"For example there is nothing explicit in Islam that advocates women should be covered up."
Hope you are not going to use the Imminent Argument.
Corinthians 11:5-15
5
And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head--it is just as though her head were shaved.
6
If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head.
7
A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.
Corinthians 11:5-15
5
And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head--it is just as though her head were shaved.
6
If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head.
7
A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.
The Injunction of Wearing the Hijab in Islam: An Answer to the Critics
Rafidah Abdul Jamal & Mohd Elfie Nieshaem Juferi
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Over the years, the dress code among Muslim women has been given great attention, especially in relation to the hijab (head covering) practice in which is considered as a symbol of "oppression" towards Muslim women. While Islam is certainly not the only religion to introduce the practice of covering head, it continues to be the centre of attack and heavily discussed as the women's right issue especially outside Muslim world. Furthermore, this has been included as a political agenda in some countries, which results in Muslim women being oppressed and their freedom to practice their religion was taken away. Sadly, we also see that some so-called "Muslim" secularists and hypocrites, under the false insinuation that wearing the hijab is oppression for women, make the ridiculous claim that the Qur'ân "does not make a statement about covering the hair". Obviously, this claim stems from their arrogance combined with their sheer ignorance on the matter. The purpose of this paper is to answer these Critics' claims to show them that their lies do not hold water.
In the Qur'ân, we read the following injunction about the hijab:
"Oh Prophet! tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad): that is most convenient that they should be known (as such) and not molested and Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
[Yusuf Ali's translation of the Holy Qur'ân, Sura' al-Ahzaab, verse 59; The Arabic transliteration is: "yaa ayyuhan-nabiyyu qul-lil azwaajika wa banaatika wa nisaaa'i-l mu'mineena yudneena `alayhinna min jalaabeebihinna thaalika adnaa ay-yu`rafna fa laa yu'thayna wa kaana-llaahu ghafoorar-raHeema"]
In the above verse, women are required to cast their outer garments for them to be recognised as a decent woman, and further to avoid any harassment in any way. The word used in the verse, jalabib (plural of jilbab), refers to an outer garment which covers the body completely, and so this is also an argument in favor of covering the hair. While the above verse does not specifically mention what is the right dress code applied (apart from the fact that women should cover their body), it clearly shows that the basic underlying concept is modesty. It is widely agreed that women who dressed and behaved modestly are respectable, and it helps in having respectful relationship with other women and men in their daily life. This is the most important reason behind the rules set in Islam, in which it gives total respect to women with regards to their body and preserve their dignity, and at the same time act as a guard and protection to them, at least to a certain extent, from being physically and emotionally harassed.
The Qur'ân further extend the guidelines in relation to the Muslim woman's dress code through the following verse:
"And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty, that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof, that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husband's sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hand posses, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex, and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye believers ! Turn ye all together towards God, that ye may attain Bliss." (Sura' An-Nur : 31)
Religion is the first resort of a scoundrel(M.Winn, 2003) |
