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Hijab: Continued...
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[quote]The discussion that re-commenced was but short-lived. However, I continued with the two powerful influences in my thought, i.e., Dr. Khalid Zaheer and Shehzad Saleem. I will also be trying to get some input from Deobandi and Barelwi scholars from whom I had heard the notion of 'universal beards.' Now my comments will be followed by the two giants. COMMENT: [red]My point is that a beard has seemingly been considered obligatory by several scholars. Obviously, had there been a single case of a beardless companion, that would have been sufficient enough to dispel the obligatoriness (as stressed by several scholars) of that directive. The head cover is a directive similar to the beard. Scholars seemingly consider them obligatory but both are not. However the attitude toward both is different. Now if a beardless man can pray, why is there an issue when a lady without head cover prays? In the context of dress code for prayer, if it is absurd for a guy to wear the cap before prayer, then equally well just wearing head cover by a female for prayers can be deemed equally absurd. If there are different reasons for the two directives, i.e. beard due to nature and head cover due to modesty, then even then do not both fall under the prerogative of the individual. Many men do not feel a beard is part of nature as several women do not associate modesty with the head cover. So why is the beard not an issue for prayer, but the female head cover becomes one? [/red] SHEHZAD SALEEM: [green]Both do not invalidate the prayer though both are desirable.[/green] Dr. KHALID ZAHEER [green]I think it has to do with the perception of people rather than the attitude of shari'ah on the issue. People don't accept anything easily that goes against their commonly observed practice. Men praying without beards has been accepted, but in our sub-continent at least, unbearded imam is unheard of. Whenever three individuals assemble to say prayers together, the one with a beard would be the obvious choice for imam. In case all three have a beard, the one with the longest beard will lead the prayers. So let's not confuse the perceptions people have about what is acceptable with what the shari'ah stipulates as its minimum requirement from men and women. [/green] COMMENT: [red]If out of personal preference a lady wishes to wear the head cover, then that is just like a man wearing a beard. We do not frown upon a man who prays without a beard and not even when such a person leads the prayer. Likewise if some women choose to pray without the head cover, there should be no issue at all. The men have broken the 'seeming obligations' of beard and the prayer cap. It is upto the women to decide how they would sort matters which fall in their domain. [/red] DR. KHALID ZAHEER: [green]The simple answer is yes. However, I would want to add that a good Muslim lady, after she starts practising her faith would naturally adopt the extra bit requirement of covering head, which has become a norm of good Muslim ladies. But you are right, she can't be forced to do it, because it is not a legally binding requirement. [/green] COMMENT: [ON THE DIGRESSIONS] [red]I also want to ask you whether you know of ANY companion without a beard. Also any lady at the Prophet's time without the head cover. Just one example of each. [/red] DR. KHALID ZAHEER [green]Your question assumes that everything that everyone did during the time of the companions has been documented. That's not true. Even if it were, and were to find that all of them were bearded and that all women used to cover their heads, it wouldn't prove anything. The question that is probably more relevant to ask is: Is there a mention any where in ahadith that people didn't used to wear beards but after the advent of Islam they started doing so? The other relevant question would be: Is there a mention anywhere that a lady didn't cover her head and she was reprimanded by the prophet, alaihissalaam, for that. There is an incident of Asma bint Abu Bakr which is quoted to show that a woman should cover herself up while in the company of men, except that she can disclose her face and hands. However, it has been claimed to be a weak report by some experts. I have read somewhere, that Umer during his reign stopped slave-girls from covering their heads to distinguish them from free women. Weren't slave-girls not women who could arouse bad emotions among men, if that was the reason for the injunction? [/green] CONCLUSION: The point I am stressing is that of different attitudes toward the beard and the head cover. If we make one obligatory but condone the other then we would be guilty of hypocricy. The two giants agree on the MAIN ISSUE of different attitudes on similar injunctions (beard and head cover). Let us end this male chauvinism that is ubiquitous in the fatwas of numerous scholars. Edited by: junaidj on Monday, August 16, 2004 8:38 AM[/quote]
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