Hijab — Page 46
46 “ Purda is a fundamental Islamic commandmen t and has been clearly explained in the Holy Qurān. People who do not read the Holy Book attentively are of the opinion that Allah has not laid much stress on it. It is such an explicit instruction and I have mentioned it two or three times earlier as well. Some people feel as if I am rigidly laying undue emphasis on it, whereas I am only saying that which is in accordance with the Holy Qurān. I am telling you what the Holy Qurān says. What does the Holy Qurān say about Purda? It is a long verse and contains the command َ َ ّ ّ جُیُوۡبِہِن و َ لۡیَضۡرِبۡن َ بِخُمُرِہِن َّ عَلٰی ظَہَر َ مِنۡہَا مَا یُبۡدِیۡن َ زِیۡنَتَہُن َّ اِلَّا و َ لَا جُیُوۡبِہِن و َ لۡیَضۡرِبۡن َ بِخُمُرِہِن َّ عَلٰی ظَہَر َ مِنۡہَا مَا یُبۡدِیۡن َ زِیۡنَتَہُن َّ اِلَّا و َ لَا “. . . and that they disclose not their natural and artificial beauty except that which is apparent thereof, and that they draw their head-coverings over their bosoms. ” ۡ لِبُعُوۡلَتِہِن َّ اَو ۡ اٰب َٓائِہِن َّ اَو ۡ اٰب َٓاء ِ بُعُوۡلَتِہِن َّ اَو یُبۡدِیۡن َ زِیۡنَتَہُن َّ اِلَّا و َ لَا ۡ لِبُعُوۡلَتِہِن َّ اَو ۡ اٰب َٓائِہِن َّ اَو ۡ اٰب َٓاء ِ بُعُوۡلَتِہِن َّ اَو یُبۡدِیۡن َ زِیۡنَتَہُن َّ اِلَّا و َ لَا َ َ ّ اَبۡن َٓائِہِن َّ اَو ۡ اَبۡن َٓاء ِ بُعُوۡلَتِہِن ّ اَبۡن َٓائِہِن َّ اَو ۡ اَبۡن َٓاء ِ بُعُوۡلَتِہِن (Surah Al-Nur, 24:32) And then there is a long list; that “they should not disclose their beauty except to their fathers, their husbands and their sons. ” Now, because it is written therein that ‘the outer coverings be drawn over the bosoms’, some people proclaim that as the commandment is to cover the bosom, wearing a Dupatta or a scarf around the neck is enough. The command is ‘not to display your beauty’, which means that when you go out, the covering should be wide enough to cover the physical beauty of the whole body as well. At another place, covering of the head is also commanded. That is why throughout the Islamic world, wherever there is some concept of observing Purda, the perception of covering the head