If I may say? I cursorily read through the thread, and therefore I would like to clarify some issues that I would like to address that has emerged up on this thread that is based on either some misunderstanding or misinformation. By the way, lest it cause confusion, my intention is to generally address some posts and points without addressing anyone specifically.
Hijab’s Obligation in the Qur’an for Women
#1)
Hijab is an obligation that is explicitly required of believing women in the Qur’an. This is literally a
fardh (mandatory act) that is asked of women in the Qur’an. The two verses that makes this clear are from Chapter 33 “The Clans” verse 59 and Chapter 24 “The Light” verse 59 respectively.
The Qur’an’s verse (
33:59) says, “O Prophet! Say to your wives and your daughters and (the) women (of) the believers to draw over themselves [of] their outer garments. That (is) more suitable that they should be known and not harmed. And is Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
The Qur’an verse (
24:31) says, “And say to the believing women (that) they should lower [of] their gaze and they should guard their chastity, and not (to) display their adornment except what is apparent of it. And let them their head covers over their bosoms, and not (to) display their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers or fathers (of) their husbands or their sons or sons (of) their husbands or their brothers or sons (of) their brothers or sons (of) their sisters, or their women or what possess their right hands or the attendants having no physical desire among [the] men or [the] children who (are) not aware of private aspects (of) the women. And not let them their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah altogether O believers! So that you may succeed.”
Head Covering’s Obligation in the Sunnah (Prophetic Tradition) for Men
2) In the Sunnah (prophetic tradition), Muslim men are obliged to also cover their heads with amama, a head covering. The obligation of men to cover their heads is made clear in the Sunnah (prophetic tradition), which is considered the equal weight of the Qur’an and is the lens through which the Qur’an is ultimately interpreted.
In the Sunnah, for men, the following ahadeeth (plural of the word hadeeth translated as prophetic saying) exist as to the obligation of wearing amama/head covering:
“Tie the amama. It will increase you in forbearance.”
“When you enter the mosque wear a hat and tie the Amama, because the Amama is the crown of the Muslims.”
“Make a practice of tying the Amama as it is the crown of the angels and hang it (the Shimla-tail) at the back.”
Commentary:
The wearing of hijab for women or for men to wear a head covering has nothing to do with political Islam or Islamism; it
is simply a command in Islam. Period. So, if either a Muslim woman or man says that that is not the case in Islam, then the onus is on the claimant to bring proof that
hijab is not required in Islam and that men are exempt from following the
Sunnah of wearing the amama.
There are Muslim women of course who do not wear the
hijab: They may choose not to wear it for many reasons including but not limited to either (a) being ignorant of the injunction’s existence in the Qur’an, (b) not being practicing/religious (lax), (c) denialism, (d) trying to avoid harms of hostile others when in fear of one’s life, property, or well-being, (e) or being old, or (f) medical reason. The only three reasons considered valid in Islam to not wear or fulfill the obligation of
hijab is (d) and (e) and (f). It's also true that there are Muslim men of course who do not wear any head covering; they may choose to not wear the
imamah sharif for similar reasons, but the only valid reason for them to not wear the imamah sharif is (d) or (f).
Also, I’d remind everyone that Islam does not see itself as a new religion but the same religion that was given to all the other prophets, that is, the prophets within the Bible and Torah. For example, the Qur’an, Chapter 42 “Consultation” verse 13 clearly says,
“The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah - the which We have sent by inspiration to thee - and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: Namely, that ye should remain steadfast in religion, and make no divisions therein: to those who worship other things than Allah, hard is the (way) to which thou callest them. Allah chooses to Himself those whom He pleases, and guides to Himself those who turn (to Him).”
Islam, let’s remember, is touted as an Abrahamic religion for a reason.
So, for example, from Wikipedia, since we’re discussing veils or the subject of veiling, the following is written
on current practice [of veiling] in Western Christianity:
In Continental Europe and North America at the start of the 20th century, women in most mainstream Christian denominations wore head coverings during church services. These included many Anglican, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian and Roman Catholic Churches. At worship, in parts of the Western World, many women started to wear bonnets in lieu of headcoverings, and later, hats became predominant. However, eventually, in North America, this practice started to decline, with some exceptions, such as among conservative Mennonites and Amish, and Traditionalist Catholics. In nations in regions such as the Indian subcontinent, nearly all women wear head coverings during church services.[46] Female members of Jehovah's Witnesses may only lead prayer and teaching when no baptized male is available to, and must do so wearing a head covering; male Witnesses are to remove any headcovering (hats) when representing even a small group in public prayer. Female members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) are required to veil their faces during a part of the temple worship ceremonies. Both Roman Catholic and Anglican nuns wear a veil.
And there’s also an article that a person interested in the subject of veiling in Judaism can read called, “
Reorienting the Veil.”
Now, it is true that historically there have been time periods or cultures wherein Muslim women did not wear the
hijab, but that was not largely because the end of the Ottoman Caliphate had led to nationalistic movements in the Muslim world, which had in trying to recover from the setback of being defeated in WWII overcompensated with somewhat conscious chaotic amputation of spirituality and religion from mundane affairs in the culture. Now, modern women, after acquiring knowledge of the religion whether that is through reading the Qur’an or living in the chaos that is now the lives of Muslim majority countries due to both corruption and chaos and now of course for a long time the dropping of bombs (from Western countries) on those countries, feel themselves being drawn back to the
hijab.
Also, I don’t doubt that there are cultures in various Muslim majority countries that lead families to pressure women into wearing the
hijab not out of their free will. However, and this is an important point, I rarely do hear any coverage in any media outlet or anywhere about how Muslim women are being forced or blackmailed to not wear hijab by their families, and this happens far more frequently in the West; this not only happens to converts, but it also happens to Muslim families living in the West who might fear that their daughters never get married due to Muslim men not wanting to marry a
hijab-clad woman or fear them being harassed due to Islamophobia. I frequently only encounter the latter type of scenarios being played out on English-speaking Muslim majority Islamic forums/boards as these boards/forums are inhabited predominantly by Muslims living in the West; and these Muslim women in the West then come out to seek advise of fellow Muslims on how to approach their families on these Muslim majority boards/forums. And of course, I will assume that almost all of you know how frequently discussions happen in the political arena about whether or not women living in the West should have a right to choose to dress themselves in
hijab,
burkini, or
niqab as they wish if they do have a religious conviction on being covered or veiled.
Peace.
