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Category: Modesty

Lying on the bed Maryam replayed the scenes that had just gone by, watching her life like a film, and constantly shifting between rewind and play. There was no stop button and such with life, one cannot pause it. She ran her hands through the chestnut brown hair gently framing her troubled face, pondering over the plot of her life. One moment wondering about yesterday, the next worrying over tomorrow, and constantly reminiscing over what could have been – what should have been.

She is the beautiful trapped starlet in this cyclic movie, constantly shifting from one scene to another. Within that space of back and forth motion she found a small comfort in her analysis and critique – how the situation arose, how she could have prevented it.   Unfortunately, that comfort ends for us all when we realise that the script only caters for what happened. It is within these futile reflections that a shadow lingers, hovers over our conscience, tempting us, taunting us over the wisps of a reality which we hope to create.

She turned onto her side, the newly laundered sheets wrinkled but stayed stubbornly flat. Even the bed covers are expressing their disapproval, she thought wryly, as if they had witnessed the scene take place earlier. She had arrived home at 9pm and mum was washing dishes at the kitchen-sink – usually the dishes were done by now. Something was wrong – mum only delayed the house being absolutely spotless when she was worried. Comfort in cleaning – a concept she had never understood and never wished to understand. She walked in the house, knowing full well that she said she had told them she would be back at 8pm.

“Assalamualaikum” she said meekly, “sorry I’m late. Sarah and I just got caught up with the assignment” Already lying and already feeling the guilt rushing through her veins. Yet, it is better to lie pre-emptively and hope to get away with it than wait for the questions to start.

“Wa alaikumassalam” she sternly replied. Her ranting voice began.

“Maryam you said that you would be back at 7.30 – we have been worried sick! You don’t even text or phone us, and you took the bus back home at this hour. Do you know what types of people are out there on a Saturday night?”

She was 17 years old for goodness sake; she knew the Highway Code and all the moral ones that went with it. Yes it was late, but Adil had dropped her home. That answer wasn’t an option though.

“I said sorry ok? It won’t happen again”. Why didn’t she just drop it?

And then the bombshell dropped. Her eyes pierced their way towards her daughter’s – Maryam tried to divert her gaze but failed. She froze, her eyes locked onto her mothers. Her mother had that uncanny ability to understand the complexities of her daughter’s life without ever discussing it with her. She knew. Her mum’s eyes bore into her, sliced away the illusions and entered her heart. She wanted to shrink away, but held the gaze steadily in defiance. Suddenly she noticed the glint of tears in the corners of her mum’s eyes – a misty reservoir of disappointment lay behind that steely gaze.

”Remember what grandma used to say –

‘Allah has given us a world full of treasures. The most precious and rare jewels are those which cannot be seen, nor touched, but they are felt in the heart. Protect these at all costs, or you will become a pauper, even if you wear the clothes of a Queen’ ”.

“Yes mum”, she mumbled, finally breaking the gaze in shame. She walked swiftly towards her room, hoping to not meet her dad and get a double I’m-so-disappointed lecture. Entering the room she closed the door quietly and sunk into her bed. Her heart felt heavy. Something inside her had cracked at the words of her late beloved grandma. She had heard that phrase repeated to her so often, it was her grandma’s most famous motif.

Yet, until that moment she had never understood it, she had never taken heed to the wisdom that belied it. Moral sayings are often paradoxical and sometimes it’s just better not to ask questions lest it turns out to be something really simple and you embarrass yourself by not understanding the first time. Her grandma had only passed away last year, she pictured her face – she could trace every line and wrinkle with her finger. She imagined her caring voice and the way she smiled – some people say that over time you forget, well this wasn’t the case here. She remembered it all.

“The most precious and rare jewels are those which cannot be seen, nor touched, but they are felt in the heart”.

The moral concepts which her grandma’s stories passed finally fit together with this saying, as beautifully as clouds mould around each other creating an abstract jigsaw-puzzle in the sky. The sensation of upholding your honour isn’t tangible; it is not something that can be battered in the market place at a set price. Every individual’s heart prices it according to their value yet the true value of a person is known to no-one except themselves… and Allah. Upholding this honour, whether it is through telling the truth or guarding ones modesty awakens something within your heart. She had felt it but a few times and thought of fasting during Ramadhan where she had sacrificed food and drink for a more spiritual sustenance. A person who constantly sacrifices the material for the ethereal has an aura of awe-inspiration. Her grandma had that; you could see her living only for the sake of Allah, almost floating with such devotion.

What would she say to her if she saw her now? Images of her evening with Adil flashed before her mind – the soft caress of his hand against her face, his warm breath tickling her skin, his lips melting across hers. She felt her heart flutter restlessly at the memory, yearning to return to a few hours ago, yearning to escape these feelings of guilt. The wings of her fluttering heart were dipped in poison, the colourful feathers concealing a much darker exterior. She wanted his comfort yet she repelled his touch, she wanted his touch, yet she repelled his comfort. This paradoxical struggle between her desires – both worldly and spiritual – had as of yet, no conclusion.

She didn’t understand how things had come so far – six months ago they were just colleagues. She was struggling with understanding algebraic fractions and he helped to explain them in the college library. It was legit enough. But then, all of a sudden it wasn’t. Even after she had understood the mathematical concepts, the pretext was often maths - a pretext that was silently, yet mutually decided. Even though her heart felt unsettled meeting him with the textbooks, whose pages hardly turned during their meetings, she waved away the guilt. Slowly formality faded into friendship and the library was exchanged for coffee shops. She began to notice the dimple in his right cheek, the way his eyes smiled before his mouth did, the way she could feel his gaze on her when she had her back turned. At this point she found it hard to suppress the guilt, to stifle the feelings of shame. She could no longer read the Qur’an without feeling deceitful, so the book which she had been brought up upon blended into all the others on her bookshelf. She glanced at the mini-library in her room and could not even recognise its cover.

“Protect these at all costs, or you will become a pauper, even if you wear the clothes of a Queen”.

Her grandma’s voice echoed in her head like a mantra from the grave. Her fate as a pauper had been sealed this evening with her first kiss. For a moment, or maybe two, she was wearing the clothes of a Queen, experiencing sensations of which she had only ever imagined before. Yet sweet poison has a bitter aftertaste. She gasped aloud, realising the true implications of what she had done. Her heart fell into her stomach, a heart void of peace and contentment.

“The most precious and rare jewels are those which cannot be seen, nor touched, but they are felt in the heart”.

Her heart was empty of the secret treasures only known to some – no, empty was too passive, her heart was plundered of these gems, by no one else but herself.

Tears of shame clouded her vision and for once she let the salty rivers meander down her cheeks. She stumbled off her bed and walked towards the bathroom. Turning on the tap she whispered “bismillah (in the name of Allah)” and performed wudhoo’ (ablution). The cold water gave her a surprising satisfaction like when you take a cool shower on a hot summers day. Back in her room her eyes scanned the top shelf in her bookcase – a blue book, no, green – blue-green – snap. Arabic letters curved around its spine as if ascending a stairway to salvation. She sat down on her bed and opened the Holy Quran, containing the original Arabic as well as an English translation.

{Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty, that will make for greater purity for them...Say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty..}[i]

It was as if God had directed her to open that particular page. Lowering the gaze is the first step to prevent further attraction, the first step to safeguard the jewels which Allah has given us.

Memories of a lecture on hayaa’ (modesty) which she had once attended flooded back. Hayaa’ was explained to be one of the branches of faith – it was modesty, bashfulness, shame all rolled into one. A noble attitude which motivated a person to keep away from sin - most definitely one of the jewels grandma had meant. The speaker had taken a jug of water and poured a small amount of concentrated black coffee into it whilst narrating a hadeeth (Prophetic Narration). Muhammad (sallallahu a'lyhi wa sallam) said, "Indeed hayaa’ (modesty) and eemaan (faith) are Companions. When one of them is lifted, the other leaves as well."[ii]

The purity of the water became corrupted – it turned an anemic light brown. Like Lipton ice tea. She realised that as her modesty had slowly began to disappear, so had the eemaan (faith) from her heart. Ever since she could remember she had prayed salaat (the five obligatory prayers), yet the rigid discipline of five daily prayers had become easier to forget, easier to ignore.

More coffee was added to the jug and stirred. Muhammad (sallallahu a'lyhi wa sallam) said “When lewdness is a part of anything, it becomes defective; and when hayaa’ is a part of anything it becomes beautiful”.[iii] The water became murkier – she felt it reflected her soul. Her grandma had worn the plainest clothes yet attained the status of a Queen in her eyes. Why was it that when she met sisters who had this aura of hayaa’ around them, it penetrated into her and in turn she became shy around them? Those veiled women have a beauty incomparable to the conventional beauties of the day. They protect their treasures at all costs. The speaker poured the last deadly shot of coffee into the water, if you could still call it that. No drop in the jug was left untouched. A mass of dark brown liquid sin. He explained that the word haya is derived from the word “al-hayah” which means life, as if the person who has no haya is like a dead person.

But Allah gives life to the earth after it has died, and he can soften our hearts after they have hardened. The speaker placed the jug in the sink under an open tap and allowed the jug to overflow. Slowly the translucent colour of purity re-appeared, as if the coffee was a figment of our imagination. Whatever our past mistakes, repentance, sincerity and action can change our future. The water was in the depths of darkness but regained its beauty. Maryam smiled in the knowledge that it wasn’t too late to change and looked down once again at a book whose wisdom she had nearly let slip out of her hands.

___________

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Category: Modesty

A girl emailed an Islamic website the following story of regret, embarrassment and pain:

Assalam Aleikom wa Rahmatullah wa barakatuh,

I hope you can be of use to me in this problem: I'm a 17 year old Arab girl living in an Arab country and still in high school.

Unfortunately, I learnt about the internet, I misused it and spent my days chatting with guys and watching prohibited websites

(I did such things behind my parents back and no one knew about them) even though I used to be religious and hated girls who chatted with guys.

This is how I got to know a 21 years old guy-through the "Messenger" living in the same country but of different nationality and we went on chatting till we exchanged true and untainted love "just for the sake of Allah".

He used to educate me about teachings of religion and lead me to righteousness and guidance. He allowed me to see him through a camera, we sometimes prayed together.

Later he started to show me parts of his body which in return caused me to become an addict to the secret habit. Such situation went on for a month in which we learned a lot from each other. We maintained voice chatting and when I trusted him I allowed him to see me, my hair and most of my body parts through the computer camera. My love for him grew more and I thought only of him and nothing else to the extent that I couldn't concentrate in my studies, consequently causing my level of educational pursuit to decline.

He then told me about where he lived and so did I. I called him on his mobile a while after that and checked the validity of the information he gave me. He said he wanted to marry me, I agreed to his proposal for marriage, although I'm supposed to marry my cousin, yet I'm now so afraid of my parents' disapproval especially after he started to threaten me saying,

"If you leave me I'll disgrace you and spread your pictures"!

He also said,

"I'll call you using the numbers you dialled to reach me and tell your folks all about you."

When I discussed this matter with him he said that it was just threats yet I feel that he is not just threatening me and that he's really going to do something. Now I'm thinking seriously of leaving him and returning to the path of Allah.

My parents are Muslims and religious and if they knew that I'm in love with a guy and actually in contact with him they're going to kill me (by "kill" I mean beating and humiliating) to avoid the scandal and bad reputation.

I don't know what to do! I'm so scared;

I want guidance;

I want to be happy and safe;

I'm sick of thinking and feeling scared.

Please help me. Because of this problem I quit praying; I quit worshiping in general because I'm bored and desperate with my life; my sisters' reputation and futures-as well as mine- will be destroyed if I don't die, and I want to, today before tomorrow.

I want to leave him but I fear the scandal. He will call back so how can I stop him? Will Allah forgive me if I return to his path? What are the conditions of repentance and how should I repent?

I fear that I may go back to what I used to do? Where's the way out?

How can I get rid of my addict to the secret habit? And now that I suffer from sexual frigidity, how can I treat it without my parents knowing about it?

I seek your reply so bad; don't throw my mail away.

Please help me as soon as you can; there's no one else to help me; please help me, please.

The sister's message is over; a message that is truly rich with lessons, is anyone out there willing to learn?

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Category: Modesty

In Islamic discourse a great deal of emphasis is placed on the issue of hijaab for women with much debate about the extent and nature of that covering. This is obviously an important issue for Muslim women, but an equally significant is that of modesty.

The Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) passed by an Ansari man who was counselling his brother on modesty (He was advising him not to be too much shy and modest). The Prophet said: "Leave him (and do not advise him like this); for modesty is part of faith." (Bukhari and Muslim).

The Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) also said, "Modesty results in good alone and nothing else." (Bukhari and Muslim).

Modesty is a term that is used often but one that is not clearly understood. One way to conceptualize it would be to think in terms of moving from an outer layer to the inner workings of a system.

The covering, or hijaab is the surface layer of modesty that everyone sees and that is very obvious to all. However, a woman could wear hijaab and modesty may not go any deeper than that; it could be an artificial form of modesty or one done to satisfy another person.

Going deeper, the next layer may consist of what is commonly known as self-consciousness or shyness. At this level the woman not only wears hijaab, but also acts in a way that is reserved and respectful.

An important behaviour in this category is lowering of the gaze.

"And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty." [24:3 1]

Emphasis is often placed on men lowering their eyes, but this is also a requirement for women.

Eyes should be turned away from everything that is forbidden. This includes not looking at any non-mahram man, at the 'awrah (private parts) of another woman, or with bad intentions at another person.

In one hadeeth qudsi (a narration in which the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) says that ‘Allah (a'zza wa jall) says’), the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) reported that Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) says,

"Looking at a non-mahram (men relatives to whom women cannot get married) is one of the poisoned arrows of Satan. Whoever will stop it because of fearing me, I will bless him with such eemaan (faith), the sweetness of which he will feel in his heart" (Tabarani).

Another characteristic at this level is humility in speech. As with everything in Islam, a woman's speech should be in moderation. It should be neither too loud nor too soft (so as to be alluring). Idle, senseless, excessive conversation should be avoided since it has no benefit and distracts from more important responsibilities.

When a woman engages in conversation she should keep it decent and respectable and void of such harmful vices as backbiting, mockery, suspicion, and gossip. She should be humble and not boast about her abilities and achievements.

{Successful indeed are the believers who are humble in their salah, and who shun vain conversation, and who are payers of zakaat.} [23:1-4].

Being placed between two pillars of Islam demonstrates the very significance of this pronouncement. A woman should also attempt to avoid contact and conversation with non-mahram men. When this is necessary, such as for educational purposes or in the work environment, the discussion should be limited to pertinent matters and the woman should speak in a straight-forward and virtuous manner.

As with the hijaab, these rules of etiquette may be observed for various reasons. The woman may act modestly because of cultural norms, her own innate disposition, or to impress or satisfy other people. This may have no connection whatsoever to the innermost level of modesty as any non-believer may follow the same code of conduct.. The centre of this innermost level is the heart, alongside eemaan (faith).

A true believing woman does not engage-in these behaviours for other people; rather, she does it for the sake of Allah. She does not do so out of shyness from other people; she does it out of shyness from Allah.

She is humble in the presence of Allah because she knows that everything she has, her wealth, her status, her abilities, are only from Him. This understanding highlights the interconnection between modesty and eemaan (faith).

The Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said, "Indeed, modesty and eemaan (faith) are companions. When one of them is lifted, the other leaves as well." (Baihaqi).

And when this happens, the moral fiber of society is jeopardized.

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Category: Modesty

1. Tabarruj is disobedience to Allaah and His Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)

The one who disobeys Allaah and His Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) can only harm himself and can not in any way harm Allaah. The Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said, “All of my followers will enter Paradise except those who refuse.” It was asked, “O Messenger of Allaah, who would refuse?” He (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said,

“He who obeys me enters Paradise and he who disobeys me has refused.” (Reported by al-Bukhaaree)

It is reported that Mu'awiyyah (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) gave a sermon in Greater Syria and in it he mentioned that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) prohibited seven things and he named Tabarruj as one of them.

‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa allam) used to dislike ten kinds of behavior and he (‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood) mentioned that from amongst them is displaying and beautification which is done in an improper place.

Jalaal-ud-Deen as-Suyuti (d.911H) (rahimahullaah) said that,

“Tabarruj, by displaying beautification, is showing off to strangers...”

This is the explanation of the meaning of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood’s statement “improper place”, therefore this doesn't apply if the beautification is done for the husband.

2. Tabarruj is a grave destructive sin

Umayymah, the daughter of Ruqayyah visited the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) to acknowledge the message of Islam and to acknowledge that he (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was and is the Messenger of Allaah. The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said to her,

“I give my acknowledgment that you must not set partners to worship besides Allaah, that you do not steal, commit fornication or adultery, that you do not kill your child, that you do not commit any falsehood before your hands and between your legs, that you do not wail and that you do not make tabarruj like that of jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic era).” (Reported by Ahmad ibn Hanbal in his Musnad, Shaykh Ahmad Shakir graded the chain of the hadeeth as “good” and stated that Imaam ibn Kathir mentioned this hadeeth in his tafsir [exegesis] saying that the chain of this narration is “good”)

It’s clear that the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) associated Tabarruj (display of beauty) to be from amongst the grave destructive sins.

3. Tabarruj brings the curse and expulsion from the Mercy of Allaah

The Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said,

“There shall be (in the later) part of my nation women who are dressed but are in fact naked. On their heads are humps like those of camels. Curse them for they are surely cursed.” (Reported by at-Tabaaranee, Shaykh al-Albaanee graded this hadeeth “Saheeh”)

4. Tabarruj is an attribute of the people of hell

The Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said, “Of the people of Hell there are two types whom I have never seen: The one possessing whips like the tail of an ox and they flog people with them. The second one the women who would be naked in spite of their being dressed, who are seduced to wrong paths and seduce others with their hair high like humps. These women would not get into Paradise and they would not perceive its odour, although its fragrance can be perceived from such and such distance.” (Reported by Muslim)

5. Tabarruj is darkness on the Day of Resurrection

It is narrated that the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said,

“The parable of a woman who moves with a slow sweeping motion trailing her beautified clothes performing not for her husband is like darkness of the Day of Judgement, she has or comes with no light.” (Reported by at-Tirmidhee in his Sunan, Shaykh al-Albaanee graded the hadeeth “weak”)

Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi (d.543H) (rahimahullaah) said that although this hadeeth [narration] is weak,

“…its meaning is correct because the enjoyment of disobedience is in fact torture and suffering. The meaning is that this type of woman will come on the Day of Resurrection black (engulfed) in darkness, as though she physically originated from darkness. In contrast, what happens to be difficult and painful in performance of obedient acts is a true enjoyment because of the reward awaiting those who are obedient to Allaah and His Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam).”

The odor of the mouth of a fasting person may not be a pleasant in this world, to Allaah however it is better than the odor of musk because the Muslim has obeyed Allaah and performed what is due upon him from fasting. Similarly the woman wearing her Hijab may be looked upon as “reactionist”, “old fashioned” or “a walking tent”, however she will, Allah Willing, be the winner on the Day of Resurrection and those who mock her put themselves onto a dangerous road and may be subjected to the wrath of Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala).

6. Tabarruj is hypocrisy

The Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said,“The best of your women is the affectionate, the fertile (in productivity), the propitious (favorable), the consultative if they fear Allaah. The most evil of your women are the Mutabarrijat (those who do at-Tabarruj [display their beauty]), the Mutakhayelat (who strut/swagger), and they are the hypocrites. Those who enter Al-Jannah (the Paradise) are like the Cough Crow [i.e. rare].” (Reported by al-Bayhaqi in his Sunan)

The cough crow has a red beak and red legs and is rare. Therefore, the expression in the Prophetic Narration, “cough cow” indicates that the women who will enter Paradise will be few

7. Tabarruj is disgraceful

The Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said,“Any woman who takes of her clothes in other than her husband’s home has broken the shield between her and Allaah.” (Reported by Ahmad ibn Hanbal & al-Haakim who said it is “Saheeh” according to the conditions of al-Bukhaaree and Muslim and adh-Dhahabee agreed)

Imaam Abu Zakariya an-Nawawee (d.676H) (rahimahullaah) commenting on this hadeeth said,

“The saying of the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam), ‘Any woman who takes off her clothes in other than her husband’s home’, means showing off her beauty to strangers by taking off her shield of clothes; she has broken the shield between her and Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala).”

Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) stated, {O Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover yourselves (screen your private parts, etc.) and as an adornment and the raiment of righteousness, that is better…} (Al-A’raf 7:26)

So if a woman does not fear Allaah and uncovers her private parts then she is breaking the shield between her and Allaah, the Most High. This is because she uncovered and dishonored herself and committed a grievance against her own husband, so in turn Allaah will uncover her shield, she will truly be in a scandal.

8. Tabarruj is an unchaste sin

The women is ‘Awrah, a source of attraction and therefore, her body is not to be shown by wearing clothes that show off her body, its shape and features; doing such is disgraceful. Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) orders us to stay away from disgraceful sins, {And when they commit a Faahishah (evil deed, going round the Ka’bah in naked state, every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse, etc.), they say: ‘We found our fathers doing it, and Allaah has commanded us of it.’ Say: ‘Nay, Allaah never commands of Faahishah. Do you say of Allaah what you know not?” (Al-A’raf [7]:28)

Rather, it is Satan who orders such Faahishah, such disgraceful sins. Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) says, {Shaytaan (Satan) threatens you with poverty and orders you to commit Fahshaa (evil deeds, illegal sexual intercourse, sins etc.); whereas Allaah promises you Forgiveness from Himself and Bounty, and Allaah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower.} (Al-Baqarah [2]:268)

The Mutabarrijat, those who do at-Tabarruj (display their beauty) create a sinful virus which spreads disgraceful sins amongst the Muslim society. Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) says, {Verily, those who like that (the crime of) illegal sexual intercourse should be propagated among those who believe, they will have a painful torment in this world and in the Hereafter. And Allaah knows and you know not.} (An-Nur [24]:19)

Tabarruj is the leading course for the spread of Zina (illegal sexual relations).

9. Tabarruj is a Satanic way

The story of Adam and his wife demonstrates how the enemy of Allaah (i.e. Satan) was so keen to incite them to show their private parts in order to spread evil and disgraceful sins. It also shows that Tabarruj of women is the primary goal of Shaytaan, which he ardently seeks to achieve. Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) says, {O Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover yourselves (screen your private parts, etc.) and as an adornment, and the raiment of righteousness, that is better.} (Al-A’raf [7]:26)

It is very clear that Satan is the one who established the call for Tabarruj; he is the leader of the leaders who call for the so-called "liberation" of women. Satan is the leading guide for all those who obey him and follow him in disobedience to Allaah, the Almighty, especially those Mutabarrijat (those who do at-Tabarruj [display their beauty]) who harm the Muslims and misuse their youth. The Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “I have not left after me any chance of turmoil more harmful to men than the harm done to them because of women.” (Reported by al-Bukhaaree)

Adam (‘alayhis-sallam) forgot, made a mistake, repented and asked for forgiveness from Allaah and Allaah accepted his repentance. The struggle between Adam’s offspring and Satan continues, the Devil still whispers, so as to drive us (men and women) into disobeying Allaah and committing sins. There is no safeguard except in returning to Allaah in good faith and repentance, remembering Allaah and asking Him for His help in order to overcome our evil lusts and desires.

10. Tabarruj is the way of the Jews

The Jews have an important role in the destruction of nations through Fitnah, the seduction and temptation of women. The spread of Tabarruj is an effective weapon of their wide spread establishments. In fact, the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said,“Watch out for this worldly life (safeguard yourself from its temptation) guard yourself from the allurement of women. Verily, the first trial for the people of Israel was caused by women.” (Reported by Muslim)

Their (the Jews) books also testify to this fact. In the third chapter of Isaiah it is quoted that,

“Moreover, the LORD said, ‘Because the daughters of Zion are proud and walk with heads held high and seductive eyes, and go along with mincing steps, and tinkle the bangles on their feet. Therefore the Lord will afflict the scalp of the daughters of Zion with scabs, and the LORD will make their foreheads bare.” (Isaiah, Chapter 3, V.16-17)

Furthermore:

“In that day the Lord will take away the beauty of their anklets, headbands, crescent ornaments, dangling earrings, bracelets, veils, headdresses, ankle chains, sashes, perfume boxes, amulets, finger rings, nose rings, festal robes, outer tunics, cloaks, money purses, hand mirrors, undergarments, turbans and veils.” (Isaiah, Chapter 3, V.18-23)

Although the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) warned against mimicking the non-believers and their ways, many Muslims don’t abide by this warning. This is a prophecy of the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) who said, “You will tread the same path as was trodden by those before you, inch by inch and step by step, so that if they enter the hole of the lizard you will follow them into it also.” His companions asked him: “Do you mean the Jews and the Christians?” He (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) replied: “Who else?” (Reported by Muslim)

The similarity of those women who disobey Allaah and His Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) to the Jews is very evident because their response to Allaah’s command was and is similar to that of the Jews, “We have heard and disobeyed.” (Al-Baqarah [2]:93)

This is unlike the response of the believing woman who would respond (to the commands of Allaah) saying, “We hear and we obey.” (Al-Baqarah [2]:85)

This is because the believing women remember the saying of Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), “And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad) after the right path has been shown clearly to him and follows other than the believers’ way. We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell - what an evil destination.” (An-Nisa [4]:115)

11. Tabarruj is filthy Jaahiliyyah (ignorance)

Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) says, “And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance.” (Al-Ahzab [33]:33)

The Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) described the times of ignorance as filthy and wicked and ordered us to reject them. Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) described the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) as, “…he allows them lawful at-Tayyibaat [(i.e. all good and lawful) as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods, etc.], and prohibits them as unlawful al-Khabaa’ith (i.e. all evil and unlawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods, etc.).” (Al-A’raf [7]:157)

The call to bring about Tabarruj is in reality a call to bring back the times of Jaahiliyyah (the pre-Islamic era of ignorance). Both of which are wicked ways which the Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) declared unlawful. The Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said, “Verily, ever matter of Jaahiliyyah [time of ignorance] is under my hate.” (Reported by Aboo Daawood, at-Tirmidhee, Ahmad and other)

Tabarruj and all forms of Jaahiliyyah such as false pride and haughtiness, ill thoughts about Allaah, call for falsehood, setting up rivals with Allaah, ruling by the laws of other than Islaam, usury, etc., are all inclusive.

12. Tabarruj is an animal act

To be similar in our behavior to animals is truly a degradation and decline to a level lower than the level of being humans. Being human is a blessing which Allaah has bestowed upon us. Allaah, the Almighty, has given us a natural inclination towards covering, preservation and safeguarding modesty. To consider the acts of display and uncovering as an act of beauty represents a corruption of the Fitrah (natural disposition/ inclination) and is a sad sign of our decadence and decline.

The stability of a person's respect is linked to his or her covering of the body.

13. Tabarruj is a door to wide-spread evil

Anyone who carefully examines the Islamic texts, the Qur’aan, the authentic Sunnah and the lessons from history will become convinced of the evils and harms of Tabarruj, both in religious and worldly matters. Some of its underlying consequences are:

a) The rivalry and competition among the women in showing off their beauty to non-Mahram men. This is seduction, which leads to the spoiling of basic morality; it leaves women as merchandised articles for anyone to look at.

b) The corruption of the morality of men, especially the youth and those in adolescence; it pushes them to commit various kinds of sin. We have seen teenage kids in the streets of Europe, North America and other parts of the world roaming around smoking, at times half naked, on drugs and looking to engage in sexual relationships. Why, what happened? Many try to hide from the hard facts. The drive for lust and the materialistic life became the objective of the new generation, the Pepsi, MTV generation. The result, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases!

c) The destruction of family ties, by the of a lack of trust between family members and the great threat of divorce due to it.

d) The commercial abuse of women in media, advertisement, entertainment and many other areas.

e) Doing harm to women by making them vulnerable to harm by the wicked, irreligious and sinful.

f) The spread of diseases. The Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said, “Sin did not spread in any particular nation until they openly conducted (their sins) and as a result plague and other illnesses that were not present amongst their predecessors because present amongst them.”

g) The facilitation of the grave sin of Zinaa' (adultery) and the fornication which is done by the eye. The Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said, “(The) adultery of the eye is the lustful look.” (Reported by Muslim)

h) Tabarruj makes it difficult to lower the gaze.

i) It justifiably brings down the Punishment of Allaah and His Punishment is more severe than an atomic bomb. Allaah, the Almighty, says, “And when We decide to destroy a town (population), We (first) send a definite order (to obey Allaah and be righteous) to those among them [or We (first) increase in number those of its population] who are given the good things of this life. Then, they transgress therein, and thus the word (of torment) is justified against it (them). Then We destroy it with complete destruction.” (Al-Isra [17]:16)

The Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said,

“When people see wrong or evil and they don’t change it then it is eminent that the Punishment of Allaah will fall upon them.” (Reported by Aboo Daawood and others)