The First Requisite for Hijab
I find this Google Post by Mohammed Imraan very pertinent to the present day trend. The headscarf is portrayed as THE criteria for Hijab. Nothing else matters. It may be fancy and designer made. A short blouse and skinny jeans are acceptable. Eye catching colors and latest style are encouraged. Attend the Annual Convention of MAS-ICNA in Chicago to witness a large and shining variety of this late twentieth century version of Hijab running about in the Corridors. The only missing item is modesty.
Pick up any text on Fiqh - law and jurisprudence - of any of the Four Schools of Thought of Classical Sunny Islam, the First Specification for Hijab is what the Somali Sisters are wearing in Minnesota: A loose, free flowing and plain gown (preferably black) from shoulders to feet and a cover for the hair (NOT a fancy colorful scarf). Next requirement is a Niqaab (face cover), optional but recommended by the Hanafia and mandatory by the other three schools. The third precondition is segregation of the genders in all walks of life.
I am not trying to advocate this scheme. However it does prove that the modern and aggressive trend of depicting the ornamental headscarf as "flying the flag of Faith" has no basis in our Sharia'ah. It is a socio-political strategy based on anti-colonial and anti-imperialism i.e. anti-Western sentiments. It has strong cultural element. It aims at establishing a distinct identity: "us" against "them". It received a tremendous boost in the mid-seventies by the petrodollar of Saudi Arabia and its vigorous advocacy of Wahhabism. The media has taken this very seriously and insists on displaying a group of "Muslim Nuns" whenever they are referring to Islam.
Shari'ah Hijab is about modesty and decency with its primary focus on attitude and behaviour. It starts with a control on the eyes for both the genders and strongly discourages any sensuality or enticement for which the torso is the primary and main source.
