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Meanings of Hijab and the Issue of Face Covering
Shah Abdul Hannan
Some
of the confusions about ‘Hijab' could be removed if we can properly understand
the meaning of the word and its implication on the dress code of Muslim Women.
The meaning of ‘Hijab', as it occurs in some of the dictionaries, is as
follows:
1. ‘Hijab' means cover, wrap, drape, curtain.
(A dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, [ed.] J. Milton Cowan)
2. (a) ‘Hajaba' means to cover, shut out.
(b) ‘Hijab' means veil, curtain.
(John Prentice: A Dictionary of Glossary of the Qur'an)
3. ‘Hijab' in Lugat (Dictionary or language) is ‘Satr' (cover).
(Encyclopedia of Fiqh, Kuwait)
4. ‘Hijab' means Satr or cover. (Lisanul Arab)
5. ‘Hijab' means to obstruct. ‘Cover' is called Hijab as it obstructs
seeing.
(Al Misbah Al Munir)
Many other Arabic/Qur'anic dictionaries give more or less the same meaning.
However, the above meanings demonstrate that ‘Hijab' essentially means cover
of all kinds (whether dress, curtain, darkness or otherwise) which obstructs
seeing. So the use of the term ‘Hijab', meaning the dress code of Muslim
women, is appropriate. If some people want to use other related terms instead,
they can do so.
Terms develop over time to express different ideas. In the history of Islam,
so many words (such as Sunnah, Ijma, Qiyas, and Istihsan) have gradually taken
technical meanings. Hijab has now also taken a technical meaning for Muslim
women'sdress. Islamic scholars have agreed upon the extent of the
body-covering of Muslim women (except in the matter of face, feet and
forehand). A few opinions of non-experts do not carry much bearing upon the
normative teachings of Islam in this regard.
The discussion that follows will make it clear that Muslim Women can keep their face open.
1.Part of the Quranic verse 31 of Sura Noor reads, “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 is apparent thereof”. The phrase “Illa ma Jahara Minha” (except what is apparent thereof) needs to be interpreted. Majority of the scholars of the past and present time (such as, Abu Hanifa, Imam Shafi, Malik, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Syed Qutub, Jamal Badawi) have opined that this Qur'anic phrase includes the face as an ‘apparent' part of the body like hands and feet. So a woman can keep her face open while observing hijab.
2. Covering the face cannot be obligatory. If so, the Prophet (SM) would not have commanded women to keep their face open in Hajj, which is performed publicly. The same rule applies for Salat (ritual prayers) when women have to keep their face open even if they offer prayer in masjids.
3. There is a tradition to the effect that Prophet (SM) told Asma (R.A.) that women should not keep
any part of the body open except face and forehand. The full text of the tradition is as follows:
Ayesha (R) reported that Asmaa the daughter of Abu Bakr (R) came to the Messenger of Allah (S)
while wearing thin clothing. He approached her and said: 'O Asmaa! When a girl reaches the menstrual age,
it is not proper that anything should remain exposed except this and this. He pointed to the face and hands
while saying so. (Abu Dawood)
4. There is also no clear Quranic text which asks women to cover face.
Apart from these textual arguments, women require to keep their face open to
effectively perform social duties, to work for the community and for the
Ummah.
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