You May Want to Change That...

Assalam Alaykum!

May the peace, mercy and blessings of the Almighty be upon all of you! J

I’ll begin by elaborating more on why did I choose this particular title for my article…

I have seen some people covering their cars with a sheet when they aren’t using it. Sometimes it looks as if they’re putting a perfect Hijab for those cars! The reason is pretty obvious isn’t it? Of course they want to protect it.

I have also seen (I’m sure you must have too) the shopkeepers closing their shops by lowering their metal shutters and also locking it. Do they leave even an inch open? Nope. Perfectionists. They will secure their shops before they leave. Not just the shopkeepers but also the security guards at the malls switch on the burglar alarms even though they’re on duty. Do they secure one part of the mall and leave the other part open for their visitors? Nope. They don’t. Why? Obviously the stuffs inside are so “precious” and “valuable” that they cannot risk leaving it without security.

Question arises for you. Are you, O Muslimahs, any less than those stuffs? Those material, invaluable, non-living stuffs? If such materialistic things are given tight security, covered so that it doesn’t tempt anyone to loot them, how much should you be careful about yourselves? What would you call precious and valuable? You or those cars that probably follows Hijab more than us?

Of course it is undeniable that many Muslim ladies follow Hijab. And Subhan Allah it is so over whelming to see the increasing number of Muslimahs. But, there are certain things I’ve seen for myself that makes me want to share the real criteria and purpose of Hijab. And as the title states, some of you may want to change your definition of Hijab…

Hijab is not the 10 cm cloth one wraps around their head. Hijab is not the lil hair popping out of one’s scarf. Hijab is definitely not the extremely tight abaya one wears. Hijab is not the stilettoes one wears that attracts even the ladies.

So, what is Hijab? I’ll let the Quran speak for itself, after all it’s called ‘Guidance’ for a reason…

Allah azza wa jal lays down the criteria for Hijab in Surah Noor, verse 31:

§  قُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَ يَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوْجَهُنَّ

“Say to the believing women that: they should cast down their glances and guard their private parts (by being chaste)…”

§  وَ لاَ يُبْدِيْنَ زِيْنَتَهُنَّ إِلاَّ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَ لْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلىَ جُيُوْبِهِنَّ

“...and not display their beauty except what is apparent, and they should place their khumur over their bosoms...”

Here we come across the term:

               I.      ‘Khumur’ – This is the plural of ‘khimar’ which means something with which a women conceals her head.

Question arises, why did Allah azza wa jal ask us to place the ‘khimar’ over our bosom then?

According to the commentators of the Quran, the women of Medina in the pre-Islamic era used to put their ‘khumur’ over the head with the two ends tucked behind and tied at the back of the neck, in the process exposing their ears and neck. By saying that, “place the khumur over the bosoms,” Almighty Allah ordered the women to let the two ends of their headgear extend onto their bosoms so that they conceal their ears, the neck, and the upper part of the bosom.

§  يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ, قُلْ لأَزْوَاجِكَ وَ بَنَاتِكَ وَ نِسآءِ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ: يُدْنِيْنَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلاَبِيْبِهِنَّ...

“O Prophet! Say to your wives, your daughters, and the women of the believers that: they should let down upon themselves their jalabib.”

Here we have another term:

              II.      ‘Jalabib’ – This is the plural of ‘jilbab’ which means a loose outer garment.

This means that the Islamic dress code for women does not only consist of a scarf that covers the head, the neck and the bosom; it also includes the overall dress that should be long and loose.

So, for instance, the combination of a tight, short sweater with tight-fitting jeans with a scarf over the head does not fulfill the requirements of the Islamic dress code.

Another question arises in my mind and a funny one at that. :P

What happens to the shopping malls and the supermarkets when there’s a special occasion? Is there tight security or is everybody welcomed without having to go through the metal detector…?

Then how on earth can you walk around without your protection, without your hijab during a wedding or a birthday party or ‘dawats’ (so typical in Indian families)

Wallahi this makes me question a person’s intellect. -_-

Sisters! Just like the security for shopping malls increases during special occasions, you need to observe hijab during the special occasions as well! By the way hijab is the jilbab+khimar! Not just the scarf over a super shiny outfit.

I know this isn’t easy. When the rest of the world decks up and each and every person around you look like they’re gonna win the Miss World crown, it doesn’t matter. You are a creation of Allah. You are beautiful no matter what race you come from. And the fact that you are protecting and guarding the beauty Allah azza wa jal gifted you with, you already surpass the not-so-ever-lasting beauty of the Miss Worlds and Universes. Yes, you won’t realize it now. But imagine on the Day of Judgement, your face will light up with noor because you obeyed Allah azza wa jal, followed His commands and stayed away from those things He has forbidden… Do you wish for the temporary beauty in this world or the everlasting beauty in the Hereafter…?

In sha Allah in my next article I will share with you a lil secret that will make all your struggles seem like a piece of cake… ;)

Until then,

Assalam Alaykum. :)