CELEBRATING WORLD HIJĀB DAY

 Salām Alaykum!

      I listened to a radio programme in Ilorin  this Tuesday evening and the anchor of the programme reported that the world celebrated _hijāb_ day last week. It was a surprise to me because I was not aware of the celebration. Nothing indicated that some thing was being celebrated. I then asked why the celebration? Should _hijāb_ be celebrated just on one day only? Is it not worn by many Muslim women every day ? I continued to ask questions on the need or otherwise for the celebration. 

My search for the motives of its organisers reveals that they do it to "recognise the millions of Muslim women world wide who choose to wear the _hijāb_ ." Its organisers say " On February 1, every year, since 2013, World Hijāb Day is celebrated across the globe to dismantle the prejudices that come with _hijāb_ . An open invitation is sent to women of all faiths to wear head scarves for one day in solidarity with Muslim women worldwide."  The president and founder of the World Hijāb Day organization, Nazma Khan, who moved from Bangladesh to New York at age 11, claims to foster global religious tolerance and understanding through _hijāb_ awareness. 

Expectedly, some people have reacted negatively to the celebration including a Muslim puritanical organization, which declared it as Bid'ah, because it is newly introduced into Islam, and that it was not done by the Messenger of Allah, _saaws_ . 

One Hassan, a columnist in _Toronto_ _Sun_ on 31st January 2019, expressed his displeasure about the celebration, calling on everyone to ignore it. He erroneously wrote that " _hijāb_ is not a symbol of Islam... the _hijāb_ is not decreed by Islam... No one should have the power to question how the faithful choose to express their religiosity... moderate Muslim women have ditched this ancient and inauthentic garb in favour of practical modern clothing. Their religion resides in their hearts, not on their skin." Hassan appears to be a feminist who does not understand the influence of the Sharī'ah on Muslims generally. To them, Islam is a way of life that must be adhered to strictly by every Muslim to secure the pleasure of Allah and avoid His punishment in the hereafter. 

  

The Muslim woman wears _hijāb_ to reflect her Islamic identity, to demonstrate her submission to the will and dictate of Allah on how the Muslim woman ought to dress. She knows that she will be respected and honoured rather than  molested or hurt or maltreated (Q33:59). She will be protected against sexual assault as she is expected to be of high morality (Q 3:110). The society expects her to be above board by displaying exceptional good character, because she has decided to obey Allah. Hence it is said: " Whoever covers her head by using veil, must also be of good behavior generally." 

 *Mode* *of* *dressing* *in* *Islam* 

Let us look at the mode of women dressing in Islam. Q33:59 & 24:31 are the bases on which different interpretations have been made. Both the Qur'an and the directives of _Rasūlullāh_ , _saaws_ , point to the fact that the whole body of the woman is nakedness except her face and her hands. The Prophet, _saaws_ , is reported saying: " O Asmā', when a girl reaches the age of menstruation, it is not proper for her to display parts of her body except this and this, pointing to his face and hands." ( Abū Dāwud)

It is also required that she covers her body in such a way that its shape cannot be discerned. In other words, she should not wear a tight dress that reveals the shape of her body. 

 Some scholars have gone to the extreme in interpreting the Qur'anic verses on the mode of the dressing of the Muslim women. For example, Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilālī and Muhammad Muhsin Khan, while translating Q33:59 say that women should "(screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way)". Even though the statement is put in the brackets, it is misleading. It conveys a wrong interpretation of the Qur'an. Human beings have been created with two eyes to see (Q90:8).  Why should anyone ask that the two eyes or even one be covered?  Do they want to defeat  Allah's purpose of giving humankind sight to see and reflect without being aided by another person? A Muslim woman nearly fell into a ditch because she hardly sees due to the way she covers her face. 

Another area of women mode of dressing that calls for attention is the dragging of their _Jilbāb_ (outer garment) on the floor so as to cover their bodies completely. When the _Jilbāb_ trails or drags on the floor, it passes through filthy, wet or muddy places. The garment or dress becomes dirty while the woman looks unkempt. Islam expects every Muslim to be clean, while it instructs that our clothes should be kept clean always (Q74:4). This directive is meant for both male and female Muslims. The authenticity of an hadith narrated by Umm Salamah and reported by Abū Dāwud that _Rasūlullāh_ , _saaws_ , did not object to a woman dragging the _Jilbāb_ on filthy places is questionable. _Rasūlullāh_ , _saaws_ , is reported to have said that " cleanliness is part of _Eemaan_ (faith)". At-Tirmidhī reported this hadith, though its chain of transmission is declared weak by some scholars including Ibn Bāz and Yusuf al-Qaradāwī, emphasis is placed on cleanliness in Islam. It is not when a woman drags her _Jilbāb_ on the floor that she  protects her honour and dignity. She can cover her legs and feet by wearing stockings instead of allowing her garment to go down to the extent of dragging it on filthy ground.

 While women are asked to drag their garment on the floor, men are expected to wear trousers that is far above their ankles. What a contrast !

Nigeria is a free society where a woman may wear anything she likes under the name of human rights. Women now wear hot pants on the streets, with scanty top, looking almost naked. They are almost naked doing sports, while men dress responsibly. Such way of dressing by females is abhorred in Islam. No Muslim is allowed to wear anything that exposes her nakedness other than her face and the two hands. Every other part of her body must be covered. That is Islamic teaching; it is the Islamic culture. That is modesty and decency in Islam. The Bible, too, demands decency and modesty and not nakedness from Christian women when it says in 1Timothy 2:9-10 : "I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety..." 1 Corinthians 11:4-7 enjoins women to cover their heads while praying. It seems that they are not expected to leave the head uncovered at any time because it says that the uncovered head is like the shaven head. This may explain why the Catholic Rev. sisters and mothers wear veil always, not during prayer session only.

The celebration of _hijāb_ can not be limited to 1 February of every year. It should be celebrated everyday by all Muslim women to display their Islamic identity and acceptance of Allah's directives. They deserve to be accorded respect, honour and dignity without being molested, taunted or harassed. Employers of labour should prefer any woman in _hijāb_ to any other applicant because she has demonstrated ability to obey lawful authority. She will be loyal, dedicated and obedient.

Muslim students should be allowed to wear _hijāb_ in all schools. No student should be sent out of school on the basis of wearing _hijāb_ . It is their fundamental human right of religion as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This position was clearly stated by the Court of Appeal in Lagos in 2016 in a case won by the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) against the Lagos State government which had banned the wearing of _hijāb_ in its schools. (The case is now at the  Supreme Court). Similarly a High Court in Osun State in 2016 ruled that female students were free to wear _hijāb_ in their schools. Justice Falola in his 51-page judgment ruled that no female student must be molested or sent out of school for wearing hijāb. 

Wearing the _hijāb_ is enjoined in Islam. It is an Islamic identity. It deserves to be celebrated everyday, not 1 February alone. 

 _Jumu'atun Mubārakah_ 

Prof Yasir Anjola Quadri 

30th Jumādath - Thānī 1442 / 12th February 2021.

PS:

This Jumu'ah, my teacher dwelled upon the rationale behind the celebration of Hijab Day. No doubt, the female mode of dressing is one of the contentious issues among the Islamic scholars world over. The bane of contention of my teacher is that a single day should not be set aside for the celebration of the wearing of Hijab, infact, everyday should be a hijab day for a Muslim woman.

However, having aligned with my teacher on the various positions raised, a clause piqued in his write-up and that's part of his recommendations in advising the Employers of labour to prefer any woman in hijāb to the ones without Hijab and this is where the matter ensued. I have seen and heard several instances where a Hijabite is being denied a lucrative employment because of her way of dressing. Infact, I have witnessed a scenario where a Muslimah who is a Medical Doctor resorted to teaching profession in a private secondary school owing to her denial of employment. Funnily many of the organizations or establishments that usually deny these Muslimāt are not only owned or controlled by other religions adherents, some are actually either owned or controlled by Muslims. The question now arise on why a Muslim can deny his/her fellow Muslimah a job on the basis of her choice of dressing?  These are among serious issues bedeviling the Ummah. May Allah protect His religion and its adherents.

As aforesaid, the mode of dressing of a Muslimah is a contentious issue. The real definition of "jalbab" as could be gleaned from Suratul Ahzab has been a topic of debate since time immemorial. One thing is however clear, Islam doesn't encourage or condone indecency especially from its women. A Muslimah is enjoined to be decent in all ramifications owing to her nature especially her mode of dressing. This may be collaborated with the saying; as you dress, so you will be addressed! Thus, our women should be distinct from others.

May Allah preserve my teacher, Baba Quadri. Amīn.