The Hijaab and the Nikaab
bismillah
assalamu alaikum
So they want to ban the nikaab in Britain. I was impressed at how much the government managed to turn the majority of the British people against the Muslims as the opinion pro-banning seems to be strong and wide spread throughout the country - even though they obviously have no argument to support their opinion. The arguments they gave are probably the most pathetic excuses I have ever heard, but then what is the reason why some elements are against the nikaab in the first place? First of all, the nikaab is not the problem. Growing a beard and having long hair would cover almost as much of the face as the nikaab would, what if I left my house dressed like Zorro? Would I then be a subject of media spotlight and world incrimination? When was covering your face in public a crime? I can understand if it was in a bank but to ban it everywhere?
Anyhow, this is not the point of this article. I wish to say something on what several Muslims said in reply to the latest attack on Islam. Several Muslims justified the veil by saying it stops rape. I would just like to ask; where did you get that from?
Dressing modestly was ordained upon us by Allah and for women this means the veil infront of a non-mahram. If any reason was given by Allah as to why women should wear a veil, then please inform me as I am ignorant of it. If Allah or his prophet (pbuh) said it is to stop rape, then please tell me where and inshallah I will learn. Until that time comes, I have an advice for my brothers and sisters; don't start justifing Islamic law as a fact from your own minds. Say you believe it could be for so and so, or in your personal experience so and so. Ofcourse all the ahkaam Allah revealed has a reason, and the veil is no exception. The veil would indeed help men control their lust, but that is only for a self-respecting normal man. A man who has no problem with the idea of himself raping a woman would rape when he has the opportunity whether he saw her face or not. Personally, I see that the most important achievement the veil created was that it created an environment where women are no longer treated according to their looks. Unlike the West, the individuals in such society would not be concerned first and formost on their looks. People would not spend millions, nay, billions of dollars on makeup, fashion, surgery, and research to make yourself look younger or more seductive. The veil made an environment where women who are born not as beautiful to be treated equally as a woman who Allah blessed with beauty.
There was a program on TV called the Apprentice where a millionair boss would have two teams divided by gender (ie, one team made up of about 5 women and another made up of 5 men) carrying out a job and the boss will then decide who did the best. In the end, as people get fired, only one will remain and get to be employed in that boss's company. I only watched a few episodes but in every single episode the issue of women having an advantage and "using the sex card" came up. There is obviously an issue between human nature and female sexuality. And this is obviously eliminated by the hijaab and Allah knows human nature better than anyone else.
But they then say that although indeed the normal veil is obligatory in Islam, the nikaab is not. Well this argument could be used if the normal veil itself was not under attack. As we know, it is also banned in specific areas in several countries. However I have to ask; is the nikaab indeed not fard?
As we said earlier, every hukum has a reason and Allah raised us from being like the rest of the animals by giving us a brain to reason with. Ofcourse, if Allah (swt) said we should wear a veil, then we wear it without question. Even more, if Allah said we do something that we think is of no reason, we still would do it because we trust Allah to know more. But after we do what is obligatory upon us we could start and reason with it. If we, as Muslims agree that the veil is an obligation and it has to do with sexuality, lust and the male/female relationship, then we agree that there is a reason for this veil. Now the fard veil only shows the face and hands; but my question is, what if the sister was blessed with great beauty? Do we not use our brain that Allah has blessed us with and reason? Do we not think; the veil is not carrying out its purpose? That a woman with such beauty would require a nikaab so that she fulfills the purpose of the hukum? I am not a mufti so I wont come up and say that the nikaab is fard. It is not fard on the sisters, but I believe that when a sister realises that although she wears the normal veil and yet still her face is radiant with beauty, she should of her own will put on the nikaab and may Allah reward her. I stress; no one has the right to force it on her as not even the prophet (pbuh) did so. Even in an Islamic country, only the normal veil will be inforced and the nikaab should not be imposed on anyone.
wallahu aalam. Again I ask my brothers and sisters, if I said anything wrong then please correct me.
wassalam
assalamu alaikum
So they want to ban the nikaab in Britain. I was impressed at how much the government managed to turn the majority of the British people against the Muslims as the opinion pro-banning seems to be strong and wide spread throughout the country - even though they obviously have no argument to support their opinion. The arguments they gave are probably the most pathetic excuses I have ever heard, but then what is the reason why some elements are against the nikaab in the first place? First of all, the nikaab is not the problem. Growing a beard and having long hair would cover almost as much of the face as the nikaab would, what if I left my house dressed like Zorro? Would I then be a subject of media spotlight and world incrimination? When was covering your face in public a crime? I can understand if it was in a bank but to ban it everywhere?
Anyhow, this is not the point of this article. I wish to say something on what several Muslims said in reply to the latest attack on Islam. Several Muslims justified the veil by saying it stops rape. I would just like to ask; where did you get that from?
Dressing modestly was ordained upon us by Allah and for women this means the veil infront of a non-mahram. If any reason was given by Allah as to why women should wear a veil, then please inform me as I am ignorant of it. If Allah or his prophet (pbuh) said it is to stop rape, then please tell me where and inshallah I will learn. Until that time comes, I have an advice for my brothers and sisters; don't start justifing Islamic law as a fact from your own minds. Say you believe it could be for so and so, or in your personal experience so and so. Ofcourse all the ahkaam Allah revealed has a reason, and the veil is no exception. The veil would indeed help men control their lust, but that is only for a self-respecting normal man. A man who has no problem with the idea of himself raping a woman would rape when he has the opportunity whether he saw her face or not. Personally, I see that the most important achievement the veil created was that it created an environment where women are no longer treated according to their looks. Unlike the West, the individuals in such society would not be concerned first and formost on their looks. People would not spend millions, nay, billions of dollars on makeup, fashion, surgery, and research to make yourself look younger or more seductive. The veil made an environment where women who are born not as beautiful to be treated equally as a woman who Allah blessed with beauty.
There was a program on TV called the Apprentice where a millionair boss would have two teams divided by gender (ie, one team made up of about 5 women and another made up of 5 men) carrying out a job and the boss will then decide who did the best. In the end, as people get fired, only one will remain and get to be employed in that boss's company. I only watched a few episodes but in every single episode the issue of women having an advantage and "using the sex card" came up. There is obviously an issue between human nature and female sexuality. And this is obviously eliminated by the hijaab and Allah knows human nature better than anyone else.
But they then say that although indeed the normal veil is obligatory in Islam, the nikaab is not. Well this argument could be used if the normal veil itself was not under attack. As we know, it is also banned in specific areas in several countries. However I have to ask; is the nikaab indeed not fard?
As we said earlier, every hukum has a reason and Allah raised us from being like the rest of the animals by giving us a brain to reason with. Ofcourse, if Allah (swt) said we should wear a veil, then we wear it without question. Even more, if Allah said we do something that we think is of no reason, we still would do it because we trust Allah to know more. But after we do what is obligatory upon us we could start and reason with it. If we, as Muslims agree that the veil is an obligation and it has to do with sexuality, lust and the male/female relationship, then we agree that there is a reason for this veil. Now the fard veil only shows the face and hands; but my question is, what if the sister was blessed with great beauty? Do we not use our brain that Allah has blessed us with and reason? Do we not think; the veil is not carrying out its purpose? That a woman with such beauty would require a nikaab so that she fulfills the purpose of the hukum? I am not a mufti so I wont come up and say that the nikaab is fard. It is not fard on the sisters, but I believe that when a sister realises that although she wears the normal veil and yet still her face is radiant with beauty, she should of her own will put on the nikaab and may Allah reward her. I stress; no one has the right to force it on her as not even the prophet (pbuh) did so. Even in an Islamic country, only the normal veil will be inforced and the nikaab should not be imposed on anyone.
wallahu aalam. Again I ask my brothers and sisters, if I said anything wrong then please correct me.
wassalam
posted by Abdul Rahman Hilmi at 10/14/2006 11:24:00 AM
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