Hijab and Misconceptions
Hijaab is Worn when the Woman Gets Old
when the woman reaches a certain age and all her children are married, she starts paying attention to herself, performs hajj, and adheres to the worship of her lord. it is as if she knows in advance when she will die! it is as if she is certain that during that period she will be able to perform acts of worship that she was not used to performing before! it is as if she is certain that she will be able to do what she did not do before. how true is this proverb which says: "what has always been, always will be.
Hijaab Prevents the Woman from Finding a Suitable Job
many institutions refuse to employ veiled women as employees. when an employee wants to wear the veil, she exposes herself to dismissal. even if this practice takes place in some institutions and by some persons who look for the opportunity to take advantage of an employee's charms, a muslim woman who wants to wear the hijaab must be certain that hijaab does not prevent the sustenance provided by allaah the almighty. there are many women who do not wear the hijaab but they cannot find jobs.
it is the responsibility of men to financially support women. if a woman is in dire need and has to work to support herself or her children, then the delay in finding a suitable job is from the fate of allaah the almighty and his divine decree and a trial from him to know how sincere that woman is. when a woman is patient, she will ultimately find a suitable job in a suitable place. an employer who looks for a veiled woman is actually looking for an efficient employee whose lifestyle is in consonance with his own values.
Hijaab Stands as an Obstacle before a Woman who is Looking for a Husband
according to popular belief, most suitors prefer a woman who exposes her adornment over the woman who is veiled. even if the suitor is somewhat observant, he hopes to urge his fiancée to wear the hijaab after marriage so that he would attain the reward. however, this is not a general rule, even if it occurs in some cases. a woman who looks for a husband should know that "birds of a feather flock together." when she abandons the hijaab, those who propose to her will not have the required level of religiousness and piety. in a hadeeth (narration), the prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "when a person proposes to you (matrimonial guardians to marry women under your guardianship) and you approve of his religiousness and morals, you should marry him; otherwise, there will be a temptation on earth and widespread corruption." [at-tirmithi]
Did Hijaab Originate with Islam?
some people claim that hijaab (islamic covering) was introduced after the advent of islam and that it did not exist in arabia or outside of it before the call of prophet muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.
anyone who reads the old testament and the new testament easily recognizes that the hijaab was known among the hebrews since the time of ibraaheem (abraham), may allaah exalt his mention, throughout the eras of their prophets, until after the advent of christianity. there is repeated reference to the hijaab in many books of the old and new testaments.
· the book of genesis, [24:64, 65] says: “rebekah also looked up and saw isaac. she got down from her camel and asked the servant, "who is that man in the field coming to meet us?" "he is my master," the servant answered. so she took her veil and covered herself.”
· the fifth song of the songs of solomon, a woman says: “tell me, you whom i love, where you graze your flock and where you rest your sheep at midday. why should i be like a veiled woman beside the flocks of your friends?”
· the book of isaiah [3:16-24] says:
16 the lord says, "the women of zion are haughty, walking along with outstretched necks, flirting with their eyes, tripping along with mincing steps, with ornaments jingling on their ankles.
17 therefore the lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of zion; the lord will make their scalps bald."
18 in that day the lord will snatch away their finery: the bangles and headbands and crescent necklaces,
19 the earrings, the bracelets and veils,
20 the head dresses and ankle chains and sashes, the perfume bottles and charms,
21 the signet rings and nose rings,
22 the fine robes and the capes and cloaks, the purses
23 and mirrors, and the linen garments and tiaras and shawls.
24 instead of fragrance there will be a stench; instead of a sash, a rope; instead of well dressed hair, baldness; instead of fine clothing, sackcloth: instead of beauty, branding.
25 your men will fall by the sword, your warriors in battle.
· the book of genesis says: “then said judah to tamar his daughter in law, remain a widow at thy father's house, till shelah my son be grown: for he said, lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. and tamar went and dwelt in her father's house and she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a veil, and wrapped herself…”
· in the first epistle to the corinthians, paul the apostle says that the veil honors women. christian women used to veil their faces when meeting strangers and take it off when they were in their homes wearing mourning clothes.
therefore, religious scriptures of the jews and christians (which preceded the noble quran) mention the veil and headdresses.
the romans used to enact laws that forbade women two hundred years before jesus, may allaah exalt his mention, not to appear with their adornment on roads. lex oppia was a law that forbade women to exaggerate in adornment even inside their houses.
concerning the pre-islamic era, the reports of arab women adhering to hijaab are just as numerous as reports of women unveiling. in fact, the violation of women’s concealment was the reason behind the second day of the first war of fijaar. some young men from quraysh and banu kinaanah saw a beautiful woman from banu ‘aamir in the 'ukaath market. they asked her to unveil her face, but she refused. therefore, one of them humiliated her and she sought help from her people. pre-islamic poetry frequently refers to the hijaab of arab women.
