General Conditions of Covering
The extent of covering in every school and society depends on many things such as way of looking at man, the family, range of admittance of social participation of woman, rate of influence of both sexes on each other... etc.
Proposing the issue of covering in the Islamic religion had the same rule, as in this school has admitted certain ultramaterial and bestial maturities for man, female and male, as man being not the only material creature that must strive to insure his desired needs in life, but there are several other arenas of life, much broader and deeper than life itself, can be sensed.
In these arenas, other characteristics insuring the perfection, like learning and knowledge, worship and benediction, selfedification... and continence also is one of them. Hence covering has connection with individual perfection.
According to the Islamic Law "Shari'ah", the family being the
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primary and essential nucleus of human society. As the first step in education is taken inside the family, and father and mother being the first educator and teacher for the child. So safeguarding and preserving this centre being among the firmed and indisputable principles of the Islamic Shari'ah, and as a reference was made to this in discussion of purpose of covering, so mantle has a certain role in protecting and safeguarding this centre.
Admitting the woman's social participation, which was set forth in the previous chapter, should be considered in determining the covering. Hence it is improper to oblige the woman to cover her face since with closed eyes she cannot practice social activities as required. So do the other factors.
Taking into consideration all that is said before, we can say: There are certain limits and conditions for covering stated in Islam, with no emphasis made on special certain shape and form. As clothes and covering being not among confirmed worshipping matters, and affected by norms and customs. If clothes had those general conditions and covered those limits, so no obstruction or restriction would be for them, and this would differ according to change of circumstances and situations.
Ibn Taymiyyah has an excellent statement in this regard, thus:
"To follow the example of the Prophet"S" sometimes concerning something done and some other time regarding some farther thing, means that the Messenger of Allah"S" sometimes does some act for the sake of a thing farther than this work. In this case the legitimacy of that aim not that special act would be farther. For instance, the Messenger"S" was using oil for keeping his hair healthy, can we say that all people have to do the same for safeguarding their hair, and if another method be proper in some region with regard to water and atmosphere, it should be adopted and applied. The same is true in regard of food; for instance the Messenger of Allah"S" used to eat dates and barleybread, then does following his guide mean people everywhere should do the same? No definitely it is not true, as the Prophet's companions and Fuqaha have used and eaten
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the foods of the regions they conquered, putting on the clothes of those places. If anyone should imitate others in costumes and food, it was proper for the companions to follow the example of the Prophet in these fields. Likewise, the Prophet and Sahabah used to wear a wrapper and cloak, so wasn't it better for others to follow them and do the same. The religious authorities have different opinions regarding this issue, but I think it is unnecessary to refer to this subject."192
The limits and conditions that should be considered in regard of clothes are as follows:
1. All the body except the face and two hands up to the wrist, should be covered.
2. Fame clothes should be abstained from.
3. Women's clothes should be totally different from those of men.
4. Transparent clothes "incarnating the body" should be abstained from.
Following is a brief explanation of these five principles:
Limits of Clothing
It is known among Fuqaha that the woman should keep her body covered from the eyes of foreigners "unconsanguine men", except the face and two hands up to the wrist. Of course some "Fuqaha" go farther and believe that all the body even the face should be covered. And a few of them held the view to "covering" less than this limit "of the body".
There are skilfully made articles in Persian and Arabic about these fields, that strongly defended the wellknown opinion, giving firm and strong evidences for proving this view, regarding the two other views unacceptable. 193Taking all this into
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192. Fatawa ibn Tamiyyah, vol. XXII, pp. 324-326.
193. Mas'alah Hijaab, of Murtaza Mutahhari, pp. 181-219; As-Sitr Wan-Nazar, of Mohammed Mahdi shams Ad-Deen, pp. 79-225.
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consideration no necessity is seen to elaborate on this subject.
Abstention from Fame Clothes
In many traditions prevention is made to wearing clothes that make someone famous and distinguished; The Messenger of Allah"S" is reported to have said:
· "Whoever wears fame cloak in this world, Allah will verily cloth him with a similar garment on the Day of Resurrection." 194
The fame garment is that one which being unsociable and incompatible to the common law of society, and should observe a norm or habit that is not being incompatible to the Islamic Shari'ah.
Adverse to Men's Clothes
In so many traditions, the Prophet"S" has damned and cursed those men and women who liken themselves to each other, one of them being the following:
· "The Messenger of Allah"S" damned those men likening themselves to women and the women who liken themselves to men." 195
This narration prohibits any kind of simile and likening in all fields and grounds. And in respect of covering and clothes what is apparently intended is the public prestige of those women who liken themselves to men or vice versa, as if appeared a resemblance in a piece of clothes there would be no disapproval and prohibition.
Abstaining from Transparent Clothes
Usaamah Ibn Zayd says: The Messenger of Allah"S" has one day clothed a man a white thin garment, and that man gave it to his
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194. Sunan Abi Dawood, vol. IV, p. 44, Ha 4021 and Wasa'il As-Shi'ah, vol. III, p. 354.
195. Saheeh Al-Bukhari. "Kitaab Al-Libaas," vol. VII, p. 205; vol. III, p. 246.
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wife. Some day the Messenger of Allah"S" questioned: Why don't you wear that cloak? The man said: I gave it my wife. The Messenger said: Tell her to wear some other piece of clothes under it so as to prevent her body from being visible. 196
The Islamic Law, as considering covering for women more important than men, has taken into consideration nature "fitrah" and intrinsic desires of woman in regard of adornment "zeenah", permitting certain bounds for adornment for women or even encouraging to them.
The holy Quran divided adornment into two parts: outward and bodily, prohibiting displaying the inward finery and adornment, allowing outward adornment for woman:
· "... and they display not their adornment save what is apparent of it..." "24:31" Applicabilities of apparent adornment became manifest in the conduct "Sunnah" of the Prophet and Infallible Imams, to some of which a reference can be made here:
Khizab "Dyeing"
Dyeing the hand and the nails of fingers "with hennah", which is called khidaab, was something encouraged by the Prophet who abstained from taking bay'ah "swearing allegiance" from women whose hands and nails were devoid of Hennah.
'A'ishah is reported to have said: Hind the daughter of Otbah said: O Messenger of Allah swear allegiance with me. The Prophet said: I won't take an oath of allegiance with you until you change "colour of" your hands, they seem like hands of a "wild" beast. 197
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196. Majma' Az-Zawa'id, vol. X, p. 405.
197. Sunan Abi Dawood, vol. IV, p. 76, Ha. 4165.
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'A'ishah is reported to have said: A woman has extended a letter toward the Prophet from behind a curtain "veil". The Prophet said: Is this a hand of a woman or of a man? She replied: It is a hand of a woman. He said: You should change colour of your fingernails.198
It is also reported from AlImaam AlBaaqir to have said:
"It is not permissible for every woman to leave her nails white, unless she at least dyes "touches" them with some Hennah." 199
Letting Long the Nails
AlImaam AsSaadiq reported from the Prophet that he said:
· "For men, you are asked to trim your nails and for women you can let them grow longer as it is better for your adornment." 200
Face Beautification
AlImaam AsSaadiq reported from the Prophet the following hadeeth:
"The scent of women is that whose colour should appear and odour be concealed, while scent of men is that whose odour should be apparent and colour should be unseen." 201
Some of the researchers hold that women can beautify their faces in a way that their odour should not be smelled. The traditions that prohibit women from using perfumes pertain to three cases:
1. In time of going to the mosque.
2. When perfume being of smelled odour.
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198. ibid., p. 77 Ha. 4166.
199. Wasa'il As-Shi'ah, vol. XIV, p. 163, Ha I.
200. ibid., vol. I, p. 435, Ha I.
201. ibid., p. 444, Ha I & 93.
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3. When the woman intends to excite a sedition in the society.
Other than these cases no prohibition is imposed whatsoever. 202
Out of the discussions introduced in this chapter, the relations between woman and man in the Islamic society became somehow manifest. The following is an abridgement of whatever stated before.
The issue of intercourse between woman and man turned to be subject of numerous debates, and the writers use sometimes the term Tabarruj with the meaning of sexual unrestrainment. Seemingly, if intercourse means this unrestrainment to which the holy Quran refers as displaying the charms, so it is an indecent and obscene habit that the Islamic Law has definitely forbidden. But if what is intended of intercourse the mere presence of woman outside the house, then no prohibition is imposed on it. Hence we can say: In our opinion, the Islamic Shari'ah has admitted social presence of women, determining for it certain norms and regulations, which have been discussed in detail in Chapter Four.
This is based on the fact that woman and man have, beside femininity and masculinity, an original human dimension that can be taken by them as pivot of communications. Determining the etiquette and regulations should be done in a way that connection between woman and man never transcends the human boundaries.
It is true that if relation between woman and man in a society revolves round axis of femininity and masculinity, that is the woman and man take their femininity and masculinity to the society, this will be something indecent and clumsy, which is that reprehensible intercourse. In other words, the term
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202. Tahreer Al-Mar'ah Fi 'Asr Ar-Risaalah, vol. IV, p. 265.
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intercourse "ikhtilaat" can be given to relation between woman and man within the frame of sexual instincts, and the term connection "irtibaat" can be used for the domain of human relations. Sometimes it is said that these two realms can never be separated from each other, as a result of which the women should be denied the right of social presence. In response to this it should be said that this judgement is based on two views that take seduction as the original character of women which men have no ability and power to restrain themselves in front of it. As a result of this view, comes the inhuman look at woman and man.
While the religious texts cited in chapters four and five indicate that woman and man are human beings and can, with strong determination, embark on separation of different realms of their life. Of course this innate and human resolution should be controlled by religious rules and regulations, so as to get a good result.
To sum up, it can be said if the connection between woman and man be healthy and according to rules and good manners, no legal prohibition would be there upon it, and even women's social participation can never be achieved without this connection. But this relation should observe the current circumstances and its purpose should be only work and labour. But when laws and regulations are not observed by women and men and no business or work be the aim of relation between them or their presence in society, this would be that very indecent and reprehensible intercourse.
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