newtoislam

The views in respect to the origins of the Islamic veil vary enormously. A great number of Muslim women believe that the veiling of the head is mandated by the Qur’an and hence an obligation on the part of all practicing Muslim women. However, if one were to examine the Quranic passages which speak either directly or indirectly about female modest dress one would discover that there is very little said about the covering of the actual head. The argument most often discussed in respect to the hijab is the modest dress worn by the wives of the prophet Mohammad. However, it is important to note that the wives of the prophet were no ordinary women; they were viewed by the tradition as occupying a position which demanded great responsibility and an immense demonstration of piety. For it is stated in the Qur’an that if they stray from the path of God and his chosen prophet that their punishment will be doubled while if they serve God and his prophet devoutly and act righteously their rewards will be doubled. The fear of God was so great amongst these women that it was recorded in a Hadith that Aisha, the youngest wife of the prophet, upon visiting a blind man made sure she remained covered from head to toe despite his inability to see her. But why did the wives of the prophet Mohammad cover themselves in the presence of others? This particular act of covering on the part of the women is intricately related to the Quranic understanding of modesty. To be modest is to cover oneself; this applies to both the male and female. Now, to what extent the body should be covered is not detailed in the Qur’an nor in the Hadiths or the Sunnah of the prophet. All that is clearly stated is that a God fearing individual is required to be modest and so a great deal of interpretation has been injected into this particular aspect of Islam. So why give importance to the manner in which the wives of the prophet chose to present themselves in public or before strangers? In one of the Hadiths recorded the prophet was asked to who the Muslim community should turn to for guidance once the prophet would no longer be with them. The prophet responded that the people should always review the actions of the people that were closest to him up to three generations. So naturally the wives of the prophet were the closest family members to him and their demeanour was also naturally the ultimate example of modesty.

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