Wa
`alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. In the Name
of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All
praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon
His Messenger.
Dear sister in Islam, thanks a lot for
your question which reflects your care to have a clear view of the
teachings of Islam. Allah commands Muslims to refer to people of
knowledge to get themselves well-acquainted with the teachings of
Islam as well as all aspects of life.
As for your question,
it should be clear that Hijab is meant to elevate the status of the
Muslim woman by preserving her dignity and honor.
Answering your question, the American Muslim scholar,
Sheik Yusuf Estes, Director of islamtomorrow.com, and
National Chaplain WAMY, states:
“Jewels Are Precious – So
Protect Them
When someone has a jewel or any precious
item one always treats it with great respect and protects it against
any loss. One may even build a special place to keep it or place it
in a vault for security. Perhaps one may even hire a guard to insure
that it will not be stolen. These things are most obvious to all of
us and nothing here seems strange at all.
By the way,
someone may say, 'Why do we compare women to jewels and pearls?
Doesn't this sound as describing women as objects or mere
possessions in this world?'
In reply to that, I say:
Comparing women to jewels and pearls doesn't mean that women are
mere objects or worldly possessions. The intended item or object
here is what the woman possesses, as mentioned by Allah in His Book.
Allah is ordering us to tell the believing woman to lower her gaze
and to protect her, guard her private parts and protect her
chastity. She is being well advised by her father, brother, husband,
son and all of us, to cover herself.
Somehow we have been
deluded into thinking that women exhibiting their beauty in front of
others and men encouraging this is warranted. Many large
corporations protect their shareholders from losses while at the
same time producing cosmetics, jewelry and clothing that do exactly
the opposite for our ladies. Money and vain desires are the primary
reasons for this type of exploitation in the world today.
It
should be that we would be asking the question: 'Why are women
exposed in public in a way that men do not even see them in the
privacy of your home?' The problem today is that society is so far
away from the basic concepts of moral and correct behavior that was
originally ordained by the Almighty Lord of the Universe (Allah). As
each year passes, we see more and more deviation away from the
proper attire and behavior in public. Fashion designers, cosmetic
companies and women’s magazines make huge fortunes selling the poor
beguiled women on the idea of presenting themselves as if on display
in a market for others to stare at them and then decide how they
'rate.'
So actually, Islam has been preserving the correct
and proper dress code, not only for ladies, but for men as well. In
addition to defining the proper attire for the sexes, Islam also
carefully instructs both men and women on how to behave toward each
other. For instance the Qur’an tells us in surat An-Nur in
verses 30 and 31 exactly how to act in the presence of the opposite
sex: “Tell the believing men to LOWER THEIR GAZE…” And then
“Tell the believing women to LOWER THEIR GAZE….”
So,
immediately we understand that it is more than just the clothing
that is desired. It is the proper respect and behavior of the two
sexes toward each other at all times. Keep in mind that Islam is not
just another religion. Islam (Total Surrender, Submission,
Obedience, Sincerity and Peace with Allah) is for all people, in all
places and in all times.
Thanks for your good question and
may Allah guide us all to the truth, Amen."
Hijab:
Always A Woman’s Business?
Does
Hijab Infringe upon Women’s Liberty?
If you
are still in need of more information, don't hesitate to contact us.
Do keep in touch. May Allah guide us all to the straight path!
Allah Almighty knows best.