HIJAB IN THE LIGHT
OF THE QURAN AND HADITH
The present article is based on an authoritative Arabic book titled Hijab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah fil Kitab was-Sunnah by Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani, a famous scholar and traditionist. This writer translated it and initially published it in condensed form in the quarterly Islam and the Modern Age. (Islam aur Asr e Hazir, Urdu Edition, New Delhi, January 1973)
The third edition of the original work, with some additions, is before me. The question of hijab (veil), or purdah in Urdu, the author tells us, has been discussed in the light of the Quran and Hadith.
From the author’s point of view, a woman’s face is not included in the parts of the body that need to be compulsorily covered. He suggests, however, that it is better to cover it. He agrees with those who, despite holding the view that the face is not to be covered as a rule, nevertheless advocate the covering of the face in order to discourage mischief in view of the general moral degradation in present-day society. Here is one of the traditions he refers to in order to support his argument.
“Aisha says that Muslim women used to attend the morning prayer led by the Prophet wrapped in a sheet of cloth. Afterwards when they returned home, it was so dark that they could not be recognized.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 578)
This narrative makes it clear that their faces were not covered. Had their faces been covered, the question of their being recognized would not arise. The phrase “because of the darkness, they could not be recognized” makes sense only if the faces by which individuals are recognized were uncovered.
Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani takes a similar stand as regards the covering of a woman’s hands, quoting a famous tradition narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas that once the Messenger of God addressed the women to urge them to give alms (sadaqah). Afterward, Bilal ibn Rabah, a Companion of the Prophet, spread a sheet on which the women began throwing their rings.
After quoting this tradition, the author quotes Ibn Hazm: “Ibn ‘Abbas saw the hands of women in the presence of the Prophet. This proves that the face, as well as the hands, are not included in the parts of the body to be covered. Indeed, all other parts except these have to be veiled.” (Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani, Hijab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah fil Kitab was-Sunnah [1914], p. 31)
He further writes: “My heart bleeds to see the way many women of today adorn themselves, crossing all limits of decency. But the remedy does not lie in declaring forbidden what God has permitted.”
He goes on to say that it is clear from the Quran, the Hadith, and the practice of the Companions and Tabi‘un (companions of the Prophet’s Companions) that whenever a woman steps out of her home, it is incumbent upon her to cover herself entirely so as not to show any part of her body except the face and the hands. (Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani, Hijab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah fil Kitab was-Sunnah [1914], p. 7)
According to Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani’s findings, the following rules of hijab are applicable:
1. The whole body should be covered except for the exempted parts.
2. But any veil that becomes an attraction is to be avoided.
3. Garments should not be semi-transparent.
4. The dress should not be tight fitting.
5. Garments should not be perfumed.
6. The form of dress should not resemble that of men.
7. Garments should not reflect worldly honour.
Note: Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani, Hijab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah fil Kitab was-Sunnah (1914), p. 13.
The first rule of hijab has been derived from the following passages of the Quran:
“Say to the believing women to turn their eyes away (from temptation) and to preserve their chastity; to cover their adornments except such as usually are displayed; to draw their veils over their bosoms and not to reveal their finery except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their step-sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their women-servants, their slave girls, male attendants lacking in natural vigour, and children who do not know sex. And let them not stamp their feet when walking so as to reveal their hidden trinkets. Believers, turn to God together in repentance, that you may prosper. (Quran, 24:31)
The second verse in this connection is as follows:
“O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and wives of the believers that they should draw over themselves some of their outer garments [when in public] so as to be recognized and not harmed. God is most forgiving and most merciful.” (Quran, 33:59)
The author interprets the wording in Quran Chapter 24 verse 31 as “to cover their adornments except such as are normally displayed,” to mean that the hands and face are exempt from covering. He draws his argument in support of this from the Hadith.
After studying many hadith in connection with the verse from chapter 24 of the Quran, he writes: “It is clear from the instances drawn from the Quran and the Hadith that, although it accords with the shariah and a woman should cover her face, she does not need to do so. It would be better if women followed this practice, but there is no harm if they do not.” (Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani, Hijab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah fil Kitab was-Sunnah [1914], p. 31)
The second rule of hijab, according to Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani’s research, is that hijab in itself should not be a source of attraction. It should not become a display of finery referred to in the Quran as tabarruj:
“Stay in your homes and do not flaunt your charms as in the former times of ignorance. Attend to your prayers, pay the zakat and obey God and His Messenger. Women of the [Prophet’s] Household, God seeks only to remove all impurity from you and to make you completely pure.” (33:33)
According to the author, the intention of this verse is that a woman should not display her beauty and attraction in such a way as to produce carnal desires in the hearts of men. Since the purpose of the gown (jilbab) is to hide such attractions, it is, therefore, unimaginable that the gown itself should become a source of attraction. (Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani, Hijab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah fil Kitab was-Sunnah [1914], 31)
He states, moreover, that in Islam, the displaying of feminine attractions is a habit so essential to avoid that it has been bracketed in the scriptures along with such unlawful things as polytheism, adultery and theft. He has collected a number of traditions to support his argument.
The third rule of the hijab, according to the writer, is that the garment should not be thin because a thin cloth can never provide cover. A diaphanous garment only accentuates a woman's attraction and becomes a potential source of mischief. (Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani, Hijab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah fil Kitab was-Sunnah [1914], 56)
This tradition is self-explanatory.
The fourth condition set by the writer is that the garment should be loose-fitting. He again supports his argument by quoting various sayings of the Prophet. Finally, he has given an instance where Fatimah (the Prophet’s daughter) expressed her disapproval of a dead woman being wrapped in such a shroud as might display her body as being a woman’s. He writes: “See for yourself how the dearest daughter of the Prophet considered the use of such a cloth detestable as would not properly drape feminine parts of a dead woman’s body. Certainly, such a garment for a living woman would be far worse.” (Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani, Hijab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah fil Kitab was-Sunnah [1914], 63)
The fifth condition of hijab is that the garment should not be perfumed (while going out). There are many traditions that forbid women from wearing perfume when going out. After quoting a few traditions, he writes: “Ibn Daqiq al-‘id writes that in this hadith, a woman is forbidden to go to the mosque wearing perfume because it stimulates carnal desires in men. So when it is forbidden for women to wear perfume to go to the mosque, their use of perfume when they go out shopping or for any other purpose is all the more sinful. Al-Haythami writes that going out wearing adornments and perfume is a sin, even if it is done with the husband’s permission.” (Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani, Hijab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah fil Kitab was-Sunnah [1914], 65)
The sixth condition of the hijab is that a woman’s garments should not resemble those of men. Here is one of the traditions he has quoted to this effect:
The Prophet has condemned men who imitate women and women who imitate men. (Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani, Hijab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah fil Kitab was-Sunnah [1914], 67)
From this tradition, the writer concludes that a garment that in most parts resembles those of men is not permissible for women, even if it covers her adequately. (Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani, Hijab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah fil Kitab was-Sunnah (1914), 77)
The seventh rule of hijab is that it should not resemble that worn by non-believers. Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani says that any similarity to non-believers must be avoided in matters of worship, festivals and dress. (Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani, Hijab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah fil Kitab was-Sunnah [1914], 78)
The Quran states this briefly, but the Sunnah provides the details. One of the verses of the Quran on which he bases this argument states that it is “so that they should not become like those who were given the Book before them, ...” (57:16)
He quotes Ibn Taymiyya and Ibn Kathir, who construe this verse as meaning that imitation of non-believers is not allowed in Islam.
Then he quotes the tradition in which the Prophet forbade adopting the ways of non-believers in prayers, funeral prayers, sacrifice, food, dress, etiquette, etc. (Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani, Hijab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah fil Kitab was-Sunnah [1914], 80)
The eighth rule of the hijab is that a woman’s garments should not reflect worldly honour. Here is a hadith to this effect:
“One who wears the mantle of fame in this world will be made to wear the robe of dishonour in the hereafter.” (Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani, Hijab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah fil Kitab was-Sunnah [1914], 80)
His concluding remarks are: “The garment should cover the entire body of a woman except the face and hands and should not become an attraction in itself. Neither should it be thin nor tight. It should not accentuate the body. It should not be perfumed or resemble those worn by men or non-believing women. It should not suggest fame.” (Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani, Hijab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah fil Kitab was-Sunnah [1914], 110)
The Translator’s Views
The Quran says: “Say to the believing women to turn their eyes away (from temptation) and to preserve their chastity; to cover their adornments except such as are normally displayed.” (24:31)
The wording of the verse, “except such as are normally displayed,” gives rise to the question of what it is that has been exempted here from being covered. The theologians and the commentators have two views on the subject. These two views are based on the fact that beauty is of two kinds—one natural (by birth) and the other artificial (the use of make-up, etc. acquires that). One group says that the word ‘beauty’ here refers to both kinds of beauty, whereas the other group believes that it is artificial beauty which is referred to in this verse.
Ibn Mas‘ud, Hasan, Ibn Sirin, and Abul Jawza’ have interpreted this verse as referring to the kind of beauty that depends on clothes, ornaments, etc. They are of the opinion that when a woman goes out, she should not display these deliberately. However, if any part of such adornment is unintentionally exposed, for instance, if a gust of wind displaces the covering sheet momentarily, this is deemed excusable.
The other point of view finds support from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, ‘Ata,’ ‘Ikrima, Sa‘id ibn Jubayr, Abu ash-Sha’tha,’ Dahhak, Ibrahim Nakh‘i, etc. They infer from the Quranic phrase, “what is normally apparent thereof” (24:31), the exemption of face and hands.
This interpretation is based on the tradition recorded by Abu Dawud in his Sunan: Aisha says that once Asma bint Abu Bakr came wearing a thin garment. The Prophet turned his face away from her and said: “Asma, it is not proper for a woman after having reached puberty to expose any part of her body except these.” Then he pointed to his hands and face. (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith No. 4104)
That is why there are two theological schools of thought. The Hanafis and Malikis believe that the face and hands are not to be covered, while the followers of Imam Shafi‘i and Hanbali maintain that a woman has to be entirely veiled. In this view, natural and acquired beauty have to be entirely veiled. It is unlawful for a woman to unveil any part of her body when she goes out. To them, what is exempted is that which gets exposed unintentionally. They will be excused for that. Thus, the face and the hands are the parts that are forbidden to be exposed unnecessarily. (Muhammad ‘Ali as-Sabuni, Rawai‘ al-Bayan, [Beirut, 1980], 2/155)
Maulana Shabbir Ahmad ‘Usmani gives the following commentary pertaining to this verse of the Quran:
“To this writer, the interpretation of beauty as adornment would be more appropriate and comprehensive in this context. The word adornment encompasses all kinds of beauty, whether natural or acquired, whether inborn beauty or that of beautiful garments or make-up. In short, a woman is forbidden to display adornment of any kind before anyone not permitted by the shariah. If a woman cannot keep these parts veiled as ordained for reasons beyond her control or any compelling reason, she cannot be held responsible for that (provided it is not likely to generate any mischief.)
It is evident from the Hadith and Athar (the sayings and deeds of the Prophet’s Companions) that the face and hands are exempted in the light of the Quranic phrase, “what is normally apparent thereof” (24:31). Because it is not possible to keep them covered while performing various chores of daily life and even religious rites. If they are ordered to be strictly covered, it will create significant difficulties for women in carrying out their jobs. The theologians have also considered the feet to be exempted parts. It must be clearly understood, however, that unveiling is permitted in the Quran strictly on the basis of necessity. Men are forbidden to set their eyes on them. Perhaps this is why, before exempting women from covering their faces and hands (chapter 24, verse 31), men are commanded to lower their gaze and guard their modesty in chapter 24, verse 30. Thus, the permission to unveil a part of the body does not give licence to others to set their eyes on them.” (At-Tafsir al-‘Uthmani, Bijnor, 1950, p. 458)
In Conclusion
From the above discussion about the hijab in the light of the Quran and Hadith, we can say that whenever she steps out of her home, it is incumbent upon her ‘to cover herself entirely so as not to show any part of her body except the face and the hands.’ It is incumbent upon Muslim women to observe the following rules of Hijab:
1. The whole body, except for the exempted parts, should be covered.
2. But any veil which in itself becomes an attraction is to be avoided.
3. Garments should not be semi-transparent.
4. Dress should not be tight-fitting.
The exemption of face, hands, and feet, derived from verse 31 of chapter 24, is extremely important. This shows that Islam does not intend to stop women from going out to receive education or to work but rather desires them to observe the Islamic culture known as the Hijab. A hijab requires a dress that adequately covers the body, for she is obliged to observe the rules of modesty.
