Hijab’ literally means a veil or cover. Islam requires men and women to observe Hijab in their own ways. The question arises to whether Hijab is just a personal deed or does its observance or violation affect the society. In other words, can we really say that Hijab is one’s personal choice in a society that Islam wants to create?
Personal deeds are those that mainly affect the individual; failing to observe these actions will deter one’s relationship with Allah and bring personal harm. The daily prayers and fasting are examples of some personal deeds that predominantly affect one’s own spirituality. However there are certain actions that directly impact the society; taking out alms (khums, zakat), enjoining good, forbidding evil, kindness to one’s relations, among several others. Hijab is one such action that has its profound effects on society. Thereby, the requirement of imposing Hijab in an Islamic society can be felt; this article will seek to reflect on the scientific and Islamic dimensions of Hijab in a social sphere.
The Scientific View
Human behavior and actions are controlled by information that our brains and nerve cells store. This information is received and perceived through our senses and stored within our brain as memories, thoughts, emotions and ideas. The stored information drives processes that affect one’s decision-making to a great extent, finally resulting in one’s outward behavior and actions.
Surprisingly enough, around 80% of all sense perception reaching our brain comes from the eyes alone! One can imagine the significant role played by the eyes in driving our mental processes and behavior. Whether it is watching a movie, playing videogames, or regular day-to-day activities that our eyes perceive – they all play an important role in affecting our thoughts, actions and behavior. If one is not selective about filtering indecent and inappropriate scenes from being viewed, one can be assured that it will bring about negative responses and unworthy behavior!
In a society where the eyes are not protected from viewing indecent or provocative sensory information, it should not be alarming to see the decay of modesty and higher morals in society. This is where one must realize the blessing of Hijab; the physical Hijab as well as the Hijab of the eye are a divine blessing for believers to avoid pitfalls and create a healthy society.
The Islamic View
The very reason that Islam considers mixed gatherings as prohibited is because they violate physical and social Hijab to a great extent. Our respected Maraja Taqleed and scholars unanimously agree with the impermissibility of mixed gatherings.
Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (A.S) said: “Whenever the eye looks at something forbidden, a knot of desire is tied in the person’s heart, and that knot will only be untied by one of two conditions: either by weeping out of grief or regret in true repentance, or by taking possession of what one desired and looked at.”
Clearly, the non-observance of physical Hijab by women has the potential to encourage forbidden gaze by the opposite gender. Indeed the dangers of not observing Hijab can be realized through the wisdom of our infallibles.
In addition, lack of modesty in the society has the potential to impede its growth and corrupt it through diverting minds into unnecessary or indecent thoughts and behavior.
Ayatullah Muttahari says in his book The Islamic Modest Dress, “Contrary to the opinion that ‘the modest dress results in paralyzing half of the energy potential of the individuals of society’, the lack of the modest dress and the gradual development of free relationships has caused the social force to fail.”
Every society or country chooses to impose a dress code for its citizens. What better dress code can one impose than the Islamic Hijab? In the eyes of a believer, is there anything better than the Islamic standards of modesty?
In conclusion, the beautiful blessing of Hijab extends itself from being just a personal choice to one that impacts greater good of the society. By choosing to observe Hijab, Muslim men and women not only elevate their own spirituality but they in fact help in elevating our social fabric and together prepare for the return of our awaited Imam (atf).
When he began to supplicate , he would begin praise and laudation of God saying : Praise belongs to God , the First , without a first before Him , the Last , without a last behind Him . Beholders' eyes fall short of seeing Him , describers' imaginations are not able to depict Him . He originated the creatures through His power with an origination , He devised them in accordance with His will with a devising . Then he made them walk on the path of His desire , He sent them out on the way of His love . They cannot keep back from that to which He has sent them forward , nor can they go forward to that from which He has kept them back . He assigned from His provision to each of their spirits a nourishment known and apportioned . No decreaser decreases those of them whom He increases , no increaser increases those of them whom He decreases . Then for each spirit He strikes a fixed term in life , for each He sets up a determined end ; he walks toward it through the days of his span , he overtakes it through the years of his time . Then , when he takes his final step and embraces the reckoning of his span , God seizes him to the abundant reward or the feared punishment to which He has called him , 'That He may repay those who do evil for what they have done and repay those who do good with goodness' , as justice from Him ( holy are His names , and manifest His boons ) . 'He shall not be questioned as to what He does , but they shall be questioned' . Praise belongs to God , for , had He withheld from His servants the knowledge to praise Him for the uninterrupted kindnesses with which He has tried them and the manifest favours which He has lavished upon them , they would have moved about in His kindnesses without praising Him , and spread themselves out in His provision without thanking Him . Had such been the case , they would have left the bounds of humanity for that of beastliness and become as He has described in the firm text of His Book : 'They are but as the cattle-nay , but they are further astray from the way !' . Praise belongs to God , for the true knowledge of Himself He has given to us , the thanksgiving He has inspired us to offer Him , the doors to knowing His Lordship He has opened for us , the sincerity toward Him in professing His Unity to which He has led us , and the deviation and doubt in His Command from which He has turned us aside ; a praise through which we may be given long life among those of His creatures who praise Him , and overtake those who have gone ahead toward His good pleasure and pardon ; a praise through which He will illuminate for us the shadows of the interworld , ease for us the path of the Resurrection , and raise up our stations at the standing places of the Witnesses on the day 'when every soul will be repaid for what it has earned - they shall not be wronged' ; 'the day a master shall avail nothing a client , and they shall not be helped' ; a praise which will rise up from us to the highest of the Illiyun in 'a book inscribed , witnessed by those brought nigh' , a praise whereby our eyes may be at rest when sight is dazzled , our faces whitened when skins are blackened , a praise through which we may be released from God's painful Fire and enter God's generous neighbourhood , a praise by which we may jostle the angels brought nigh and join the prophets , the envoys , in a House of Permanence that does not remove , the Place of His Generosity that does not change . Praise belongs to God , who chose for us the good qualities of creation , granted us the agreeable things of provision , and appointed for us excellence through domination over all creation ; every one of His creatures submits to us through His power and comes to obey us through His might . Praise belongs to God , who locked for us the gate of need except toward Him . So how can we praise Him ? When can we thank Him ? Indeed , when ? Praise belongs to God , who placed within us the organs of expansion , assigned for us the agents of contraction , gave us to enjoy the spirits of life , fixed within us the limbs of works , nourished us with the agreeable things of provision , freed us from need through His bounty , and gave us possessions through His kindness . Then He commanded us that He might test our obedience and prohibited us that He might try our thanksgiving . So we turned against the path of His commandments and mounted the backs of His warnings . Yet He hurried us not to His punishment , nor hastened us on to His vengeance . No , He went slowly with us through His mercy , in generosity , and awaited our return through His clemency , in mildness . Praise belongs to God , who showed us the way to repentance , which we would not have won save through His bounty . Had we nothing to count as His bounty but this , His trial of us would have been good , His beneficence toward us great , His bounty upon us immense . For such was not His wont in repentance with those who went before us . He has lifted up from us 'what we have not the strength to bear' , charged us only to our capacity , imposed upon us nothing but ease , and left none of us with an argument or excuse . So the perisher among us is he who perishes in spite of Him and the felicitous among us he who beseeches Him . And praise belongs to God with all the praises of His angels closest to Him , His creatures most noble in His eyes , and His praisers most pleasing to Him ; a praise that may surpass other praises as our Lord surpasses all His creatures . Then to Him belongs praise , in place of His every favour upon us and upon all His servants , past and still remaining , to the number of all things His knowledge encompasses , and in place of each of His favours , their number doubling and redoubling always and forever , to the Day of Resurrection ; a praise whose bound has no utmost end , whose number has no reckoning , whose limit cannot be reached , whose period cannot be cut off ; a praise which will become a link to His obedience and pardon , a tie to His good pleasure , a means to His forgiveness , a path to His Garden , a protector against His vengeance , a security against His wrath , an aid to obeying Him , a barrier against disobeying Him , a help in fulfilling His right and His duties ; a praise that will make us felicitous among His felicitous friends , and bring us into the ranks of those martyred by the swords of His enemies . He is a Friend , Praiseworthy !
I advise you to fear Allah, do not go after this vicious world though it may try to entice you, do not seek it though it may seek you and do not grieve over and pine for things which this world refuses you. Let the eternal Reward and Blessings of Allah be the prompting factors for all that you say and do. Be an enemy of tyrants and oppressors and be a friend and helper of those who are oppressed and tyrannized.
To you, to my other children, to my relatives and to all who acquire this will of mine, I advise to fear Allah and to be pious, to have fair and honest dealings with one another and improve mutual relations because I have heard your grandfather, the Holy Prophet (s) saying,
"To remove mutual enmity, ill-feeling and hatred is better than recommended prayers and fasting".
Fear Allah when the question of helpless orphans arises. You should never let them starve. So long as you are there to guard and protect them they should not be ruined or lost. The Holy Prophet (s) had always advised, cautioned and reminded us of this responsibility, so much so that we often thought that the Prophet of Allah (s) might on the next occasion assign them a share from our heritage.
Fear Allah in respect of the Holy Qur'an, lest others should excel and surpass you in following its tenets and in acting according to its orders. Fear Allah so far as prayers are concerned because prayers are pillars of your faith. Fear Allah in the matter of His Holy House (Kaa'ba). Let it not be deserted because if it is deserted, you (the Muslims) will be lost. Do not forget Allah, struggle in His cause with your tongue, with your wealth and with your lives. Develop mutual liking, friendship and love and help one another. Take care that you do not spurn and treat one another badly and unsympathetically. Exhort people to do good and abstain them from evil, otherwise the vicious and the wicked will be your overlord and if you willingly allow such persons to be your rulers then your prayers will not be heard by Allah. O' sons of Abdul Muttalib! Let there be no retaliation for the act of my murder, do not roam about with a drawn sword and with the slogan:
"Amir al-Mu'minin is killed",
and do not start the massacre of my opponents and enemies.
See to it that only one man, that is my assassin, is killed, as the punishment of the crime of murder is death and nobody else is molested. The punishment to the man who attempted the murder shall take place only when I die of the wound delivered by him and this punishment shall be only one stroke of sword to end his life. He should not be tortured before his death, his hands and feet should not be amputated because I have heard the Holy Prophet (s) saying: "Do not amputate hands and feet of anybody, be it a biting dog".
When Abd al-Rahman bin Muljam wounded Imam Ali (a) who was then offering the morning prayers in the Mosque of Kufa, Imam Ali (a) advised Imam Hasan (a) and Imam Husayn (a) in the following words.
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