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[quote]
After reading your reply again, I think I need to clarify three points.

1)	What I meant when I expressed my thoughts about the Muslim Cultural Practice of women of wearing a shawl when going outside?
2)	What is implied by 'so that they be recognized' as what or who?
3)	What does divine revelation has to say about face covering?

I will start from the last question.

As I pointed out earlier, the issue of interaction between male and female has been taken over by the Divine Revelation. Therefore, we need to first see what the most authentic source has to say about this issue. Reading the Surah Noor, we find that Allah has described various principles as regards the interaction between males and females. While explicating these etiquette, Allah has made an allowance to the ladies saying:

They should not display their ornaments save what is normally displayed. (24:31)

In other words, the Muslim ladies should not display their jewels and ornaments which are worn in places which are hidden. As far as the body parts which are normally uncovered, they are even allowed to wear ornaments there and don't conceal them. Quite logically, these body parts include face, hands and feet. As Zamakshari has written: 'This means those body parts which humans normally and naturally do not cover and they are kept open'. (Kashaf, vol. 3, p 231). So, we need to appreciate that Allah Himself has excluded the face from the directives of Hijab.

As regards the second question, we need to know that the verses of Surah Ahzab meant to deal with a perilous situation that arose in the lifetime of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). The Hypocrites of Medina chased and teased the Muslim ladies under the pretext that they were slave women, who are usually of lewd character for the improper upbringing they receive. Allah ordained Muslim ladies to drop the hem of their Jilbab so that they be recognized as FREE HONOURABLE MUSLIM ladies. The following words in the verse of crucial importance since they portray the complete picture behind the directives.

"And those who malign believing men and believing women undeservedly, they bear the guilt of slander and manifest sin."

…"If the hypocrites, and those in whose hearts is a disease, and the alarmists in the city do not cease, We verify shall urge thee on against them, then they will be your neighbors in it but a little while. Accursed, they will be seized wherever found and slain with a (fierce) slaughter. (33:58-61)

Reading through these verses, the fact that strikes the mind is that something very perilous going on. The hypocrite and those in whose heart is a disease are maligning the Muslim ladies. Allah says that if these hypocrites and their companions would not stop, He would stand the Holy Prophet (pbuh) against them. Allah is sounding a warning to them they had better behave themselves or they would be slain wherever they would be found. Do these verses not portray the complete picture in which some people are teasing and troubling the Muslim ladies? Do you think that the words: they will be seized and killed pertain to normal circumstances? No, these hypocrites were striving to make scandal about the Muslim ladies. Allah commands the ladies to take the cloaks over them so that these enemies of Allah have no excuse for teasing the honorable Muslim ladies. Because, as they were asked about their untoward attitude, they would put the excuse that they were actually taking the ladies as slave women. Now Allah commanded the ladies to dram cloaks over them so that they be recognized as distinct from the slave women and the absurd excuse be stood null.

Having said this, I would again assert that the directives mentioned in Surah Ahzab are not void altogether. It is, however, only in the specific circumstances that these would become operative. If a lady feels that her life, honor and modesty are at stake, then she is obligated to take every step that would save her from evil. She will not be required to just wear a shawl but she would definitely be required to take further steps as staying within her home and leaving only when it is necessary and being very careful while talking to the strangers—if these measures, she thinks, would protect her.

As regards the first question, I'd like to clarify that I was only referring to a Muslim Cultural Practice prevailing in Pakistan, which I seem to like. I never intended to present it as divinely ordained practice. The concept of Hiya (modesty) is innate in every person. Under the influence of this concept and within the boundaries set by Allah, every selection of garment/dress would be a demonstration of Ihsan. I feel it inappropriate to attach it to the face covering, which Allah Himself has excluded from the purview of Hijab directives.

Edited by - jhangeer hanif on October 27 2003  11:30:54[/quote]

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