Hijab Oppression or Liberation, Burka Ban, Ahmed Deedat, Islam for Dummies الحجاب حجاب
Channel: Quran Miracles
Date: 2010-09-25

Hijab Burka Ban. Islam for Dummies featuring clip from Ahmed Deedat.

Full Transcript at http://www.muhaddith.org/islamicvideos/hijabbantheburkafordummies.html

الحجاب حجاب في الإسلام
Today we will be talking about the Hijab worn by Muslim women.

1st
We will examine the verse from which all Muslim scholars base the requirement of the headscarf.
Quran 24:31 { And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, } This exact phrase is actually requested of MEN, in the PREVIOUS verse.
The purpose of the veil is clearly identified as observing modesty and avoiding the sexual glances of men. 
Quran 24:31 { and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent, } Imam Al Tabari explains: The strongest & most accurate view is that which says that the exclusion refers to the FACE and the lower part of the HANDS up to the wrist. So to achieve modesty, Muslim women are told to cover their bodies, with the exception of the FACE and HANDS. 
Quran 24:31 { and to draw their veils (khumur-ihim) over their bosoms ...} Ibn Kathir explains: "Khumur (veils) ... is what IS USED TO COVER THE HEAD." In other words, Muslim women are told to wear the headscarf, and be sure that it covers the chest as well.

2nd We will examine the false claim that the Hijab is oppressive to women. 
As we saw from 24:31, the noble purpose of the Hijab was stated as upholding the value of modesty, & deterring the lustful gazes of men.
...
for anyone to suggest that women dressing modestly is somehow "oppressive" is quite amusing. Especially because "sexual objectification" of women results when society pressures women to dress in a LESS modest manner. Whether worn by Muslim women, Christian nuns, or the Virgin Mary, modest dress liberates women from sexual objectification and, instead, empowers them to be treated on the basis of their intellect and personality. Now, let's listen to Ahmed Deedat's explanation (summarized).

3rd We will examine the false claim that Muslims only permit a woman's eyes to be seen.
The vast majority of scholars from all 4 Islamic schools of thought agree that the requirement of the veil excludes the face & hands (citing 24:31). 
...
While there is a minority of Muslim scholars who concluded that the face must be covered (from other verses & hadeeth, using proper Islamic legislation methods) yet, portraying the view of this group, as if it is the view of all Muslims, is clearly a disfiguration of the truth.

4th We will examine the false claim that the Hijab is not ordained in the Quran.
As we learned from 24:31, KHIMAR (singular of Khumur) is the original term for headscarf, for which the contemporary term is HIJAB.
Regarding IQalRassooli's false claim: ... The Hijab (originally called Khimar) IS in the Quran AND in the Hadeeth as a total covering of the women of Islam (except for the face & hands). For someone who supposedly studied the Quran intensely for more than 23 years in Arabic (his native language), IQalRassooli's ignorance, of the origin of the contemporary term Hijab, is quite remarkable.
Even Wikipedia.org/wiki/hijab/ , Khimar is the original term for the contemporary Muslim dictionary term of Hijab, which means: head cover and modest dress for women. A child can simply google the words Hijab Quran to see all of the Muslim sites quoting mainly verse 24:31.

5th We will examine the false claim that Muslims are somehow forcing the Hijab on non-Muslims.
Unlike Christianity, where there IS a punishment (shaving a woman's head) for not wearing a veil when she is praying or prophesying (Cor 11:5-6), Islam prescribes no punishment whatsoever for a woman who chooses not to wear the veil. It's no wonder why the vast majority of Christians ignore this oppressive rule (invented by Paul).
In Islam, there is not one single verse or hadeeth that prescribes any method whatsoever to either force or punish any woman who does not wear a veil. As such, it is an individual's obligation to their conscience, and not to civil law.

Regarding IQalRassooli's false claim: ... On the contrary, Muslim women are fighting for their personal right to wear the Hijab and the Niqab (Burqa) in these countries. and attacking them for it is like trying to force Muslim women to discard the standards of modesty that they have chosen for themselves.

IN CONCLUSION
Since Islam ordains the Hijab to respect women's modesty, it is hypocritical to attack it as being disrespectful or oppressive. Muslim women view the Hijab, and especially Niqab, as the highest levels of personal dignity, where only their husbands, sons, brothers, etc, have the PRIVILEGE to see their beauty. Muslim women, nuns & the virgin Mary, wear the veil to be modest & avoid the lustful gazes of men. People like IQalRassooli would force them to unveil to satisfy his desires. 
...