Hijab from a Jewish perspective
The wearing of a hijab, chastity, and purity are one of the severe mandates of Judaism and has been strictly enforced since ancient times. Historians have noted and recognized the popularity of the hijab among Jews. Many historians and intellectuals believe that other ethnic groups, such as Arabs and Iran, observe the hijab due to their ties to the Jewish nation. In addition to discussing the prevalence of the hijab among Jewish women, they also spoke extensively about their strictness in this regard:
Although the veil was founded by Islam and was uncommon among Arabs, it was most prevalent in non-Arab nations. In Iran, among Jews and the nation that adhered to Jewish ideology, the hijab was considerably stricter than what Islam desired. From the perspective of the Torah, hijab observance has been evident and has been mentioned in a variety of ways, and the importance of the hijab has been so highly regarded that in order to punish sinful women, the Torah has mandated the temporary removal of their hijab (Totah, Book of Numbers, Chapter 5, Verse 18).
In numerous other cases, the hijab is mentioned in the Bible. In the Torah, God emphasized the significance of men’s and women’s distinct clothing, forbade the resemblance of men and women, and stated:
The woman did not use the man’s accessories and clothing, nor did the man wear the woman’s clothing. Anyone who does these things is abominable in the face of the Creator God (Ibid, Deuteronomy, Chapter 22, Verse 5). From a Jewish perspective, the hijab is inherent. The desire for purity and attaining human values are inherent and require no training. Consequently, according to nature, every person desires to live with dignity. As a result, even a young child who has not yet reached the age of discernment despises being humiliated. Without a doubt, the hijab is one of the characteristics that ensure human personality, and the need for it is founded in nature. It is incredibly vital for assuring the individual’s and society’s health. In the Torah’s account of Adam and Eve (peace be upon them), we read: And when the woman realized that the tree was edible and that it was aesthetically pleasing and enlightening, she ate from the tree and gave it to her husband. Both of them suddenly opened their eyes and discovered that they were naked. Then, they wove fig leaves together to create a bed for themselves. The text continues, “And God created leather garments for Adam and his wife, covering them.” (Torah, Genesis, Chapter 3, verses 6-8 and 20-21).
In the Qur’an, this story is stated as follows: “So when they tasted of the tree, their nakedness became exposed to them, and they began to stitch over themselves with the leaves of paradise (Al-A’raf, 22).
The Torah states that Adam (PBUH) descended to Mount Noz in India and Eve to Jeddah after a brief stay in Paradise, which was half a day from the days of the hereafter. After the end of the separation that led to the reunion, they were naked. God ordered them to sacrifice one of the eight pairs of rams he had provided from heaven. Then Eve spun its wool, and with Adam’s (PBUH) assistance, a long robe (mantle) and a shirt and scarf for Eve were made. Thus, the bodies of the early humans were covered and protected from their shameful bareness.
After citing this account, some authors assert: Before Islam, the hijab and niqab were worn by humans at the dawn of creation, before the divine laws were revealed. Others believe that the existential structure of a human is the source of the cover order and that it expresses the innate character of his cover. However, because humans are naturally inclined toward the good, the desire to wear the hijab is natural. For this reason, women have always worn the hijab, and the hijab has been appreciated by the Imams (PBUH), therefore it has been an integral part of the lives of the great men of Islam from the birth of Islam to the present day. As a result, the hijab is not a restriction, but rather a natural occurrence whose adherence determines a woman’s dignity; chastity is a measure that women must take to become more valuable to men and preserve their status, truth-seeking people think realistically at all times and places. It is true that crimes and their consequences are more visible in the summer than in the winter. The lack of hijab or its laxity in the summer, according to most experts, is one of the reasons for this. As a result, the statements “a woman’s heart must be pure, not her garments,” “the chador makes the men more curious and agitated,” and “man is thirsty for what is forbidden” are illogical.
In a letter to his daughter Jacqueline, Charlie Chaplin, a comedian, and non-Muslim actor, attributed the unhappiness of society to the absence of the hijab and the bare bodies of women, and he viewed the wearing of the hijab as an efficient component in preventing corruption and devastation. Here are some excerpts from the respective letter. I am aware that your job (Jacqueline) is quite demanding. On stage, nothing except a tiny piece of silk covers the body. One can go on stage naked (from their perspective) for artistic purposes and return more covered and virginal. But there is nothing or no one else in the world for whom a girl should expose her toenails. He continues: Nudity is the cancer of our time, and as an old guy, I may say weird stuff, but I believe that your naked body should belong to someone whose naked spirit you adore.
Hijab in the law of Jesus (PBUH)
Hijab and chastity are important parts of the divine religions because they are natural and important for social life. All of the heavenly religions have said that women must wear the hijab and cover their bodies, and all of the monotheistic religions believe that women must be chaste and cover themselves. According to the Gospel, Paul writes in his epistle to the Christians, “But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God”. Men who pray or prophesy with their heads covered disgrace their heads. However, every woman who prays with her head uncovered disgraces her head, since this is how it is shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she should also cut her hair, and if it is unattractive for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved, she should cover it; For man should not cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God, but a woman is the glory of man; For man is not of woman, but a woman is of man, and man was not created for woman, but for a woman.
Due to the angels, a woman should therefore have honor. “Be honest with yourself: is it appropriate for an unveiled lady to pray?” (Genesis, chapter 11, verses 14-3.). So, if a woman’s head should be covered for prayer, it will be even more so when she is faced by a non-mahram. Let us consider the “Bible” in this regard, which states in Paul’s epistle to Timothy:
Also, women should dress modestly and abstain, not in jewelry, gold, pearls, and expensive clothing, but as befits women who profess to be religious by doing good deeds” (Bible, Epistle of Paul to Timothy, Chapter 2, verse 159.) We also read about the dignity and trustworthiness of women: “And similarly, women should be dignified and not gossipers, but vigilant and trustworthy in all circumstances (Ibid., Chapter 3, Verse 11.). Christianity not only did not alter the aspects of Jewish law pertaining to the hijab but also maintained its stringent regulations. For Jesus stated, “Do not suppose that I have come to abolish the Torah and the prophets’ writings; rather, I have come to fulfill them” (New Testament, Matthew, chapter 70).
In order to eliminate any grounds for provocation and arousal, Christianity urged women to adhere more strictly to the full observance of dress and to refrain from wearing makeup, as will be discussed in detail in the section on jurisprudential documents. According to historical literature, the chador and veil were required for everyone, including nobility ladies, and no one took them off on vacation. Rather, they decorated it with gold, silver, and fine fabrics, and they dressed modestly even when attending public events or trips away from non-mahrams.
We also read in the Bible that Old women should be pious, not gossips and servants of excessive drink, but instructors of good knowledge, in order to encourage young women to love their husbands and children with wisdom. And be wise, chaste, and housewives, as well as good and obedient to their husbands, so that the word of God may not be discredited (Gospel, Paul’s Epistle to Titus, Chapter 2, Verse 16).
O women, don't dress yourself up with braided hair, jewelry, and nice clothes. Instead, dress yourself up with inner and sincere humanity, clean clothes, and a kind and gentle spirit that God loves. Because God-fearing women in the past wore these kinds of clothes. (Epistle of Peter 3, verse 16 of the Bible.)
The Larus encyclopedia says this about the practical life of Christian women: "The Christian religion left the khimar for women. When this religion came to Europe, they thought it was good." In the streets and at prayers, the women wore khimar. In the Middle Ages, especially in the ninth century, khimar was very popular. The woman's shoulders were covered by the khimar, which had long sleeves that almost reached the ground. This was a common practice until the 1300s.
Will Durant also discusses how Christian women live their lives in the real world: "Women's legs were not something that was viewed in public or for free... Cardinals set the length of the women's clothes during military festivals since it was a significant issue for the clergy. When priests regarded the chador and the veil as one of the pillars of Christian morals, crafted chadors from beautiful linen and brocade at the order of women (Will Durant, 2012, vol. 4, p. 757). The available images of European and Christian women's clothes accurately depict the entire coverage of ladies. (Brown and Schneider, 1991: p. 116)
Jurisprudential documents, clothing in Christianity
The hijab is popular and accepted in Christianity, much like it is in Zoroastrianism and Judaism. Christianity did not only not alter the Jewish law's rules for the hijab, but in certain instances even went above and beyond them; It also made the requirement for the hijab more stringent because, according to Jewish law, marriage and starting a family were both sacred endeavors, and Will Durant writes in The History of Civilization that getting married was a legal requirement starting at the age of 20.
But from a Christian perspective, celibacy is viewed as sacred; therefore, there is no doubt that in this school, women have been required to observe dress, perfect chastity, and refrain from wearing makeup in order to minimize sexual stimulation. Monasticism arose in Christianity during the fourth and fifth centuries because its teachings lay a greater focus on the renunciation of earthly pleasures and suppression of lust. Christian nuns served the people while maintaining their chastity and hijab (Will Durant, 1988: vol. 1, p. 328). (It is important to note that marriage is today regarded as sacrosanct by all Christians and only forbidden by popes and church bishops.) The Bible stresses the importance of hijab and covering, and its adherents are commanded to abstain from lust and practice chastity.
In the Bible, we read: Young women should be wise, chaste, housewives, kind, and obedient to their spouses. According to the religious doctrines of the popes and cardinals of Christianity, it is compulsory to hide one's face. It was prohibited to decorate the hair and style it in front of a mirror, pierce the ears, wear necklaces, anklets, gold, and precious bracelets, colour the hair, and alter the appearance. (Bible, Peter the Apostle's Epistle, Chapter 3, Verse 6).
The Christian Hijab
In Christianity, women are required to wear the hijab. Christian historian Jurji Zaydan stated, "If the hijab is meant to cover the body, it was prevalent before Islam and even before the introduction of Christianity, and its repercussions are still felt in Europe." Christianity not only did not change the rulings of Judaism regarding the hijab of women and kept its rigorous laws, but in some situations, it even emphasized the necessity of the hijab, as Jewish law considered family formation and marriage to be sacrosanct.
Philosophy of Hijab and Skin in Islam
The Islamic Philosophy of Hijab and Skin
Islam has a unique philosophy regarding the covering of women, which intellectually explains it and can be considered the basis of the hijab in Islam.
If society lacks chastity and modesty, men and women would approach each other like fire and cotton and ignite. Clearly, the black smoke from such a fire affects everyone's sight, causes numerous corruptions, and paves the way for a variety of crimes and deviance. Accordingly, the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) stated: "A woman is an undefended and vulnerable entity. Whenever she leaves the house (without hijab), the devil surrounds her, and she is subject to his control."
In other words, a woman is more fragile in the divine creation than man; if she is placed in a setting where there is no law or where the rule of reason and logic is weak, she will be subjugated by men who are more powerful and use physical force. The hijab and other forms of clothing are a bulwark against oppression and violations of one another's rights for both men and women. If the barrier of hijab is breached and its stronghold falls, the same disaster will befall the woman that the western world and westernized people are experiencing today, and it can be said that the damage caused to them by the absence of hijab and poor hijab is so great that it cannot be compared to any other damage.
If a woman's instinct for self-adornment is not restrained, she will be tempted to wear glitzy and decorative clothing and adorn herself with various jewelry and accessories. The voyeuristic sense of loose men, who are thirsty for glamor, drives men and women to such emptiness, consumerism, and meaninglessness that they end up with nothing but misguidance and devastation, and a distance from awareness and knowledge and morality and the collapse of the family and life foundations. Consequently, the Qur'an, after mentioning the maintenance of the eye's chastity, states: "This command is better and purer for them." (Noor / 30). According to Islam, the idea of Islamic dress is made up of multiple aspects: psychological, domestic, social, and related to elevating a woman's esteem and preventing her vulgarity. Islam has urged women to adhere to all these rules by donning the hijab in order to protect themselves, their families, and society since men respect women more when they are solid, dignified, and chaste in their conduct and do not expose themselves to them.
Hijab and chastity philosophy from a logical standpoint
The need for covering is obvious from a rational standpoint because, according to common sense, what upholds human dignity and guards against deviations, vanities, and absurdities leads to human stability, while what leads to moral decay and the perilous effects of nudity is repugnant and disgusting. In this way, we can conclude that the hijab is a very important and valuable tool for men and women. In general, anything that promotes the growth, development, and health of the individual and society is worthy and requires man to do it. Hijab is one of the factors of happiness and promotes the health and development of the individual and society. Nudity and poor hijab cause degeneration and dire consequences. One of the branches of the reason is the trait of "modesty," as the existence of modesty in a man encourages him to uphold cover and chastity.
Amir al-mu'minin Ali (AS) stated, "God revealed to Adam, 'I give you the choice of one of the three traits, which are intellect, modesty, and religion; choose one of them and leave the other two attributes.' Adam replied, 'I chose reason.'" God stated through Gabriel to modesty and religion, "Separate yourselves from reason and leave him to himself." They told Gabriel, "God has directed us not to be separated from reason; wherever reason is, we are there as well." Gabriel said: Be like that.
Societal consequences of not wearing the hijab
A poor hijab will have several repercussions, including:
1. Harm to families
A man whose faith and will are weak, who confronts a variety of women with makeup every day, and who sees a variety of looks, loses motivation towards his wife, putting the family at risk for harm.
2. heightened sexual appeal
When there is a high level of sexual attraction in society, men continue to look until the point where the general rule is broken and illicit sex occurs; this is the case in the West today. This issue has posed a significant challenge to the West and led to numerous catastrophes. In European nations, there are many illegal children, abortions, etc.
3.Reluctance to start a family:
A man who finds a significant portion of his sexual demands met in society is less motivated to start a family and marry, while a woman's appeal to men drops. Many feel that one of the fundamental tenets of the hijab is to preserve a woman's beauty for her future husband; if a woman's beauty is available everywhere, why should a man bother to get married?
4. Increased violence against women
If women are not required to wear the hijab, the rate of violence against them will rise. In the modern West, sexual harassment and violence against women are pervasive.
Societal effects of hijab and chastity
Observing the hijab and focusing on the culture of hijab and chastity has numerous good consequences on society, the most significant of which are listed below.
Consolidation of family bond
The family center benefits from anything that makes the couple's relationship more intimate and enhances the family bond, thus every effort should be made to develop it. Family affection for one another is fostered in marital life by observing the cover. The stability of the family foundation and the development of a clean and safe generation are two benefits of adhering to Islamic dress since the privacy of the cover is designed so that strangers do not participate in the healthy communication and unique circumstances of the couple. Consequently, the stability of the family unit and the formation of a clean and secure generation are among the benefits of observing Islamic dress.
Community Stability:
What paralyzes a woman's authority and inhibits her talents is the hijab in the form of imprisonment and deprivation of cultural, social, and economic activities, which Islam prohibits. Islam does not prevent women from leaving the home or from studying science and knowledge; rather, it views science and knowledge to be a shared responsibility between men and women. Islam also does not restrict women from engaging in some economic pursuits. Islam never wishes for a jobless woman to sit idle and live in futility. Except for the face and hands, covering the body does not restrict any cultural, social, or economic activity. The contamination of the workplace with sensuous pleasures impedes the effectiveness of society. God states in Surah Ghafir verse 19: He knows that which deceives the eyes and what the breasts conceal.
protecting women's dignity
The dignity of a woman is that she should be regarded as an honorable human being, not as a sexual object, a means of advertising goods and room décor, or a factor in luring tourists. She is equal to a man in terms of human rights and personality. Her spiritual values are utterly overlooked in a world where a woman's character is reduced to that of a puppet or a useless commodity since the hijab law is nonexistent. How can a woman in such a culture come to terms with who she is and safeguard her human personality from the bites of criminals? Is it not true that self-destruction and a disregard for one's own dignity lead to pollution and emptiness in human beings? If so, we should take heed to Amir al-Mu'minin Ali's (AS) warning that "the insult and emptiness of existence will discipline those who do not uphold human dignity and character.’’
Family and marriage connections intimacy and affection
The more chaste a woman is upon entering society and protecting herself from the gaze and pillage of non-mahram males, the more successful she is in a marriage, and the happier a man will be to have such a lady. A poor hijab makes the marital relationship chilly and monotonous. Those unmarried women who repeatedly expose themselves to non-mahrams will not have a successful marriage. These women experience both psychological and physical effects as a result.
The warmth and stability of women's maternal spirit
Today, Western society has abdicated its role as a mother, and as a result, both mothers and children are miserable. The hijab prevents a woman from losing her motherly position and joy and saves the family from being deprived of family pleasures. As a result, maternal warmth and vitality sustain the generation's mental health.