Question:
Why
does Islam degrade women by keeping them behind the veil?
Answer:
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: a. 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. b. 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. c. 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. d. Egyptian
Civilization: The Egyptian considered women evil and as a sign of a devil. e.
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 mentions in Surah Noor:
“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.” [Al-Qur’an 24:30]
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.
The
next verse of Surah Noor, 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 veils over their bosoms
and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their
husbands’ fathers, their sons...”
[Al-Qur’an
24:31]
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’. 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 behaviour among other things
Complete
‘hijab’, besides the six criteria of clothing, also includes the moral conduct,
behaviour, 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 Surah Al-Ahzab:
“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 (as such) and not molested. And Allah is
Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
[Al-Qur’an
33:59]
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 say that
Islam is a ruthless, barbaric religion! I have asked a simple question to hundreds
of non-Muslim men. Suppose, God 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 I 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 honour. 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 marketeers, hidden behind
the colourful 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 an 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.
