iran) or abaya (worn in Arabic countries) is a black
veil which covered the entire body from head to ankles. The khimar, on the other
hand, is a long, cape-like veil that hangs down to just above the waist. It covers
the hair, neck and shoulders completely, but leaves the face clear.

It is understandable that the above-mentioned different forms of hijab may have

been influenced by and originated from the Islamic teaching. The different
pattern and types of hijab, including the extent of body parts covered by such
hijab have been mixed with cultural practices which are varied according to
country and regime thus making it difficult to identify which types of hijab that
better reflects the actual Islamic requirement. As such, it is important to refer to
some Islamic rulings as well as the views of Muslim scholars. The Holy Quran
tells Muslims, men and women to dress modestly. Male modesty, according to
Hanafiy and Shafiiy Jurists, has been interpreted to be covering the area from
the navel to the knee whereas for women it is generally seen as covering
everything except their face, hands and feet when in the presence of men they
are not married or related to.

There are some verses in the Holy Quran which mentioned about hijab. Among
others, in Surah Al-Ahzab, Allah SWT said; O Prophet! Tell your wives and your
daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over
their bodies. That will be better, that they should be known (as a free respectable
Muslim women) so as not to be molested. (Al-Ahzab: 59). In the other verse,
Allah SWT has said: And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and to be
mindful of their chastity, and not to display their beauty and ornaments [in
public] beyond what may [decently] be apparent thereof; hence, let them draw
their head-coverings over their bosoms. (An-Nur: 31).

The Arabic word of khumur in the above verse which means veil refers to
anything that is used to cover the head. Meanwhile the Arabic term of juyub
(the plural form of jaibun) used in the above verse refers to the curvature of the
breast that is not covered with cloth. Therefore every woman must cover not
only their head but also their chest including their neck and ears and all other
parts that may lure a male. As such, it was clear from the above verses that the
wearing of hijab by Muslim women is a religious obligation, simply like observing
other obligations such as performing five-time daily prayers, fasting in Ramadan
and so on. Observing the hijab is therefore part of the religious rights for Muslims
women and any act to force them to remove their hijabs is tantamount to a
violation of their freedom of religion.
In a hadith, Saidatina Aisyah RA narrated that her sister Asma' binti Abu Bakar
entered the house of the Prophet s.a.w wearing attire made of transparent
material that showed her skin. The Prophet S.A.W turned away from her and said:
O Asma'! Verily when a woman has achieved puberty, she should not reveal her
body except for this and this showing the face and the palms (hands).
(Narrated by Abu Daud). This hadith emphasises the fact that womens head and
hair are aurah and must be covered in accordance with Islamic principles. Only
the face and palm or hand can be seen by the public. Also, all qualified Muslim
scholars throughout Islamic history agree on the obligation of hijab and that it is
not a religious symbol to differentiate between Muslim and non-Muslim women,
rather it is a dress code ordained by Islam on Muslim women.

The command in the verse is considered as an obligation, and not a

recommendation.

Based on the above Quranic verses, the Prophets tradition and historical
precedence, it is clear that the obligation for Muslim women to wear hijab cannot
be taken as merely an interpretation given by Muslim scholars on the above
verses. It is a clear-cut commandment from Allah the Almighty. However, it is
true that there has been a dispute on the requirement of covering the face or
wearing the niqab. There are minority groups of scholars which consider the face
is also part of womens aurah but majority of the scholars are of the views that
the face is not an aurah and therefore, covering it is not compulsory for Muslim
women. Al-Imam Al-Nawawi, in his book, al-Majmu said; Verily, the aurah of
Muslim women is the whole of her body except face and the palms (hands). This
opinion also shared by al-Imam al-Syafi`i, al-Imam Malik, al-Imam Abu Hanifah,
al-Imam al-`Auza`i, al-Imam Abu Thaur and is also similar in a narration by al-
Imam Ahmad

In Malaysia, a court judgment in the case of Hjh Halimatussaadiah bte Hj

Kamaruddin v. Public Services Commission has stated that the wearing of niqab
was not considered as a religious obligation. Although headscarves and hijabs
are permitted in government institutions, public servants are forbidden from
wearing the full-face niqab. The judgment in the above case cites that the niqab,
or purdah, has nothing to do with (a woman's) constitutional right to profess
and practise her Muslim religion, because Islam does not make it obligatory to
cover the face. In the case, the Supreme Court has held that the wearing of
purdah by a female Muslim was not an integral part of the religion of Islam. In
this regard, the judge has considered the opinion from the Mufti of Federal
Territories who said that Islam as a religion does not prohibit a Muslim woman
from wearing, nor requires her to wear a purdah. As such, the prohibition of
wearing purdah does not affect the womans constitutional right to practise her
religion.

In addition, hijab should not be understood merely as covering the head and
chest alone. Rather, the spirit of hijab should be extended to covering other parts
of the body to meet the requirement of covering aurah. For such purpose, Islam
has stipulated the required standard for Muslim dress code. Despite such code,
Muslims are given the choice to determine the nature of fabric or fashion of the
dress which they want to wear.

In other word, Islam has never provided any specific name of dress to reflect the
Islamic one. Any kind of dress could be considered as an Islamic dress if it
complies with the prescribed standards and requirements. The attire worn by any
ethnic group which is closely related to Islam cannot automatically be considered
as Islamic-compliance attire. For instance, if Arabic or Malay traditional attire
worn by an Arab or Malay woman does not comply with the standard required by
Islam, then such attire cannot be considered as an Islamic dress despite the
Arabs and Malays are usually referred to Muslims. In order to understand the
correct dress code for Muslim women, it is worthwhile to take a look at the
following requirements:

a. The extent of covering; the dress must cover the whole body except the areas
specifically exempted (face and hands).

b. Looseness; the dress must be loose enough and not tight so as to conceal the
shape of a woman's body. A highly desirable way of concealing the shape of the
body is to wear a cloak over the garment. The Prophet SAW, however, indicated
that if the women's dress meets the Islamic standards it suffices (without a
cloak) even for the validity of prayers.

c. Thickness and non-transparent; the dress should be thick enough and opaque
so as not to show the colour of the skin it covers, or the shape of the body which
it is supposed to hide.

d. Overall appearance; the dress should not be such that it attracts men's
attention to the woman's beauty. The garment which is used to screen the
woman's beauty and her adornment from public view should not itself be a thing
of beauty. The Qur'an clearly prescribes the requirements of the woman's dress
for the purpose of concealing zeenah (adornment).

e. The clothing of Muslim women should not be ostentatious. Ibn Umar reported
that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: He who dresses for ostentation in this
world, Allah will dress him in a dress of humiliation on the Day of Judgment and
set it on fire (Abu Dawud).
f. Additional requirements: In addition to the above four main requirements,
there are other requirements whose specific applications may vary with time and
location. These include:

i. The dress should not be similar to what is known as a male costume. lbn
'Abbas narrated that The Prophet cursed the men who act like women and the
women who act like men.

ii. It should not be similar to what is known as the costume of unbelievers. This
requirement is derived from the general rule of Shari'ah that Muslims should
have their distinct personality and should differentiate their practices and
appearance from unbelievers.

Undeniably, the clearly spelled-out requirements above describe a

comprehensible basis on which an Islamic dress code could be justified. The
colour, fashion, style, cultural practices and so on should not be made the
fundamental bases in justifying whether any dress is an Islamic one. Hence, it
can be said that only the dress that meets the above requirements shall be
deemed as Islamic-compliance dress obliged for every Muslim woman.
Complying with it is also an act of manifesting Islam as a religion whereas any
act that may hinder such manifestation could thus be considered as a violation of
the rights to freedom of religion.

In short, based on the above discussion, it is crystal clear that the wearing of
hijab by Muslim women is a religious obligation just like observing other worships
such as fasting and performing prayers. Even though the discussion about hijab
was seen by some, including Muslims, as something trivial and less important, it
should be viewed as a paramount element of a religious manifestation for Muslim
women. Despite the fact that there are a significant number of Muslim women
out there who chose not to comply with the hijab obligation, this does not mean
the wearing of hijab has no basis or not an obligation in Islam. The acts and
behaviour of Muslim cannot be a basis in justifying the Islamic principles because
sometime such behaviours do not reflect the true Islamic principles. Islam should
instead be understood in a correct way from its sources i.e. the Quran, hadith
and other credible sources.

On the notion of no compulsion in Islam as stated in the Holy Quran, in verse 256
of Surah Al-Baqarah, it has to be admitted that, to a certain extent, this verse
has been mistakenly used to justify the claim that Muslims should be given
freedom to have their own choice in observing their religion. This understanding
falls short of the correct notion of no compulsion in Islam which means that
Islam does not allow its adherents to force or compel non-Muslims to embrace
Islam. Islam is a religion based on love and compassion, which calls for peace
and fosters a life in absolute sincerity and honesty before Allah. Any attempt to
make someone Muslim by means of pressure, threat or force is primarily against
the essence of Islam. However, if someone voluntarily and with absolute sincerity
embraces Islam, then he or she is automatically forced or obliged to observe all
the obligations as a Muslim. In Islam, there is no such thing as being selective in
practising the religious duties i.e. by accepting certain rules while disobeying
some others. The only option available for Muslim is to follow all the rules and
obligations prescribed in Islam. As mentioned in the Holy Quran, Allah says: O
you who have believed, enter into Islam completely [and perfectly] and do not
follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy. [Al-Baqarah:
2:208].

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not
necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.

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