Hijaab, - Hijaab causes seven Americans to embrace Islam

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The primary cause of his embracing Islam was theHijaabof an American Muslim student, who was proud of her religion and herHijaab. Two more university professors as well as four students then embraced Islam. TheHijaabwas the direct reason behind the Islam of those eight people, who later became callers to this religion.
I will not make a long introduction or keep you in suspense. The following is quoted from an American professor who named himself after the Prophet,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. He is called Muhammad.
Narrating his story, Muhammad says: Four years ago, there was tumult at our university; an American Muslim female student joined the university, and she was wearingHijaab. One of her teachers was a fanatic who hated Islam and stood up against anyone who refused to attack it. How was the case then when he found a Muslim who practiced the rituals of Islam in public? He tried to provoke the girl whenever he found an opportunity to criticize Islam.
He waged a fierce war against her. Her calm reaction enraged him further, hence, he shifted to another method to fight her by manipulating her marks, burdening her with difficult researches and straining her by lowering her exam results.
When the poor girl failed to find a way out of this, she submitted a complaint to the college dean asking for an investigation into her case. The administration decision was to hold a session for the two parties: the professor and the girl, in order to hear their points of view and reach a final decision concerning the complaint.
When the session was due, most of the university staff attended and they were very enthusiastic about attending this unprecedented event in the university.
The session started, and the girl said that her teacher hated her religion and that is why he violated her educational rights. She gave many relevant examples. She asked to listen to the opinions of some of her colleagues. Some of them sympathized with her and witnessed in her favor. Differences of religion did not prevent them from giving a positive testimony.
The professor then tried to defend himself. He spoke and indulged in foul insults of her religion. She, therefore, stood up speaking in defense of Islam and giving a lot of information about it. Her address was interesting to those who were attending the session. We would even interrupt her to ask about certain things about Islam and she would answer our questions.
When the concerned professor saw us absorbed in listening and discussing, he left the room. He was vexed at our interest and interaction. He, as well as others who found the matter of no importance, left the place.
The interested attendees remained speaking and discussing things about Islam. In the end, the girl gave each of us two papers entitled, "What does Islam mean to me?" The papers discussed the motives behind her embracing Islam, this great religion. Then she explained the importance and impact ofHijaab. She expressed her strong feelings aboutHijaaband the headscarf that she wore, which had caused such tumult.
She had a great attitude. Because the session ended with no decisions, she said that she was defending her rights and struggling to attain them. She promised to make further efforts, even to pursue the case and defer her studies, unless she obtained a result in her favor.
Her attitude was strong, and the university staff did not expect that the girl would be so steadfast and would adhere to her principles to that extent. We were fascinated by her steadfastness in front of such a number of professors and students. The issue remained the subject of discussion on campus.
For me, I started to experience an internal conflict about changing my religion. Things that I knew about Islam made me love it very much, and aroused my interest to embrace it.
Several months later, I declared my Islam. A second and a third professor embraced Islam the same year. Another four students embraced Islam. Within a short period of time, we became a group and we started to haveDa‘wah)propagation( activities to introduce Islam and call people to embrace it. Now, there are some people who are in the stage of serious thinking. Soon, Allaah willing, news of their embracing Islam would be announced on campus.
All praise is due to Allaah The Almighty alone.








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Hijaab, - The veil of deliverance

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What is it about the veil that makes it so important for Muslim women?
Allaah Almighty Says )what means(:}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 head covers over their chests and not expose their adornment ]i.e. beauty[ except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’…{]Quran 24:31[
The veil of the Muslim woman is such a controversial issue in the world. It is viewed in the West as a means of oppression especially since the feminist movement took hold in the sixties. This mysterious veil causes so much hullabaloo that one would think it was more than it really is, just a piece of woven fabric worn on the head. The symbolism behind the veil is however much broader than that. Perhaps it is because the veil itself is such an ingrained part of our history—mine, yours and every person on this earth. And it will be found there, regardless of which religion one follows.
When we see depictions of Mary, the mother of Jesus, may Allaah exalt their mention, dating from a thousand years ago—she is always shown wearing the veil. In fact, when onestops and thinks about it, have we ever seen her depicted in any other form? The women who practice the Catholic faith wore it for years, and were prohibited from entering holy places without it. In fact, it is still worn by nuns to this day. Christians are instructed in the New Testament in a clear-cut verse in I Corinthians )11:5-6(, to cover their heads or shave their hair. In the Jewish faith, rabbinic law forbids the recitation of blessings or prayers in the presence of a bareheaded-married woman, since uncovering the woman's hair would be considered "nudity". Additionally, the veil was a symbol of nobility for the Jewish woman in Jewish literature.
So why then, when a Muslim woman dons the veil does it suddenly become a sign of oppression? The unequivocal answer to that question is that this is far from the truth. Some may argue that in some parts of the world women are forced to wear it. That much is true; in some areas it is imposed. So, what is it about the veil that makes it so important for Muslim women?
There is a multitude of reasons. The veil has, forever been a symbol of modesty and righteousness. Only over the past 100 years have non-Muslims thought of it as oppressive. In earlier times, in many religions and cultures from America to Europe, it was held as a symbol of worth and honor for the women who wore it. Let us reiterate that this phenomenon has only taken place in the past 100 years. And that's not a very long time in the history of the earth, rather just a blink of an eye.
The veil is not only a symbol of modesty, but is also a form of protection and identity as Allaah Says what means:}Tell your wives and daughters and believing women to draw their cloaks )veils( all over their bodies. That will be better, that they should be known )as free respectable women( so as not to be annoyed. And Allaah is Ever Oft—Forgiving, Most Merciful.{]Quran; 33:591[
Think about this for a moment. When is the last time you thought of a nun as "sexy" or being someone to be approached in order to "hit on"? Most likely the answer is never and that's the point. The veil detracts the attention to a woman's beauty, leaving it only for those in her immediate family, such as her husband, her father and brothers. Why, one may ask, would someone want to do that?
There are many reasons. The most important being that it is an obligation for Muslim women to cover their heads. Because it is a form of protection not just for the woman herself, but also the society as a whole. That's right, a protection.
Before one says, "Wow, wait just a minute", let me explain a little further. When one wonders—how in the world is this veil considered a "protection" for a woman in Islam? The answer is that simply put, it's a preventative measure. Islam focuses on prevention, and prevention is always better than waiting on a cure. The veil inhibits other men from looking upon a Muslim woman as a sexual object, and forces them to deal with her as a person, rather than focusing on the size of her bust. The latter is not an option because it should be hidden from view.
When the body is hidden, the only thing left which others must interact with is one's mind. This preventative measure puts the brakes on much of the societal harms such as adultery and premarital sex, which can lead to unwanted pregnancies, abortions and sexually transmitted diseases. Not to mention the emotional roller coaster of uncommitted relationships. Adultery not only destroys a marriage, but also harms the children whose lives are directly affected by it. The destructive consequences of these societal harms are the facts with which we live in today's society. This is not Islam pointing a finger. Rather it is the reason why our government spends millions of tax dollars on ad campaigns, encouraging abstinence and sex education for teens. And because it is embedded in the human nature to want to pro-create.
For Muslim women here in the United States and all over the world, the veil carries a significant and sacred meaning. We do not cover ourselves for our husbands; we cover ourselves for our Creator. For us the veil is the symbol of our modesty )which we hold in the greatest esteem(, and more importantly it is a manifestation of our religion, singling us out from the crowd so we will be identified as Muslim women. It is also a source of pride for us. When we look at our own role models, the inspirational women in Islam, such as Mary, the mother of Jesus, may Allaah exalt their mention, we admire their character, their modesty and their demeanor—we admire the honor they had. It is they who we as Muslim women strive to emulate taking our own personal lessons from them in every manner especially that of their dress.
The next time one sees a Muslim woman in the store or driving in her car, he/she understands that she is not oppressed. She's trying her best to fulfill her obligation to her religion, protecting our society by her modesty and she is following the example of those in our history who were righteous; in the hope that she will be able to enter Paradise in the Hereafter. For us, the veil itself is our deliverance.







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Hijaab, - Hijaabis without Hijaab

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The woman’sHijaabis no trivial matter to be left for fashion designers to misuse or divert from its essence and transform into a dress just like any other that is far from theSharee‘ahapprovedHijaab. TheHijaabis religion and identity, and through it the woman worships her Lord, draws near to Him and is known and distinguished. DoesHijaabnowadays reflect these goals and their relevant behavioral and moral adherence to theSharee‘ah? If not, what are the causes of this contradiction and how can we eliminate them? Some people consider veiled women who do not adhere to other Islamic teachings as evidence against Islam and judge Islam through them.
Shaykh Jamaal Qutb, a deputy of the Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee, answers these questions in the following dialogue about‘Hijaaband Adherence to Islamic Teachings’:
First of all, what are the rules and obligations thatHijaabenjoins upon the manners and behavior of the Muslim woman?
Hijaabis an obligation on every Muslim woman and at the same time it represents two types of requirements. First, in principle, it represents moral adherence to all the religious obligations whether pertaining to creed, legislation or ethics. Second, it represents a visible custom that the woman appears behind. Accordingly, her doctrinal, legislative and ethical belonging will be known. Consequently, wearing theHijaabdoes not absolve the woman of her adherence to Islamic teachings and performing obligations. Also the woman's adherence to other Islamic teachings does not absolve her from wearingHijaab.
What, then, is your interpretation of the contradictions and violations that are seen of some veiled women, such as intermixing between the two sexes, showing their beauty before non-Mahram ]marriageable[ men and befriending men, which are taken as evidence against Islam?
If the woman wearsHijaab, her clothes should reflect her behavior and morals considering that this is a part of her identity as a Muslim woman. If she wears theHijaabwithout abiding by the morals and legislation of Islam, then herHijaabis futile. Also, for the woman who generally abides by theSharee’ahand manners of Islam without wearing theHijaab, her abiding by theseSharee’ahrules is of no value. This is because the relationship between theHijaaband applying the obligations of Islam are likeWudhoo')ablution( and prayer; performingWudhoo'does not absolve the person from prayer and no prayer is valid without performingWudhoo'.
Wearing theHijaabis part of the woman’s clothes before others which represent her, her chastity and her abidance by Islamic teachings. If a woman who wears theHijaabmakes a mistake, then, she is like any human who makes mistakes. Therefore, people should ascribe the mistake to the person who makes it, not to the whole society or to Islam as a religion and comprehensive methodology. There are many government ministers who steal or err, are all ministers accused for this act? There are many kings who were corrupt, but were their slips considered the fault of all kings? Therefore, why do the followers of destructive thoughts pressure the Muslim woman by giving them two choices: either not to make a mistake, which is natural for all human beings, or to not wear theHijaab, which is the essence of the religion!
Some females believe thatHijaabmeans they should frown, be stern and isolate themselves. How can you counter these claims?
Hijaabshould not be considered isolation from society; rather, it is self-respect and respecting others, because by covering her body, the Muslim woman considers the feelings of others and does not wish to arouse them without a lawful cause under theSharee‘ah.Hijaabdoes not mean isolation from society, abandoning life’s activities, having a depressed face and speaking in a harsh manner; rather, it is a virtue that declares the chastity of the woman and not her negativism. It reflects her abidance by religion in terms of her behavior and dealings without unlawful exposure of her beauty or immorality.
What is your comment on girls who wear theHijaaband then take it off, justifying it by saying that the important matter is the essence, not the appearance or the clothes?
The answer to this question is related to the answer to the first one. Whenever the Muslim woman adheres toHijaab, or the Islamic dress code, on the basis of creed and conviction, then it is not possible or expected to have her creed shaken or to have second thoughts about whetherHijaabis an obligation like prayer, fasting and other acts of worship.
What should come first, upbringing orHijaab? How can a mother develop in her daughter love for theHijaaband prepare her to adhere to it so that it becomes an act of worship and not merely a custom?
I believe that there is no comparison between the priority of upbringing andHijaab, and that theHijaabis a part of the whole which is upbringing. Raising the girl to wear theHijaabstarts when the child reaches the age of discretion through instruction, imitation, lifestyle, following up and instructing before the order takes the form of a serious command. When the girl reaches the age of puberty or is about to turn fifteen, her adherence to wearing theHijaabcomes in its natural manner and development on the basis of the previous steps of upbringing. In such a case, the girl appreciates her value and the necessity of her distinction and protects herself by wearing theHijaab.Then, a suitable, well-mannered and religious candidate proposes marriage to her.
Fashion houses compete in showing dresses ofHijaabin accordance with the latest fashion trends in a way that might not meet the requirements of theSharee‘ah. How can the girl balance between being fashionable and her adherence to theSharee‘ahapprovedHijaab?
There is no contradiction between being fashionable and adhering to the approved dress code under theSharee‘ah. The first is considered an addition to the woman's financial ability and taste. It is permissible for her to do so as long as she does not use it in unlawful ways and it does not change the descriptions of theSharee‘ah-approved dress code for women which should meet two conditions: it should not be see-through which shows anything that is under it, and it should not outline the shape of her body. Above all, it must cover all that which must be covered of the woman's body.
Finally, I remind every female who believes in Allaah The Almighty and is keen to satisfy Him, of the verse in which He Almighty Says what means: "O you who have believed, upon you is ]responsibility for[ yourselves.Those who have gone astray will not harm you when you have been guided."]Quran 5:105[






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