Discovering the Headcover - 8

We are left with two final points in our discussion on headcover. The first is, if headcover is not an exact and authoritative order of God, why did the prophet Muhammad pbuh and his companions practice it so rigidly? And the second point is, given that there are no messengers after Muhammad and that Quran is a book that claims to illuminate all times until the end of the days, why do we see in the Quran verses that are directly involving the wives of the prophet? 

Before delving into the answer of the first question, I am going to use this occasion as an opportunity to clarify what is and what is not intended in this series of articles on headcover. The ultimate aim here is NOT to claim headcover as something totally cultural, though the existing applications do have cultural dimensions. Portraying the headcover as something that God did not tell is certainly NOT the motivation, either. Rather, the intention here is to clearly see what God is pleased of us doing given the conditions we are living in today. Something does not become Islamic just because it is done by the first Muslims. There are cultural, political, intellectual even technological conditions that shaped the practices then. Expressed more boldly, simply imitating the behaviors, fashions and traditions of the Arabic people who lived long ago is not necessarily an effective method to please God. In fact, such imitative culture has been ailing the Muslim society for so long, and today more than ever, the side effects of this mentality are manifest in all avenues of life. Therefore, using the tools of critical thought and sticking to the book of God, we are trying, in this series, to reach conclusions that are, hopefully, in line with God's pleasure. In the end, we ask for guidance and forgiveness from Allah in our all attempts on the road.

Another issue to be clarified before going to the answer of the first question is the fact that something is not order of God doesn't mean that it is not recommended or intended. For example, learning about and contemplating on the life events and the creation are not orders of God in the classical sense. However, when we read the Quran, we must be out of our minds in order not to see a push in that regard. Allah DOES want us to acquire knowledge and to contemplate. Nevertheless, He is leaving it to us to explore hows and whats. That is, God is acting in line with "freedom of thought" by not dictating people to think. If we take His gentleness in this issue as a pretext to not learn and think, then we are clearly following a path not pleasing to God. Does it always have to be an order so that we are going to do it? Isn't such an attitude disrespect to the Owner of all of the bounties we have got?

Similar to the example of the case of knowledge and thought, headcover not being an order of God does not mean that there is no guidance in that regard. There is an underlying motivation for headcover, and it is told in the relevant verses, if you want to see it. And that is exactly the effort undertaken here, as well. Seeing the meaning and motivation in the concept of headcover, and doing this in connection with God's word, is the goal. Conversely, not caring about who wears what and how is NOT what is told in these articles.

After these clarifications, let's now talk about the answer to the first question: if headcover is not an exact and authoritative order of God, why did the prophet Muhammad pbuh and his companions practice it so rigidly? If you really want to think about the answer, or perhaps an answer, to this question, you need to have enough information about the life events of the messenger of God, other life events from his companions, the general culture and character of the Arabic people. Knowing these is going to help you resolve not only the headcover issue but also others. In this context, you may want to make some reading on the fact that Muhammad pbuh was a human being (e.g. Chosen from among us humans). Below, I am going to share some hints under this topic.

Given the climate, geography and the human population at the time, the physiology of the people in the 7th century Arabian peninsula can necessitate a tight observance to the issue of covering in general, whereas other places with much colder climates and with more people can accommodate a less tight observance. This difference of the human physiology in different conditions require a flexibility in the application, and that flexibility is contained in the verses of the Quran through the lack of an exact style but the presence of an emphasis on functionality.  

It is also important to realize that the general character of the Arabic people is towards exaggerating things. For example, you can read about the memoires of the companions of the prophet about going to extremes in certain forms of worship, you can remember the persistence of regular bloodshed among the tribes, you can note the killing of baby daughters in the name of honor...  Also, when you read a poem about the beauty of a person or the pain of losing a loved one, this exaggerating attitude becomes so obvious. You can also imagine how strongly some of the Arabic people are insisting on what they deem as outward expressions of Islam, i.e. beard, turban, long and loose robe. All of these point at the fact that Arabic people have a tendency to go to extremes in things they embrace. Since they embraced the religion of God, it is only natural that they exhibit excess in that regard.

Nevertheless, studying the human nature of the messenger of God, his wives and his companions is not enough to resolve everything. You must also understand the fact that there is a correlation between the level of responsibility and the level explicitness in God's contact with you. That is, when Muhammad pbuh was among people and Quran was still in the process of revelation, God was continuously in touch with those people. Occasionally, they witnessed miracles, too. These mean that those people were under much more strict challenge than us today, who possess only the Quran and the books penned about the old times. Accordingly, the response to the call of God by those people is certainly going to be much more vigorous than ours, even if that call does not involve a rigid order.

It must also be noted that the situation of the first believers, especially the wives of the prophet, is very critical in the sense that they are setting the standard for everything to come afterwards. So, it is normal that Muhammad pbuh was sensitive on many issues, even if they were not strict orders. Furthermore, there are verses in the Quran that directly address the wives of the prophet and tell them to keep in utmost care for observing God's path. Given these, their "normal" may not necessarily be the normal expected from us by God.

"O wives of the Prophet, whoever of you should commit a clear immorality - for her the punishment would be doubled two fold, and ever is that, for Allah , easy. And whoever of you devoutly obeys Allah and His Messenger and does righteousness - We will give her her reward twice; and We have prepared for her a noble provision. O wives of the Prophet, you are not like anyone among women. If you fear Allah , then do not be soft in speech [to men], lest he in whose heart is disease should aspire, but speak with appropriate speech. And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance. And establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah intends only to remove from you the impurity [of sin], O people of the [Prophet's] household, and to purify you with [extensive] purification." (33/30-33)

"O believers! Do not enter in houses of prophet except if you are permitted for a meal and its readiness is not awaited but when you are invited then enter and when you have eaten disperse and do not linger in conversation; it troubles the prophet and he is shy of you but God is not shy of telling truth; and when ye ask of them [the wives of the Prophet] anything, ask it of them from behind a curtain (hijab) it is purer for you hearts and their hearts; and it is not allowed for you to hurt messenger or marry his wives after him ever; indeed it is great enormity in God’s sight." (33/53) 

And with this last comment, we can look at the second question: given that there are no messengers after Muhammad and that Quran is a book that claims to illuminate all times until the end of the days, why do we see in the Quran verses that are directly involving the wives of the prophet? Expressed differently, what is the lesson for the people of our time from the verses that directly address the wives of the prophet? More specifically, what can we infer from such verses related to the headcover? 

There can be several answers and subtleties embedded in this fact, but a practical one can be reached by the help of another question: why did God say "O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers ..." in 33/59, instead of simply saying "tell the women of the believers...", given that the second one comprises all of the women believers anyway? Again, one answer here can be found by employing the notion of functionality. At the time, the wives and the daughters of the messenger of God were in some ways similar to the ministers and ambassadors of today. So, they held public offices in the language of today. In order for them to do these jobs, they had to be seen through their duty, not through their gender. Headcover and other garments helped them in this regard. Furthermore, being a woman who must interact with many men by virtue of their job, they needed to be more careful about their dress compared to other women who are not that active in the society. 

So, God knows best, one lesson from the fact that God addresses the wives and daughters of the prophet separately is that Muslim women who are holding public offices or who are interacting with men much more frequently than other women need to pay more attention to the way they are dressing. Yet, this is not to imply a certain kind of dress for such women; rather a call for further sensitivity.

Discovering the Headcover - 7

Having established a ground for the use of our reason in developing methods to understand and apply God's orders, it is time to see, for the same matter, few other instances from the Quran that necessitate the use of commonsense and further interpretation.

"And proclaim to the people the Hajj [pilgrimage]; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel" (22/27) 

"And prepare against them what force you can and horses tied at the frontier, to frighten thereby the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them, whom you do not know (but) Allah knows them;" (8/60)

"and eat and drink until the white thread becomes distinct to you from the black thread of the dawn." (2/187)

In these verses, we see the explicit mentioning of certain words for the fulfillment of certain actions as ordered by God. In the first one, going to pilgrimage on foot or on camels, in the second one, raising and maintaining battle horses, and in the third one, using threads to distinguish the exact time of start for the fasting in Ramadan. Today, we don't come across with a single person who claims that it is God's order to go to Hajj on camels or to raise horses against enemies. It is commonsense to go with the conditions of the time. Aside from these two, if you look at the third case above, you see that its misinterpretation due to literal understanding was corrected by God's messenger himself. He told his companions that the reference here is to the transition of darkness of the night to the brightness of the day. In all of these three cases, what needs to be done is explicitly mentioned by God, and yet, what is done is different what is told in those words!

So what's happening here? Clearly, when the need for re-interpretation or necessity for reading between the lines becomes obvious and compelling, the believers are going with their commonsense. They do this, even if it means abandoning what is literally mentioned by God! Then, what are we to conclude? That orders of God are subject to the confirmation by the commonsense of the majority at a given time in history? I don't think that makes sense. Then, what is the solution here? And how does that solution reflect on the issue of headcover?

Let's remember, if something is an order of God, it is and must be evident to the reader. That is, for example, you don't need to be expert in the Arabic language in order to understand that five daily prayers or fasting is an order of God. Conversely, if something is not evident to the reader, then it cannot attain the level of "order of God". Such lack of evidence doesn't mean, though, that God is not encouraging the believers in that regard. He is. However, the way it is done implies that the individuals must think of their own situation and decide for themselves what to do. The believers can, by all means, consult with each other and take expert opinion to make an educated decision in the matter. Still, the result from such effort is not an order of God that is obligatory for all believers, beyond time and space.

So, what about the cases above, then? How do we make sense of the three examples above in context of the above paragraph? Are we going to say that they are violations or compromises against clear orders of God? Add to that discussion the case of interfaith relations that was discussed in the fifth episode. There, we saw that some Muslims are going against what is told in the Quran repeatedly and openly by establishing good relations with non-Muslims. So, again, what are the Muslims doing when they face a compelling situation that pushes them to go beyond what meets the eye? They do what feels true! They embrace what makes sense rationally!

To understand this situation, I am going to share an observation about the mental development of the children. Prior to the development of basic abstract thinking and empathizing, if you point at something with your finger, instead of looking at what is pointed, young children (toddlers) look at your finger. It is only with the development of the mentioned faculties that the children perceive that mental exchange. Similarly, God's orders point at certain essences, which I am going to call functionality. If you focus on the functionality of what is told in the original text, you see no contradiction in what the Muslims do and what is told by God. So, functionality that is embodied in the literal text of the order is the essence that we, the believers, mine our guidance and energy when dealing with new situations. This concept of functionality can also be carried to the case of the headcover.

In the first verse that is relealed on the matter, God tells the believing women to cover themselves when going out so that they can be recognized and that they are not disturbed by men. Here, the notion of functionality so obvious. In order to ascertain what is ordered by God, the Islamic scholars have been discussing what kind of dress is Islamic and what is not. For that, they dig into the meaning of the word jilbab that is cited by God in 33/59. They go into what was done during the time of the messenger of God in this regard. This is why, today, you see some Muslim women covering themselves in extreme ways, thinking that that is the order of God. 

O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful. (33/59)

However, if you take the same matter under the light of everything discussed so far and especially in the perspective of functionality, things become quite different. Ask yourself what kind of dress is more suitable for the Muslim women in order not to be assaulted not only by men but also by women of different life styles. The answer is going to be different for different countries and different societies. In some countries or cities, the way Muslim women dress puts them in the target, rather than protecting them! Isn't it better, then, to leave the matter to the women themselves to judge what is convenient and protective for them, given the context they are in? Indeed, the fact that the verse says "tell ..." rather than "o believing women, do so and so..." implies that the matter should be left to them. 

If we look under the light of functionality at the second verse, which is at root of the practice of headcover, we again come to the same result. In fact, this was the point that was discussed in the fourth episode. First, let's see the verses on the matter that are going to help us see things clearly:

And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment save to their own husbands or fathers or husbands' fathers, or their sons or their husbands' sons, or their brothers or their brothers' sons or sisters' sons, or their women, or their slaves, or male attendants who lack vigour, or children who know naught of women's nakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn unto Allah together, O believers, in order that you may succeed. (24/31)

And (as for) women advanced in years who do not hope for a marriage, it is no sin for them if they put off their clothes without displaying their adornments; and if they restrain themselves it is better for them; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing. (24/60)

The second verse here was not presented before, but it is posed here with the first one in order to highlight how the notion of functionality, rather than an exact style, is obvious in the related verses. The word veil (khumurihinna) is surrounded by adornment throughout these verses. Plus, the aim of covering the adornments and the goal of protecting people from illicit sexual relationships are rather obvious in not only these but also other verses in the same chapter (24/26-33,58-61).  

After this initial step, let's dig a little deeper. The word khamr (intoxicating beverages) and khimar (headcover) come from the same root, both referring to covering, the former for the brain the latter for the head. This common origin is used by some to support the conclusion that headcover is explicitly mentioned in the Quran. However, there is a second way to interpret the same observation. Yes, both usages are referring to the covering, but the khimar (veil) can be taken as a cover, not for the head of the women but, for the eyes of the men. Since men cannot veil their eyes, obviously, they are told to lower their gazes (24/30), and the women are told to use veil to cover the looks of the men. That is, a Muslim lady is covering the looks of the men, not her head, by using khimar. Therefore, such covering of the looks can be done through various ways, one of which could be the covering of the hair. However, khimar is not necessarily limited to the headcover.

As in the verse about the outer garment, in this one on the headcover, too, the verse says "tell..." rather than outlining an exact style. This again could imply that the matter of how to cover the looks of the men should be left to the creative thoughts of the women. In the same context, men can, instead of dictating women how to cover up themselves, help women acquire a sensitivity towards the message of God so that they act not only creatively but also God-consciously.