The Fourth Requirement: Color and Appearance
Allah has commanded women not to display their beauty, meaning both natural and acquired beauty.
Allah commands the believing women thus "And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance, and perform As-Salât (IqamâtasSalât), and give Zakât and obey Allâh and His Messenger. Allâh wishes only to remove ArRijs (evil deeds and sins, etc.) from you, O members of the family (of the Prophet SAW), and to purify you with a thorough purification. (Al-Ahzab 33:33)
A garment which is intended to conceal a woman and her beauty from public view cannot be a thing which enhances her beauty. Therefore, the garment cannot contain bright colors. Bold designs or shiny and reflective material that draw menâs attention to the wearer. The word above âat-tabarrujâ means not only to display oneself but also to spruce up oneâs charms for the purpose of exciting desire!
Imam adh-dhahabi says in his book Kitab al Kabaâir (the book of major sins):
âAmongst the deeds which a woman is cursed for are displaying the adornments she wears, wearing perfume when she goes out, and wearing colorful clothesâŚâ Hence, the Muslim woman is encouraged to wear muted, somber colors, and is ordered to avoid bright designs, patterns and colors.
The Fifth Requirement: Difference from menâs Clothing
The clothing of a Muslim woman must not resemble the clothing of men. The following two shaded explain this.
Abu Hurairah said Rasulullah (saw) cursed the man who wears womenâs clothes and the woman who wears menâs clothes. [abu Dawood and Ibn Majah-- sahih]
Abdullah Ibn Umar said he heard Rasulullah (saw) say the man who o resembles a woman and the woman who resembles a man is not of us [i.e. not of the believers]. [Ahmad and at-tabarani-- sahih]
The Sixth Requirement: Difference from the Clothing of Unbelievers
Her clothing must not resemble the clothing of unbelievers. This is a general ruling of ash-Shariâah which encompasses not on only dress but also such things as manners, customs, religious practices and festivities, transactions, etc. Indeed dissimilarity with unbelievers is a precedent that was established by the first generation of
Islam. The following shaded and statement of Umar will help clarify this position:
Abdullah Ibn âAmr ibn al-As said Rasulullah (saw) saw me wearing to saffron- colored garments, so he said Indeed these are the clothes of kuffar [unbelievers] so do not wear them. [sahih Muslim]
Abdullah ibn Umar said Rasulullah (saw) stated whoever resembles a people is one of them. [abu Dawood]
Abu Musa al Ashari related that Umar told him âI shall not honor those whom Allah has dishonored, nor esteem those He has humbled, nor bring close those whom he has kept afar.â [Ahmad]
The Seventh Requirement: NO vain or Ostentatious Dressing
The womanâs dress must noble an expression of ostentation, vanity or as a status symbol by being excessively showy or expensive, nor must it be excessively tattered so as to gain admiration and fame for being humble.
Ibn Umar reported that Rasulullah (saw) said âWhoever dresses for ostentation in this world, Allah will dress that person in a dress of humiliation on the day of resurrection, and then set on fire.â [abu dawood]
An-Niqab (the face veil): Between Mustahab and Wajib
The esteemed Qurâanic commentators at Tabari and al Qurtubi have elaborated on the form of hijab or jilbab [i.e. outer garment as viewed by the companions of an-Nabee (saw)] , as well as the circumstances surround the revelation of Surat al Ahzab:59 quoted at the beginning of this article. They state that when the believing women used to go out at night to answer the call of nature, some hypocrites tried to annoy them, thinking the women were slave girls. The women would, then, scream out loudly causing these hypocrites to flee. Thereupon, Allah revealed his ayah. Al Qurtubi states that al jilbab is a cloth which covers the entire body⌠ibn Abbas and Ubaidah as Salmanee have said that it is to be fully wrapped around the womenâs body so that nothing appears but one eye with which she can see.â At-tabi-ee Qatadah stated that al jilbab should be wrapped and fixed from above the forehead and made to cover the nose, (although the eyes are to show) and the chest and most of the face are to be covered.
Furthermore, it has been authentically related in the Muwatta of imam Malik and the Sunan of abu Dawood that an-Nabee (saw) forbade women from covering their faces and hands during their performance of salah, haj or umrah. This clearly indicates that wearing the face veil was common practice during the time or Rasulullah (saw) .
Among the proofs used by the scholars regarding the face veil are the following; Aisha said may Allah bestow His mercy on the first mohair. When Allah revealed âŚ.and draw their head covers over their necks and bosoms⌠they tore their (material) and covered themselves with it.â [Bukhari]
Ibn Hajar al Asqalani known as ameer ul muâmineen in hadithâ has explained that âcovered themselvesâ means âcovered their faces.â [fateh al baree]
Additionally after the battle of Khaybar the prophet married Safiyah bint Huyai. The Muslims said amongst themselves, âWill she be one of the mothers of the believers or what the right hands possess. Some of them said if Rasulullah (saw) makes her observe hijab, then she will be one of the mothers of the believers, and if he does not make her observe hijab, then she will be what his right hand possesses. So when he departed (for medina) he made a place for her behind him on his camel and made her observe hijab. [Bukhari]
The issue of an-Niqab has continued to arouse extended controversy and debate between âulama and fuqaha both past and present, concerning whether it is wajib or mustahab and whether the woman subsequently falls into sin by exposing her face or not. Each of the two sides clings to their own opinions, which they support with evidence from the Qurâan and the prophetic shaded and the practice of as-sahabah and their views.
One of the views on this is that an-niqab is legally binding on the woman: she who abandons it is a sinner. It says that the womanâs face, which she is ordered not to reveal to non-relatives is definitely part of the awrah.
The other view says that an-Niqab is recommended and only encourages the woman to cover her face; however, it does not place it on the level of mandatory. Consequently this opinion does not consider the woman falling into sin when she exposes and unveils her face as long as she has not applied facial make up.
The dispute continues between two viewpoints and, occasionally, takes on bitter aspects. Some of those whose position is that the face veil is mandatory accuse the other group of following their own desires. While some of the other group accuse their opponents of being obstinate fanatics. The matter is much broader than this and does not require accusations of abstinence or following the desires but rather requires reaching ijtihad and following adillah (proofs from ash-Shariâah) to the best of oneâs ability.
To give the benefit of the doubt in such a situation is better and most befitting for the Muslim, limiting the points of difference and narrowing the gap of disagreement are two factors which are sought after. We do not want to take a side with one group over the other, nor to validate the proofs of which we see the truth in this issue, rather, the aim is to narrow the controversy and to highlight the points agreed upon. Thereby we may adopt them and work on spreading them. As for the point of disagreement, it will remain under the category of ijtihad, whose advocate will be rewarded whether he attains the truth or was mistaken. First, because the two views agree upon the legitimacy of an-niqab, that it is a consummate perfection for a woman and more virtuous for her, in tune with the aims of ash-Shariâah, which is to prevent fitnah, and that it is an obstruction to excuses as well as severing the path of those who follow their lusts, it is therefore more appropriate that efforts should be directed to encourage an-niqab, to show and explain nits virtues and merits and to motivate people towards it. This implies that covering the face with an-niqab should be the general rule and uncovering the face as the exception.
Secondly, in spite of the fact that there are differences views on whether Islamic ruling regarding whether an-niqab is obligatory or recommended, it is undoubtedly oneâs duty to unify the call for it and to cooperate as much as possible in urging young women to consider its necessity and to limit their desire to expose their faces as much as possible. Indeed, it is a purely good act according to both parties. We had best correct the present situation of leaving the matter dangling by stating that an-niqab is only mustahab, but being aloof from spreading the call for it. This is indeed poor judgment in the matter.
Hence, our brother, when you are asked what is the form of al-hijab according to ash-Shariâah, especially from a woman who loves ad-deen?, you should urge and encourage to wear an-niqab -- even if you are of the opinion that it is only mustahab.
Lastly, we truly hope from Allah swt for the day when every believing woman will rush to cover her face with full contentment of their soul and when the desire for her deen is the strongest of desires. This is a hope which, without any doubt, is shared with us by those who are of the opinion that an-niqab is mustahab and by those who are of the opinion that it is wajib.
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