AL – HIJAB (The decent dressing)
 In the name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

For Allah so loved man among His creatures, He bestowed on him what He did not give to any other creature. Allah says “And indeedwe have honoured the children of Adam, and we have carried them on land and sea, and have providd them with lawful good things and we have preffered them above many of those whom we have created with a marked prefferment” Q17 VS 70.
Critical observation makes one to understand the extra-ordinary preference Allah has given to the children of Adam. Had he not provided Man with the best of worldly enjoyment? Had he not made available for them the land, the sea, the sky and even the heavenly planetary bodies for them to live? Had He not made them to change unfavourable condition to favourable one? ALLAH says “Don’t you see (Oh Man) that Allah has subjected for you whatsoever is in the heavens and the eraths and has completed and perfected His Graces upon you…. ” Q31VS20. There is yet another saying of ALLAH “ALLAH is the one who has created the heavens and the earths and sends down waterfrom the sky  and thereby brought forth fruits as provision for you, and He has made the ships to be of service to you that they sail through the sea by His command, and he has made rivers o be of service to you. And He has made the sun and the Moon, both constantly pursuing their courses, to be of service to you as well as the night and the day. And He gave you all that you asked for….” Q14VS32-34.
Despite all these favours and bounties, ALLAH also gave the children of Adam the senses. ALLAH says “say, it is He (ALLAH) who has created you and endowed you with hearing (ears) and seeing (eyes) and hearts (mind)….” Q 67 VS 23 in order to distinguish from that which is good and bad. Indeed, ALLAH has provided for them countless and enumerated blessings among which is the sense of Reasoning- a worth while favour whih had given them a distinct nature from all other creatures anfd had given the superiority over all other creatures. Can you guest the favour? It is no other bounty but clothing and shelter. ALLAH says “O children of Adam! We have bestowed rainment upon you to cover yourselves (screen your private parts) and as an adornment,…” Q7 VS 26.
 The cloth has been prescribed in a suitable and different manner for male and female which will make them to remain honoured by ALLAH and other beings as long as they take to that prescribed manner. For the female; you can imagine the best prescription ALLAH has prescribed for them, a prescription that will make them to regulate their lives and to achieve happiness in both worlds. It is the decent cloth that will make them enjoy self and society benefits honours. The words of ALLAH adds “O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all their bodies, that will be better for them to be known as free and respectable women so as not to be annoyed,. ALLAH is ever  oft-forgiving, Most merciful” Q 33 VS 59.
 Some people have negative ideologies about the Hijaab which perhaps might be what is hindering them from adopting its use in their life. Consider the say of some people who say that hijaab is an old Persian tradition. Oh! What a negative thinking! Anyway the hijaab recommended by God is quite different from the traditional Persian one. The Hijaab is a shelter and protection not a barrier or curtain that prevents woman from performing her role as the Ancient Persian used to do. Consider the verse “And say o the believing women that theyu cast down their looks and guard their private parts and do not display their ornaments except what appears thereof, and let them weartheire head-coverings over their bosoms , and do not display their ornaments except to their husband or the fathers of their husbands or their sons…. ” Q 24 VS 31. So, why are women believers ordered to cast down their looks if they are separated from society and ocial performance of their role in life. Preventing women from performing their role in society or keeping her behind curtain without having social interaction  could cause a psychological setback with the decent covering (HIJAAB), it is possible for a woman to perform her role side by side with the men. The hijaab prevents lots of social problems and disasters that are to be found in societies where these are no limits placed upon the mixing of men and women.
 My dear reader, won’t you be furious when you also hear some people saying that the hijaab is something which came from the “Monks” and that it is an image of austerity and denial of life’s pleasures. Some say that it entails women enslavery while others are of the view that Man has imposed the hijaab on woman to comply with the difficult life he has experienced. Look my friend, is this not a distorted information? Based on the evidences established from the verses of the Quran, are you still in doubt as to regard such a talk as an unwholesome and baseless information which is worthy of rejection. Islam has never denied people life’s pleasure and has never called people to Monasticism or the non enjoyment of life. On the contrary, Islam wants man to enjoy life. Listen to what ALLAH says “Say (O Prophet), who has forbidden the adornment given by ALLAH which he has provided for his slaves and all kinds of good things? Say, they are in this world for the believers solely for them in the hereafter….” Q 7 VS 32.Thus you see that Islam doesn’t order Monasticism or the denial of life’s pleasures. The hijaab bears no relation to such claims, as Islam is against monastic ideas and harmfulness of nakedness which is evident in the following verse “Say (O Prophet), but things made forbidden by my lord are great evil sins and all kind of unlawful sexual intercourse committed openly or secretly, sins of all kinds, unrighteous oppression, joining partners with ALLAH for which H has given no Authority and saying things about ALLAH of which you have no Knowledge” Q 7 VS 33. This is also the objective behind the prescription of cloth “… to cover yourselves (screen your private parts) and as adornment….” Q 7 VS 26.
 It would be logical for everyone of us to agree that indeed the hijaab is the most decent dressing for the female which will serve as a dignity for the personality f the woman as well as the Community at large.