Hijaab is not a “choice

 🌷*Hijaab is NOT a “CHOICE”*🌷

by Asma bint Shameem 

Hijaab is not a “choice”.

Rather it’s an ORDER of our Master, Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala. 

🔷 It is sad and unfortunate that many sisters are ignorant of the obligation of hijaab. 

They fast and pray very meticulously and do their best to be a good Muslim but they think that wearing hijaab is an “option”. 

They don’t know that wearing hijaab is an OBLIGATION placed on us by the Creator of the heavens and the earth. 

In other words, it’s NOT up to me whether I “want” to put the hijaab on or not. 

Rather, I MUST do so because Allaah has made it *fardh* on every adult Muslim woman, just *exactly* like Allaah made prayer and fasting fardh on every adult Muslim. 

🔷 The first thing we’ll be asked about when we die and stand in front of Allaah are the *obligations*.

And if the obligations are in place, then Alhamdulillaah. 

But if they’re not, then NOTHING else will count. 

🍃 The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“The first thing for which a person will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection will be his prayer. 

If it is sound, he will be successful, and if it is lacking in any way, he will be *doomed*. 

If his obligatory prayers are lacking, the Lord will say: “Look and see whether My slave has any voluntary prayers which may be used to make up what is lacking in his obligatory prayers.” 

*Then ALL HIS DEEDS will be EXAMINED and DEALT WITH in the SAME WAY.’”*

(at-Tirmidhi -saheeh by al-Albaani) 

🔷 It’s not just enough to be a ‘good person’. 

Part of being a good Muslim is to wear hijaab.

That’s because wearing hijaab is an *obedience* to Allaah and *submission* to His Orders. 

🍃 Allaah says: 

“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of feminine sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. 

And all of you beg Allaah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful”

[al-Noor 24:31] 

🍃 And He says:

“O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the *believing women* to draw their cloaks all over their bodies. 

That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allaah is Ever Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful”

[al-Ahzaab 33:59] 

So if we *claim* to believe in Allaah and His Deen, we must comply to His orders. 

The Aayaat of the Hijaab are very clear. 

They are there for our own good. 

The Hijaab is an Order from our Creator. 

The Hijaab *protects* us. 

The Hijaab *defines* us. 

The Hijaab *honors* us. 

🔷 The Hijaab prevents corruption of the society by cutting off the very *roots* of vulgarity and Faahishah, because  it cuts temptations of the opposite gender down to the bare minimum.  

🔷 The hijaab is not just a piece of cloth on your head, either. 

Rather hijaab is the way you talk. 

The way you walk. 

The way you conduct yourself. 

The way you deal with the opposite gender. 

The way you LOOK at the opposite gender. 

Hijaab is an attitude. A behavior. 

It’s a WHOLE WAY OF LIFE. 

🔷 By wearing the hijaab we come close to Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala and hope for His Mercy and Forgiveness. 

🍃 In a Hadeeth Qudsi, Allaah subhanahu wa Ta’ala said:

“My servant draws not near to Me with anything more beloved by Me than the  religious duties I have enjoined upon him.” 

(al-Bukhaari) 

🍃 Aaishah radhi Allaahu anhaa said:

“When these words were revealed – “and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, etc)” – they took their izaars (a kind of garment) and tore them from the edges and covered their faces with them.” (al-Bukhaari)

Here our Mother Aaishah is PRAISING these women for quickly covering themselves as soon as the Aayaat of Hijaab were revealed because it was out of OBEDIENCE to Allaah’s command. 

🍃 Safiyyah radhi Allaahu anhaa said:

“We mentioned the women of Quraysh and their virtues in the presence of ‘Aa’ishah and she said: 

“The women of Quraysh are good, but by Allaah, I have never seen any better than the women of the Ansaar, or any who believed the Book of Allaah more strongly or had more faith in the Revelation. 

When Soorat al-Noor was revealed – “and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms)” – their menfolk came to them and recited to them what had been revealed, and there was not one woman among them who did not go to her apron, and the following morning they prayed wrapped up as if there were crows on their heads.” (al-Bukhaari)

🔷 The punishment for not covering oneself properly:

There’s a very scary hadeeth that applies to women who don’t wear hijaab. 

🍃 The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said: 

“During the last days of my ummah there will be women who are clothed but naked, with something on their heads like the humps of camels. *Curse them, for they are cursed.”* (Muslim)

🍃 And the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said: 

“There are two types of the people of Hell whom I have not seen:….women who are clothed but naked, walking with an enticing gait…. *they will not enter Paradise or even smell its fragrance, although its fragrance can be detected from such and such a distance.”* (Muslim).

Umar ibn al-Khattaab Radhi Allaahu anhu said: 

“The foulest of women is the Salfa’.”

Salfa’ is the immodest woman who mixes with men and is not shy from them.

(Ibn Abi Shaybah 32,503)

🔷 The obligation to cover our hair and body applies, no matter where we live. 

Alhamdulillaah hundreds of thousands of Muslims live in the west. And many many women wear hijaab while working in all the professional fields and in all walks of life. 

And generally speaking, no one has had any problems or issues. 

It’s just a trick if the Shaytaan to lure us away from the obedience of Allaah that we feel shy or hesitant to wear the hijaab. 

In fact, NOT wearing hijaab and not obeying Allaah is the cause of problems in one’s life. 

And obeying Allaah and His Commands brings relief, ease and a way out of every difficulty. 

🍃 Allaah says:

‎ وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجا

And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty).

‎وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ 

And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. 

‎وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ 

And whosoever puts his trust in Allaah, then He will suffice him. 

‎إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدْرًا

Verily, Allaah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allaah has set a measure for all things.

(Surah at-Talaaq:2-3)

May Allaah enable us to obey Allaah and give us strength of Imaan. And give us tawfeeq to do all good things that He’s pleases with. Ameen

And Allaah knows best