ANALYSIS

Oke Taofeek Deji (Abuu Rushdaa)

 The serene environment has not yet nurtured the bastard children to maturity! We thought we could sleep for once without a nib on our sub consciousness, but life envelopes wonders. We've all seen the veiled choreographer, the competitive scene where she struggled to outdo her competitor and the reactions that threaded the shameful act. This will ordinarily not wonder any sane mind because the world can't be without non compos mentis. The woman was veiled which is an emblem characterising a believing woman as Allaah says in Suuratul A'raaf, verse 26:

يَا بَنِي آَدَمَ قَدْ أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًا يُوَارِي سَوْآَتِكُمْ وَرِيشًا وَلِبَاسُ التَّقْوَى ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ ذَلِكَ مِنْ آَيَاتِ اللَّهِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ

O children of Adam! We have indeed sent down to you clothing to cover your shame, and (clothing) for beauty and clothing that guards (against evil), that is the best. This is of the communications of Allah that they may be mindful.

 

Veil, Hijaab, Niqaab are synonymous terms known with believing women from the inception of Islaam. Allaah says in Suuratun-Nuur, verse 31:

وَقُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَى جُيُوبِهِنَّ

And say to the believing women that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts and do not display their ornaments except what appears thereof, and let them wear their head-coverings over their bosoms...

Allaah commanded the Prophet in this verse to tell the believing women to draw their veil which portrays them as believers and also that they may be recognized and not harmed, as said in another verse. The veil of this day cannot however be regarded on its own as an emblem of a believing woman because:

 

It has been handed down to several generations as a cultural heritage. This is seen around the Middle East, United Kingdom, the Northern part of Nigeria and other places where muslims have presence.  

Civilization has liberated people from the preserved Hijaab to different forms depending on the geographical location and the chosen line of work. 'Cape hijaab,' 'CNN hijaab,' and 'Pashmina' are pseudonyms for Hijaab, with vivid presence around us.

The duty of purpose attached to Hijaab has been forgotten.

 What does Hijaab requires from you? The answer to this is easily obtained by revising the way of life of the recipients of the noble verses that address Hijaab. Are they the lousy traders around the market place? The dancers to the instrument of Shaytaan? The makeup warriors with rainbow faces?  Or the half-naked women on the roadside? The answer is no as you would have opined without doubt. The use of Hijaab is an act of worship. It came with divine guidance which must be accorded to by every believing women. Failure to comply with these teachings doesn't fault Islaam a bit as well as it doesn't take the sanctity of the believing women who are conscious of the duty of purpose attached to this emblem. Rather,  it magnifies the ignorance of the deafaulters and the need to quickly educate them on its moral responsibilities that is lacking in them.

Here are some of the responsibilities Hijaab requires you to uphold:

1. Bashfulness: The woman in veil lives with bashfulness. She is not taken by the societal vices and its people even when addressed with imprudence and disrespect. Allaah says in Suuratul Furqaan, verse 63:

وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الأرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلامًا

And the servants of the Beneficent Allah are they who walk on the earth in humbleness, and when the ignorant address them, they say: Peace.

Abuu Mas'uud reported the prophet in Saheehul Bukhaaree that:

 

إِنَّ مِمَّا أَدْرَكَ النَّاسُ مِنْ كَلَامِ النُّبُوَّةِ إِذَا لَمْ تَسْتَحْيِ فَافْعَلْ مَا شِئْتَ

Verily, from what people learned from the teachings of the past prophets is: do whatever you want when you lack shyness, i.e. every social evil stems from lack of shyness.

People are dragged to the filthy mud when they can't engage you in an argument. The tolerant conduct is a more forceful way of showing them their shortfalls than to wrestle and become stained.

 

2. Silence except when it is necessary to talk. A loose tongue is not free from pardonable and inexcusable slips. The social media has a penetrative force that the modern Muslim world can hardly resist. It has given women the freedom to freely engage in local and global issues. They fight behind the veil, engage in arguments and compete for fame. The Prophet told Mu'aadh bn Jabaal while holding his(the Prophet) tongue: ‘get hold of this’ and withdraw this to yourself. For he who has power over his tongue succeeds. Our sisters should learn to leave every arguement within the realm of the specialists. May we not be cast into Hell due to what our tongues reap.

3. Knowledge: Islaam teaches morals but also emphasised on the need to be educated and well-informed especially about creedal and jurispudential matters on which the success of man is tied, here and here-after. The path to knowledge is the path to Jannah. So Hijaab requires  you to be educated in the safest means possible. This is because the enemy of Salafiyyah and what it stands to correct are restless. They are your enemy and would pick mountains out of what you see as a mole hill. Allaah exposes their intention in Suuratus Saff, verse 8 where He says:

يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفِئُوا نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَاللَّهُ مُتِمُّ نُورِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ

 

They desire to put out the light of Allah with their mouths but Allah will perfect His light, though the unbelievers may be averse. So be watchful!

4. At-Taqwā: Know! O Muslimah that Hijaab is an emblem of Islaam no matter the misconception that surrounds it today. Do not be the enemy of Islaam or the object of shame to its people.  We do not say you must be perfect before being a conscious muslimah, but wanton display of beauty, uncouth utterances and lousiness are some of the debasing acts a conscious muslimah should avoid.

Allah is our sole guider and unto Him alone we rely. May His eternal blessing and praise be showered on His noble prophet, his household and his companions.

 

Qur'ānic English text translation: Shaakir via iQuran