Purdah: It gives you freedom I

PURDAH MEANS MODESTY, CONFIDENCE, CHASTITY AND ABOVE ALL GUARDING THE WOMANHOOD WHICH SHE FINDS SO DEAR TO HER, WRITES

SAMINA YAQOOB
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2005

‘It is not befitting for a believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His Messenger, to have any option about their decision: if anyone disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong path. (Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:36)

Purdah is the practice that includes the privacy of women from public observation by wearing concealing clothing from head to toe. Purdah is practiced by Muslims and by various Hindus, especially in India. The limits imposed by this practice vary according to different countries and class levels. Generally, those women in the upper and middle class are more likely to practice all aspects of purdah because they can afford to not work outside the home.

Dress expresses identity, taste, income, regional patterns of trade, and the religiosity of its wearers. Dress and its use vary with regard to gender, age, marriage, status, geographical origin, occupation, and even political sentiment.

Purdah is a great dress. It gives women protection and an identity. It always gives woman immunity from staring by men. There is a great dignity and comfort in purdah.

Innocence is what the veil signifies. Purdah is an identity of the Muslim woman that distinguishes her. Unveiling is a violation of the Qurân and Hadith. It shows woman’s weaknesses in belief. It is a cause of temptation for men and women. It strips off her modesty that is an integral part of Faith as Prophet Muhammad said: “Modesty is a part of Faith” (Al-Bukhari)

Purdah probably developed in Persia and later spread to Middle Eastern lands. Purdah flourished in ancient Babylon.

No woman could go outside unless masked and chaperoned by a male from the family. Even parts of the household were separated as a practice of segregation. The ancient Assyrian women also had to remain inside behind curtains where darkness and little breeze prevailed. In the 7th century C.E., the Muslims adapted the idea of purdah to their religion. The Prophet Muhammad (saws) reintroduced the custom as part of the Islamic tenets of faith. As time went by the laws associated with purdah became more severe. During the British domination in India, the observance of purdah was very strictly adhered to and widespread among the Muslims.

“Good women”, says the Qurân, “are the obedient”. Muslim women are working in factories and offices and driving to supermarkets, and still perform Purdah. Wearing the hijab gives women freedom from constant attention to their physical self. Because their appearance is not subjected to public scrutiny, their beauty, or perhaps lack of it.

“No one looks twice or asks silly questions, because we are surrounded by various religious dress styles....” said a Muslim lady from America. “I wear the hijab, a scarf that covers my head, neck, and throat. I do this because I am a Muslim woman who believes her body is her own private concern”, said another Muslim lady.

“Put on the helmet of Hope; the breastplate of Righteousness, the sword of Prayer” - Greek Monastic Tonsure

A woman from North America says, “But, why would I, a woman with all the advantages of a North American upbringing, suddenly, at 21, want to cover myself so that with the hijab and the other clothes I choose to wear, only my face and hands show?” “Because it gives me freedom”.

The Qur’an teaches us that individuals should not be judged according to gender, beauty, wealth, or privilege.

The only thing that makes one person better than another is her or his character. Our society is really getting too immodest. Things are really much better for everyone when women dress more modestly.

But those who choose any religious form of dress should be respected, and each educated citizen should take the time and trouble to learn enough about Islam, so that they may understand and respect the Islamic woman with purdah.

External signs of our beliefs and traditions of any sort help us to constantly remember important spiritual truths and who we are in our moment to moment daily life, when we might otherwise so easily become distracted. Purdah corrects us sprititually.

As has been rightly said that, Purdah is a kind of safety. The body finds a place to hide.

The cloth fans out against the skin much like the earth that falls on coffins after they put dead men in.

In the Western world, the hijab has come to symbolize either forced silence or radical, unconscionable militancy. Actually, it’s neither. It is simply a woman’s assertion that judgment of her physical person is to play no role whatsoever in social interaction.

Purdah is not a barrier for women to venture into any field including media. Media is one of the powerful weapons in today’s info-tech world. It sets agenda, makes policies, moulds public opinion and propagates.

Gone are the days when a media man used to carry a plastic bag and a fountain pen, with no or little money in pocket, to report the day’s events. Today, media is a dignified profession. Education brings a change in our thinking and it opens new vistas for us and it pays. Women can work while wearing purdah and within social limits, girls in Muslim countries are a witness to it.

Some critics see purdah as an evil influence that has only suffocated the rights of women and perpetuated male chauvinism. Purdah is a very positive and respectful practice that actually liberates women. It is liberating because it brings about an aura of respect. Women are looked at as individuals who are judged not by their physical beauty but by their inner beauty and mind. By covering themselves, women are not looked at as sex objects that can be dominated. For the Muslims, purdah is an act of faith that entails the acts of honor, respect, and dignity.

Purdah stills remains an integral part of everyday life for some peoples and marks a part of their culture.
“Oh you who believe, enter the fold of Islam completely”.(Qurân, 2:208)

This is the command given by Allah (SWT) to those who have submitted to him (i.e., Muslims). Since the Muslims’ greatest desire is to attain the pleasure of our Creator, we must accept all of the rules and regulations prescribed by our Lord for He understands us best and He has given us the best possible system of life; a balanced system which satisfies us intellectually, spiritually, physically, and emotionally.

Once we truly accept the statement “La ilaha illallah mohammadur-rasoolallah” then we must accept all of the commandments such as Zakat, Saum, staying away from Haraam, eating Halal meat, etc. Similarly, we must follow the Islamic code of behavior and dress. The Muslim woman is required to cover-up in a specified manner.

--To be concluded

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It gives you freedom-II

Purdah may seem a fairly trivial matter to some and to others it may seem very difficult and even impossible. Although it should be an easy command to obey, the problem for many women is due to the fact that they are surrounded and influenced by Western thoughts and standards. The West presents numerous hurdles and barriers with the simplest being discomfort.

Women who cover-up receive not only stares and glances, but are also confronted with numerous questions. Keep in mind that although it is relatively more difficult to be mutbajibbah (covered-up) in this non-Islamic environment than if we were to cover-up in the various Muslim countries, Inshallah our reward will also be greater.

More importantly, to uncover ourselves and to propagate the Western image is not going to liberate us, instead it is hindering us from progressing intellectually and raising ourselves out of the miserable condition that we find the Muslim Ummah in today. Let us also remind ourselves that placing our preferences, opinions, desires, and conveniences above the commandments of Allah (SWT) puts us in His disfavor and we do not want to incur His wrath.

The First Requirement according to the Qurân and Hadith is that the entire body must be covered with the exception of those parts that are allowed to be exempted.

“Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty that will make for purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should not display their beauty andornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof, that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hand posses, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex, and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O you believers! Turn all toward Allah that you may attain in bliss”. (Qurân, 24:30-31)

These verses clearly define what is allowed to be displayed and in front of whom. The woman must cover-up in front of every human being other than those mentioned in the above ayahs.

The Second requirement is the Looseness. The dress should be loose enough so that it meets the requirements of the above verse.

Women are ordered to cover their bodies from head to toe. It is not permissible for them to expose their bodies to ghayr mahrams. However, it is permissible for an old woman to expose her face, palms, and feet below the ankles. It is not permissible for her to expose the rest of her body. At times the head covering falls off slightly and she goes in the presence of ghayr mahrams in this way.
This is not permissible. Not a single strand of hair should be exposed in the presence of ghayr mahrams. If a woman is not cautious in this regard, she will be sinful. Similarly, it is not permissible for a woman to allow any part of her body to touch any part of a man’s body. This rule applies to men as well.

It is not permissible for a young woman to stand in a place where she could be observed. We learn from this, that the custom of exposing the bride’s face in public where all the men can observe her is also not permissible. To do so is a major sin.

In the eyes of many Westerners the wearing of the veil confirms that women are oppressed. Western media is interested in Muslim women in Islamic countries. Veil is regarded as evidence of the Islamic fundamentalism. They claim that Muslim woman are traditional and backward and Westernised woman are modern.

The image of the Muslim woman is constantly reiterated as a subordinate figure suffering from religious oppression.

The veil, reclusion or marginalisation are the usual themes, symbols of both the relations and limitations of women in Islamic lands. The veil is a sign of mystery (in accordance with centuries-old Western stereotypes of exotic orientalism) or of submission and oppression (the traditionalist view of an anonymous, backward woman, subjugated by religious obligation). Victimisation of Muslim women is the basic mainstay of their image in communications media.

What Western media give us to understand is that the veiled woman carries out no responsibilities and has no professional affiliations. The reality is not only difficult for the West to accept, but is irritating, in so far as it fiercely contradicts long-held Western views.

Today, the veil “has become so ubiquitous that everyone seems to have formed an opinion about it. The various connotations it has, the many emotions it arouses, testify to its continuing, perhaps even growing, significance in the modern world”.

However, what has surprised the West is that from the thousands accepting Islam, most are women. The London Times claims that 75% of Americans accepting Islam are women and that the case in Britain is similar.

Although the general impression is that Western women wish to work shoulder to shoulder with men, the newly converted feel otherwise. They claim that the attraction for them in Islam was that it had chalked out different roles for men and women which are in accordance to the physical and biological make up of each of them. Many Western women have found that the woman has much more dignity and respect in Islam.

Muslim women belong to an Islamic mass of over one billion, which gives them psychological support. Muslim women generally have a strong religious faith, and do not feel amorphous and believe in themselves that reinforces their confidence. Many Muslim women consider themselves ‘special’ because they are Muslims.

Nevertheless, millions of Muslim women throughout the world are divided on the issue of wearing or not wearing the ‘veil’. Some demand the right to wear it; others demand the right to discard it, which makes interesting historical witness to global divisiveness of Muslim women on their religious dress style. Such divisiveness can be quite serious where Muslim women wish to wear the veil, such as Muslim students in Singapore and French multi-ethnic schools.

The Singapore and French governments demand that every student dress in the uniform of their school and dress without religious distinctions, irrespective of their religion. On the international level, the Sisters need to fight for their greater protection. The Sisters have supporters in high places. Some Muslim women have publicly condemned liberal Western culture, in which, women have considerable freedom virtually equal to men. Those women are weaker in belief and understanding.

Everybody understand that the first of the bodily parts that woman must cover is her face. It is the source of temptation and the source of people desiring her.

Therefore, the woman must cover her face in front of those men that are not Mahram (those that she is forbidden to marry). As for those who claim that the Islamic Hijab is to cover the head, shoulders, back, feet, skin and forearms while allowing her to uncover her face and hands, this is a very amazing claim. This is because it is well known that the source of temptation and looking is the face. How can one say that the Shari‘ah does not allow the exposure of the foot of woman while it allows her to uncover her face”.

The Qurân and sunnah markedly improved woman’s role and status relative to the pre-Islamic period by emphasizing the spiritual equality of women and men.

--Concluded

(The columnist is a Ph.D Scholar and can be contacted at samina@bigsteponline.com.)

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as-sallaamu-alaikum

i really don't have any issue with the veil - or niqaab. i also don't have any issue with loose fitting abayas and not standing around anywhere for men to gaze at you. i don't have any issue that a woman should do her best to guard her chastity. what i have an issue with, and i would really like to see the answer if anyone has it, is the statement that it is wajib to wear gloves - and - the other statement often made that it is haraam not to wear gloves. if you want to say mustahaab to wear gloves - i have never seen any proof from the Quran or sunnah for this - but ok then mustahaab. but to say it is haraam not to wear gloves or to make that which is halaal haraam, is in itself haraam. we might choose to wear gloves because we want to cover more, but i have never seen any daleel from the Quran or the authentic hadiths saying that wearing gloves or coverring the hands at all times when in front of non mahram men is even mustahaab or desired. so i take issue with someone saying that the person who wears gloves is gaining some extra blessing from Allah or getting some extra hasaanaat for doing this. there are many hadiths stating that we should not exceed the bounds set by Allah and the sunnah of the Prophet(saws). I can't tell you that wearing gloves is haraam, because there is no daleel for that. But for me to say that not wearing gloves is haraam and disobedience to Allah........ i have never seen the daleel for that.

then also there are multiple statements above praising the woman who remains in her house behind heavy curtains never leaving for any reason. there is also made mention that the upper classes don't have to leave the house to work so that they are in some way more pious than those poorer women who do have to leave the house? i really don't understand that. maybe because i am in the USA. it isn't that i wouldn't really love to stay in my house drinking tea and eating cookies all day and only leaving under the guarded protection of my husband - i would love that in this country where people spit at you wearing niqaab - BUT we have such a shortage of female muslim doctors, counselors, scholars, teachers, etc. here. I mean some of the woman regardless of social class and wealth need to get and education and have careers in these fields for the benefit of the other muslim women. I have never found a muslim female gynocologist. If I did I wouldn't be telling her how bad she was for having a career instead of staying behind her heavy dark curtains with little breeze.

the ulemah themselves differ over this matter. some of the ulemah say that niqaab is wajib and some say it is not wajib but prefered. I have not ever been able to find any proof that the hands have to be covered - much less that the hands have to be encased in gloves. i have never been able to find any hadith sahih or daef that tells of any of the sahabiyaat wearing gloves. if someone has seen a sahih hadith on this matter i would really appreciate to see that.

there are translated verses from the Quran listed in the second article above saying that this verse tells us what has to be covered up and in front of whome:
{“Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty that will make for purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should not display their beauty andornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof, that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hand posses, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex, and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O you believers! Turn all toward Allah that you may attain in bliss”. (Qurân, 24:30-31)

These verses clearly define what is allowed to be displayed and in front of whom. The woman must cover-up in front of every human being other than those mentioned in the above ayahs.}

can you tell me what tafsir of this verse tells anyone that the hands are to be covered?


also one last note: the first article clearly states that this way of dress was done by the hindus then adopted by the muslims. astaghfirullah! Islam does not imitate the kuffar in dress or otherwise. If purdah is some sort of dress initiated by the hindus and then we are copying that, then there is no benefit in that with the religion of Islam. Also the first article states that diferent classes get to wear diferent amounts of clothing according to their class and status and that the diferent ways of dress can indicate class status. This sounds alot like the caste system practiced in Indian and parts of pakistan. We don't base how much of our bodies we cover up on our caste- class status. there is also a quote in the first article about the “Put on the helmet of Hope; the breastplate of Righteousness, the sword of Prayer” - Greek Monastic Tonsure" that means this is a quote from the polythiest pagans not even people of the book. this is from Ephesians in the Bible. I don't understand how we would use something from the bible or the Greeks as a daleel for proving something like this matter in Islam.

"Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

"Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints...."

Ephesians 6:10-18

Lastly the first article says that Muhammad(saws) adapted the hindu and abyssynian dress code of purdah and enforced it upon muslims- "In the 7th century C.E., the Muslims adapted the idea of purdah to their religion. The Prophet Muhammad (saws) reintroduced the custom as part of the Islamic tenets of faith." ?????!! Allah almighty sent down the order as to how the muslim woman was to dress - not a lifestyle of pardah or custom of hindus or pagans based on caste sytems. every muslim woman rich or poor has the same obligation to follow the same command of Allah on how to dress in the same manner.

If anyone has the daleel that gloves are wajib and that not wearing gloves are a direct disobedience of Allah then please post that for me. thank you.