The Power of Hijab

The Power of Hijab
As we know Islam requires that both men and women dress modestly when they go out into society and interact with other men and women. Women are required to cover their whole body with the exception of the face, hands and feet. Almighty Allah says: Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their sexuality; that is purer for them. Indeed God is aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their sexuality and to display of their adornment only what is apparent, and to draw their head-coverings over their bosoms (24:30). This verse in the Qur’an strongly indicates that both men and women are also required to behave respectfully and modestly with each other. A very common question about hijaab is ‘does it restrict the movement and participation of women in society?’ A reply to this is that it certainly does not. Dressing modestly is intended to facilitate the participation of women in society by actually removing a major obstacle in their way and that is the misuse and exploitation of their beauty and sexuality.

About a year ago I saw a documentary on TV which revealed startling statistics for women who were sexually harassed in the workplace in the city of London by their male counterparts and in some cases even their boss. Some women were forced to leave their work because of the extent of this problem causing them immense psychological pain. The sexual harassment included humiliating comments about their bodies, disgusting and vilifying comments about their personal lives and at one time looking up the skirt of a woman (!). These women were young, attractive and did indeed dress to impress, i.e. they did not cover their beauty or adornments. What I concluded from watching this documentary was that what was restricting these women from working and participating in society was the exposure of their outer beauty and sexuality, the very thing that Muslim women hide with their hijaab. By displaying their adornment these women exposed their beauty and their sexuality to crude and humiliating comments and behaviour which resulted in some of them being forced to leave the public arena. While watching the programme the words of our Almighty Allah sprung to mind. O Prophet tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments around them (when they go out or are among men). That is better, in order that they may be understood (to be Muslims) and not annoyed (33:59) SubhanAllah! What beautiful and powerful words of advice!

When a Muslim Woman in hijab has contact with men in society she is in full command of her body. Her beauty/sexuality is hidden from view and her mind and her inner qualities are exposed instead. A man’s attention is naturally directed towards her thoughts, her ideas and her words and not towards her body. Her attire also sends out a message that she is a chaste, modest and pure woman and that she does not want her sexuality to enter into the interaction in the slightest degree. Her business-like, non-attracting kind of dress which brings out her femininity while concealing her sexuality, and with correspondingly straight forward behaviour, automatically elicits and receives the respect of men. Due to her modest dress and the propriety of her manner and behaviour, men can regard and treat her as a person, not a sexual object; that is, her value to the society has no relationship to her physical attractions but solely to her worth as a human being. Today a vast number of Muslim women around the world can testify to the fact that their hijaab has no impediment to their movement and work outside the home. High school, university students, teachers, doctors and others who hold important and responsible positions have voluntarily adopted the Islamic dress. In short the Muslim woman’s modest attire protects her from the sexual interest and improper looks and behaviour of men which can be humiliating, insulting and actually a massive impediment itself for any woman interacting in public life. Glory be to God who has protected and elevated the Muslim woman and given her ease in every area of life.

By Sumra Faisal