Hijab is considered a sign of oppression of Muslim women by many non-Muslims. How could be it justified? They say, ‘Islam is taking the choice and freedom away from women.’ While they haven’t studied Islam and its laws, as they should. Or they have some knowledge about Islam, but they have studied Islam from such source that only search defects and short comings in Islam (though they are unable to find it).

To examine the objections about Hijab, we should understand it that Islam is a complete code of life. You are bound to obey a law in full, when you agree to follow it. Islam is a code of life, which have its own values and virtues, which differ from any other religion or culture. Islam is needed to be followed in all its commands. When we talk about the CHOICE, we should know that there is no choice after accepting a law. For example, when you become citizen of a country, or you get a visa of a specific country. You should abide by rules and regulations of that country. You can’t ask them that you want to do this and that, and you don’t want to do this and that. No, you have to follow the rules. Otherwise, they will refuse to give you citizenship or visa. Take the same example about Islam. When we have accepted Islamic laws and rules as they are true and revealed by Allah, then we don’t have any choice, to accept what we like and to reject what is objectionable to the World and its FREE culture. It is a logical justification of almost all Islamic laws.

Now, coming to the main purpose of Hijab, Islam wants to protect women’s modesty and their honour. It is described in the Holy Qur’an, that Muslim women should cover their body, so that they will be identified ( as a Muslim Women) and will not be molested.

Dr. Zakir Naik describes six criteria for Hijab:

1. The first criterion is the extent of the body that should be covered. This is different for men and men. The extent of covering obligatory on the male to cover the body at least from the navel to the knees. For women, the extent of covering obligatory is to cover the complete body except the face and the hands upto the wrist. If they wish to, they can cover even these parts of the body. Some scholars of Islam insist that the face and the hands are part of the obligatory extent of ‘hijab’. All the remaining five criteria are the same for men and women.

2. The clothes worn should be loose and should not reveal the figure.
3. The clothes worn should not be transparent such that one can see through them.
4. The clothes worn should not be so glamorous as to attract the opposite sex.
5. The clothes worn should not resemble that of the opposite sex.
6. The clothes worn should not resemble that of the unbelievers i.e. they should not wear clothes that are specifically identities or symbols of the unbelievers’ religions.

It was a logical justification of Hijab for women in Islam. You can send me your comments if you have some different view.

(26 April, 2005)