||                     ||    | ||
                           ||   .                 || /| | ||
           o_____|_____\ __|| |   |_____o_____\ __||  |_|_||  o______w_|
          /   "         /     |___|            /             /        .


       H I J A B:   HOW IT PROTECTS AND BENEFITS WOMEN AND SOCIETY
       -----------------------------------------------------------

Dear Brothers and Sisters Assalamu Alaikum:

        I want to INFORM you through the words of a sister, why and how hijab
(Islamic code of dress) protects a woman and what are its advantages. This
is not coming from me but from a WESTERN woman who was born and
raised in the western culture, spent most of her life on the wild side,
found a deep vacuum in her life, discovered Islam, accepted it wholeheartedly,
and turned her life around completely - for the better. This sister is an
Irish American, has a Ph.D., teaches in a prestigious US university, wears
hijab wherever she goes - in the class rooms while teaching, in the conferences
and meetings she attends. She is very proud of Islam and her hijab and in the
following explains the advantages and wisdom of wearing hijab. So please read
with an open mind. Those who are open to reason get the guidance and better
their lives, but those who have "eyes but can't see, and ears but can't hear"
will wander in the wilderness of life forever. No amount of logical reasoning
will help them. However, our job as Muslims, i.e., those who surrendered to
Allah, is ONLY  to convey the message to the darkest corners of the world.
Our job as Muslims is not to impose anything on disbelivers because as Allah
says in Quran, "For you is your religion, and for them is theirs".


        May Allah give guidance to all of us and enable us to follow Islam
which is the manual of human life. May Allah grant us the wisdom to
understand Islam and to live our lives to its fullest by following its
teachings. May Allah make us realize that education is not only about getting
a piece of paper called degree but education is about learning and understanding
life, the world, and the etiquette of living. May Allah enable us to find
solutions to all the problems we encounter in life in His great message - the
message of Islam. Ameen.

        O Allah, no amount of gratefullness will be enough to thank for
the blessing of your message of guidance you have given us. O Allah, enable
all human beings to know the message of Islam, so this world will become a
cradle of peace and stability and so that the forces of darkness will be
defeated from the face of the earth. May Allah be our guide in this journey
of life. Ameen.

Wassalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh,
Irfan Hasan.

NOTE: The emphasis in capital letters are mine.

--------------------START OF SISTER'S MESSAGE --------------------------------

                   H I J A B:   MUSLIM WOMEN'S HEAD COVERING
                
        The Quran, the Muslim's holy scripture, clearly enjoins Muslim men and
women to dress and behave modestly. Muslim women are specifically instructed
to cover their heads when in the presence of non-mahrem (potentially
marriageable) men:

          . Surah Al-Nur (the Light) (24:31) in the Quran states: "They
          (the believing women) should draw their head coverings over
          their bosoms...".

          . Surah Al-Ahzab (34:59) states: "O Prophet [PBUH] Tell thy
          wives and daughters and the believing women that they should
          put on their outer garments; that is most convenient in order
          that THEY MAY BE RECOGNIZED (as Muslims) and not be molested."

           [MY COMMENT: This is an effective rebuttal to the argument some
           Muslim women have against wearing Hijab, that by wearing it they
           will be recognized and will be attacked. Allah clearly wants
           Muslims to be recognized in whatever community they live in. Their
           lives lived as Muslims will get other people interested in them
           and that will be a way of spreading the message of Islam. People
           will approach them and ask them why they dress like that, why they
           are different. Their curiousity will automatically draw them towards
           Islam. Allah is the most supreme starategist of the universe. He
           blessed us with the message of Islam (Islam means peace and security
           and told us strategies to spread the message which only benefits us
           and not Allah. Allah is beyond all needs.

               Allah says in Quran that if the whole world gets united against
           a Muslim and want to harm him, they won't except if Allah wills,
           and if the whole world unites to benefit a Muslim, it won't except
           for Allah's will. Therefore security comes from Allah. Allah is the
           protector of believers. One should NEVER FEAR ANYONE BUT ALLAH and 
	   then all of his/her fears will be erased from the heart. Those who
           bow before Allah, bow to no one in the world - no one. As great poet
           of the east Dr. Allama Iqbal said (in Urdu) :
                 yeh Aik sijda jesay tu garaaN samajhta hai
                 hazar sijdooN say daita hai aadmi ko nijat
           Translation: This one bow (to Allah) which is so hard for you,is the
           bow that saves you from thousands of other bows.  END OF MY COMMENT]

Both of the above Quranic references instruct the Muslim woman to cover herself
with a large, loose overcoat (jilbab) and full head covering (khimar) so that
no provacative part of her body will be visible. Her modest appearance would
MAKE IT CLEAR TO EVERYONE THAT SHE IS A CHASTE, BELIEVING WOMAN, and no one is
to molest her or sexually exploit her [My Comment: This is an effective
solution to the problem of sexual harassment because a Muslim woman's modest
appearance is a social statement that she is not to be messed with!!].

               THE BENEFITS OF HIJAB (COVERING) FOR WOMEN

. For Muslim women, COVERING THE HEAD IS NOT THE SIGN OF DEGRADATION or
  oppression. It is a commandment from Allah, who is not male or female,
  and thus, would not discriminate against women, a segment of His creation.

. Rather, HEAD-COVERING IS A SIGN OF PURITY AND DIGNITY. It highlights the
  Muslim woman as a pure, chaste woman and sets her apart from the immoral
  behavior associated with women who dress immodestly.

. The HIJAB IS A SORT OF "SCREEN" BETWEEN THE CHASTE MUSLIM WOMAN AND THE
  EVIL THAT EXISTS IN THE WORLD. When a woman wears a hijab she is less
  likely to be harassed by men with lusty motives; SHE IS LESS LIKELY TO
  BE EXPLOITED FOR HER BEAUTY AND FEMINITY.

. The Hijab allows a woman to move about outside the confines of her home
  WITH HER ATTENTION ON THE TASKS SHE HAS SET OUT TO DO. The Muslim woman
  does not try to impress anyone but Allah when outside of her home. She is
  not concerned if men find her attractive, or if people are impressed
  because she has the latest fashions, or the newest hairstyle. She leaves
  her home as a SELF-CONFIDENT PART OF HUMAN RACE, not as a fashion-plate
  seeking stares and adoration in order to gain self-esteem.

. The hijab cuts down on competition among women. How many people in the West
  sacrifice financial savings and health in order to have plastic surgery - in
  a desperate attempt to meet up to an unrealistic standard of beauty. IN
  ISLAM, WOMEN ARE APPRECIATED FOR THEIR KNOWLEDGE, PIETY AND CONTRIBUTION TO
  SOCIETY. When women wear hijab one finds that the most beautiful women are
  not necessarily the most popular. Rather, a woman is assessed for her mind,
  and not just superficial physical traits.

------------------------END OF SISTER'S MESSAGE -------------------------------