Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

dear brother

as salam alaikum

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah Noor verse 31:And (O Prophet) enjoin the believing women to restrain their gaze and guard their private parts, and not to display their adornment except that which is displayed of itself; and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not display their adornment except before their husbands, their fathers, the fathers of their husbands, . (until the end of the aayah).

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 59:O Prophet, enjoin your wives and daughters, and the women of the believers that they should let down over their persons a part of their outer-garments. It is expected that they will thus be recognized and not molested. Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

I would like you to explain the above surah in depth word by word. From what I read it does not imply that you have to cover your head. Your hair and head is a natural adornment and can be displayed in public.

Actually god created man and woman naked. Man chose clothing to protect himself against environment.

"not to display their adornment except that which is displayed of itself;"

What part of our body is displaid of it self? I think hair defenitly is displaid of it self and should not be covered. To cover the bossom you may need to use your sholders and to cover your private parts you may have to use part of your legs, beyound that your arms, neck and under your knees has nothing to do with this verse.

I think in general men use this relegion to control women. and why should a woman cover herself instead of men restraining themselves. and why don't they ware the vail or cover their face like poor soudi women. Don't you think that women by seeing their face may have desires and think of sexual acts?

If god is just he would never discriminate between man and wome. He may have created them deferently to complete each other but not to favore one against the other. This is a man made thought.

Thank you

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Answer:

Discrimination between men and women regarding hijab

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His  forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Q-1: I would like you to explain the above surah in depth word by word.

Beloved sister in Islam, you have already quoted accurately the word for word translation of the above two Aayahs of the Glorious Quran.

Q-2: From what I read it does not imply that you have to cover your head. Your hair and head is a natural adornment and can be displayed in public.

The best way to understand, study and comprehend any Command of the Glorious Quran is to study how did the Messenger of Allah (saws) understand this Command of Allah Subhanah, and how did he (saws) implement it upon himself, and the believers.

When the Revelations regarding the ‘hijaab’ were revealed, first in Surah Ahzaab and then in Surah Noor, the Messenger of Allah (saws) commanded his wives and his daughters, and the woman of the believers to cover themselves completely; including their head and their hair!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 59: O prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad): that is most convenient that they should be known (as such), and not molested: and Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.

The command of Allah Subhanah ‘yuddnina alayhinna min jalaabe behinna’ means to cast or throw an outer garment over themselves – and the Messenger of Allah (saws) understood and implemented the above command of Allah Subhanah to include the covering of head and her hair!

The decision the believers have to make is whether we should try to interpret the Command and determine for ourselves what it implies, or accept and hold and implement upon ourselves the way the noble Messenger of Allah (saws) understood and implemented this Command of Allah Subhanah?

Q-3: Actually god created man and woman naked. Man chose clothing to protect himself against environment.

Indeed, the Creator created man and woman naked, and He will raise us to life again after our death on the Day of Judgement absolutely naked!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verse 26: O ye children of Adam! We have bestowed ‘libaas’ (garment, raiment, etc.) upon you to cover your shame, as well as to be an adornment to you; but the ‘libaas’ (garment, raiment, etc.) of righteousness, that is the best. Such are among the Signs of Allah that they may receive admonition!

In light of the above Revelation of the Glorious Quran, Allah Subhanah Declares that he bestowed garments upon mankind for two reasons:

First and foremost, to cover our shame or private parts!

Second, so that it can be a form of adornment for mankind.

Thus it is not a completely factual statement that man chose clothing himself as a protection against the environment; but in light of the above Aayah of the Quran, the first wisdom declared is that clothing was bestowed by the Merciful upon mankind to cover his sense of shame, and so that it may be an adornment for mankind; although it may have several other uses and benefits.

But to cover one’s shame is absolutely the biggest wisdom behind the bestowment of clothing! Had it only been for the protection against the environment, Allah Subhanah could have covered mankind with hair, or fur, or feathers like he has done for many amongst his animate creation, and that would have sufficed!

Q-4: "not to display their adornment except that which is displayed of itself;" What part of our body is displaid of it self? I think hair defenitly is displaid of it self and should not be covered.

There are two opinions amongst the scholars in Islam as to what does the phrase ‘except that which is displayed of itself’ mean. One opinion is that it means the face and the hands may be left uncovered, and the other opinion is that the face also has to be covered, and only the hands may be left uncovered.

The most accepted opinion is that if the women covers everything except her face and her hands, she would be following the command of Allah; and if she chooses to cover her face, then it will be purer and closer to the command of Allah.

Q-5: I think in general men use this relegion to control women.

I guess therein lies the crux and the prejudice that leads to the dis-obedience of the Commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws)! If one can leave aside their prejudices regarding the competition that has been created between the sexes; and simply submit to the clear and manifest commands of wisdom of Allah and His Messenger (saws); it would be better and purer for the believers!

Q-6: and why should a woman cover herself instead of men restraining themselves.

The one and only reason the believing woman, who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day, must cover herself is because her Lord and Creator has commanded her to do so!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah Noor verse 30: Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do.

Allah has indeed commanded the believing men, who sincerely fear Allah and the Last Day, to lower their gaze and guard their modesty.

If a believing woman obeys the commands of Allah Subhanah and covers herself appropriately and guards her modesty, and the man still stares and annoys this believing woman; he will bear the burden of his sin and will have to give a severe accounting of his deeds in the Court of Allah Subhanah.

Q-7: and why don't they ware the vail or cover their face like poor soudi women.

The only reason man does not need to wear a cover over his face, is because the Lord did not command the believing men to do so!

The ‘poor’ Saudi women, and the ‘poor’ believing woman who care to submit and obey to the Commands of her Merciful Lord, should look forward to their generous reward and ‘ajr’ from the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth Alone!

The ‘rich’ women, who dare to challenge, disobey, and deny the clear Commands of their Creator too should look forward for their reward for their disobedience from the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth!

Sahih Muslim Hadith 6840 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “There are two types, amongst the denizens of Hell, I have yet not seen them. One possessing whips like the tail of an ox and they flog people with them. (The second one) the women who would be naked in spite of their being dressed, who are seduced (to wrong paths) and seduce others with their hair high like humps. These women would not get into Paradise, and they would not perceive the odour of Paradise, although its fragrance can be perceived from such and such distance (from great distance).”

Q-8: Don't you think that women by seeing their face may have desires and think of sexual acts?

It really matters not what ‘I’ think; for the believers have submitted their will completely to the Will of their Creator; therefore it does not behove a believer, who sincerely fears Allah and the Last day, to have an opinion after Allah and His Messenger (saws) have given their opinion on a matter!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 36:It does not behove a believing man and a believing woman that when Allah and His Messenger have given their decision in a matter, they should exercise an option in that matter of theirs. For whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, has indeed strayed into manifest error.

The Creator Who created mankind, is the same Creator Who gave each their nature. Allah Subhanah, in His Sublime and Perfect Wisdom has put more physical attraction in the man towards the woman, than the other way around; and the same Creator has made laws for each according to its nature!

It challenges even my intelligence and experience, if I were to believe that everytime a woman sees a man’s face she starts having desires and thinks of sexual acts!!! But since Allah Subhanah has Willed for me to be a man, I cannot guarantee the same for the male species amongst mankind when they see a non-mehram woman!

Q-9: If god is just he would never discriminate between man and wome.

To believe that the Creator is (I seek refuge in Allah from saying this!) unjust, is to disbelieve in one of the Blessed Names and Attributes which Allah Subhanah has chosen for Himself! The believers, who sincerely believe in Allah and the Last Day, bear witness that the Lord is indeed Al-Aadil or The Just.

Indeed, Allah Subhanah in His Sublime and Perfect Wisdom, created man and woman physically different and bestowed each a nature best suited for them. And He tested them and gave different duties and responsibilities to man and woman according to their nature. This test and difference is only for the short life of this transitory world!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 35: For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast (and deny themselves), for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah's praise; for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward.

Q-10: He may have created them deferently to complete each other but not to favore one against the other. This is a man made thought.

Contrary to popular belief, men and women are not created equal by Allah Subhanah; but rather they are balanced! For the test period of this one earthly life, each has been given a set of duties and responsibilities by Allah Subhanah according to their nature.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 34: Men are the protectors and maintainers of women because Allah has given the one more than the other, and because they (men) support them from their means.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 228: And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them according to what is equitable; but men have a degree (of advantage) over them; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan