Hijab in Islam is not due to sexual obsession

First of all we would like to thank you for your frankness,
the clarity of your question and your search for an answer. We hope that you
will find the answer in these few lines we write. 

We will begin our answer by posing a question, which we would
like you to answer, then after that our point will become clear, by Allah’s
leave. Our question is: do you think that if a girl takes off all her
clothes and walks about in the markets of London or Paris completely naked,
will you accept that from her or will the authorities and laws in that place
allow her to do that? 

We think it most likely that your answer will be no, and that
you will not accept this idea, especially since the laws that protect public
order do not allow that at all. This is no secret to anyone who lives in
that country. 

If we take it to another level, we say to you: do you think
that if she wore something that covered her private parts, but it uncovered
her chest and she went shopping topless, we think that you would also agree
that such behaviour is ill-mannered and that it is disrespectful and a
transgression of public etiquette as it is known among people. 

Forget about those who expose themselves blatantly; what do
you think that if a woman went out in the streets and public places wearing
nightclothes…? 

Perhaps you also know that the authorities in Western
countries have the right to object to those who wear swimwear in public
places, and that the manager of the company or boss in a workplace has the
right to prevent female employees from working with him wearing revealing,
provocative clothing, and it is mandatory to wear regular, modest clothing. 

Our question now is: do you think all these countries,
people, organisations, laws and customs are vain or obsessed with sex, as
you say? Or do you think they are abhorrent and unjust, aimed at suppressing
freedom, and could not be introduced by anyone but people who are obsessed
with sex? Do you think that if a woman uncovers her chest or her private
parts or wears swimwear in public places, all men will want her or that she
is engaging in prostitution and trying to tempt them?

If you say that there is a difference between the two
scenarios, and nakedness in public places is unacceptable, but that
uncovering the hair and face is something normal and is not provocative and
does not transgress public order, we say to you: who is to decide between us
and you in defining the parts of the body that may be uncovered and the
parts that it is unacceptable to uncover? Why do you want to make us adhere
to the limits that you set, and do not want to accept the limits set out in
Islamic sharee‘ah? 

Furthermore, why should a particular society, such as Western
society, decide for other societies what is appropriate for them and what is
not? 

Once you know that banning nakedness or scanty dress in
public places does not imply all the things that you mentioned in your
question, then we would tell you that we Muslims believe that modest dress
is this hijab which you see Muslim women wearing and accuse them of being
vain? 

Why do you look at modesty, or whatever you think is contrary
to public taste, manners and morals – why do you regard your point of view
or that of your society as the criterion for judging other societies or
people? 

Why do you reject our view concerning this matter, and ask us
to adhere to your concept and definition of modesty? If a girl uncovers her
thighs and stomach, is this modesty? Or should she limit it to uncovering
her legs and forearms only? What is the guideline for your choices in this
matter? What right do you have to make all of humanity adhere to your
particular concept? 

Or: is this a remnant of the “right” of the white man or,
let’s say, the white or blonde woman, to control the world and define its
concepts, customs, manners and taste? 

Why do you not describe the Virgin Mary (peace be upon her)
as you have described us in your question as being “vain”? You know that she
wore a kind of hijab. Did she understand modesty as something sexual,
according to your description? 

Why do women in the church cover their hair during the
service in the church and during the prayer? 

What is the difference between the state of prayer and
outside prayer? If wearing the hijab during prayer increases piety and
faith, then why would a woman remove part of her faith and piety outside of
prayer? 

Why do you not make the same accusation of vanity with regard
to what is mentioned in the first Epistle of the apostle Paul to the
Corinthians, in which he says:

“But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head
uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved.

For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well
have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair
cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.

A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and
glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.

For man did not come from woman, but woman from man;

neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.

It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority
over her own head, because of the angels.”

1 Corinthians 11:5-10 – New International Version (NIV) 

In the first Epistle of Paul to Timothy, it says:

“I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and
propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or
pearls or expensive clothes,

but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to
worship God.

A woman should learn in quietness and full submission.

 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over
a man; she must be quiet.”

1 Timothy 2:9-12– New International Version (NIV) 

Furthermore, the face-covering (niqab) is also mentioned in
the Bible, as a sign of modesty and good manners in a woman. 

In the book of Genesis it says:

“He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he
looked up, he saw camels approaching.

Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her
camel

and asked the servant, ‘Who is that man in the field coming
to meet us?’

‘He is my master,’ the servant answered. So she took her
veil and covered herself.”

Genesis 24:63-66 – New International Version (NIV). 

We do not have room here to quote more verses than these.
There have been specialist studies dealing with such matters, which you can
try to find and study. 

All we are trying to do is base our discussion with you on
logic and fair-mindedness towards others and on a sound foundation of
thinking and discussion, far removed from any accusations of “vanity” and
the like. Such accusations are the easiest thing for an opponent to say, and
there is no one who is not able to refute them or respond in kind. 

We assure you that the obligation of hijab in Islamic
sharee‘ah is not because Islam accuses every woman who does not wear hijab
of being immoral, or because all men will look at her as a focus for their
wickedness and desires. Islamic societies raise people to be righteous and
pious at all stages of upbringing, in the family and in the street, school,
mosque and at university. The fact that there are many Islamic rulings that
encourage good manners, decency, chastity and modesty is sufficient to deter
many people from committing immoral actions. 

But Islam does not only look at the majority of people;
rather it pays attention to the fact that there is also a small percentage
of evildoers, in order to protect the well-being of the majority and so that
they will not be affected by the actions of the minority, that could spoil
life for people and spread immorality if they are not stopped, just as if
the authorities in Western countries left perverts, homosexuals and the
patrons of strip clubs to act upon their desires and preferences in the
streets or in public places, without any checks or measures – you can
imagine what the consequences would be for those societies. 

Here we will present to you a further quotation which says
that attempts to remove women’s niqabs (face veils) and make them uncover
their faces is the way of the evildoers. 

In the Catholic edition of the book of Daniel, it says: 

“Now Susanna was a woman of great refinement and beautiful in
appearance.

As she was veiled, the scoundrels ordered her to be unveiled,
so that they might feast their eyes on her beauty.”

Daniel 13:30-31 – New Revised Standard Edition 

No comment! 

Finally, we invite you to read studies on safety which keep
an eye on statistics charting attacks on women, such as rape for example.
You will find terrifying numbers. According to the organization RAINN (Rape,
Abuse and Incest National Network), which is the largest American national
organisation against sexual assault, every two minutes in America there is a
sexual assault, which means that sexual assaults in one year number 207,754.
This is a huge number which requires a serious effort to unearth the causes
and look for the remedy. See:

http://rainn.org/get-information/statistics/frequency-of-sexual-assault 

If we were to look for statistics on marital infidelity,
illegitimate children, broken families, and incest, we would find many
problems that occurred as a result of women not dressing properly and
overstepping the limits that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, set for
them in the Holy Qur’an, and which can be found even in the Old and New
Testament as they exist in print form, as mentioned above. 

We hope that you will think about what we have mentioned
above, after which we may discuss further the main reasons that motivate
Muslim women to wear hijab, and the psychological and social effects of that
piece of cloth. 

If you accept our logic in this debate, we welcome all
questions and sincere requests to learn more about the religion of Islam. 

And Allah knows best.