Is Hijab mandatory? Because my belief is swaying.?

Question

I'm a Shia Muslim, nearly 15 years of age.

I live in England.

I come from a religious family, my dad is Iranian and my mum is an English convert.

I am quite religious, I fast and pray and read Qur'an, I try my best to be a good Muslim, and I seek to learn more and more, I don't want to be one of those illiterate Muslim women who are unaware of their rights.

I started wearing the Hijab exactly three years ago, and at the time I felt I really wanted to because I thought it was compulsory to be a good Muslim woman.

However, recently I have been questioning that.

I agree it is mandatory to dress modestly, but I find nowhere in the Qur'an that explicitly states how women should dress.

Also, most female Islamic scholars do not wear the Hijab, and they are extremely intelligent and understand Islam but better than I do.

What is your opinion?

Do you have any sources to prove your ideas?

Thanks

Maddy

x

Answer 1

First just to make sure u know what hijab is-its a scarf that covers your head. and its different from burkha/veil or the black dress (because some people confuse hijab -scarf covering the head with viel which covers the face)

Hijab is mandatory for muslim women-i.e. covering her head.

Its not mandatory to cover one's face-so veil is not mandatory.

Now not wearing a hijab does not make u a less of a muslim than wearing a hijab, though ideally u should follow a religion as much as possible. Learn more about Islam and make your choice.

Hijab is not a sign of women's oppression. Its for them not to become object of lust and so that they are judged for their intelligence, character rather than how sexually attractive they are. Secondly hijab does not make one less beautiful.

Answer 2

I have read the Quran many times and did a lot of research on it and i have never seen any verse that says how a women should dress, it just says she should cover herself so in my opinion wearing jeans and a shirt is covering up. Head scarf is kind of necessary because a boy can be seriously attracted to a girl by only her hair (believe me when i say this cuz i am a boy :-D ) you can leave the face unless it is so pretty that a boy turns around just to see you (umm....i am still talking from the Islamic point of view :-D )

Answer 3

hey maddy

its amazing how u try so much at such a young age to follow ur religion inb the right way

i really admire that

i am moslem too ...according to my understanding yes its imp. to wear the vail

but my personal opinion is that u r really young to take this step and never change ur mind after words

maybe it would be better to wait till u r old enough to understand our religion more and know why u should wear ot or how to keep it right, then wear it out of being sure....bcoz if u r not convinced then u'll never keep wearing it

on the other hand u've been wearing it 4 3 years now...y waste that ??

ask ur parents they r the best ones to guide you

tell them if u can maybe postpone it till u r old enough to handle it

but still this is my personal opinion and i am a sunni moslem ( proud to be) & i know that Shiaa moslems r a little strics that us... so...

Answer 4

Folks:

She may be young but she is very obviously an intelligent, literate girl. Don't be condescending by assuming that she's ignorant and you know more about her faith than she does. It doesn't reflect well on you.

To Maddy:

I am not an expert on Islam but from what I've read it's as you say; I haven't read it in its entirety but I think the Qu'ran does not state explicitly that a woman must wear the hijab. I wish I could offer more help but I think, when it comes down to it, that it's ultimately your decision.

Personally I think there are bigger spiritual fish to fry, so to speak, and that whether or not you choose to wear the hijab is a relatively minor detail as long as you are a good person who lives right. But that's just me.

Also, I am an atheist but I must applaud you for putting so much thought into your religious practices and decisions. The fact that you seek to learn everything you can about Islam while also seeking to be a strong, well-informed woman makes you a credit to people of faith. You seem like an exceptional young lady. Keep it up.

Answer 5

The Quran is never explicit about what constitutes "modest" dress. Period. Asking a supposed "scholar" wont change that fact. Its something you can easily evaluate for yourself.

Considering that you dont want to be one of those illiterate Islamic woman, so common in Islamic countries, let me challenge you to evaluate another part of the Quran:

Quran 2:223 “your wives are a tilth for you, so go into your tilth when you like ...” http://www.usc.edu/dept/msa/quran/002.qm...

Quran 4:34 "(as to those muslimah’s) on whose part you fear desertion, admonish them, and leave them alone in the sleeping-places and beat them;" http://cwis.usc.edu/dept/msa/quran/004.q...

Is 2:223 of the quran a Islamic property law statute? It says "your wives" are a tilth for you". Keep in mind, there is no claim to property, across international boundaries, stronger than that of a "tilth" or any like product of your own labor mixed with resource.

So, this is literally the clearest expression of an Islamic mans absolute ownership rights over his wife. In fact, the rights are so strong, that he may "go into" his wife (have s*x with her) whenever he likes with no stated exception (ex: unless she is sick).

Answer 6

in England , if you don't want to wear it , don't , this is a personal choice , I don't see  how our opinions will help you

in Saudi Arabia or Iran , you MUST wear it .

Answer 7

Quranic Verses about Hijab:

“O you Children of Adam! We have bestowed on you raiment to cover your shame as well as to be an adornment to you. But the raiment of righteousness, that is the best. Such are among the Signs of Allah, that they may receive admonition.” (Quran 7:26)

“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 therof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, or their brothers' sons or their sisters' sons, or their women or the servants whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of s*x, and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O you Believers, turn you all together towards Allah, that you may attain Bliss.” (Quran 24:31).

“O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognised and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.” (Quran 33:59)

Answer 8

According to the Hadith, "My Lord agreed with me ('Umar) in three things... (2) And as regards the veiling of women, I said 'O Allah's Apostle!  I wish you ordered your wives to cover themselves from the men because good and bad ones talk to them.' So the verse of the veiling of the women was revealled" (Bukhari, v1, bk 8, sunnah 395).

Surah XXXIII, Verse 59 of the Qur'an is most often cited in support of veiling. It states "O Prophet! Tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close around them. that will be better, so that they may be recognized and not annoyed. Allah is ever forgiving, merciful...." (from A.Yusef Ali's translation of the Qur'an; other versions translate the original Arabic as "veils" where Ali uses "cloaks").

Answer 9

The last time I passed through Heathrow I saw a young woman wearing a hijab and low-rise jeans that exposed her butt crack.  

Answer 10

Most Muslim authorities agree that the hijab is required, and not wearing it is haram.

I'm not sure if there is a hadith that supports that stance or not, but the Quran does not say so.