Degrees of Hijab

Islam has given guidelines for women to be followed both for when she is in her house and when she leaves her house out of necessity.

 

The First Degree of Hijab:

 

The first degree of Hijab is Hijab against people in that women themselves and even what they do should not be seen by men.  In normal times, they should remain in their house and the gaze of men should not fall even on their clothes.  This is a high degree of Hijab. Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) says:

 

And stay quietly in your houses, and make not a dazzling display, like that of the Jahili period (i.e. before the revelation of the Holy Quran); and establish regular Prayer, and give regular Charity; and obey Allah and His Messenger. Surah Ahzaab (33:33)

 

Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) also says:

 

And when you address (his ladies) for anything ye want, ask them from behind a screen: that makes for greater purity for your hearts and for theirs. Surah Ahzaab (33:53)

 

There is a Hadith in Jame Tirmidhi, Sunan Abi Dawood and Musnad Ahmed:

 

Translation of Hadith: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Umme Salma (May Allah be well pleased with her) that she and Hadhrat Maimoona (May Allah be well pleased with her) were in the presence of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and Hadhrat Abdullah bin Maktoom (May Allah be well pleased with him) entered.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Hijab yourselves from him.  Hadhrat Umme Salma (May Allah be well pleased with him) says:  I said: O Prophet of Allah!  He is blind, he can’t see us.  He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Are you also blind?  Can you not see him?

 

(Jame Tirmidhi, Hadith No: 2702, Sunan Abi Dawood, Hadith No: 3585, Musnad Imam Ahmed, Hadith No: 2702)

 

The welfare of women in this world and the safety of their honor and chastity lies in the secret that neither they should see non-Mahram men nor should they reveal themselves to non Mahram, as related from Syeda Fatima Zahra (May Allah Ta'ala be well pleased with her)

 

There is a Hadith in Kanz Ul Ummal and Majma Uz Zawaaid:

 

Translation of Hadith: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him) that I was in the presence of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  He told the Sahabah: What is better for a woman? The Sahabah remained silent.  Then when I went to my house, I asked Hadhrat Fatima (May Allah be well pleased with her) about this.  She said: It is better for women that they do not see men and men don’t see them.  When I conveyed this reply to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: She has said the truth. Verily! She is a piece of my heart.

 

(Majma Uz Zawaaid, Vol. 4, Pg No: 255, Kanz Ul Ummal, Hadith No: 46012)

 

The Second Degree:

 

When women are allowed to leave the house for any valid need of theirs, then they are ordered to cover themselves in a long chador or similar type of cloth in such a way that no part of their body should be visible.  She should not use any kind of scent, fragrance, etc.  She should not wear any jewelry which produces any sound.  She should walk by the sides of the road and she should not enter a crowd of men.  As Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) says in Surah Ahzaab:

 

O Prophet!  Tell your wives and daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks all over their bodies.  That will be better that they  should be known so as not to be annoyed: and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.  Surah Ahzaab (33:59)

 

The Third Degree:

 

In the house, there is no prohibition on relatives, servants, etc. entering the house and collective living, eating etc. with them.  Broad guidelines have been given in this regard.

 

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 (ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their Hijabs over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, fathers, husbands' fathers, sons, husbands' sons, brothers, or brothers' sons, or sisters' sons, or women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! Turn ye all together towards Allah that ye may attain Bliss.  Surah Noor (24:31)

 

It is but natural that all relations are not the same.  Some of those revered relations, about whom one cannot even think in a wrong/indecent manner and they themselves protect each other's chastity and honor.  Some are those about whom one can think in such a manner.  Consequently, Islam has maintained a difference in the rules for Mahram and non-Mahram.

 

“Mahram” are those with whom marriage is forever prohibited, like father, maternal and paternal grandfather, brother, maternal and paternal uncle, nephew, grandson, father-in-law, etc.  There are some other relatives with whom marriage is not prohibited and it is allowed and permissible, like cousins, brother-in-law, etc.  They are not included in the Mahram.  The Mahram are those who safeguard the chastity of women.  About others Islam has ordered Hijab against them.

 

In the Holy Quran the Hijab for women has been dealt with in 7 verses; 3 verses of Surah Noor and 4 verses of Surah Ahzaab.  There are about 70 Hadith in which the rules of Hijab have been described.

 

With the husband, there is no Hijab.  The husband can see the wife from head to toe and vice versa.  It is mentioned in etiquettes (Aadaab in Urdu) that they should not see each other’s private parts.  As given in Mausu’atul Fiqhiya, Vol. 1, Pg No: 53.  About other relatives like father, brother etc., the rule is that from a woman’s navel to her knees, nobody can see her.  Nobody from even among the Mahram can see this area of a woman’s body.  Other parts like face, ankles, arms, etc can be seen provided there is no fear of corruption, as given in Hidayah, Kitab Ul Karahiya, Pg No: 461.

 

The evidence of seeing the Mahram is the Word of Allah Ta'ala is in verse 31 of Surah Noor.

 

And direct the believing women that they (too) must keep their eyes lowered and guard their chastity, and must not show off their adornments and beautification except that (part of it) which becomes visible itself. And they must keep their veils (and head-coverings) drawn over their chests and breasts (too), and must not display their adornments (to anyone) except their husbands, or their fathers or the fathers of their husbands, or their sons or the sons of their husbands, or their brothers or the sons of their brothers or the sons of their sisters, or (the women of) their (own faith, the Muslim) women or their female slaves or such male servants as are free from any lust and sexual urge, or the children who (being minor) have (yet) no sense of women’s private parts. (They too are exceptions.) Nor must they (while walking) strike their feet (on the ground in such a manner that ornaments jingle and) thus get revealed and known which they are keeping hidden (under the command of Shari‘a). And turn to Allah all of you in repentance, O believers, so that you may prosper (by implementing these Commandments).  Surah Noor (24:31)

 

It is allowed to reveal one's beauty before the relations mentioned in the above verse.  Revealing one’s beauty means revealing the areas of beauty.  The wrists, ears, neck, feet are all included in this. These are called the areas of beauty i.e. the areas from where beauty is expressed.

 

As far as the non-Mahram are concerned, if there is any fear of any corruption, then the whole body and even the face should be covered.  If there is no such fear, then there is no problem in keeping the face and palms uncovered.  As said by Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala):

 

……….that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (ordinarily) appear thereof;

 

As given in Hidayah in Kitabul Karahiya, Pg No: 452:

 

Translation: According to Hadhrat Ali and Hadhrat Ibn Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with them) that except “what (ordinarily) appear thereof” means the Kohl of the eyes and the ring.

 

There is a Hadith in Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith No. 3580:

 

Translation of Hadith: Hadhrat Asma bin Abu Bakr (May Allah Ta'ala be well pleased with him) came to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and she was wearing very thin and fine clothes and the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) turned His head away and said:  O Asma! When a girl matures, it is not advisable that her parts of body should be revealed except this and He pointed towards His face and His palms.

 

The Logic Behind Hijab For The Face:

 

In the whole human body the most beautiful and excellent part is the face.  All the powers of hearing, seeing, speaking and all other powers, which create turmoil in the emotions and may lead men to sin are connected to the face.  That's the reason the Shariah has ordered women to cover the face with a nose-piece and should not allow any non-Mahram men to have a glimpse of her face in particular.

 

The Hadith describe severe warnings for a man who sees any non-Mahram woman with lust and desire.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:

 

Translation of Hadith: Whoever looks at a non-Mahram woman with lust, on the Day of Judgment, molten lead would be poured in his eyes.  (Hidayah, Kitab Ul Karahiyya, Vol. 4, Pg. No. 458)

 

If there is any possibility of desire, then everyone agrees that it is prohibited to reveal the face before non-Mahram people.  If there is no possibility of desire, then as per the Hanafi school of Fiqh, there is an allowance to keep the face uncovered.  Hence, in light of the clear corruption in this age, the later Fuqaha (Islamic Law experts) have stressed that the face should be covered.  Hence, while wearing the Burqa, it is more advisable and better to cover the hands up till the wrists, the ankles and including the face, the whole body should be covered.

 

As given in Radd Ul Muhtaar, Vol. 5, Pg. No. 261.