HIJAB. Obligation, Oppression or Choice.

[Macalin]

^^

I Like the idea of not caring about what other people think of me, because i have a mission in this world and that mission is to Please ALLAH and only Allah...

..............

 

May Allah give you the THAWAAB and Ajr for that Manshallah

[Rahima]

I think Hijab is a choice.

Actually, it’s not. Allah clearly orders the believing women to wear the hijab, therefore it is an obligation for one who claims to have iman. It maybe so that a sister may not wear the hijab (which is a clear sin), but at the end of the day SHE MUST BELIEVE IN ITS OBLIGATION (for not believing so can take her out of the fold of Islam- as is unanimously agreed upon by the scholars of Islam).

 

 

“O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognised and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.” (Quran 33:59)

 

"And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, or their brothers' sons or their sisters' sons, or their women or the servants whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex, and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O you Believers, turn you all together towards Allah, that you may attain Bliss." (Quran 24:31).

 

 

Does one need any more proof about the obligation of the hijab? I think not, therefore let us not fall victim to the propaganda machine of those who so blatantly have a hate for Islam. First and foremost we are Muslims, and we believe in all that is in the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah without a second thought. We hear and obey OH Allah is our slogan- let us remember that folks.

In a muslim country it is either forced upon you or pressured by family.

Could it be because they believe in Allah? Could it be because they wish for the jannah that has been created for the believers? Could it be that they want refuge from the hell fire? Just a few ideas for thought!

[abdikhadar]

Walaalayaal xijaabku waa mid ka mid ah calaamadaha lay nooga garto ama lay noo ka sooco

ummadaha kale ee aan Islaamka ahayn, waana farad Allaah ku farad yeelay gabdha muslimada ah, xikmada Rabaani ahan ku fadhiya. Waxaana u dooray Alaah, Doorasho, qasab iyo xarago midna maahan ee waxaa ku farad yeelay oo ku xukumay Allihii abuuray gabadha muslimada ah.

[African]

Sis Rahima I beleive Op meant that the person has the choice to wear it or not to wear......but not whether the diin gives the choice or not...

 

human beings are given the choice to follow the true path or not and if one chooses to do they should follow the manuals (Quran and Sunnah) to attain the ultimate Goal (Jannah)....and in this manuals its clearly showed that hijaab is OBLIGATORY like sis Rahima quoted.

 

Thanks for the sisters who shared their stories of why & when they started to the hijaab....I'd be very much interested to read the other sisters experiences.....

 

Peace

 

PS: you will read my story soon insha-Allah.

[Reality Check]

African,

 

That's exactly what I meant. Thanks for clearing it up for the sister.

 

Rahima,

 

Pressuring or forcing someone to wear the hijab is wrong...in the same way that you can't force someone to believe in God. If you force the hijab on a girl who doesn't want to wear it, she will forever resent it and might not understand or fully appreciate the reason BEHIND wearing the hijab.

 

La_Fidele,

 

It is a political symbol when you start wearing the Hijab for the main purpose of showing non-muslim your status (especially with the recent anti-islamic sentiments). Wearing the hijab should be a spiritual thing and should be done for the sole purpose of pleasing ALLAH and not people.

[Maymuunah]

Very interesting stories you got here girls but i have one question for you. for all of you girls who are wearing the hijab. do you wear the long hijab they used wear back in africa eg kenya or do you wear the short one such as the khimaar.

I am just curious and trying to figure out whether a small khimar that only covers the head could be called hijaab. I visted MN one time and walaahi i was puzzled by seeing how some of my somali sisters were dressed. looking at them, they seem to wear a khimar but bellow the head they are wearing a tight sleevless shirt and a very tight skirt too. how can you define a hijaab?

[La Fidele]

Opinionated,

 

Jazakallahu khairan for responding. but I must admit I am a bit disappointed with your definition.

It is a political symbol when you start wearing the Hijab for the main purpose of showing non-muslim your status (especially with the recent anti-islamic sentiments)

You are absolutely right that wearing the hijab ought to be spiritually motivated, but I fail to see how, from your explanation, it can be a political symbol. Granted, it's a method of identification---which by no means at all is used only by Muslims. Would someone wearing a cross pendant, a kippa (Jewish head cap), a turban, or a nun's headdress be considered to be politicizing themselves?

 

If a political symbol is something that shows one's association with a political movement, then verily all these individual displays of faith are political symbols. Therefore it's not fair to say that one religious symbol, the hijab, is more politically charged than any other.

 

And since one can never be certain about a sister's objectives for wearing the hijab, it's best that we all assume it is for spiritual reasons and leave it as it should be, a matter exclusively between her and Allah subhanatallah.

 

Wa salaam alaikum.

[OG_Girl]

I think Hijab is an order from God but is ur choice to wear it or not , if u don't wear it u will face consiquences from God the judgment day.

 

salam

[wind talker]

From what I know, the Hijab is a religious obligation. All that means is the rule is there. It's a woman's CHOICE to follow that rule.

 

And for oppression, only in the West where anti-Islamism has replaced Communism as the Evil in our contemporary world.

 

They did entire prize-winning articles on Afghani women who've been 'liberated' because they can know put on lipstick! That's the reality of the world!

[African]

Sundus at first I didn’t wanna respond to ur question fearing that it will be another reparative debate. The different madhabs (whether the feet is to be covered or not), the niqaab (whether it’s obligatory or not) etc. Without delving into these I’ll share my 2 cents about this issue.

 

Hijab has several requirement but the basic ones are as follows;

1. The parts of the body that needs to be covered. "Ayesha ® reported that Asmaa the daughter of Abu Bakr ® came to the Messenger of Allah (S) while wearing thin clothing. He approached her and said: 'O Asmaa! When a girl reaches the menstrual age, it is not proper that anything should remain exposed except this and this. He pointed to the face and hands." (Abu Dawood)
2. The dress must be loose fitting, as to not describe the shape of your body.
3. The dress must not be see through. The Prophet Muhammad (S) stated that in later generations of his ummah there would be "women who would be dressed but naked and on top of their heads (what looks like) camel humps. Curse them for they are truly cursed." (Muslim)

Also Hijab is not merely a covering dress but more importantly, it is behaviour, manners, speech and appearance in public. Dress is only side of the total being.

 

Now I’ll share my experience, I was staying with some Somali girls sometime back, some of the girls where as you describe the girls in MN but without the short sleeves and one of them was dressed like the way Somali women wear the Hijaab the 2 piece garment, socks and the works. The girls with khimar would do the basic of ibadat (pray only fard prayer etc), but the girl with the 2 piece fully covered would pray sunnah prayer, follow the fajr salah with Qurán recitation, yet this girl would talk to men very provocatively and would be on the phone for hours to some guy the girls said “waa ninkay lasheekaysato”. Yet I saw the girls who wore the khimar observed the INNER hijaab.

 

The moral of the story “do not judge the book by its cover”. Leave Allah to judge his servants as HE is the best of judgers.

[Warrior of Light]

Asalaam aleykum

 

Grateful this topic came up. would like to share.

 

I had the awful experience of being forced to put on the head scarf by my uncle when was 13.(I was the eldest)AWFUL WHY?- He never gave me a reason more than its supposed to be that way.Its not that i didnt know Allah used to fast and pray an obligation you couldnt run away from in our household, its just needed an explanation.It was a hard time, the peer influence n stuff.and when i reflect back as i didnt know the real reason why i used 2 put it on the benazir bhutto style n still coz of PE put on my shorts and also act well immaturely. At that time i assumed he forced it on me because of cultural reasons. Ive seen alot of young girls in my society go through the same process.My mum is covered but well i beleived it was her obligation i guess at that time being a hajiat.

Im grateful later with my own initiative i wanted to learn my religion went to an islamic high school and managed to understand the truth about islam.Not what we hear and just agree on.Alhamdullilah. Hijab is a covering -it covers your body and soul. It is an obligation to all female muslims.Most of the people still beleive it only deals with your clothing. as said earlier the inner hijab is more important but you need both the physical(clothing) and the nonphysical(character, behaviour..) together to live in harmony.

hijab in some societies (as in the scarf and the overcoat) has been used as a way of identifying a group of people where i grew up it was the indians(muslim), arabs and somalis who dressed up that way REGARDLESS OF THEIR CHARACTER.Which was sometimes a disgrace as all female muslims become stereotyped. For some of them they were force by their families to dress like that.(oppression???)

 

As of Turkey the purpose of hijab has been misconcepted. The authority not the govt but the army see it as a threat. They fear it is being used as a political front to free the land from secular ruling to sheriah. Also hijab if you talk with the layman he will tell you that it prove that we are uncivilised.It dates back to the history of this land. The old ottaman empire was islamic and well in alliance with the arabs. When the republic of turkey was being established hatred between turks and arabs flared. The founder of the state abolished the fez and had women take off their chadars as they were signs of uncivilisation and reflected the arab heritage which they wanted to abolish.People became educated to become westernised -the new turkey was formed.A new political movement.Now though you find most of the people still are proud of this ottoman heritage but do not live upto their muslim responsibility. As a foreigner the first qn you will be asked is are you muslim? its obvious by your dressing being female but they still ask. the second qn will be were u a muslm before you came here? And of the natives etiquette he will place his hand across his heart and say Alhamdullilah.

 

Well there was a lot of chaos on the hijab abolishment in turkey but noone helped. most of the girls stayed at home in the first couple of years. Later they came back to school as everyone thought that it would pass over. When you look at it abolishing the hijab was used as a way of denying the talented muslim students in turkey their right to study and have positions in goverment. They came back to school some wearing wigs others like myself take off our scarves within the Univ grounds. We know that its haram but how many million of talented females can afford to get education abroad or private schooling? Even in the so called religious school and Univ a new ruling has been inforced they are only allowed to be covered when they read the Quran.Hope is there that maybe the laws as they are man made will change and by that time Inshallah there will be enough support to change them.The trend now is more girls are for the islamic values.More older people are returning to their Lord too.

[La Fidele]

Wow, jazakallahu khairan for sharing your story with us, Sade.

 

It's absolutely integral to bring up the situation in Turkey, especially as so many of us within the Muslim ummah in the West fight against the passing of the hijab ban in France. Out of curiousity, do you think people are right to be focusing this battle on France and not equally on Turkey, itself a predominantly Muslim country? Or are they two different cases?

 

Are there any private universities in Turkey, or are they also restricted by the state? I've read recently of female parliament ministers who have been admonished for wearing the hijab within Parliament, and also of the Prime Minister and other Cabinet ministers' veiled wives being pressured not to attend official state events. If you are still in Turkey, have you any news of these brave Muslimahs?

 

It's absolutely devastating to hear of the plight of our Turkish sisters in faith, and inshallah their faith will conquer these short-term obstacles.

[Warrior of Light]

Sorry for taking my time.

 

Originally posted by La Fidele:

[ Out of curiousity, do you think people are right to be focusing this battle on France and not equally on Turkey, itself a predominantly Muslim country? Or are they two different cases?

 

I beleive the battle should be focused on both countries , really.When you look at the political system they both use -secularism they are the same. But Turkey has an islamic background so naturally it could be justified to allow the right of its ppl to practice their culture and religious obligations.On the other hand france is a predominate chrisitan country. For whatever reason this countries hold hijab against,the right of freedom of expression and worship is being denied.

 

Are there any private universities in Turkey, or are they also restricted by the state?

 

All private Univ are restricted by the state. In the past some Univ were lenient they allowed them to be covered but they were not allowed to appear on their graduation day with their scarves on , so the girls skipped their graduation ceremony.As of now i recall the leneiency no longer exists.

 

 

I've read recently of female parliament ministers who have been admonished for wearing the hijab within Parliament, and also of the Prime Minister and other Cabinet ministers' veiled wives being pressured not to attend official state events. If you are still in Turkey, have you any news of these brave Muslimahs?

 

True, the minister had to leave the parliament she is now living in Canada(Dual nationality). As of the Cabinet Ministers wives they still go covered to the few as' peu' official events. They do not appear in State events some ministers even said as long they couldnt have their wives accompany them they wouldnt appear. And yes im still in Turkey.

 

 

I would also like to add a link on this issue a statement made by the president of Turkey a secularist on the International Womens Day.

Titled Are womens problems limited only to the headscarf issue?

http://www.turkishdailynews.com/FrTDN/latest/dom2.htm#d22

.

[Sniper80]

THAT WAS A WELL CONSTRUCTED STATEMENT YOU PUT FORWARD BASHI, AND I CAN HONESTELY SAY THAT I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE WAY YOU PUT YOUR ARGUMENT FORWARD, MAY ALLAH GUIDE US, PROTECT US, AND BRING US TOGATHER ON THE BASIS OF ISLAM 1 PEOPLE, 1 DEEN INSHALLAH AMEEN.

 

1 PEOPLE 1 DEEN 1 LOVE

[Zaylici]

Hijab is not obligatory. read the Ayah or verse again(“O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognised and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.” (Quran 33:59,)it says it is better, so that women will not be bothered, in other words if a women's breasts are observable, males may show tendency to persue her, however, if women hides she avoids the attraction of the male, READ THE AYAH again. In 1970s young radical groups who were predomianntly Suadi unoverersity grautates designed "Hijab" that the Somalis wear, in fact they did not agree on how the HIjab would look like, some wanted total cover, others partial cover, others Hijab that is sensitive to the Somali way of dressing, others Hijab that is replica of Saudi dress, as hisotry turned out the Saudi young radicals win the day, if you want to varify, my argument, listen the Muxaadarooyinkii 80s, that is lectures of late Boqolsoon, and the Imam of shibis Mosque by the name of Mohamed Nuur Qawi, he is an Ereterian or Oromo origin, still in Mogadisho,

Again many people interpreted the Hijab, Islamic world differ, Saudis are different from say Turkey or Palestine, Egypt is different say from ALgeria, moreover, if you look closely to the verse you will see that quran suggests the Hijab to reduce the burden of women may incur as result of unwanted attension from the sick males, as the next verse specifies, it seems the sick males refer to men who run after women just for the sake of adultery not marriage or genuine affection, however, we should be very clear, that Hijab is just a suggestion and not an obligation, obligation refers to somethign that you must do.

so why Hijab is pervasive in Somali soceity, why modern Islamic groups succeeded, there is compex factors that helped them, the factors are not different than the once that supported the clan movements and clan tendencies.