Hijab - Why Men Exempted?

 

·         From: "Kayid Al-Kuffar" <Kayedhom@xxxxxxxxx>

·         Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:05:27 -0400

 

Hijab: Why Men Exempted?

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His
Messenger.

Hijab: Why Men Exempted?

Answering the question, the eminent Muslim scholar, Sheikh `Abdus- Sattar F.
Sa`eed, Professor of the Exegesis of the Qur'an at Al-Azhar Univ., states:

"It is through Allah's Wisdom that He distinguishes between man and woman in
the process of creation. Woman, on the one hand, is created in a way that
best suits her natural inclinations. The requirements that Allah asks of her
give her full security and protect her against awkward and uncertain
situations.

The differences between man and woman are more obvious in the physical
appearance. A woman's body, voice, hair and other feminine characteristics
are evident and present to attract her husband.

That is why Allah Almighty has ordered woman not to uncover the natural
beauty and attractiveness, that He Almighty granted her, before anyone
except her husband.

A husband is allowed to look at any part of his wife's body. According to
Islam, this is not the case for the woman's male-Mahrams (relatives who are
not allowed to marry her), for example her father, brother, etc., who are
allowed to look at specific parts of the woman's body such as her hair and
hands.

However, when it comes to non-Mahram men, the matter is completely
different, because the exposure of the woman's body before non-Mahram men
leads to immorality and temptation.

Man, on the other hand, is created by Allah in a way which is different from
that of the woman. In his capacity as the breadwinner of the family, man is
supposed to strive hard to cater for his family's needs.

With regard to women covering their faces, we can say that it is not
obligatory, as the questioner implies, but it is recommended. Some women do
cover their faces for the purpose of attaining Allah's greater reward.
However, if a woman finds it difficult to cover her face, she is obliged to
conform to the Islamic code of dress, which requires covering her entire
body save her face and hands."

Finally, we can say that there is wisdom in Allah's commands, and if we see
the wisdom behind certain rulings, it is easier to accept them. We can look
at the advantages of adorning a headscarf and trust that Allah, the
Omniscient, knows what is better for us. We can wait for the reward for
doing so, only if our intention is to obey Him, because when there is
difficulty in doing something, the reward is given in proportion to the
difficulty. And that reward is more worthwhile than having a breeze on our
necks.


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