Women's Decision to Wear the Hijab Is Also a Part of Freedom

By Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam 10 June 2023 Wearing the Hijab Is Also Freedom, Just As Not Wearing One Is Main Points: 1. Islam is a religion that everyone has the freedom to practise, and women who follow its teachings are free to do so. 2. Muslim women must wear the veil to obey their Lord, Allah Almighty, not only for chastity matter but also in obedience to Him. 3. It is important to consider other factors when analysing freedom, such as women's freedom to wear or not wear the veil. ---- If women's refusal to wear the Hijab or the Purdah on the basis of their will constitutes freedom, then their decision to wear the Hijab on that basis also qualifies as freedom.   Some contend that Islam has deprived women of their freedom by mandating the veil. This is not true because Islam has actually given women freedom from evil eyes. Islam is a religion that I believe everyone has the freedom to practise. The ability to exercise the religion of one's choice is one definition of freedom, and in this sense, a woman who follows the teachings of Islam is completely free to do so. It seems to reason that anyone who supports limiting this religious freedom would also be perceived as limiting the freedom of women. Because the Quran makes no explicit mention of the Niqab, some people seek to confuse the terms Hijab, Niqab, and Purdah. Islam has made it unquestionably mandatory for women to cover themselves in some way, whether that be with a Hijab, Niqab, or Dupatta. Regardless of the type of clothing used, Muslim women must cover their entire bodies, including their heads, in front of non-Mahrams. With this interpretation, a Muslim woman is free to wear Hijab, Niqab or Burqa. This is her freedom—freedom from lustful eyes. The most crucial factor for a practical Muslim woman is that she obeys her Lord, Allah Almighty, by wearing the veil. She is required to wear the veil, even in front of others who might have admiring or good eyes and views of women. In order to uphold a modest and honourable communal code of behaviour, Allah the Almighty orders both men and women to drop their gaze. Both men and women must conduct themselves properly, speak with dignity, and dress modestly. Muslim women are obligated to dress modestly, and options include the Hijab, Niqab, Khimar, or Burqa. Muslim women are obligated to veil the concealable parts of their bodies (Satr-E-Aurat), which they do by wearing Hijab, Niqab, Khimar, or even Burqa, depending on their personal choice. The command to the veil was given for the first time in Surah Al-Ahzab. Allah says in this verse: “...and when you ask the wives of the Prophet for anything to use, ask for it from behind a curtain [Hijab]; this is purer for your hearts and for their hearts” (33:53). The word Hijab is used in this verse to refer to any curtain that covers the concealable parts of the body, and the rationale for this is that the veil can provide purity and modesty to the hearts. Following that, the Holy Qur'an revealed the command of Hijab (veiling) in verses 30 and 31 of Surah An-Noor. The males were addressed first, followed by the women. The following are the two verses: Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran, “Command the Muslim men to keep their gaze low and to protect their private organs; that is much purer for them; indeed Allah is Aware of their deeds.” (24:30) “And command the Muslim women to keep their gaze low and to protect their chastity, and they should not expose their adornment [Zeenat] except what is apparent, and to keep the cover wrapped over their bosoms; and not to reveal their adornment except to their own husbands or fathers or husbands’ fathers, or their sons or their husbands’ sons, or their brothers or their brothers’ sons or sisters’ sons, or women of their religion, or the bondwomen they possess, or male servants provided they do not have manliness, or such children who do not know of women’s nakedness, and not to stamp their feet on the ground in order that their hidden adornment be known; and O Muslims, all of you turn in repentance together towards Allah, in the hope of attaining success.” (Quran 24:31) The Arabic word Yaguddu is derived from Ghadd, which means to draw down, lower, or keep one's eyes down, as enjoined in the verse, which means to turn one's gaze away from something that Islam forbids one from seeing. For men, concealable parts (Satr) include all parts of the body from the navel to the knees, whereas for women, concealable parts include the entire body except the face and palms. The act of a man looking at a woman's Satr or a woman looking at a man's Satr is strictly forbidden because it violates the Quranic verses' exhortation to ‘lower their gaze’. It is for this reason that Muslim women are obligated to cover themselves appropriately as prescribed by Islam. It is for this reason that some women wear veils like as the Niqab, Hijab, headscarves, or Abaya. Allah then says, “...and they should not expose their adornment [Zeenat] except what is apparent”. According to Hazrat Abdullah bin Masud, this refers to a woman’s outer shawl. When a Muslim woman has to emerge from her house out of necessity, she should conceal her entire body. Non-Maharim individuals will only see her outer shawl at that point. Allah Almighty has commanded all believing Muslim women to wear the Hijab, also known as the veil. For all Muslim females who have reached puberty, it is required. In other words, if a Muslim woman decides not to do it, she is thought to have committed sin, just as skipping prayers or failing to fast during Ramadan is thought to constitute sin. These were all Islamic teachings regarding Muslim women's use of the Purdah. Let's get to the point: Are women not free to wear veils, just as it is claimed that they are free to do so? Has "freedom for women" come to mean the opportunity for women to choose not to wear veils? If this is freedom, why aren't women also free to choose to wear the Purdah? Why do some people have so many issues with the Purdah? They are free to hold their opinions, but it's important to take a few other elements into account when analysing how they perceive freedom in general. What kind of freedom is discussed in our society? Is obeying the lower self [Nafs e Ammara] more advantageous than obeying Allah? Being in Allah's obedience is actually emancipation from servitude of Nafs. In today's world, women are treated like toys. Gangsters are everywhere you look on the road, and they all have lustful eyes for women. Furthermore, even elderly persons have lustful eyes when viewing ladies. A woman's body is displayed in all marketing and advertising materials for a product to be easily sold. Is everything in this place freedom? Do people consider this to be freedom? Do they consider women who wear Purdas to be less free or not fully free? This situation is incredibly stunning and beyond sound reasoning. What I'm trying to say is that women in our society are free to choose what they wear, and as a result, a Muslim woman is likewise completely free to wear a veil. Therefore, saying that women who wear veils are not free is untrue and unjust. ----- Kaniz Fatma is a classic Islamic scholar and a regular columnist for New Age Islam. URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/niqab-dupatta-hijab-freedom/d/129959 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism