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Hijab: Difference between revisions
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{{QualityScore|Lead=1|Structure=3|Content=3|Language=2|References=3}} | {{QualityScore|Lead=1|Structure=3|Content=3|Language=2|References=3}} | ||
The [[Islam|Islamic]] [[Fard|obligation]] for Muslim [[Islam and Women|women]] to wear the [[Hijab]] is agreed upon by all traditional schools of [[Islamic jurisprudence]]. Although all of the schools of jurisprudence agree on the need for women to wear the hijab, modern discourse around the reason for this obligation vary a great deal. The verses from the [[Qur'an]] which describe this obligation indicate that protecting the modesty of the hijabi women is its main aim, however investigating the [[Revelational Circumstances of the Quran|revelational circumstances]] of the verses describing this obligation show that, despite modern discourse the reasoning for this obligation was to keep the shape and features of women mysterious all men. | |||
==Qur'an Ayahs Regarding the Hijab== | ==Qur'an Ayahs Regarding the Hijab== | ||
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'''Shakir:''' O Prophet! say to your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers that they let down upon them their over-garments; this will be more proper, that they may be known, and thus they will not be given trouble; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.}} | '''Shakir:''' O Prophet! say to your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers that they let down upon them their over-garments; this will be more proper, that they may be known, and thus they will not be given trouble; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.}} | ||
The first verse above states that the purpose is to hide women's [[beauty]] from men. The second verse makes it clear that it is to distinguish them (presumably from non-Muslim or slave women, who do not have to observe the hijab) in order to prevent them from being molested/harassed. | The first verse above states that the purpose is to hide women's [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Beauty and Makeup|beauty]] from men. The second verse makes it clear that it is to distinguish them (presumably from non-Muslim or slave women, who do not have to observe the hijab) in order to prevent them from being molested/harassed. | ||
The view that an unveiled woman is at least deliberately exposing herself to the increased possibility of sexual harassment or assault (thereby diminishing the criminal's culpability in some way) is widespread among Islamic scholars and societies. However, the ahadith for the initial revelation of the hijab appear to present an very different reasoning for the practice, and ideas of modesty and protection against assault seem absent. While 24:31 suggests modesty as a reason for the hijab, this appears to have been a reasoning provided later on and having little or nothing to do with the initial prescription. | The view that an unveiled woman is at least deliberately exposing herself to the increased possibility of sexual harassment or assault (thereby diminishing the criminal's culpability in some way) is widespread among Islamic scholars and societies. However, the ahadith for the initial revelation of the hijab appear to present an very different reasoning for the practice, and ideas of modesty and protection against assault seem absent. While 24:31 suggests modesty as a reason for the hijab, this appears to have been a reasoning provided later on and having little or nothing to do with the initial prescription. | ||
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#Umar repeatedly asks [[Muhammad]] that Allah should reveal verses for the Qur'an pertaining to the veiling of women. | #Umar repeatedly asks [[Muhammad]] that Allah should reveal verses for the Qur'an pertaining to the veiling of women. | ||
#No such [[ | #No such [[Revelation|revelation]] is sent down. | ||
#Umar follows [[Muhammad's | #Umar follows [[Muhammad's Marriages|Muhammad's wives]] one night when they go out to relieve themselves (go to the toilet) and calls out to Muhammad's wife Sauda. | ||
#Sauda goes home in a state of embarrassment and relates to Muhammad what has happened. | #Sauda goes home in a state of embarrassment and relates to Muhammad what has happened. | ||
#Allah then reveals the hijab verse as Umar had wanted all along. | #Allah then reveals the hijab verse as Umar had wanted all along. | ||
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==Reasoning on the Hijab== | ==Reasoning on the Hijab== | ||
A common claim by [[apologists]] is that the Hijab protects women against unwanted sexual attention from men. Well known apologist [[Zakir Naik]] takes this line of reasoning in his | A common claim by [[apologists]] is that the Hijab protects women against unwanted sexual attention from men. Well known apologist [[Zakir Naik]] takes this line of reasoning in his defense of the hijab mandate. Before considering this claim one should examine a few more ahadith: | ||
{{quote |{{Muslim|26|5416}}|'A'isha | {{quote |{{Muslim|26|5416}}|'Abd bin Hamid reported from 'Abd Ar-Rizaaq reported from Ma'amar, reported from Az-Zuhri, from 'Urwa, from 'A'isha that a eunuch used to come to the wives of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) and they did not count him as a male with sexual desire. Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) one day came as he was sitting with some of his women and he was busy in describing the bodily characteristics of a lady and saying: when she approaches you it is with four (folds of fat) and if she goes away from is it with eight (folds of fat). Thereupon Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: Do I not see that this one knows what, behold, is here, the women ought not to be exposed like this. She (" A'isha) said: Then they began to wear hijab around him (the eunuch)[<i>sic</i>]}}[[File:Hijab propaganda billboard.jpg|thumb|Billboard in Tehran reading "hijab is security"]] | ||
{{quote |{{Abudawud|32|4095}}|Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: | {{quote |{{Abudawud|32|4095}}|Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: | ||
A mukhannath (eunuch) used to enter upon the wives of Prophet (peace be upon him). They (the people) counted him among those who were free of | A mukhannath (eunuch) used to enter upon the wives of Prophet (peace be upon him). They (the people) counted him among those who were free of sexual desires. One day the Prophet (peace be upon him) entered upon us when he was with one of his wives, and was describing the qualities of a woman, saying: When she comes forward, she comes forward with four (folds in her stomach), and when she goes backward, she goes backward with eight (folds in her stomach). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Do I not see that this (man) knows what here lies. Then they (the wives) observed veil from him. }} | ||
====Evaluating the "Protection" Claim==== | ====Evaluating the "Protection" Claim==== | ||
Given that these verses were revealed after Umar spied on Muhammad's wives while they were going to the toilet, and that Muhammad told women to wear the veil even in the presence of a eunuch, one may conclude that the veil is only intended to prevent men from evaluating the physical attributes of females. Since eunuchs have no sexual desire, the claim that it is to prevent sexual molestation and not just gossip/verbal harassment appears scripturally incorrect. | Given that these verses were revealed after Umar spied on Muhammad's wives while they were going to the toilet, and that Muhammad told women to wear the veil even in the presence of a eunuch, one may conclude that the veil is only intended to prevent men from evaluating the physical attributes of females. Since eunuchs have no sexual desire, the claim that it is to prevent sexual molestation and not just gossip/verbal harassment appears scripturally incorrect. | ||
That women in Islamic societies suffer from endemic harassment seems to further problematize this line of reasoning (e.g. in | That women in Islamic societies suffer from endemic harassment seems to further problematize this line of reasoning (e.g. in Egypt where women and young girls are harassed 7 times every 200 meters<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.ghanamedianews.com/us/sports/item/1072-egypt’s-ncw-chief-says-women-harassed-7-times-every-200-meters.html|2=2012-12-31}} Egypt’s NCW chief says women harassed 7 times every 200 meters] - GhanaMed, September 6, 2012</ref><ref>Manar Ammar - [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.bikyamasr.com/77158/sexual-harassment-and-pedophilia-await-egyptian-girls-outside-schools/|2=2012-09-14}} Sexual harassment awaits Egyptian girls outside schools] - Bikya Masr, September 10, 2012</ref> or in Saudi Arabia where the observance of hijab is strictly enforced but the country still has one of the highest [[rape]] scales in the world<ref>{{cite web|url= http://womanstats.wordpress.com/2013/01/16/the-high-rape-scale-in-saudi-arabia/|title= The High Rape-Scale in Saudi Arabia|publisher= WomanStats Project (blog)|author= |date= January 16, 2013|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomanstats.wordpress.com%2F2013%2F01%2F16%2Fthe-high-rape-scale-in-saudi-arabia%2F&date=2013-07-13|deadurl=no}}</ref>). | ||
==Different Types of Veiling== | ==Different Types of Veiling== | ||
There are other ahadith that talk of the 'verses of al-hijab' but these are concerning a [[Sex Segregation in Islam|different type of hijab]] | There are other ahadith that talk of the 'verses of al-hijab' but these are concerning a [[Sex Segregation in Islam|different type of hijab]] with a different set of reported revelational circumstances. | ||
{{quote |{{Bukhari|6|60|314}}|Narrated Anas bin Malik: | {{quote |{{Bukhari|6|60|314}}|Narrated Anas bin Malik: | ||
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that he was a boy of ten at the time when the Prophet emigrated to Medina. He added: I served Allah's Apostle for ten years (the last part of his life time) and I know more than the people about the occasion whereupon the order of Al-Hijab was revealed (to the Prophet). Ubai b n Ka'b used to ask me about it. It was revealed (for the first time) during the marriage of Allah's Apostle with Zainab bint Jahsh. In the morning, the Prophet was a bride-groom of her and he Invited the people, who took their meals and went away, but a group of them remained with Allah's Apostle and they prolonged their stay. Allah's Apostle got up and went out, and I too, went out along with him till he came to the lintel of 'Aisha's dwelling place. Allah's Apostle thought that those people had left by then, so he returned, and I too, returned with him till he entered upon Zainab and found that they were still sitting there and had not yet gone. The Prophet went out again, and so did I with him till he reached the lintel of 'Aisha's dwelling place, and then he thought that those people must have left by then, so he returned, and so did I with him, and found those people had gone.''' At that time the Divine Verse of Al-Hijab was revealed, and the Prophet set a screen between me and him (his family).''' }} | that he was a boy of ten at the time when the Prophet emigrated to Medina. He added: I served Allah's Apostle for ten years (the last part of his life time) and I know more than the people about the occasion whereupon the order of Al-Hijab was revealed (to the Prophet). Ubai b n Ka'b used to ask me about it. It was revealed (for the first time) during the marriage of Allah's Apostle with Zainab bint Jahsh. In the morning, the Prophet was a bride-groom of her and he Invited the people, who took their meals and went away, but a group of them remained with Allah's Apostle and they prolonged their stay. Allah's Apostle got up and went out, and I too, went out along with him till he came to the lintel of 'Aisha's dwelling place. Allah's Apostle thought that those people had left by then, so he returned, and I too, returned with him till he entered upon Zainab and found that they were still sitting there and had not yet gone. The Prophet went out again, and so did I with him till he reached the lintel of 'Aisha's dwelling place, and then he thought that those people must have left by then, so he returned, and so did I with him, and found those people had gone.''' At that time the Divine Verse of Al-Hijab was revealed, and the Prophet set a screen between me and him (his family).''' }} | ||
In addition to the personal hijab, a 'house hijab' is also required to separate the women of the house from visitors; in the form of a separating, opaque screen. This was also a situational revelation. Muhammad was annoyed that people stayed and chatted with his wives after having dinner at his house, so Allah revealed a verse requiring a separation. | |||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
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{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Women]] | ||
[[Category:Islamic Law]] | [[Category:Shariah (Islamic Law)]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Hijab]] | ||
[[Category:Honor violence]] | |||
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]] | |||
[[Category:Human rights]] | |||