In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Wishing you a blessed Friday. Let's read Surah Kahf today and realize the great virtues of reciting Surah Kahf.
I once was, like many of you, didn't wear hijab until much later in life, due to ignorance. May Allah accept our repentance. Alhamdulillah I came across this hadith about 24 years ago as I was reading a book about halal and haraam to my young children and I put on my hijab the same day.
Asma’ bint Abi Bakr entered upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) wearing a thin dress. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) turned away from her and said, “O Asma’, when a woman reaches the age of puberty, nothing should be seen of her except this and this” – and he pointed to his face and hands.
Today, hijab is no longer a mystery and practically everybody (even non Muslims) know that hijab is obligatory on Muslim women -- whether they wear it or not, whether they wear it properly or not, that is a different story.
As people become more and more aware of the teachings of Islam, we find more and more women wearing Niqab (face veil) also. Where does this understanding come from?
As for the Qur’an’s affirmation of Niqab, in Surah Al-Ahzab, Allah Almighty says to His Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace),
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ قُل لِّأَزْوَٰجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَآءِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَـٰبِيبِهِنَّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰٓ أَن يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًۭا رَّحِيمًا ﴿٥٩[Qur'an, Al-Ahzab 33:59]
O Prophet! Say to your wives, your daughters and the believing women that they should draw their outer garments over their full persons. That is more fitting in order that they are recognized and therefore not harassed. And Allah is forgiving, merciful.
This phrase in the verse, ...that they should draw their outer garments over their full persons, is explained as meaning the believing women should cover their faces.
That understanding about Niqab has been related by the overwhelming majority of Sunni commentators. For example, Imam Tabari relates in his expansive commentary on the Qur’an:
Allah, may His remembrance be exalted, is saying to His Prophet, peace and blessings upon him, ‘O Prophet! Say to your wives, your daughters and the believing women they should not resemble the female servants in their dress when they emerge from their houses for various needs. [Those servants] expose their hair and their faces. Rather, [the believing women] should draw their outer garments over their full person.
He proceeds to relate numerous narrations demonstrating the various ways the outer garment may be drawn over the face. For example, he narrates that Ibn Sirrin asked ‘Ubaydah about the verse in question (Qur'an, Al-Ahzab 33:59]. The latter grabbed his garment and covered his head and face. In addition to Imam Tabari, many other Qur’anic exegetes mention this verse as meaning a woman should cover her face in public.
The Tradition (Sunna) of Muhammad, peace and blessings upon him, includes actions done in his presence that he did not disapprove of. If we consider the many narrations concerning the believing women covering their faces after the revelation of the verse we have been discussing (Qur'an, Al-Ahzab 33:59) it is obvious that this was a widespread if not universal practice among the believing women during the prophetic epoch. The Prophet, peace and blessings upon him, was never known to discourage that practice outside of prayer and pilgrimage.
The fact that he prohibited the believing women from covering their faces during the prayer and the pilgrimage strengthens the argument that face covering was widespread at the time. Were that not the case, there would have been no need to prohibit the practice while engaging in those acts of worship.
The exegetical understanding that believing women should cover their faces in public is reflected in the rulings of most jurists adhering to the Shafi’i and Hanbali juridical schools. They incline towards the understanding conveyed in the verse we have just discussed (Qur'an, Al-Ahzab 33:59). The Maliki and Hanafi jurists incline towards the understanding conveyed by another verse in the Qur’an, which states, “…they (the believing women) should not display their beauty except what normally is manifested (Qur'an, An-Nur 24:31).”Most commentators on this verse explain the expression “what is normally manifested” as meaning the face and the hands.
Hence, the Maliki and Hanafi jurists opine that the face and hands can usually be manifested in public, unless there is fear that a woman’s exceptional beauty will lead to her being harassed, in which case she should cover her face when outside of the home. The Ja’faris and Zaydis among the Shiites, and all of the Sunni schools, with the exception of a small group of Hanbalis, agree that the face of a believing woman is not part of her body that is sinful to display publicly (‘Awra).
They argue that were that the case, she would not be enjoined to display her face during prayer, the pilgrimage or during those human interactions that demand her identification. However, as mentioned above, the Shafi’i and Hanbali schools hold that it is from the rules of normal public decorum, affirmed by Qur’anic decree, that a woman covers her face in public.
On the basis of the various proofs from the Qur’an, the Prophetic tradition and the rulings of Muslim scholars during the broad expanse of Muslim history, it has generally been the common practice of believing women in most urban settings to cover their faces in public. This has been especially true among the religiously educated elite. Women in rural settings, especially those engaged in more strenuous degrees of manual labor, such as working in fields, have generally displayed their faces in public.
The diversity of legitimate opinions to be found in most areas of Muslim teachings is a source of mercy for the community. Each and every believer has the right to find his or her comfort zone. However, people of ihsan (excellence) don't stop at their comfort zone and they don't just do ordinary things. They go much beyond.
In Surat Ar-Rahman, the most frequent rhetorical question asked is, “then which of the favors of your Lord will you deny?” which is asked 31 times out of a total of 78 verses. However, stuck in between 2 of these 31 rhetorical questions is another, more subtle, yet incredibly powerful ayah. It reads, “Is there any reward for ihsan except ihsan?”
This rhetorical question is amazing on myriad levels. There are at least three levels of meaning for this rhetorical question:
(1) Those who sincerely strive in Allah’s Cause and attain ihsan in both their worship and their everyday activities will be rewarded for this excellence by being blessed by Allah with the sweetness of faith. They will be some of the few people who have walked the face of the earth and tasted this level of faith. God-consciousness will be continuous, and everything these few do will be geared for a higher purpose. They will have attained ihsan and in return, they will feel ihsan in their hearts.
(2) Those who sincerely strive in Allah’s Cause and attain ihsan in both their worship and their everyday activities will be rewarded for this excellence by being blessed by Allah with success in this dunya. This can be seen in our history, in our Golden Age. The Muslims of that time attained ihsan in their rituals and in their other activities. Allah rewarded this ihsan with ihsan – the excellence in this dunya that we read about – the amazing art, architecture, philosophy, medical advances, etc.
(3) Those who sincerely strive in Allah’s Cause and attain ihsan in both their worship and their everyday activities will be rewarded for this excellence by being blessed by Allah with the ultimate success, the ultimate ihsan – that of Paradise in the Hereafter.
So in summary, that one little rhetorical device in 55:60 is hidden, but it packs a huge punch. Those who realize the value of ihsan, who reach and strive and work for ihsan, who nourish their roots and groom their trunk in order to bear plentiful, amazing fruit will be rewarded with Allah’s forms of ihsan – the sweetness of faith, success in the dunya, and the ultimate success in the next eternal life.
So how does this relate to Niqab? We realize that this is our opportunity for ihsan. That this is another opportunity for us to make our intentions for Allah, to please Him. That this is a chance for us to add something to our Life’s Book that Allah will open on the Day of Judgment and look upon us with joy and be proud of us.
As Yusuf al-Qaradawi has mentioned, 'Allah loves when one of you is given a task, that he or she does it in the most excellent manner.'
So when you put on your hijab, do it with ihsan. Don’t just “be,” don’t just get by, don’t just pass. Be EXCELLENT, strive for PERFECTION, be the BEST. The best is not showing your beauty to others except your husbands. How will you accomplish this if you show your face?
We are given just a few moments in this dunya. Each breath is a priceless jewel and when it passes it never returns….make this moment, this breath, this heart beat one that resounds with ihsan.
May Allah increase us in iman and grant us ihsan, and protect us against disobedience. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Reference: Seekershub.org
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