By: Dr Zakir Naik
Why does Islam degrade women by keeping them behind
the veil?
The status of women in Islam is often the target of
attacks in the secular media. The ‘hijaab’ or the Islamic dress is cited by
many as an example of the ‘subjugation’ of women under Islamic law.
Before we analyze the reasoning behind the
religiously mandated ‘hijaab’, let us first study the status of women in
societies before the advent of Islam
1. In the past women were degraded and used as
objects of lust
The following examples from history amply
illustrate the fact that the status of women in earlier civilizations was very
low to the extent that they were denied basic human dignity:
a. Babylonian Civilization:
The women were degraded and were denied all rights
under the Babylonian law. If a man murdered a woman, instead of him being
punished, his wife was put to death.
c. Greek Civilization:
Greek Civilization is considered the most glorious
of all ancient civilizations. Under this very ‘glorious’ system, women were
deprived of all rights and were looked down upon. In Greek mythology, an ‘imaginary
woman’ called ‘Pandora’ is the root cause of misfortune of human beings.
The Greeks considered women to be subhuman and
inferior to men. Though chastity of women was precious, and women were held in
high esteem, the Greeks were later overwhelmed by ego and sexual perversions.
Prostitution became a regular practice amongst all classes of Greek society.
d. Roman Civilization:
When Roman Civilization was at the zenith of its
‘glory’, a man even had the right to take the life of his wife. Prostitution
and nudity were common amongst the Romans.
e. Egyptian Civilization:
The Egyptian considered women evil and as a sign of
a devil.
f. Pre-Islamic Arabia:
Before Islam spread in Arabia, the Arabs looked
down upon women and very often when a female child was born, she was buried
alive.
2. Islam uplifted women and gave them equality and
expects them to maintain their status.
Islam uplifted the status of women and granted them
their just rights 1400 years ago. Islam expects women to maintain their status.
Hijab For Men
People usually only discuss ‘hijaab’ in the context
of women. However, in the Glorious Qur’an, Allah (swt) first mentions ‘hijaab’
for men before ‘hijaab’ for the women. The Qur’an mentions in Surah Noor:
"Say to the believing men that they should
lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for
them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do."
[Al-Qur’an 24:30]
The moment a man looks at a woman and if any brazen
or unashamed thought comes to his mind, he should lower his gaze.
Hijaab for women
The next verse of Surah Noor, says:
"And say to the believing women that they
should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display
their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that
they should draw veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to
their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons..."
[Al-Qur’an 24:31]
3. Hijaab includes conduct and behaviour among
other things
Complete ‘hijaab’, besides the six criteria of
clothing, also includes the moral conduct, behaviour, attitude and intention of
the individual. A person only fulfilling the criteria of ‘hijaab’ of the
clothes is observing ‘hijaab’ in a limited sense.
‘Hijaab’ of the clothes should be accompanied by
‘hijaab’ of the eyes, ‘hijaab’ of the heart, ‘hijaab’ of thought and ‘hijaab’
of intention. It also includes the way a person walks, the way a person talks,
the way he behaves, etc.
4. Hijaab prevents molestation
The reason why Hijaab is prescribed for women is
mentioned in the Qur’an in the following verses of Surah Al-Ahzab:
"O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and
the believing women that they should cast their outer garments over their
persons (when abroad); that is most convenient, that they should be known (as
such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
[Al-Qur’an 33:59]
The Qur’an says that Hijaab has been prescribed for
the women so that they are recognized as modest women and this will also
prevent them from being molested.
5. Example of twin sisters
Suppose two sisters who are twins, and who are
equally beautiful, walk down the street. One of them is attired in the Islamic
hijaab i.e. the complete body is covered, except for the face and the hands up
to the wrists. The other sister is wearing western clothes, a mini skirt or
shorts.
Just around the corner there is a hooligan or
ruffian who is waiting for a catch, to tease a girl. Whom will he tease? The
girl wearing the Islamic Hijaab or the girl wearing the skirt or the mini?
Naturally he will tease the girl wearing the skirt
or the mini. Such dresses are an indirect invitation to the opposite sex for
teasing and molestation. The Qur’an rightly says that hijaab prevents women
from being molested.
6. Capital punishment for the rapists
Under the Islamic shariah, a man convicted of having
raped a woman, is given capital punishment. Many are astonished at this ‘harsh’
sentence. Some even say that Islam is a ruthless, barbaric religion! I have
asked a simple question to hundreds of non-Muslim men.
Suppose, God forbid, someone rapes your wife, your
mother or your sister. You are made the judge and the rapist is brought in
front of you. What punishment would you give him? All of them said they would
put him to death. Some went to the extent of saying they would torture him to
death.
To them I ask, if someone rapes your wife or your
mother you want to put him to death. But if the same crime is committed on
somebody else’s wife or daughter you say capital punishment is barbaric. Why
should there be double standards?
7. Western society falsely claims to have uplifted
women
Western talk of women’s liberalization is nothing
but a disguised form of exploitation of her body, degradation of her soul, and
deprivation of her honour. Western society claims to have ‘uplifted’ women.
On the contrary it has actually degraded them to
the status of concubines, mistresses and society butterflies who are mere tools
in the hands of pleasure seekers and sex marketers, hidden behind the colorful
screen of ‘art’ and ‘culture’.
8. USA has one of the highest rates of rape
United States of America is supposed to be one of
the most advanced countries of the world. It also has one of the highest rates
of rape in any country in the world. According to a FBI report, in the year
1990, every day on an average 1756 cases of rape were committed in U.S.A alone.
Later another report said that on an average
everyday 1900 cases of rapes are committed in USA. The year was not mentioned.
May be it was 1992 or 1993. May be the Americans got ‘bolder’ in the following
years.
Consider a scenario where the Islamic hijaab is
followed in America. Whenever a man looks at a woman and any brazen or
unashamed thought comes to his mind, he lowers his gaze. Every woman wears the
Islamic hijaab, that is the complete body is covered except the face and the
hands upto the wrist.
After this if any man commits rape he is given
capital punishment. I ask you, in such a scenario, will the rate of rape in
America increase, will it remain the same, or will it decrease?
9. Implementation of Islamic Shariah will reduce
the rate of rapes
Naturally as soon as Islamic Shariah is implemented
positive results will be inevitable. If Islamic Shariah is implemented in any
part of the world, whether it is America or Europe, society will breathe
easier. Hijaab does not degrade a woman but uplifts a woman and protects her
modesty and chastity.
Source: www.ilovezakirnaik.com
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