I waited patiently for today, Hari Malaysia just to write about the value of the hijab to Muslim women in the sense of complete freedom and liberation.
In Islam, the ‘aurat’ refers to parts of the body which needs to be covered, which translates to everything except the face and hands. Not only that, covering the ‘aurat’ most importantly means dressing up modestly, not exposing the shape of one’s body and also without the intention to ‘attract’ people to turn their gazes towards you.
Why did it become this complicated? First and foremost, in Islam women are liberated from being the object of sexual attractions.
This is not to deny the natural characteristics of women who are inclined towards everything nice and beautiful, but rather putting a woman at a place where her beauty can be guarded and appreciated by a suitor who bears the responsibility to clothe, care and fullfil all her physical and emotional needs.
This is putting a woman high up in the society, protected and not misguided by empty promises by any man on the street.
Every Muslim woman need to understand the concept of this hijab. They need to understand that the hijab liberates them and by keeping their ‘aurat’ covered they do not necessarily have to follow the current trends or fashions in dressing up.
Recently I was quite surprised by a launching of a new brand of ‘tudung’ where the models in the show were wearing the head covers in fancy ways. Some leaving their necks bare, others have their chests exposed, some don it with earrings dangling from the sides, barely covering their ears or rolling up the end of the ‘tudung’ resembling the turban or even an English hat! I was amazed with such creativity but this is certainly not the purpose of the hijab.
How is this called liberation for woman when they wear the hijab to be seen as fashionable, sassy or exclusive? Who are they trying to please with their hijab wearing? Why do they need to have loads and loads of ‘tudung’ when a handful would be enough for their daily requirements? Is it liberation when they need to line up at a particular shop in the wee hours of the morning just to get hold of the latest fashion hijab?
To me, this is a slavery of fashion!
The ‘tudung’ is not meant just to cover the hair, but the whole idea of covering the ‘aurat’ have to be taken on board.
Covering the ‘aurat’ is not just an act but rather a concept that translates to modesty in not just the way we dress but the way be talk and interact with the society. It is very dynamic.
Therefore I urge all Muslim woman to think back about your intention to wear the headgear or the ‘tudung’. Do we wear it to look beautiful and attractive or do we wear it with the sincere intention and spirit of covering the ‘aurat’?
If the tudung is worn with tight or see through clothings, or in a fashionable way that only covers the hair, then the concept and intention of wearing the hijab that was meant by Islam will not be met. And by acting so the place of woman in society will be the same as hundreds of years ago.
A hijab is a flag for a Muslim woman. With that, she is known for her identity. In keeping with this identity please refrain from falling into traps which put us into a false sense of security. Liberation in Islam means being free from the pressure and asserts of other humanly ideologies only withholding the concept and believes in what Allah has bestowed upon us.
May we be true Muslimah for the society.
Dr Nur Farrah Nadia Bt Najib
Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia, Johor Bahru
