veiling

Bismillah,

Thank you, Khadija!  Many Muslim women feel this way.  They just are not in the mosques daily or these discussion boards because they don't like the controversy.  It's boring to them because they've hashed over it repeatedly.  And they have a community which they are happy with. 

This is my community, and I am so glad you posted this.  JazzakAllahKhayr!

Bismillah,

I so agree with you about the checklist mentality needing to be abandoned for thought and action.  I feel so badly for women who have no choices about their situation.  There are so many more important women's issues to be discussed amonst us. 

Many women are abused in their homes all over the world.  What can we do to help them?  Women who follow the pillars of Islaam need to pull together to protect each other and get the men in our communities do so also.

I heard stories that non-American Muslim women told me ranging from having had porn videos in their home as children, to having been molested or raped by family members and having no one to tell because of what would have happened to them.

The practise of having family members sharing sleeping space without adult supervision is wrong.  Now, I saw a family who had three rooms for about 12 people.  That's the kitchen, a small living room, and a very small bedroom; well, the patio was medium size and good for non-rainy days.  They had the boys in one room and the girls in the other.  I think mom and dad may have slept in the kitchen on the floor when they needed more privacy.  So I know that people can separate in sleeping unless they have less rooms than this.  We need to encourage good separation of the sexes when it is most appropriate.

One story is of cousins of different sexes sharing sleeping space after they had reached puberty, just for visiting purposes!  Cultures who have the idea that the rules don't apply to them are wrong.  Why separate from strangers who would only say hi to you, when you are exposed to this kind of thing at home?  We need to work together on issues like this to protect the Ummah of our Holy Prophet Muhammad.

Bismillah,

They both fall under women's issues, and I know that you got my point.  Will the others?  ISA.  I would love to advocate for women's rights because when women and mothers are respected and honored and cared for, we share this bounty with our families.

As Salamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu  

Here we go again. What I have found with regard to this issue is that the discussion always goes around in circles.

Sometimes I feel that these questions are posted just to cause Fitnah. Auzo Billahe minash Shaitanir-Rajim.

Sis Khadija, it seems that you are trying to confuse the already confused. To me it seems that although you are quoting the same Ayat as Sis Queeni you are saying that neither Hijab nor Niqab is a requirement for the Muslimah today and Hijab/Niqab was only meant for the wives of the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam).

Regarding covering the face, yes there are scholars who say that it is not necessary and there are others who are saying that it is an obligation for a woman to cover her face. Allah knows best. But covering the head and the bosom (the purpose of the Hijab) is an obligation which no scholar as yet refuted. (none that I know of)

Here I am not talking about today's so called "scholars". We have all become scholars of a sort Auzo Billahe minash Shaitanir-Rajim. One of the signs of the Final Hour is when religious ignorance will prevail and religious knowledge will be taken away by the death of religious scholars. (Al-Bukhari volume 1 Hadith no 80)

There is a Hadith reported by A'ishah (Radhi Allahu Anha) regarding Verse 31 Surah An-Nur:

"May Allah bestow His Mercy on the early emigrant women, when Allah revealed "and draw their veils all over their bosoms" � they tore their woolen dresses or waist-bindings cloth or apron and covered their heads and faces with those cut pieces of cloth." (Sahih al Bukhari No 4759)

For any sister to deny and say that Hijab is not an obligation on women, may find herself committing a grave mistake. And to tell others not to wear the Hijab � she most definitely will be committing a sin. The choice to wear or not to wear the Hijab is individual. And that is between Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and the person. Alhamdulillah we do not have to bear the burden of others not even our close relatives. To each their own.

Regarding Niqab, like I said earlier � here scholars differ. But we have a Hadith again by A'ishah (Radhi Allahu Anhu). As we all know one of the requirements for a woman during pilgrimage is to uncover her face. "When we were in Ihram and the riders would pass by us, when they got close to us, we would lower our outer cloak from our heads over our faces." (Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud and ibn Majah). There is an interesting point here: if it is a requirement for women to uncover their faces during pilgrimage that means that their faces should be covered at other times, or else this statement is null and void. And secondly when we are amongst non-Mahram men we should draw our outer cloak to cover our faces even during the pilgrimage.

Another point sister Khatija you are trying to prove that veiling was only for the wives of the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) and not for the Muslimah even during that period. You are also using Hadith emphasizing that it was a curtain not a veil.

So are you trying to tell us that the Prophet's (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) wives only (Radhi Allahu Anhuna) were ordered to speak to non-Marham men from behind a curtain that�s it? Did their go out of their dwellings with their faces uncovered? Oh sori you do state that:

"And even if face veils were required of the Prophet�s (pbuh) wives while outside of (or even inside) their homes, does this lead to it being obligatory for all Muslimahs?  I think not necessarily and certainly not explicitly."

If Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala made the wives of the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam); the mothers of the Believers whom none could marry after his death � Islamically speaking all men living during that period were Mahrams to the Prophet's (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) wives (Radhi Allahu Anhuna), so really speaking these Ayat should not imply to them. Unfortunately that is what you are trying to say that these Ayat refer only to the wives of the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) to the exclusion of other Muslimah during that period, today and till the Day of Judgment. Is that really your understanding? Don't you think there is something wrong with this reasoning? Shouldn�t we be trying our best to follow in the footsteps of the wives of the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam)? Isn�t their example that all Muslimah should strive to follow?

I don't think anyone will be upset but what you have said, it is your opinion based on your understanding. This is my opinion based on my understanding. We all belong to this community as we are all members here even though some of us are not as active as others. We are here to support and help each other to become better Muslimah so that we can achieve our ultimate goal ie. Jannatul-Firdaus Insha Allah Ameen!

It is not a question about being spoon fed Sister Khatija, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala tell us to refer matters which we don't know/understand to the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) (during his life time) and the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) further instructed us to refer to men of knowledge, that is why most of us refer to the scholars to better understand the different aspects of the Glorious Qur'an and Sunnah. I have yet to find a renowned scholar claiming that Hijab is NOT an obligation. Alhamdulillah my research led me to wear the Hijab eventually. Insha Allah I pray with further research your heart will be opened to the truth. Ameen!

Being "western or eastern" is not the question. This is a global issue. Alhamdulillah Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala guided us to HIS Deen, but HE also warns us that we will be tested in many ways, and personally I feel the biggest test for women to accept is that Hijab is an obligation. Alhamdulillah He opened my heart to HIS Deen, then wearing the Hijab and Insha Allah one day I pray, soon I will also wear the Niqab, because a tiny part in my heart tells me that it is an obligation. Even if it is not, Insha Allah it will bring me closer to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. Insha Allah Ameen!

May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala forgive us for our shortcomings and protect us from the evil within ourselves. Ameen!