The
Virtues
of Hijab-
H
Jessani
1.An act
of
obedience.
The
hijab is
an act
of
obedience
to Allah
and to
his
prophet
(pbuh),
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.'
(S33:36).
Allah
also
said:
'And
tell the
believing
women to
lower
their
gaze
(from
looking
at
forbidden
things)
and
protect
their
private
parts
(from
illegal
sexual
acts,
etc) and
not to
show off
their
adornment
except
what
must
(ordinarily)
appear
thereof,
that
they
should
draw
their
veils
over
their
Juyubihinna.'(S24:31).
2.The
Hijab is
IFFAH
(Modesty).
Allah (subhana
wa'atala)
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.'
(S33:59).
In the
above
Ayaah
there is
an
evidence
that the
recognition
of the
apparent
beauty
of the
woman is
harmful
to her.
When the
cause of
attraction
ends,
the
restriction
is
removed.
This is
illustrated
in the
case of
elderly
women
who may
have
lost
every
aspect
of
attraction.
Allah (swt)
made it
permissible
for them
to lay
aside
their
outer
garments
and
expose
their
faces
and
hands
reminding,
however,
that is
still
better
for them
to keep
their
modesty.
3.The
hijab is
Tahara
(Purity)
Allah
(swt)
had
shown us
the
hikma
(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.'
(S33:53).
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
honorable
manner.'
(S33:32)
4.The
hijab is
a
Shield
The
prophet
(pbuh)
said:
"Allah,
Most
High, is
Heaven,
is
Ha'yeii
(Bashful),
Sit'teer
(Shielder).
He loves
Haya'
(Bashfulness)
and Sitr
(Shielding;
Covering)."
The
Prophet
(pbuh)
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.
"The
hadith
demonstrates
that
depending
upon the
kind of
action
committed
there
will
be
either
reward
(if
good) or
punishment
(if
bad).
5. The
hijab is
Taqwah
(Righteousness)
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.'(S7:26).
The
widespread
forms of
dresses
in the
world
today
are
mostly
for show
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
bodies
and
cover
their
private
parts as
a
manifestation
of the
order of
Allah.
It is an
act of
Taqwah
(righteousness).
6.The
hijab is
Eemaan
(Belief
or
Faith)
Allah
(swt)
did not
address
His
words
about
the
hijab
except
to the
believing
women,
Al-Mo'minat.
In many
cases in
the
Qur'an
Allah
refers
to the
"the
believing
women".
Aisha
(RA),
the wife
of the
prophet
(pbuh),
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:
"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
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.
Gheerah
is a
driving
emotion
that
drives
the
straight
man to
safeguard
women
who are
related
to him
from
strangers.
The
straight
MUSLIM
man has
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
