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The ways in which women displayed themselves during the period of pre-Islâmic jahiliyyah included mingling
freely with men, walking seductively, and wearing a head-covering in a manner which exposed the
ornaments and beauties of the head and neck. But during the present period of ignorance of the divine
guidance the display of feminine attractions has gone to such vulgar extremes that the women of the pre-
Islâmic era appear in contrast to be models of chastity and dignity!
How a Muslim Woman Should Conduct Herself
The correct Islâmic behavior required of Muslim women which keeps them from wantonly displaying their
attractions is characterized by the following:
A.
Lowering the gaze: Indeed, the most precious ornament of a woman is modesty, and the best expression
of modesty is in the lowering of the gaze, as Allâh Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala says,...And tell the believing women
that they should lower their gazes.... (24:31)
B.
Not intermingling with men in such way that their bodies come in contact or that men touch women, as
happens so often today in movie “heaters, university classrooms, auditoriums, buses, streetcars, and the like.
Ma‘qal ibn Yasar narrated that Allâh’s Messenger (s.a.w.s.) said, It is better for one of you to be pricked in the
head with an iron pick than to touch a woman whom it is unlawful to touch (Al-Mondhari says, “It (this hadith) is
reported by al-Tabarani and al-Bayhaqi, and al-Tabarani’s transmitters are authentic and sound.)
C.
Her clothing must conform to the standards laid down by the Islâmic Shari‘ah, which are as follows:
1.
Her dress must cover her entire body with the exception of “that which is apparent,” which,
according to the most preferable interpretation, refers to the face and hands.
2.
It must not be transparent, revealing what is underneath it. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has informed
us that, Among the dwellers of hell are such women as are clothed yet naked, seduced and being seduced.
These shall not enter the Garden, nor shall (even) its fragrance reach them. Here the meaning of “clothed yet
naked” is that their light, thin, transparent garments do not conceal what is underneath. Once some women of
Bani Tamim, who were clad in transparent clothes, came to see ‘Aishah, and she remarked, “If you are
Believers, these are not the clothes which befit believing women.” On another occasion, when a bride wearing
a sheer and transparent head-covering was brought into her presence, she commented, “A woman who dresses
like this does not believe in Surah al-Nur.” (Surah 24, which together with Surah 33 (al-Ahzab) contains many
injunctions concerning purity and propriety, man-woman relations, and dress. (Trans.))
3.
Her dress must not be too tight so as to define the parts of her body, especially its curves, even
though it may not be transparent. This describes many of the styles of clothing current in the sensuous,
materialistic civilization of the Western world, whose fashion designers compete with one another in devising
clothing for women which tantalizingly emphasizes the bustline, waist, and hips, etc., in order to elicit the
lustful admiration of men. Women who wear such clothes likewise fall under the definition of “clothed yet
naked,” since such a dress is often more provocative than one which is transparent.
4.
She must not wear clothes which are specifically for men, such as trousers in our time. The
Prophet (s.a.w.s.) cursed women who try to resemble men and men who resemble women, and prohibited
women from wearing men’s clothing and vice-versa.
5.
In her choice of clothing she should not imitate non-Muslims, whether they are Jews, Christians,
or pagans, for Islâm disapproves of conformity to non-Islâmic modes and desires its followers to develop
their own distinctive characteristics in appearance, as well as in beliefs and attitudes. This is why Muslims
have been asked to be different from non-Muslims in many aspects, and why the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has
said, “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”
D.
The Muslim woman walks and talks in a dignified and business-like manner, avoiding flirtatiousness in
her facial expressions and movements. Flirting and seductive behavior are characteristics of wrong-minded
women, not of Muslims. Allâh Ta‘ala says:...Then do not be too pleasant of speech, lest one in whose heart
there is a disease should feel desire (for you).... (33:32)
E.
She does not draw men’s attention to her concealed adornment by the use of perfume or by jingling or
toying with her ornaments or other such things. Allâh says: They should not strike their feet in order to make
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known what they hide of their adornment.... (24:31)
The women of the time of jahiliyyah used to stamp their feet when they passed by men so that the jingling of
their ankle-bracelets might be heard. The Qur‘ân forbade this, both because it might tempt a lecherous man
to pursue her and also because it demonstrates the evil intention of the woman in attempting to draw the
attention of men to herself. Similar is the Islâmic ruling concerning the use of fragrant perfumes, since here
again the intention is to attract men by exciting their desire. A hadith states, The woman who perfumes
herself and passes through a gathering is an adulteress. (Al-Mondhari says, “This is reported by Abû Daoud
and al-Tirmidhî,who classifies it as sound and good.” It has also been reported by al-Nisai, Ibn Khazimah,
and Ibn Hibban in the following words: “Any woman who perfumes herself and passes by a group of people
so that her scent reaches them is an adulteress.” Al-Hakim also reported this and said, “It has sound
transmitters.”)
From all this we know that Islâm does not require, as some people claim, that a woman should remain
confined to her house until death takes her out to her grave. On the contrary, she may go out for salat, for
her studies, and for her other lawful needs, both religious and secular, as was custUmary among the women
of the families of the Companions and the women of later generations. Moreover, this early period of Islâm is
considered by all Muslims to be the best and most exemplary period in the history of Islâm. Among the
women of this time were those who took part in battles in the company of the Prophet himself (s.a.w.s.), and
after that under the caliphs and their commanders. Allâh’s Messenger (s.a.w.s.) told his wife Saudah, “Allâh
has permitted you to go out for your needs.” (Compiled by al-Bukhâri in his book Marriage in the chapter
entitled “Women May Go Out For Their Needs,” on the authority of ‘Aishah.) He also said, “If someone’s
wife asks his permission to go to the mosque, he should not deny it to her.” (Compiled by al-Bukhâri, on the
authority of ‘Umar.) On another occasion he said, “Do not prevent the bond-maids of Allâh from (going to)
Allâh’s mosques.” (Compiled by Muslim.)
Some very strict scholars are of the opinion that a woman is not allowed to see any part of a man wis not her
mahrem. They base their ruling on a hadith reported by al-Tirmidhî on the authority of Nabhan, the slave of
Umm Salmah, that the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) told Umm Salmah and Maymunah, his wives, to veil themselves
when Ibn Umm Maktum entered. “But he is blind,” they said. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) replied, “Buare you
blind, too? Do you not see him?”
However, researchers say that the manner in which this hadith has been transmitted renders it unsound.
While the narrator here is Umm Salmah, the transmitter is her slave Nabhan, who had no concern with the
incident nor any need to report it. Even if the hadith is sound, it simply shows that the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was
very strict in respect to his wives because their exceptional status required greater modesty on their part;
Abû Daoud and other great scholars have commented on this exceptional position of the wives of the
Prophet (s.a.w.s.). In any case, the significance of the following well-established and sound hadith remains
uncontested: The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) instructed Fatimah bint Qais to spend the required period of
confinement (‘iddah) following the death of her husband at the house of Umm Sharik. But he later changed
his mind, saying, My Companions gather in her house. Go and stay with Ibn Umm Maktum, since he is a
blind man. If you uncover yourself he will not see you. (Tafsir of al-Qurtabi, vol. 11, p. 228.)
A Woman’s Serving Male Guests
A woman may serve her husband’s guests in his presence as long as she adheres to the Islâmic standards
in her dress, movements, and speech. They will naturally see her and she will see them, and there is no
harm in this as long as there is no danger of involvement on either side.
Al-Bukhâri, Muslim, and others have reported Sahl ibn Sa‘d al-Ansari as saying, Abû Usayd al-Sa‘adi invited
the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and his Companions to his wedding. The food was prepared and served by none other
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