So what is it about hijab? Why are Muslim women still wearing it? How can a piece of cloth attract so much attention? Isn’t it hot under there?

Discourse on hijab is often accompanied by a list of dos and don’ts that women are supposed to follow. But is it all about rules and restrictions? Some Muslims claim that hijab is not obligatory. Is there a real debate within Islam regarding this issue? Understand the nature of hijab and the philosophy behind it.

Hijab can not only be difficult in normal situations when you’re living in a non-‘Muslim’ country, it can be a real struggle when Islam and Muslims are suddenly being accused wholesale of terrorism. So how can a Muslim woman practice her religion in a Western country?

If all the women are going to be wearing hijab, isn’t that a bit restrictive? Is there any room for self-expression or individualism, or even culture in all this?

How easy is it to wear hijab? What personal problems do women face with regards to hijab? Obviously with all that covering, these women don’t get enough fun or sun, right? Think again and find out if there are any gardens for veiled Muslim women. How do women feel when they wear the hijab?

Finally, with all this talk about hijab as “a Muslim thing”, it is easy to forget that veiling has a history in many cultures. Read more on Veiling Through Time: The Tresses of Forgetfulness.

We need only look at the vast number of institutions that exist to deal with the material aspects of our lives compared to the paucity of those that focus on the needs of the soul — the mosque being one of those.

Body’s Rights

The body has its rights and its demands upon us. However, what worth does the body have without the soul? It is a mere corpse, no matter how powerfully or beautifully it is constructed. If the soul departs from it, it becomes a wasted husk. Its beauty can only be realized in partnership with the soul.

If we look to apply this concept within an Islamic context, we immediately notice that our four primary acts of worship — prayer, fasting, zakah, and Hajj — and indeed all forms of worship, require the participation of both the body and the soul.

However, the regrettable thing that beset the People of the Scripture — the followers of Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them both) — as well as many of the followers of Muhammad (peace be upon him) is that of being overly concerned with outward appearances at the expense of substance. There is more concern about bodily actions than there is about the soul. Concern for the outward aspects of worship is something good (though at times it can get out of hand), but such concern should not result in the inner meaning of our worship being forgotten.

The physical aspects of our prayers are our standing, bowing, sitting, and prostrating. These are bodily motions. These are the aspects of prayer that most Muslims learn and commit to memory. These are the matters that they generally ask about, sometimes in great detail. The spiritual aspects of prayer are our devotion, humility, and submission to Allah in full sincerity and devotion. They entail our recognition of Allah’s greatness and divinity that inspire us with a sense of reverence and awe.

Is there any relationship between our concern for the physical aspects of prayer and our concern for the spiritual? Indeed, there is. When we carry out the outward aspects of prayer, we are, without doubt, obeying our Lord and fulfilling His command by upholding one of the pillars of our faith.

At the same time, should we not know why our Lord, in His infinite wisdom, commands us to offer prayers at fixed times in a prescribed manner? Should we not wonder about the effects that these prayers should have on our persons and our lives? The same can be said for fasting. Why do we fast? Surely Allah does not need our fast.

Effects of Fasting

Allah says [O humanity! You are in need of Allah and He is free of all wants, worthy of praise] (Fatir 35:15).

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever does not leave off false speech and evil deeds, then Allah has no need of his leaving off his food and drink” (Al-Bukhari 1903).

We know that Allah has no need for us to leave off eating and drinking in any case, even when we abstain from false words and false deeds.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, conveying to us the words of his Lord, “O My servants! If the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you came together as the heart of the most pious man among you, it would not increase My dominion in the least. O My servants! If the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you came together as the heart of the most sinful man among you, it would not diminish My dominion in the least” (Muslim 2577).

Surely fasting was not prescribed to punish us and make us suffer from hunger and thirst. ]

Indeed not, for Allah says [What can Allah gain by your punishment if you are thankful and you believe, and Allah is Grateful and All-Knowing] (An-Nisaa’ 4:147).

The Prophet (peace be upon him), during the pilgrimage, saw an old man being supported on both sides by his two sons. The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked, “What is the matter with him?” They said, “He took an oath to walk.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Allah is in no need of this man’s punishing of himself.” Then he ordered the man to ride (Al-Bukhari 1865; Muslim 1646).

Was fasting, then, prescribed for us to attain blessings and rewards?

Without doubt, Allah bestows immense rewards upon His servants for their fasts. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever fasts in faith seeking reward, all of his previous sins will be forgiven” (Al-Bukhari 38; Muslim 716).

However, the rewards and blessings that we receive for our fasts, our prayers, and our charity are Allah’s reward to us to encourage us to do these good deeds. Two Purposes The question remains: Why do we fast? Why do we get such a great reward for doing so? Why do we pray and embark upon the pilgrimage? As I see it, we do so for two purposes: The first is to develop our faith and build our moral character on a basis of piety and certainty. Allah says about fasting [O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that perhaps you may guard against evil] (Al-Baqarah 2:183). About prayer, Allah says [Indeed prayer restrains from shameful and unjust deeds] (Al-Ankabut 29:45). About the Hajj, He says [And let there be no obscenity, wickedness, or wrangling in the Hajj] (Al-Baqarah 2:197). Allah says about paying zakah [Take alms of their wealth, wherewith you may cleanse them and purify them] (Al-Tawbah 9:103). This meaning can be seen in all acts of worship. They all seek to build people’s characters and perfect their moral conduct, their beliefs, and their faith. Our worship aims to cleanse and renew our hearts, making them free from base qualities like deception, avarice, rancor, and unbridled lust. The second purpose of our worship is to reform the relationship between the person and others. By developing people’s character and cultivating within them certain values, the people’s worship results in their safeguarding the rights of others on every possible level of interaction. This includes the relationship between husband and wife, parent and child, and likewise between neighbors, and between the governed and the one who governs them. Even the rights of animals and the environment are safeguarded in this way. Islam brings with it values governing Muslims’ conduct toward everything that surrounds them. All the acts of worship that were prescribed to humanity in the previous manifestations of the religion and in Islam are part of a single program designed to fulfill these two purposes: to build the individual and to develop his or her relationship with others. What meaning does fasting have for people who merely eschew food and drink and other pleasures that are lawful under normal circumstances, only to engage in forbidden acts like speaking falsehood and mistreating others? How much worse is it to engage in unlawful things in the month of Ramadan, and possibly even during the day while fasting? How is it for such people who live a dual life, their worship completely divorced from their everyday life, having no effect on their dealings with others? We have a right to ask ourselves in earnest: When will our worship change from being merely an outward act into a reality that is rich in meaning and that carries with it a deep and noble purpose? When will our worship start to affect our personalities, building us into people of integrity who fulfill their duties, recognize their own shortcomings, and work to improve themselves before rushing to judge others? Only then will our worship take on its full meaning.

In addition to the obvious, fasting from sunrise to sunset, we must also abstain from so many other things. One added bonus that comes with fasting is that we actually learn to be more kind to those around us.

Since we strive to strengthen our bodies with both the physical and mental power that we need to complete our fasts, let’s take that a step further and make it last throughout the year. It takes real devotion to Allah to fast for His sake only.

There is a Hadith narrated by Sufyan ibn Abdallah (may Allah have his blessings on him) who said, “O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), tell me something about Islam, which I cannot ask anyone else besides you.” He (peace be upon him) replied, “Say, ‘I believe in Allah’ and then be steadfast (upon that).” (Sahih Muslim)
This Hadith is proof that we are obligated, after having faith in Allah, to be steadfast in obeying Allah by performing the obligatory acts and avoiding the prohibited ones. This is achieved by following the Straight Path, which is Islam. If a Muslim lives through Ramadan and spent his days in fasting and his nights in prayer and he accustomed himself to doing acts of good, then he must continue to remain upon this obedience to Allah at all times.

In fact, steadfastness after Ramadan is the greatest sign that one has gained benefit from the month of Ramadan. These are the real signs of a successful Ramadan. Furthermore, the deeds of a Muslim do not come to an end with the end of Ramadan. Rather, they continue and extend throughout the year.

Allah Almighty says, “And worship your Lord until the certainty (death) comes to you.” (Qur’an, 15:99)

When the fasting of Ramadan comes to an end, then indeed the voluntary fast is prescribed throughout the entire year. When standing in prayer at night in Ramadan comes to an end, then indeed the entire year is a time for performing the night prayer. And if Zakat Al-Fitr comes to an end then there is still the Zakat that is still obligatory as well as the voluntary charity that lasts the whole year. This goes the same for reciting the Qur’an and pondering over its meaning, as well as every other good deed that was sought, for these can be performed at all times. Therefore, the zeal that was felt throughout Ramadan must continue through the whole year.

It is unfortunate to find that some people perform worship by doing righteous deeds only during Ramadan. They guard strictly upon their five daily prayers, they recite Qur’an, and they give charity. But when Ramadan comes to an end, they grow lazy in their worship. Sometimes, they even abandon their obligation entirely.

Truly, there is much reward that Allah grants his servant in the fasting of Ramadan. Allah Almighty says in the Qur’an, “He wants that you must complete the same number of days and that you must magnify Allah (by saying Allah-o-Akbar) for having guided you, so that you may be grateful to Him.” (Qur’an, 2:185)

Ramadan is like an institution of spirituality, where we correct and change our habits that we have acquired over the year without the whispers of Satan. For now is the time in which Satan is locked up and he does not have the chance to twist our thoughts and change our good actions. The first step is always hard to take, but Ramadan is the time to do it. So after Ramadan, we all can try to keep up with our good deeds — praying at the correct times, charity to the less fortunate, and genuinely being more patient and kind with one another.
It’s a month of transformation in which we change our actions, habits and manners, but what will happen after it is gone — do Muslim continue performing the good deeds?

We leave the blessed month of Ramadan, its beautiful days and its fragrant nights.

We leave the month of the Qur’an, taqwa, patience, mercy, forgiveness and freedom from hellfire.

Have we fulfilled the requirements of taqwa and came out of the month as a fine student of Islam fearing Allah and obeying all His commandments. Have we fought our souls and desires and defeated them, or have we been overtaken by our customs and blind imitations?

Have we performed our actions in a way that fulfills the conditions for receiving mercy, forgiveness and release from the Fire?

Many questions and numerous thoughts come to the heart of the sincere Muslim, who asks and answers with truthfulness.

Allah says: “So remain on a right course as you have been commanded, [you] and those who have turned back with you [to Allah].” (Qur’an, 11:112); and, “So take a straight course to Him and seek His forgiveness.” (Qur’an, 41:6)

If you are from those who benefited from Ramadan, fulfilled the requirements of taqwa, truly fasted the month, prayed in it with truthfulness, and strove against your soul, then praise and thank Allah, and ask Him for steadfastness upon it until you meet your death.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: Say ‘I believe in Allah,’ then be steadfast. (Muslim)

Thus id al-adha is linked with Hajj, the “fifth pillar” of Islam just as id al-fitr is linked with fasting, the “fourth pillar”. But unlike id al-fitr which marks the end of fasting, `Eid Al-Adha does not mark the end of Hajj, which continues until the 12th or 13th of Dhul Hijjah, two or three days after the start of `Eid Al-Adha. `Eid Al-Adha is a kind of joining in Hajj by those who could not make it to Makkah.

This “joining in” is done in two ways. First, through ‘id prayers. Just as the pilgrims have gathered in Makkah for remembering Allah in various ways, so also the rest of the Muslims gather in large numbers in their own cities and remember Allah through special prayers. Second, through sacrificing an animal. Just as many pilgrims (i.e. those that perform Hajj at-Tamattu`, one of three types of Hajj) sacrifice an animal on 10th, 11th or 12th of Dhul Hijjah, so also the Muslims the world over perform sacrifices on one or the other of the same three days. All other rites of Hajj are bound with specific places, e.g. Tawaf with the Ka`bah and Sa`y with the hills of Safa and Marwah. But getting together and remembering Allah through prayers and Takbirs (calling ‘God is greater than anything else) and making sacrificial offerings is not so bound to any place. So the Muslims all over the world “join in” Hajj through these two types of actions.

If id Al-Adha is linked with Hajj in this close way, then its primary significance must lie in the meaning of Hajj, especially the two Hajj rites that pilgrims perform during the three days of `Eid Al-Adha: sacrifice of an animal (Nahr) and stoning of the devils (rami al-jamarat). Nahr, as we all know, commemorates the exemplary manifestation of obedience and love shown to God by the prophet Ibrahim when he bowed to God’s command and prepared himself to sacrifice the dearest thing he had in his life, his son Isma`il. Such surrender to the will of God and love for Him is expected not just of prophets but of all believers, since all believers are expected to be “Muslims”, meaning those who surrender their wills to God and all believers are expected to “love God most of all” (2:165). Nahr is meant to remind us this stage of Islam and iman (inner conviction), if not to make us strive to reach it.

Nahr also commemorates the mercy and love that God showed to Ibrahim when He stopped him before he actually sacrificed his most beloved son. This mercy and love of God for prophet Ibrahim is a manifestation of the mercy and love that He has for man generally and Nahr celebrates it.

The second Hajj rite during the days of `Eid Al-Adha is stoning of three pillars that symbolize three devils or three manifestations of the Devil: batil (falsehood), kufr (rejection of God and His signs) and Zulm (oppression). This stoning clearly is meant to remind us of the need of jihad in its various forms against all kinds of forces of evil, jihad that occupied the lives of all the prophets and must occupy the lives of all true believers. This stoning is done again and again on three different days. This is meant to make the point the battle between good and evil is not a one time affair but a perpetual one and the believers need to engage in it throughout their lives with constancy.

It is interesting to note that although stoning of the devils is done on three different days, many of us spent our `Eid Al-Adha without talking or thinking about it even once. Is this a manifestation of the fact that over the centuries we have somehow managed to remove from our consciousness the dynamic part of Islam?

`Eid Al-Adha, like `Eid Al-Fitr is also a time for enjoyment and entertainment. This is not in contradiction to the extremely serious lessons taught to us by Nahr and throwing the pebbles. For, it is quite possible for a person to maintain a very serious outlook on life and engage in very serious struggle and at the same time indulge in a little light-hearted entertainment on the side.

By: Dr. Ahmad Shafaat