For the Sake of Modesty
By Komal Qazi
Los Angeles , CA
“O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies. That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allah is ever often forgiving, most merciful.”(Qur’an-Surah Al Ahzab 33:59).
Hijab is most often understood as the modest clothing that Muslim women wear. The modest clothing that makes up hijab consists of a head scarf concealing all the hair, a long tunic, and covering of all private or attractive body parts. This is done so that a woman can be judged by her intellectual value, kindness, and inner beauty rather than her looks.
By observing hijab, a woman can also be safe from men looking to satisfy their sexual urges, they look like civilized people and are not half naked and exposed to any man who wants to look at them, and they can now be judged by the state of their mind and how educated they are rather than sexual objects which western civilization has turned them into.
Unfortunately, today when one visits a Muslim community, one is shown a miscellany of different types of hijabis, or women that practice wearing hijab. No matter whom it is, it is important to know that if one is practicing hijab incorrectly, one is losing in two ways. The woman is dealing with a society that is ignorant about the matter and does not inform her of her flaw, and she is missing out on the reward of being looked at with respect instead of lustful eyes. However, if one applies hijab appropriately and for the sake of Allah, then one is not losing. A friend of mine always says, “When I cover up, I feel like a precious white pearl. I am respected. If I was touched by everyone, I would become black and dirty.” Frankly, I completely agree.
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