Women's Hijab In Accordance with The Qur'an and Sunnah (1/3)

This essay will attempt to briefly yet concisely enumerate the basic requirements regarding Muslim women's dress (Hijab) as stipulated by the Sharee'ah of Islam. The term Hijab, itself includes not only dress and covering the body, but methods of behavior before members of the same and/or opposite sex, promoting privacy  for  females  and  prohibiting  loose  intermingling  between  males  and  females,  and  thereby encouraging modesty, decency, and chastity.

Minor differences exist among the scholars regarding the actual number of the requirements because of varying methods used by them in codifying such. The ones mentioned here represent the ones agreed upon by the overwhelming majority of scholars and are all solidly backed by firm evidence taken from the Qur’an, the Sunnah and the practice of the Sahaabah (radiallahu ‘anhum).

1) The Extent of Covering

The dress worn in public must cover the entire body except what has been specifically excluded, based upon the following proofs:

Allah Ta'ala says: “And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private pans from sin and not show off their adornment (Zeenah) except only that which is apparent, and draw their head covers (Khumur) over their necks and bosoms and not reveal their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women (i.e., their sisters in Islam), or their female slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants free of physical desires, or small children who have no sense of women's nakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn unto Allah altogether, 0 you Believers, in order that you may attain success.” [Surah An-Noor: 31]

The word zeenah in the Aayah above, literally means 'adornment', and includes both (a) that which Allah has  adorned,  i.e.,  the  woman's  natural  and/or  physical  beauty,  and  (b)  that  with  which  they  adorn themselves, i.e., jewelry, eye shadow, attractive clothing, hand dye, etc. Soorah An-Noor spells out specifically the commands concerning the fact that a woman's natural beauty and her adornments are to be concealed from strangers except by: (1) What may show due to accidental or uncontrollable factors such as the blowing of the wind, etc., and (2) What has been exempted (see explanation at end of this section).

Allah also says: “O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters the women of the believers to draw their out garments (jalaabeeb) about themselves (when they go out). That is better so that they may be recognized and not molested. And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” [Surah Al-Ahzaab: 59)

Abu Dawood narrates that 'Aaishah (radiallahu 'anhaa) said Asmaa' the daughter of Abu Bakr (radiallahu 'anhumaa) came to see the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) wearing a thin dress; Rasoolullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) turned away from her and said: “O Asmaa', once a woman reaches the age menstruation, no part of her body should be seen but this” - and he pointed to his face and hands.

The word Khumur (pl. of Khimaar) refers to a cloth which covers the head (including the ears), hair, neck and bosom. The esteemed Mufassir (Qur’anic interpreter) Al-Qurtubee explained: Women in the past used to cover their heads with Khimaar, throwing its ends over their backs. Thus leaving the neck and the upper part of the chest bare, in manner of the Christians. Then Allah commanded them to cover those parts with the Khimaar.

Allah states further in this Aayah: “And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment...”

The women in the time of the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) wore anklets which could employed to attract attention by stamping their feet thereby making the anklets tinkle. This practice is not only forbidden by Allah, but moreover, shows that the legs and ankles are to be covered as well.

Some of modern day scholars are of the mistaken view that a woman can display her feet, a portion of her forearms and her ears; yet there is no authentic proof from the practice of the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) or Sahaabah to uphold such a view.

Amongst the authentic Ahadeeth which clarify this point is the following: lbn 'Umar (radiallahu 'anhu) reported that Rasool-Allah (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: “On the Day of Resurrection Allah will not look at the man who trails his garment along out of pride.” Umm Salamah then asked: What should women do with (the hems of) her garment? He replied: “Let them lower them a handspan.” She said: Their feet would be exposed! He then said: “Let them lower them a forearm's length but no more.” [Reported by At-Tabarani-Saheeh).

The Aayah of Soorah An-Noor also lists in detail those with whom a woman is permitted to be more at ease. Furthermore, the ayah from Soorah Al-Ahzaab orders Muslim women to draw their outer garments about themselves when they go out.

Abu Dawood related that 'Aaishah (radiallahu 'anhaa) said: After this Aayah was revealed the women of the Ansaar appeared like crows (because of the color and shape of the cloaks they wore). Hence, an outer garment or cloak must be worn by a Muslim woman whenever she goes out in public or if she is presence of strangers within her own home or the home of a close relative. Slight differences have arisen among the scholars concerning the precise meaning of “...except that which is apparent...” from Soorah An-Noor which according to Ibn 'Abbaas (radiallahu 'anhu), includes 'the face and the two hands, and rings.' This view is shared by Ibn 'Umar, 'Ata'a, and others from the Tabi'een. [Tafseer Ibn Katheer] Also, Imaam Ash-Showkani states concerning this same ayaah, that it includes: "The dress, the face, and the two hands"; Ibn 'Abbaas and Qataadah have stated "The adornments include eye shadow (Kuhul), bracelets, hand dye, and rings, and it is not permissible for women to (uncover) them." [Reported by Fath Al-Qadeer]

The major point of difference among the scholars concerns the hadeeth of Asmaa’ (radiallahu 'anhaa) i.e., that the face and hands need not be covered; a number of the scholars have maintained that the face and hands must also be covered, because it was the practice of the wives of the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) and the wives of the Sahaabah to cover themselves completely according to authentic Ahadeeth. The above point has been a topic of debate amongst the scholars both past and present and will be dealt with, Insha' Allah at the end of this essay.

(Continued)