Benefits of Hijab (head cover to the waist)

Allah (Glory be to Him) ordained Hijab on believing women as a covering to their entire bodies and adornment before marriageable men. Whoever wears it shall be rewarded, but whoever abandons it shall be punished. Therefore, abandoning it is one of the major sins that lead to other major sins such as: Deliberately showing parts of the body, deliberately showing part of their adornment, and trying to seduce others.[1] In addition to other bad consequences due to not wearing Hijab.

Hijab has great benefits and major interests, of which are:

First, Hijab is an act of obedience to Allah and His Messenger:

That is because Allah and His Messenger commanded women to wear Hijab. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allâh and His Messenger (peace be upon him) have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allâh and His Messenger (peace be upon him), he has indeed strayed into a plain error." [Surat Al Ahzab: 36].

Allah (Exalted be He) says: "O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e. screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way)." [Surat Al Ahzab: 59].

Wearing Hijab represents the absolute submission to the Shari`ah of Allah (Glory be to Him). This Shari`ah leads a Muslim woman and controls her behavior, and a Muslim woman is full convinced with this Shari`ah and feels safe and secure under its umbrella, and she accepts it easily and leniently.

Second, Hijab is a part of faith:

Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "And say to the believing women." [Surat An-Nur: 31]. He also said: "And the women of the believers." [Surat Al Ahzab: 59]. So, the address here is for believing women as if the believing women are the true believers who obey their Lord.

Third, Hijab is a purification to the heart of men and women:

Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "And when you ask (his wives) for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen, that is purer for your hearts and for their hearts." [Surat Al Ahzab: 53]. The Ayah contains a command from Allah to the believers when asking for something from the Prophet's wives, they should ask them from behind a barrier, and explained the cause for this which is to purify their hearts and keep away from suspicion and ill-thoughts.

The ruling of wearing Hijab goes also to all believing women exactly as it goes for the Mothers of the believers because Allah says: "That is purer for your hearts and for their hearts." This general cause indicates the generality of the ruling because all men and women in every time and place are in dire need to things that purify their hearts. Therefore, the Ayah contains a clear evidence to the obligation of Hijab on all women, not only the Mothers of the believers even if the address is directed to them.[2]

Fourth, Hijab is a sign of chaste women :

Hijab is a legitimate sign to the chastity and honor of women against doubt and suspicion: "That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allâh is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." [Surat Al Ahzab: 59]. The uprightness of the outward is a proof to the uprightness of the inward, and chastity is the crown of women that increases their beauty and happiness.[3]

The Ayah commands all women to cover themselves and be chaste because taking a shield in chastity does not expose women to any harm unlike the case of women who expose their beauty and adornment, particularly from weak-faith people .

Fifth, Hijab is a kind of shyness:

Haya' (shyness) is derived from Hayah (life), so there is no life without it. It is one of Allah's Creations which He instilled in the souls which He willed to honor and protect against vices. It is one of the characteristics of the natural dispositions and the manners of Islam. Shyness is one of the branches of faith that are praised by Arabs and to which Islam calls. `Antarah Al `Absy said: I lower my gaze when I see my female neighbor...until my female neighbor goes away and takes a cover.

Hijab is an effective means for protecting shyness, and not wearing Hijab is an exposition to shyness,[4] boldness to familiar matters, and a door of seditions and chaos .

Sixth, Hijab is in harmony with jealousy :

Hijab is in harmony with jealousy which Allah instilled in man. Jealousy is an instinct that extracts its power from the soul, whereas "freeing oneself from constrains" extracts its power from lusts, so the first urges to Hijab, whereas the second urges to unveiling.

Jealousy is one of the features of honoring man when he has the instinct to protect women from any harm, as it is part of manners of Islam.[5]

Jealousy has settled in the souls of Arabs in the Pre-Islamic Era because they considered jealousy one of the sublime manners. A man from the Pre-Islamic period once was walking along with his wife. So, a man looked at her and she looked at him. At once, the man divorced his wife, and when she asked him about the reason, he said these two verses :

When flies fall on a food ,

I stop eating while desiring it .

Lions avoid drinking from water

when dogs drink from it .

That man lived in the Pre-Islamic Era but he had jealousy. Men always become jealous when other men look at their wives, but they get jealous a hundred times when their wives look at other men.

It was reported from Sa`d ibn Mu`adh that he was very jealous. It was said that once he married an Ansari woman and carried her on a horse, and when he arrived home, he slaughtered the horse; do you know why? So as no man would ride the horse which his wife rode[6].

Seventh, Hijab calls to honorable manners :

Hijab calls to good manners, chastity, shyness, and jealousy as it calls to protect women from vices, exposing their adornment, lewdness, and corruption .

Eighth, Hijab cuts ambitions and satanic insinuations :

Hijab is a social protection from harm and heart diseases of men and women to cut lustful ambitions, stop disloyal people, and push away the harm of man's and woman's honor, removing doubt and suspicion and other satanic insinuations[7].

                   

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[1] Guarding virtues: Bakr Abu Zayd (p. 70).

[2]See: Tafsir Al Wasit of the Glorious Qur'an, Dr. Sayyid Tantawy (11/239).

[3] Guarding virtues: Bakr Abu Zayd (p. 71).

[4] Guarding virtues (p. 72).

[5] For more details, check the book of the return of Hijab, Muhammad Isma`il Al Muqaddam (3/113) and the next pages

[6] Here are to, O women who were Niqab (veil) (p. 63).

[7] Guarding virtues: Bakr Abu Zayd (p. 71).