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Q. Why does Islam degrade women by keeping them behind the VEIL ? 
     Or The misunderstandings about HIJAB/VEIL. 

A. The status of women in Islam is often the target of attacks in the
secular media. The 'hijab' or the Islamic dress is cited by many as an
example of the 'subjugation' of women under Islamic law. Before we
analyze the reasoning behind the religiously mandated 'hijab', let us
first study the status of women in societies before the advent of Islam 

1. In the past women were degraded and used as objects of lust. 

The following examples from history amply illustrate the fact that the
status of women in earlier civilizations was very low to the extent that
they were denied basic human dignity: 

1. Babylonian Civilization: 

The women were degraded and were denied all rights under the Babylonian
law. If a man murdered a woman, instead of him being punished, his wife
was put to death. Isn't it funny ? 

2. Greek Civilization: 

Greek Civilization is considered the most glorious of all ancient
civilizations. Under this very 'glorious' system, women were deprived of
all rights and were looked down upon. In Greek mythology, an 'imaginary
woman' called 'Pandora' is the root cause of misfortune of human beings.
The Greeks considered women to be subhuman and inferior to men. Though
chastity of women was precious, and women were held in high esteem, the
Greeks were later overwhelmed by ego and sexual perversions.
Prostitution became a regular practice amongst all classes of Greek
society. 

3. Roman Civilization: 

When Roman Civilization was at the zenith of its 'glory', a man even had
the right to take the life of his wife. Prostitution and nudity were
common amongst the Romans. 

4. Egyptian Civilization: 

The Egyptian considered women evil and as a sign of a devil. 

5. Pre-Islamic Arabia: 

Before Islam spread in Arabia, the Arabs looked down upon women and very
often when a female child was born, she was buried alive. 

2. Islam uplifted women and gave them equality and expects them to
maintain their status. 

Islam uplifted the status of women and granted them their just rights
1400 years ago. Islam expects women to maintain their status. 

Hijab for men 

People usually only discuss 'hijab' in the context of women. However, in
the Glorious Qur'an, Allah (swt) first mentions 'hijab' for men before
'hijab' for the women. The Qur'an mention in Sura-ay-Noor (24/30): 

"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." 

The moment a man looks at a woman and if any brazen or unashamed thought
comes to his mind, he should lower his gaze. 

Hijab for women. 

AND the very next verse of Sura-ay-Noor (24/31), says: 


And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze 
And guard their modesty; 
That they should not display their beauty and ornaments 
Except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; 
That they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display
their beauty 
Except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, 
Their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers and their brothers'
sons, 
And their sisters' sons, Or their own kind of women, 
Or their women slaves, Or their male servants free of physical (sexual)
needs, 
Or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; 
And that they (women) should not strike their feet (on the floor) 
So their hidden ornaments discloses to others. 
And O ye Believers! turn ye all together towards Allah, that ye may
attain Bliss 


and again in Sura-ay-Al-Ehzab (33/55) :- 

There is no blame (on these ladies if they appear) before their fathers 
Or their sons, their brothers, or their brother's sons, 
Or their sisters' sons, or their women, 
Or the (slaves) whom their right hands possess. 
And, (ladies), fear Allah for Allah is Witness to all things. 


Hadith: 

" Ayesha (radhiallaho unha) reported that once her sister, 
Asma (radhiallaho unha) visited her in finery------ 
while the Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) was at home. 
He (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) turned away from her and said, 
"O Asma, when a woman reaches puberty it is not lawful for her to 
uncover any part of her body except this." 
He (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) then pointed to his face and hand. 
(Abu Daood)" 

The above narration is one of the most commonly presented as proof for
leaving the face and hands uncovered. 


"Jabir bin Abdullah said I attended the Eid Prayer with the 
Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam). First he offered the prayer before
Khutba 
without Adhan and Iqamah. Then, as he was leaning against Bilal
(radhiallaho unho) 
and ordered to fear Allah and come towards His obedience. 
He preached the people and advised them. 
After this he attended to women and preached them. He said to them to
give alms. 
Many of them are the fuel of Hell. One woman who had thin cheeks stood
up------" 

Some people also argue from this tradition that covering face for women
is not obligatory. 

3. Six criteria for Hijab. 

According to Qur'an and Sunnah there are basically six criteria for
observing hijab: 

1. Extent: 

The first criterion is the extent of the body that should be covered.
This is different for men and women. The extent of covering obligatory
on the male is to cover the body at least from the navel to the knees.
For women, the extent of covering obligatory is to cover the complete
body EXCEPT THE FACE and the hands upto the wrist. If they wish to, they
can cover even these parts of the body. Some scholars of Islam insist
that the face and the hands are part of the obligatory extent of 'hijab'
and so disregard the above mentioned ayats. 

All the remaining five criteria are the same for men and women. 

2. The clothes worn should be loose and should not reveal the figure. 

3. The clothes worn should not be transparent such that one can see
through them. 

4. The clothes worn should not be so glamorous as to attract the
opposite sex. 

5. The clothes worn should not resemble that of the opposite sex. 

6. The clothes worn should not resemble that of the unbelievers i.e.
they should not wear clothes that are specifically identities or symbols
of the unbelievers' religions. 

4. Hijab includes conduct and behavior among other things 

Complete 'hijab', besides the six criteria of clothing, also includes
the moral conduct, behavior, attitude and intention of the individual. A
person only fulfilling the criteria of 'hijab' of the clothes is
observing 'hijab' in a limited sense. 'Hijab' of the clothes should be
accompanied by 'hijab' of the eyes, 'hijab' of the heart, 'hijab' of
thought and 'hijab' of intention. It also includes the way a person
walks, the way a person talks, the way he behaves, etc. 

5. Hijab prevents molestation 

The reason why Hijab is prescribed for women is mentioned in the Qur'an
in the following verses of Sura-ay-Al-Ahzab. [33:59]: 

"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 (Identified)(as such)
and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." 


The Qur'an says that Hijab has been prescribed for the women so that
they are recognized as modest women and this will also prevent them from
being molested. 

6. Example of twin sisters 

Suppose two sisters who are twins, and who are equally beautiful, walk
down the street. One of them is attired in the Islamic hijab i.e. the
complete body is covered, except for the face and the hands up to the
wrists. The other sister is wearing western clothes, a mini skirt or
shorts. Just around the corner there is a hooligan or ruffian who is
waiting for a catch, to tease a girl. Whom will he tease? The girl
wearing the Islamic Hijab or the girl wearing the skirt or the mini?
Naturally he will tease the girl wearing the skirt or the mini. Such
dresses are an indirect invitation to the opposite sex for teasing and
molestation. The Qur'an rightly says that hijab prevents women from
being molested. 

7. Capital punishment for the rapists 

Under the Islamic shariah, a man convicted of having raped a woman, is
given capital punishment. Many are astonished at this 'harsh' sentence.
Some even says that Islam is a ruthless, barbaric religion! We have
asked a simple question to hundreds of non-Muslim men. Suppose, Allah
forbid, someone rapes your wife, your mother or your sister. You are
made the judge and the rapist is brought in front of you. What
punishment would you give him? All of them said they would put him to
death. Some went to the extent of saying they would torture him to
death. To them We ask, if someone rapes your wife or your mother you
want to put him to death. But if the same crime is committed on somebody
else's wife or daughter you say capital punishment is barbaric. Why
should there be double standards? 

8. Western society falsely claims to have uplifted women 

Western talk of women's liberalization is nothing but a disguised form
of exploitation of her body, degradation of her soul, and deprivation of
her honor. Western society claims to have 'uplifted' women. On the
contrary it has actually degraded them to the status of concubines,
mistresses and society butterflies who are mere tools in the hands of
pleasure seekers and sex marketers, hidden behind the colorful screen of
'art' and 'culture'. 

9. USA has one of the highest rates of rape 

United States of America is supposed to be one of the most advanced
countries of the world. It also has one of the highest rates of rape in
any country in the world. According to a FBI report, in the year 1990,
every day on average 1756 cases of rape were committed in U.S.A alone.
Later another report said that on an average everyday 1900 cases of
rapes are committed in USA. The year was not mentioned. May be it was
1992 or 1993. May be the Americans got 'bolder' in the following years. 


Consider a scenario where the Islamic hijab is followed in America.
Whenever a man looks at a woman and any brazen or unashamed thought
comes to his mind, he lowers his gaze. Every woman wears the Islamic
hijab, that is the complete body is covered except the face and the
hands upto the wrist. After this if any man commits rape he is given
capital punishment. I ask you, in such a scenario, will the rate of rape
in America increase, will it remain the same, or will it decrease? 

10. Implementation of Islamic Shariah will reduce the rate of rapes 

Naturally as soon as Islamic Shariah is implemented positive results
will be inevitable. If Islamic Shariah is implemented in any part of the
world, whether it is America or Europe, society will breathe easier.
Hijab does not degrade a woman but uplifts a woman and protects her
modesty and chastity. 
 
 
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