Month: April 2019

Shame on women’s bodies

by Evidence seeker, posted in The headscarf

 

The following is a question I received:

Aggression Blame Shame Attack Bullying

“When I don’t wear a scarf, the shape of my chest becomes visible. Isn’t that shameful? Isn’t it better to wear a scarf?”

 

The concept of shame in this instance is most likely founded in the environment in which you were raised. In many cultures across the world, women are expected to dress in a certain way so as to conform to societal expectations. There are many African women who wear head gear for example and not for religious reasons. Even in the Western world, women who dress scantily may be treated or labelled in a negative way.

 

The religion of Islam has no such attachment of shame to women’s bodies. If you read the Quran and ahadith, you find references to menstruation, pregnancy, breastfeeding and sex. The religion views these as part of life and nothing to be ashamed of. 

 

For more information about the verses on what should be covered, see my blog here.

 

With regards to whether despite the evidence, it being better to wear a headscarf – We cannot legislate better than the One who created us. Adding to the religion is innovation and the Prophet said ‘….The worst of things are those that are newly invented; every newly-invented thing is an innovation and every innovation is going astray, and every going astray is in the Fire.’ (See https://sunnah.com/nasai/19/23 for the complete hadith)

 

I believe it’s time women stopped allowing society to dictate how they feel about their bodies and subsequently dress. More importantly, it’s time for all Muslims to shed innovation for the real religion.

Why Muslim women wear black

by Evidence seeker, posted in Women

A07E7D07-FBAA-4EC0-B4AE-8B246AA2C330Some ‘scholars’ wrongly use Surah Nur, verse 31 to claim a Muslim woman must not wear clothes which may be considered an ‘adornment’ (See my blog here for more about what this verse actually means).

 

Subsequently, there is a common belief that Muslim women must dress in certain colours so as to not attract the attention of men. This usually involves wearing black or a similar colour.

 

I’ve always found this interesting because whether or not a colour is attractive is very subjective.

 

Furthermore, when I looked into it, this idea of certain colours for women actually goes against the evidence.

 

Sahih Al-Bukhari (https://sunnah.com/bukhari/77/42)

…’Aisha said that the lady (came), wearing a green covering (translations commonly use the word ‘veil’ here but ‘covering’ would be more accurate) ……

 

Sahih Al-Bukhari (https://sunnah.com/bukhari/77/59)

Anas bin Malik narrated that he had seen Um Kulthum, the daughter of Allah’s Apostle (saaws), wearing a red silk garment.

 

Sahih Al-Bukhari (https://sunnah.com/bukhari/77/40)

The Prophet (saaws) was given some clothes including a black Khamisa. The Prophet said,”To whom shall we give this to wear?” The people kept silent whereupon the Prophet said, “Fetch Um Khalid for me.” I (Um Khalid) was brought carried (as I was small girl at that time). The Prophet took the Khamisa in his hands and made me wear it and said, “May you live so long that your dress will wear out and you will mend it many times.” On the Khamisa there were some green or pale designs (The Prophet saw these designs) and said, “O Um Khalid! This is Sanah.” (Sanah in a Ethiopian word meaning ‘beautiful’).

 

Sunan of Abu Dawood (https://sunnah.com/abudawud/34/47)

Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-‘As, “We came down with the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) from a turning of a valley. He turned his attention to me and I was wearing a garment dyed with a reddish yellow dye. He asked: What is this garment over you? I recognised what he disliked. I then came to my family who were burning their oven. I threw it (the garment) in it and came to him the next day. He asked: Abdullah, what have you done with the garment? I informed him about it. He said: Why did you not give it to one of your family to wear, for there is no harm in it for women.”

 

So, we have evidence of green, reddish yellow and black with designs. When we put this together with the fact that there is no evidence in both the Quran or the Sunnah stating women must dress in particular colours, it becomes obvious that this is an indoctrination based upon subjectivity, culture and the opinions of male scholars.