A Muslim's stance on his Hijab-negligent sisters

2-9-2015 | IslamWeb

Question:

My sisters neglect Hijaab, and I have tried so much to convince them to wear it, but they did not give proper response. I tried to tell them about some relevant Quranic verses, and I was surprised because they memorized the Quran even better than me. I talked to my mother, and she told me that I should not shout at them or threaten them, and that I must talk to them quietly. My father also refuses that I force them to wear Hijaab. I feel very ashamed when they go out in the street. What should I do? Should I kill them? I am afraid to be a dayyooth (a man who approves the indecency of his womenfolk and is devoid of manly zeal), then Allaah Almighty would neither look at me nor purify me on the Day of Judgment. Would you please advise!

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

You should know that each one of us is responsible for those under his care. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said:

Each of you is a caretaker and each of you is responsible for those under his care. The man is a caretaker of his family and is responsible for his family members. The woman is a caretaker of her husband’s house and children and is responsible for them. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Allaah says (what means): {O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are [appointed] angels, harsh and severe; they do not disobey Allaah in what He commands them but do what they are commanded.} [Quran 66: 6]

Your father and mother are required to observe their responsibility and fear Allaah with regard to their family and children. Just as they are keen to achieve the interest of their children in this world, they are also required to be keen to save them from Hell on the Day of Judgment. Islam forbids women to neglect the Sharee'ah-approved Hijab or to intermix with non-Mahram (marriageable) men. Even, it forbids a woman to go out of her home perfumed, and it likened the one who does so to the adulteress. Impermissible exposure of women's beauty and adultery are mostly inseparable. How can a Muslim approve that his wife or any of his womenfolk exposes her beauty before non-Mahram men to violate her honor. In this way, and while he feels not, he kills her chastity, destroys her honor and makes her a prey to others' gossip and slander. Even, such behavior could lead to unfavorable consequences; and in such case regret will not benefit. How can a Muslim be devoid of protective jealousy even about the nearest people to him? Protective jealousy is a genuine Islamic characteristic and a sign of faith.

It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him that the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "Verily Allaah gets jealous and the believer gets jealous and the jealousy of Allaah is to see a believer doing unlawful acts." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

The praiseworthy jealousy in this context is that which is based on tangible reasons, such as the reason mentioned in the question.

The opposite of a jealous person is the dayyooth, a man who approves of the indecency of his womenfolk and is devoid of protective jealousy when they intermix with non-Mahram men. It was narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  them that the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "Allaah Almighty will not look at three persons on the Day of Judgment: a person who is undutiful to his parents; a woman who assumes a masculine attitude; and a dayyooth." [An-Nasaa’i and Ahmad] 

More to say, the infidels during the pre-Islamic era showed great jealousy, which was sometimes a reason for wars to erupt between tribes. The Fijar War that broke up between some Arab tribes before Islam was caused by a woman who had been stopped by a group of youths in the ‘Ukath Market, and they had asked her to unveil her face. If this was the attitude of the people before Islam, so what would be the case with the Muslims?

Your parents and all your family members have to know that wearing the Sharee'ah-approved Hijab is the best means to protect women and maintain their chastity.  Adherence to the teachings of Islam is a safety valve against temptation, dishonor and scandal.

We should not be deceived by the traditions of the non-Muslim communities in their women's exposure of beauty. They are dominated by indecency, immorality and filth, which are abhorred by some animals. Whoever imitates a people becomes one of them.

Being the first and main responsible for the family, your father is strictly required to force his daughters and wife to wear the Sharee'ah-approved Hijab and to observe modesty when going out. This is to exalt the commands of Allaah, protect his honor, maintain offspring and purify the community from vice and its causes.

You are not dayyooth because you hate these behaviors and do not approve of them. Rather, we ask Allaah to reward you best for your jealousy and keenness to make your womenfolk adhere to the teachings of Islam. Whatever the case may be, however, you are not permitted to kill anyone. An evildoing should not be treated by something that is more evil. Killing is an extremely serious matter. Allaah Almighty says concerning it (what means): {But whoever kills a believer intentionally – his recompense is Hell, wherein he will abide eternally, and Allaah has become angry with him and has cursed him and has prepared for him a great punishment.} [Quran 4: 93]

Hence, you are required to be gentle to your parents and sisters, offer them the advice leniently, treat them kindly and invite them to the way of Allaah through an effective means.

You should be keen to give them Islamic recorded materials, books and leaflets, especially those discussing the negligence of the Sharee'ah-approved Hijab, its dangers and those explaining the rulings of Hijab. You should also be keen to have such materials at home and that they all read them. Finally, you should be keen to supplicate Allaah to guide them and make them upright.

Allaah Knows best.

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