Hijab: Why Men Exempted?

[Muslims Are Good Folks]

Hijab: Why Men Exempted?

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be
upon His Messenger.

Hijab: Why Men Exempted?

Answering the question, the eminent Muslim scholar, Sheikh `Abdus-
Sattar F. Sa`eed, Professor of the Exegesis of the Qur'an at Al-Azhar
Univ., states:

"It is through Allah's Wisdom that He distinguishes between man and
woman in the process of creation. Woman, on the one hand, is created
in a way that best suits her natural inclinations. The requirements
that Allah asks of her give her full security and protect her against
awkward and uncertain situations.

The differences between man and woman are more obvious in the physical
appearance. A woman's body, voice, hair and other feminine
characteristics are evident and present to attract her husband.

That is why Allah Almighty has ordered woman not to uncover the
natural beauty and attractiveness, that He Almighty granted her,
before anyone except her husband.

A husband is allowed to look at any part of his wife's body. According
to Islam, this is not the case for the woman's male-Mahrams (relatives
who are not allowed to marry her), for example her father, brother,
etc., who are allowed to look at specific parts of the woman's body
such as her hair and hands.

However, when it comes to non-Mahram men, the matter is completely
different, because the exposure of the woman's body before non-Mahram
men leads to immorality and temptation.

Man, on the other hand, is created by Allah in a way which is
different from that of the woman. In his capacity as the breadwinner
of the family, man is supposed to strive hard to cater for his
family's needs.

With regard to women covering their faces, we can say that it is not
obligatory but it is recommended. Some women do cover their faces for
the purpose of attaining Allah's greater reward.

However, if a woman finds it difficult to cover her face, she is
obliged to conform to the Islamic code of dress, which requires
covering her entire body save her face and hands."

Finally, we can say that there is wisdom in Allah's commands, and if
we see the wisdom behind certain rulings, it is easier to accept them.
We can look at the advantages of adorning a headscarf and trust that
Allah, the Omniscient, knows what is better for us. We can wait for
the reward for doing so, only if our intention is to obey Him, because
when there is difficulty in doing something, the reward is given in
proportion to the difficulty. And that reward is more worthwhile than
having a breeze on our necks.