Why Women Should Wear the Veil?

Women throughout the world spend millions of Dollars on facial beauty. Companies manufacturing 'beauty' products make a colossal figure in sales. It would be nothing short saying that the products used on the face far exceed other products. This in itself proves that humans are particularly possessive of their looks - facial expression. People especially women take great pride and time in making up their faces.

Allah Ta'ala has placed the beauty of man and woman in the face. Perhaps the busiest part of the body is the face - used extensively in communication. The face communicates the person's mood and facial expressions and expresses the character and mannerism.

Because so much of identification is assembled by the face, least to mention the beauty of women, Muslim women are required to hide away their beauty. The veil forms part of their concealment.

The Noble Qur'an declares:
"Oh Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e. screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women so as not to be annoyed." (Ahzaab 59)

Furthermore, the Noble Qur'an declares in Sura Nur verse 31, that the believing women 'should not display their beauty and ornamentation' except to their husbands and immediate family (Mahrams).

Allah Ta'ala says clearly that a woman's body should be covered by loose-fitting, non-transparent clothing so that the shape of her body is not revealed. The Hijaab hides the beauty of the woman's form.

No one can dispute that a woman's primary focus of beauty is her face. Therefore, if Allah Ta'ala places so much of emphasis on hiding the beauty of a woman's body, it's only logical that the centre of greater attraction - the face - should without a doubt also be covered.

Referring to the wives (Radhiallaahu Anhunna) of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) warns the men:

"And when you ask (His ladies) for anything you want, ask them from behind a curtain: that makes for greater purity for your hearts and theirs." (Ahzaab 33:53)

If Allah Ta'ala expects the prophet's wives to be so guarded then surely none of the believing women can claim greater purity of heart and consequently exemption from the directive to hide their beauty.

Hadhrat Aaisha (Radhiyallaahu Anha) says, '(during Hajj in the state of Ihraam) when the male should walk in front of us while in the company of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam), then we would drop our veils from the head over the face.'

This Hadith emphatically shows the manner adopted by the honoured wives of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam). They have exemplified an extremely dignified way of life for the women of the Ummah.

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Source:  Jamiatul Ulama (Kwazulu-Natal)