Muslim men and women have to fulfill very different
requirements concerning covering parts of the body. The following Verse deals with
the observation of covering body parts for women inside the home where only close male and
female family members can mix together freely:
"And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and
protect their private parts and not to show off their adornment except only
that which is apparent, and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e., their
bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment except to
their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband's fathers, or their sons, or
their husband's Sons, or their brothers or their brother's sons, or their
sister's sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e., their sisters in Islam), or the
(female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack
vigor, or small children who have no sense of feminine sex. And let them not stamp
their feet so as to reveal what they hide ~of their adornment. And all of you
beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful." (Qur'an 24:3 1)
Women can thus expose their objects of beautification such
as make-up and jewellery to other chaste women and the men listed in the above
Verse only.
In front of other people, the Prophet's wives and all Muslim
women have been ordered to fulfill the requirements of Hijab by wearing a Jilbāb,
which is a long outer garment that covers the entire body:
"O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the
women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e.,
screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way). That
will be better that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not
to be annoyed. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Qur’an
33:59)
Islam does not permit the free mixing of men and women
outside the close family group, and Western-style mixing even with wearing the
Hijab is not permissible as is seen in places of education and work. The Qur’aan
tells the believing men in the time of the Prophet:
"And when you ask (his wives) for anything you want,
ask them from behind a screen, that is purer for your hearts and for their
hearts." (Qur’an 33:53)
The wives of the Prophet were models for all women and were
regarded as the Mothers of all believers. If they could only be addressed from
behind a curtain in order to avoid any temptation or impropriety, how much more
then is such a curtain necessary for ordinary women who can be a much greater
source of temptation? It is also clear from the time of the Prophet that the
Companions did not treat this Verse as referring only to the Prophet' s wives
but applied it to their women as well, with the complete approval of the
Prophet. The reason given in the above Verse for such a curtain is "that
is purer for your hearts and for their hearts" and in another Verse we
read:
"Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from
looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal
sexual acts). That is
purer for them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they
do." (Qur’an
24:30)
Islam wishes to establish a pure society in which there is
no room even for adultery of the eye. Free-mixing between the sexes is
forbidden, men and women are advised to marry at a young age so that they can
fulfill their desires lawfully, and all are told to "lower their
gazes" in public so that the eye may not be used as an instrument of
Satan. By observing Hijab, the woman's dignity and decency is safeguarded. Her
attire makes clear that she is not an object for sale, advertising her beauty
and availability for men's lusting eyes and wolf whistles. We need little
reminder of the immoral society around us today in which the sexes mingle
wearing indecent clothes, and adultery is only frowned upon if committed after
being married. Before marriage individuals are encouraged to try different
partners, and the unfaithfulness, the misery, the jealousy and the insecurities,
which then take place, are a necessary result of such a life style. The Muslims
may well feel safe and secure within the Islamic moral and dress code, but they
are often imitating too much of the non-Muslims' behavior for complacency.
