Dressed But Naked

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

We, human beings, must distinguish ourselves from animals by decent and disciplined behavior and by covering our bodies. But how many of us take this life with the seriousness it deserves and have the kind of shyness of that of a virgin girl behind her veil?

Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:

وعن أبي سعيد الخدري رضي الله عنه، قال‏:‏ كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أشد حياء من العذراء في خدرها، فإذا رأى شيئياً يكرهه عرفناه في وجهه‏.‏ ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏ ‏.‏

Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) was even shier than a virgin behind her veil. When he saw something which he disliked, we could perceive it on his face. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said,

There are two categories among the people of the Fire that I have not seen: a people who have whips like the tails of cattle with which they beat people, and women who are both dressed and naked, who are deviant and make others deviant. Their heads resemble the humps of Bactrian camels. They will not enter the Garden nor even smell its scent, and its scent can be discerned at such-and-such a distance.

[Muslim]

The meaning of "dressed" is having Allah's blessing and "naked" is lacking thankfulness for it. It is said that it means that they cover part of their body and expose part of it to display their beauty. It is said that they wear thin garments which show the body, "Deviant" means that they decline to obey Allah and what they are commanded to guard. "Making others deviant" means that they teach others to behave like them. It is said that "deviant" actually means to walk in a conceited manner, swinging the shoulders. It is also said that it refers to hairstyle used by prostitutes. "Their heads resemble the humps of Bactrian camels" refers to making them large by turbans and the like."

If you walk around with form fitting clothing or tight pants or see through or scanty clothing, almost naked, (even if you have your headcover), what do you think you are doing to men around you? Do you think they don't look and don't start imagining things? You are definitely opening the doors to Shaytan.

Don't be mistaken that tight clothing is enough to cover your nakedness (awrah)- it only covers your skin but people can see the shape of certain parts or all of your body that you must not show. Are you not amazed at husbands who allow their wives to walk around in public with their shapes or skin up to their thighs showing? Do they not have the sense of jealousy towards other men who can see what is supposed to be exclusively for them?

Women may not look at men for the same reason as men look at women, but men also must be modest in their clothing and appearance. Being too religious looking can also be a problem because some women are very much attracted to religious men. Tight pants and showing the shape of certain parts or all of your body or showing chest hair is not modest.

Picture a man wearing a tank top and shorts (even if he wears the shorts up to below the knees), walking with his wife who is in full hijab (perhaps all black and with niqab), under the hot sun. Don't you see this as strange? Even though this man has enough to cover his nakedness in Shari'ah, but what is stopping him from covering beyond the limits by wearing long sleeves shirt and loose long pants--he should give her moral support by covering more. If the woman is strong enough to endure the discomfort of the heat and the sweat, the man should be chivalrous and strong enough to cover his whole body. After all, men are protectors and maintainers of women as described in the Qur'an.

الرِّجَالُ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ اللَّـهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَبِمَا أَنفَقُوا مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ

Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support them) from their means.

[Qur'an An-Nisa 4:34]

Women are tests for men and men are tests for women, not because they are bad necessarily but because we are created to have this physical attraction for the opposite gender. Both men and women thus have a duty to help each other from transgressing the limits of Allah by covering themselves properly.

Allah, Exalted is He, lays down the principle of the law of modesty (haya'). Haya' is not just for women but also for men.

وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ ۖ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَائِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَائِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي أَخَوَاتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَائِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ أَوِ التَّابِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُولِي الْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ أَوِ الطِّفْلِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا عَلَىٰ عَوْرَاتِ النِّسَاءِ ۖ وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّ ۚ وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّـهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٣١

Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do. (30) And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, their brothers' sons, their sisters' sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed. (31)

[Qur'an An-Nur 24:30]

May Allah grant us haya' and save us from the trials of this life and the next. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.

And Allah knows best and He alone grants success.

Wassalaam