The video above shows photo examples of women dressing modestly. They are not wearing short clothes (33:59), or tight clothes (7:22, 7:26), or see-through clothes (7:22, 7:26, 24:31), or high heels (24:31), or makeup (7:31, 2:102), and they all look beautiful (3:14).
Even more, a modest woman is happier (16:97, 19:26), more professional at work (33:59), more respectable at school (33:59), more trustworthy (70:32), smarter (7:27), more dignified (35:10), equal to men (3:195), more approachable to honest men (33:59), and really more beautiful – inside-out (7:26).
Someone who likes to jump the gun might conclude and say, “See, I told you women should wear a Hijab.” But let’s see what the Quran says about that:
These are all the verses, where the word ‘hijab’ is mentioned in the Quran – eight of them:
- [7:46] A barrier (hijab) separates them, while the Purgatory is occupied by people who recognize each side by their looks. They will call the dwellers of Paradise: “Peace be upon you.” They did not enter (Paradise) through wishful thinking.
- [17:45] When you read the Quran, we place between you and those who do not believe in the Hereafter an invisible barrier (hijab).
- [41:5] They said, “Our minds are made up, our ears are deaf to your message, and a barrier (hijab) separates us from you. Do what you want, and so will we.”
- [83:15] Indeed, they will be isolated (hijab), on that day, from their Lord.
- [42:51] No human being can communicate with GOD except through inspiration, or from behind a barrier (hijab), or by sending a messenger through whom He reveals what He wills. He is the Most High, Most Wise.
- [38:32] He then said, “I enjoyed the material things more than I enjoyed worshiping my Lord, until the sun was gone (hijab).
- [19:17] While a barrier (hijab) separated her (Mary) from them, we sent to her our Spirit. He went to her in the form of a human being.
- [33:53] O you who believe, do not enter the prophet’s homes unless you are given permission to eat, nor shall you force such an invitation in any manner. If you are invited, you may enter. When you finish eating, you shall leave; do not engage him in lengthy conversations. This used to hurt the prophet, and he was too shy to tell you. But GOD does not shy away from the truth. If you have to ask his wives for something, ask them from behind a barrier (hijab). This is purer for your hearts and their hearts. You are not to hurt the messenger of GOD. You shall not marry his wives after him, for this would be a gross offense in the sight of GOD.
So, the word ‘hijab’ according to those verses actually means ‘barrier’ and in the top 5 verses, it talks about a hijab (barrier) which separates disbelievers from God and his word, the sixth verse in the list above about sunset, the seventh verse in the list above talks specifically about Mary, and how God separated her from other men miraculously, so that we can be assured that she did not conceive Jesus through any man. Obviously, the word hijab in this verse is not necessarily talking about hijab for her head, because no one gets pregnant through their head. And, finally, the last verse in the list talks about hijab for men, and it’s only for men during the time of prophet Muhammad. So, where is the hijab for women? Well, there is no such thing as hijab for women in the Quran, but there is clothes for women, and we find them in chapter 24, verse 31. So, verse 24:31 gives the specific dress code for believing women when they are in public, and what it says is that women should cover their chest and their whole bodies except that which is necessary to be uncovered, which we see in verse 5:6 that it is necessary to wash your face, your arms up to the elbows, your head, and your feet.
This means that it is not just to expect women to cover their face, their head, their arms up to the elbows, and their feet. It’s simply not right. God does not ask them to do that, so why should we?
Also, on the other hand, the argument of philosophers who say that “clothes do not make you better” is understandable, but clothes are part of the social construct of being human (7:27), and if you are not wearing clothes, you are going below human (25:44, 5:60, 101:9). Societies which do not wear clothes like Amazon tribes and some very remote parts in Africa, have devolved into extreme poverty, disease, violence, and very often in cannibalism. It’s not really important to go into further details in this subject, but there are two key messages which are important for believing women, and those are:
- In public, be modest (24:31).
- In private with your husband, don’t be modest (30:21, 23:6, 7:32, 25:74).
Side note:
Hair, anywhere in your body, and nails are dead cells – no longer part of your body. There is no prohibition in the Quran to color, cut, naturally grow, or pluck them away (7:32). But modesty in public is always closer to holiness (33:33).
By: Alban Fejza, the Clarifying Messenger