Hijab

In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
Assalamualaikum

Disclaimer: I don't think that a muslim sister, or any other women for that matter, should be reduced to what she wears, or what she doesn't wear. As cliche as it may sound, we should learn to see people beyond how they appear.

A 'non hijab wearing' sister should not be viewed as 'less muslim', than compared to another sister who wears the hijab. A 'hippie and fashionable-hijab wearing' sister should also not be viewed as 'less muslim', than compared to another sister who wears the 'long hijab/jilbab/niqab etc'.

Having said that though, I do still believe that ultimately, a muslim woman is obligated to cover herself properly, just as it is also an obligation for the muslim men, to cover himself properly. I do not accept the act of not wearing the hijab, but I do accept the person as my sister in Islam, and regard her as a part of the Muslim Ummah. Insyaallah.

Our understanding of Hijab comes from two verses of the Qur'an.

"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 husband's fathers, their sons, their husband's sons, their brothers, their brother's sons, their sister's 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." [Surah An-Nur ayat 31]

"O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close around them. That will be better so that they may be recognised and not annoyed. Allah is Most Forgiving, and Merciful. [Surah Al-Ahzab, ayat 59]

These, are the evidences for hijab. As to what form it takes, keep it mind that it varies from one local culture, to another (yet at the same time, it fulfills the basic requirements of wearing the hijab). It is heart warming to note that more muslim sisters are embracing the hijab. Subhanallah at that, really. 

The hijab has transformed into more than just a piece of cloth. It has become universal, and now, hijab even has it's place in the fashion industry. Masyaallah. 

With the rise of hijab fashion, it has attracted some of our Muslim sisters, to dress themselves up in a way that is chic, and trendy. Now, there is honestly nothing wrong with that. Personal grooming is necessary, but it must done in a way that is syari'e appropriate. To achieve that, careful considerations must be made, before one decides to follow a fashion trend. 

The act of putting on the hijab could go wrong, with excessive styling (for the purpose of 'showing-off her beauty to others). This is known as, tabarruj. However, one should not be too quick to judge and accuse a sister for 'showing-off', the moment he/she sees a sister with a chic hijab style. But unfortunately,  this is the reality of what that is happening today. Sisters, have become quick to criticize another sister (openly, and give harsh comments), for not wearing the hijab syari'e appropriately. And the internet allows for instant critiques and condemnations like these, to occur easily.

A sister who posted an image/video of herself (with a chic hijab style) on Instagram or Youtube, is most likely to get comments like: 

"Sister, this is haraam. you should not display your beauty free for all to see."

"Sister, this is haraam. The hijab you are wearing is not long enough !@#$%."

"Sister, there is too much make-up on your face. This is haraam, for Islam prohibits tabarruj." 

"Sister, astaghfirullah! Tabarruj! You're a filth and a disgrace to our Ummah!"

And this, should stop. 

Has it ever occurred to you that perhaps, the sister in the video/picture may still be new to Islam and have not fully understand/grasp the right concept of hijab? Giving harsh comments to this sister openly will only hurt her, embarrass her, and this may even cause her to stray further away from Islam. A proper way to direct this sister would be through the form of giving naseehah (sincere advice).

Giving naseehah to our brothers and sisters in Islam is a duty on all Muslims. But how can we ensure that the results of our naseehah will give a positive impact?

The Prophet Muhammd s.a.w said: "The religion is naseehah."

The people asked: "to whom?"

The Prophet Muhammad s.a.w replied: "To Allah, and to His Book, and to His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims, and the common folk." [Collected by Bukhari and Muslim]

From here, we know that naseehah is an effective weapon. But like most weapons, if not used properly, it can cause more harm than good. And what Islam does, to ensure the effectiveness of this weapon is that it teaches us the etiquettes on giving naseehah, and they are: 

Etiquettes of giving Naseehah:

1. Purify your intentions

2. Give naseeha in secret. 

3. Naseehah to be given with kindness, gentleness, and softness. 

4. Do not compel others to follow one's naseehah.

5. Choose a proper time to give naseehah.

For a more detailed explanation, visit: http://www.akronmasjid.com/how-to-give-naseehah/

So yep, do just that. Especially, point number 2, and 4. Be mindful when giving naseehah. A sister who has already gained a deep/firm understanding of the Deen needs to know that the process of change takes time. Remember, we were once jahil too, and it was with Allah's mercy that we are, who we are today; a better Muslim than yesterday.

Moving on...

What then, constitutes a 'good hijab' style?
Ustazah Zaynab Ansari, SunniPath Academy Teacher answered:

"The clothing used to cover the body should be opaque, and loose-fitting. In other words, the color of the skin and the contours of the body should not show through the clothing. The head should be covered with some form of a khimar (head veil). The khimar should cover the hair, neck, ears, and bosom. Furthermore, women should not make themselves up or use perfume when they go out. Using makeup and perfume would defeat the whole purpose of hijab,"

"As to what fabrics, colors, or styles of clothing to use, that is entirely up to you. For as long as you have satisfied the above mentioned basic requirements. As far as color is concerned, a lot of that is cultural. While wearing black in the Arab world is customary, in Africa and Southeast Asia, it is customary to be colorful and this will not be considered inappropriate. Diversity, is one of the strengths of the Ummah. It is not right, for people to tell you that if you wear a black hijab, your hijab is good. But if you wear a hijab with flowers on it, your hijab is bad. As long as you are modest, and have not dressed in a way that will attract attention to yourself, you are fine. You can tell, and you know it best if you are wearing something that is showy or flashy. Use discretion, insyaallah."

And that sums up, everything that needs to be said. The hijab can take many forms, all of which when done right, insyaallah are beautiful in their own right.

The soul still seeking for peace, 
Suhaidah Amran