Sunday, April 26, 2009
This post is going to be an offshoot of one I wrote a while back about niqab. It seems to have come up again a few times, and I wanted to share a book that I read that helped me make my decision about it being an obligation to veil.
The book is called Four Essays on the Obligation of Veiling and contains 4 essays by some of the best scholars of our time: Bin Baaz, Uthaimeen, Fawzaan and Madkhalee.
The first time I read this book it set for me what my obligations were in relation to hijab. I could not doubt it anymore. The proofs were too strong. I've just started to re-read it and I wanted to share a part that I really found interesting from the essay by Uthaimeen:
Ibn Umar reported that the Prophet Salallahu Alayhi Wa Salam said 'Whoever trail his garment out of pride, Allah will not look at him on the day of Judgement.' So Umm Salamah asked 'Then what should the women do with the hems of their dresses?' The Prophet said 'Let them extend their hems the length of a hand span.' She said 'But their feet would still be exposed.' So he replied 'Then let them extend it a forearm's length and no more.' (reported by Abu Dawood)
There is evidence in this hadeeth that a woman is obligated to cover her feet. This was a well known matter amongst the Sahaabiyaat. Without a doubt, the foot is less a place of fitnah than the face and hands. Thus, warning against something that is a lesser danger also consists of a warning against what is greater and superior than it, based on the wisdom of the Last Revelation. Would it obligate the covering of an area that is less of a place of fitnah, and allow the exposing of that which is a greater area of fitnah? Indeed this a clear contradiction that is not possible for the wisdom of Allah and his legislation.
So if anyone has an interest to study the obligation further please consider this book as a good place to start.
Posts
Lazeena - Yeah this book rocks.. I find new things every time I read it. Your copy might be the 3 Essays and not the 4.. it had a different cover.
Alshaimaa - I don't know the answer to that, but I do know that if you wear niqab and men are around when you pray you still cover your face.
I also visit the website, Huda Store. Mashaa Allah, may Allah ta'Ala reward you.
Wa salamu aleikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.
I'm soooo sorry I never responded to you.
Advice...hmmm. well if you think its right in your heart, you have to just give it a try. At first I didn't wear it to work (my yucky office job)....but after I got laid off, alhamdulilah, I started to wear it all the time telling myself I was not going to turn back! It is hard to get a job in it, I will say that. But I was able to find one in the Islamic school and its been wonderful!
Just make dua that Allah makes thing easy for you.