Calls for "Liberation" from Hijab

Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah. May Allah keep you in goodness, dear respected ones.

Prayers for "Liberation" from Hijab

A hashtag titled "Free from Hijab" has spread, which means "Liberated from Hijab," and this hashtag has become popular in Jordan, for example. There have been rejecting reactions to this hashtag from those who object to it. I would like to take this opportunity to convey some important messages on this topic.

Dealing with Falsehood

First, my brothers and sisters, this hashtag was not widespread in the Arab region. In this case, we act according to the principle of "kill falsehood by not mentioning it." It is not appropriate for us to occupy ourselves with every falsehood, but rather to occupy ourselves with building ourselves and what benefits us.

The Concept of True Liberation

Secondly, dear respected ones, the girl or woman who removes her hijab does not liberate herself, but rather falls into the slavery of Satan, from whom Allah the Almighty warned us, saying: {O children of Adam, let not Satan tempt you as he removed your parents from Paradise, stripping them of their clothes to show them their private parts.} (7:27)

And may we take this opportunity to spread the series "The Woman," which, by the grace of Allah, had a great impact on many women and girls, especially the first episode titled "The Liberation of the Western Woman: The Complete Story," so that if there are girls influenced by the idea of liberation from the hijab, they may know what this liberation truly is.

Critique of Muslim Women's Reactions

Thirdly, and most importantly, what stands out in the posts on this hashtag is the reactions of many Muslim women who reject the hashtag. And allow me to say that the reactions indicate problems in the way of thinking for many of our girls. I wanted to dedicate this word to advise them, may Allah reward them with goodness, that they are indeed condemning this hashtag, but frankly, the reactions have problems that need to be addressed, not for the sake of criticism and injury, but for the sake of treatment and advice.

Human Centrality vs. Obedience to Allah

Many of the reactions carry the idea of human centrality, a Western concept that sanctifies humans and their desires. It hurts the feelings of girls who chose to wear the hijab and portrays the hijab as shackles. The problem is hurting human feelings, so we return to the issue of human centrality, whereas the real problem is that this hashtag dares to disobey Allah the Almighty, the Lord of humans and the Creator of humans.

Sacrifice for the Sake of Allah

Many girls said that the hijab did not deprive us of any opportunity in life, and we were able to pursue different fields while wearing the hijab, "Look at me while I am traveling, look at me while I am working in this place, look at me while I am playing sports." Suppose the hijab deprived you of pursuing some fields, or more accurately, your righteousness in obeying Allah's command and maintaining your feminine modesty caused you to miss some worldly opportunities. Does this undermine the hijab?

Isn't Islam, my sisters, about sacrifice? Allah the Almighty said: {Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have the Paradise.} (9:111) It's not just the opportunities; you yourself and your property are originally sacrificed to Allah the Almighty in exchange for Paradise. Such comments overlook the fact that we sacrifice in this world for the sake of Allah.

The Hijab Between Concealing Beauty and Displaying It

Many girls, to prove that the hijab is not a restriction, posted pictures of themselves while beautified. Of course, I say "pictures of themselves while" to simplify the expression, otherwise, I know that we must say "their pictures while" and so on, but to make the expression closer and simpler for our sisters. So, I say again: many girls, to prove that the hijab is not a restriction and not a determination for women, posted pictures of themselves while beautified, and the message in these pictures: "The hijab does not embarrass me, the hijab is beautiful and I can show my beauty with the hijab."

Remember, my sister and my daughter, that the hijab was indeed created to conceal beauty, but to show beauty in return. The beauty that means attractiveness, showing gentleness, and attracting attention, this is certainly required to be concealed by the hijab from those who do not concern you to see all of that from you, the people who are not supposed to see this beauty in you.

My value is not in my appearance, not in this outer shell, nor in the color of my hair, nor in the softness of my movements, but in the faith that brings us together, you and I, believers and believers. I want, as a Muslim, to help you build the earth with what Allah the Almighty loves, for Allah the Almighty said: {The believers, men and women, are protectors of one another.} (9:71) And I help you to lower your gaze and purify yourselves and devote yourselves to what benefits you.

When you are committed to the correct hijab, you appear in it proud of your Islamic identity, and you remind those who see you of the obedience to Allah, the love of Allah, and the submission to Allah's command. At that moment, you are the most beautiful with the hijab. In the end, your hijab conceals beauty and shows another beauty, and all the beauties mentioned are only with modesty with the hijab, otherwise with the correct hijab that indicates natural, pure, great modesty.

If the girl tries to combine both beauties, to be attractive and to compete with those who know beauty in a material, rigid definition, and at the same time the spiritual beauty, then her hijab will not be a hijab and will not show the spiritual beauty we are talking about.

The Hijab is a Divine Command, Not Personal Freedom

Many of the girls objecting to the hashtag say: "The hijab is personal freedom, so just as you, who removed the hijab, respected your freedom, respect our freedom." No, my sister, the hijab is not personal freedom but a divine command. Are we not Muslims? Are we not believers? When we say the hijab is personal freedom, there are two problems:

First: It is as if we are acknowledging personal freedom as a supreme, absolute, sacred value, whereas for us as Muslims, the supreme value is the obedience to Allah the Almighty, and what this obedience leads to in achieving truth and justice, and everything that contradicts the obedience to Allah is a condemned disobedience, not personal freedom.

Meaning that we demand the hijab of women as if it were personal freedom, and this is false, for the hijab is a divine command binding on the Muslim society, not personal freedom. Even the phrase "the woman's right to wear the hijab" feels as if it is her right to wear it if she wants and her right not to wear it if she does not want to. All of these are expressions that stem from forgetting that the centrality in the Muslim society is the obedience to Allah the Almighty.

Allah the Almighty said: {The only statement of the [true] believers when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them is that they say, "We hear and we obey." And those are the successful. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger and fears Allah and is righteous - then they are the successful.} (24:48-49) Look at the light in this speech in Surah An-Nur.

I say here, my brothers, even the sister who is not wearing the hijab, may Allah guide us and her in our societies these days, if she says: "It is obligatory for Muslims to obey their Lord and act according to His command, and I support my sister who wears the hijab in her issues in support of the religion of Allah and in defense of the ruling of my Lord, even if I am sinful and wrong in leaving the hijab," we say that she is rewarded for this action. She is sinful for leaving the hijab, but she is rewarded because the matter for her is clear: the obedience to Allah the Almighty, not that the matter is personal freedom. It is not personal freedom, so the hijab is not personal freedom but a divine command.

Conclusion

These are some observations on the reactions to the hashtag, and once again, I advise utilizing this event to spread the "Women" series. We will put the link to it in the comments, God willing.

Finally, I ask Allah the Almighty to guide all Muslim women to what He loves and is pleased with, to gather them at the Prophet's (peace be upon him) pond, to calm their hearts, to mend their affairs, to settle their hearts, and to grant them contentment and certainty in this world and the hereafter. Peace be upon you and God's mercy.