By
Ibn Abdillah As-sudaisiy Al-Iloori
A few hours back, another video shot by one “eleha” with a famous media personality was shared in one of the groups I belong to. The kind of excuses some brothers were raising for the action were clearly dangerous. We need to be careful of supporting evil whether directly or indirectly. Again, if the sister is the one who posted it by herself on her social media handle, it raises a very strong ethical issue relating to Islamic dressing and composure in public.
We have all noticed this evil trend and it is a matter of great concern. Even if we do not have the capacity to stop sisters who are acting in this manner, at least we owe a duty to stand against the evil and call on those they hold in high esteem to take necessary actions before things get out of hand.
Though no Muslim woman with a clear understanding of the ethics of wearing hijāb and niqāb in public will do what some of these sisters are doing, some striving sisters may begin to see nothing in what they are doing and it may later become a norm.
Calling to goodness and preaching against evils is our collective responsibility. By this, preachers do not mean they are better than anyone. They are only applying the verse of the Qur’ān where Allāh says:
كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ اُمَّةٍ اُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّا سِ تَأْمُرُوْنَ بِا لْمَعْرُوْفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِا للّٰهِ ۗ وَلَوْ اٰمَنَ اَهْلُ الْكِتٰبِ لَكَا نَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ ۗ مِنْهُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ وَاَ كْثَرُهُمُ الْفٰسِقُوْنَ
You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah. If only the People of the Scripture had believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient. (QS. Aal-i-Imraan: Verse 110)
Scholars and students of knowledge need to do more in teaching the ethics of hijāb and niqāb. Now, it just seems like niqāb are used by some women to hide their faces and do whatever they feel like doing. A niqāb may not be different from a mere face mask if its ethics are not strictly and intentionally adhered to. If a woman truly seeks to worship Allāh with her niqāb, she must do so with all sense of modesty and sincerity.
May Allāh guide us aright.
