Hijab issues

Auzubillahi minash shaitan ir rajeem,

Bismillah ir rahman ir rahim,

Assalamualaikum wa rahamtullah wa barkatuhu,

Jazak allah khair everyone who took their time to post on this thread.

Alhamdulillah, as I hoped some of our sisters do agree with the subject. To those who do not, just letting you know, I wanted to post thru the authority of a scholar that hijab is an obligation not a choice. It is not that we wear it or not, and both is okay. The above post was not to point a fingure at anyone, as I hardly know anyone personally.

I am in no position to call anyone good or bad, and those who do not wear hijab for whatever reason they may have, their best judge is allah(SWT). The best duty a muslim has is to tell them what is a part of religion and should be observed.

There are hardly any people in my family who wear hijab ... I grew up, went thru school and college not wearing it, and always thought it was just a part of religion which is not as necessary as others or I would have been told about it. Alhamdulillah, it was after my marriage - in a country far away from home, I met a muslim sister from pakistan who pointed out to me that the order of hijab is there in the quran. She recited the translation of the verse for me in urdu, and I was left speechless ... I always knew denying anything that is in Quran is not a muslim should do - that evening I realised, I have not even read the entire quran in a language I can understand ... tho I observed the five pillars of Islam, and there was no queastion in my heart about my muslim identity.

 I did not read the quran right away, not did I dig into all the hadith related to the issue right away.  It took me a while to understand and accept this as a part of my individuality. Eventually when I did, it was not easy to expalin to all those who knew me without a hijab, but alhamdulillah, the hidaya was from allah, and I have always been quite comfortable with this new change, despite the odds.

Since I was once, one of those who did not wear a hijab, yet lived the spirit of Islam, and was never forced to wear it ... I would be the last person to make it compulsory to anyone from myself. Yet, as a muslim we should tell the sisters that it is an obligation, so even if you do not observe it, at least do not deny it as an obligation, and that would be better for you, insha allah. May allah give you the hidaya, and create circumstances for you to observe His commands.

Like I said in the other thread, a hijab alone cannot determine the piety of any muslimah. There are several obligations in a muslim,s life and all require different levels of sincerity. The more one observes, the closer the person gets to allah (SWT).

I agree with sister Alwarda,  there should not really be an issue, but there is ... thus when there is let us all try to find a common ground to solve it, in a manner which would best please allah(SWT). Insha allah this will be best for all, ameen.

Maa salaama,

Nausheen

hmm sometimes we think we are doing more good and do more harm.

Secondly sometimes when things are being discussed, from time to time, some where along the line it will benefit someone.

Yes but what type of discussion is there when people are like: "Its a rule you should do it. That's it you are a bad Moslem"  I find that often people who just see a rule and say do it and have no comprehension or ability to have any empathy towards others. Frankly, people on these web sites discourage more then encourage. Compassion is lost.

Yes this is a Moslem web site and it makes me wonder what makes a Moslem?  It is highly discouraging.

The posting in of itself is fine. It furthers discussion. What bothered me in the posting is:

Those who refuse to wear the hijab are acting out of ignorance or bad faith, and when one meets them, one seldom finds they manage to practice the other aspects of their religion.  That is a judgement placed  upon alot of women the author never met.

Also, calling people's ideas 'pathetic' does no one any good.

I can relate to what Jenni said about being in public. I wore it one day and that was it. Talk about feeling like being in a fish in a fishbowl. That's exactly how I felt.  It left me in tears. Never mind that I also then felt an awesome responsibility to represent Islam.  Talk about being inadequate! Do I feel ready to take that on. No.

I have no problem encouraging people but this is not encouraging its negative. I have traveled to a Moslem country where some women wore a head covering, others did not. So it is not just here in the west. And I also wonder what would happen in some countries where women face social pressure to wear a head covering if that pressure was taken off how many would not wear it? How many leave some of these countries and off comes that head covering? In that case are they doing it from their heart or to please other people? Just a curious question...   

I often wonder about why the issue of hijab is such a hot button one. And I wonder if this is the case because in another way we are focusing on the appearance of women.  When I traveled to a Moslem country the women wore more make-up then my friends who are non-Moslem do here. (Don't tell me its for the men either.. there were no men at these gatherings.. ) Is it still the same issue.. our appearance.  On one hand we want to be looked at beyond the outside package and yet for better or worse we often are stuck focusing on the cover.  We tell women to look good, but not too good as to attract attention.  It is tied into modesty and also how good you dress. I get more unwanted attention if I dress especially nice, no matter I am modestly dressed.