Hijab for young girls

Question:

As-Salamu Alaikum Sheikh

Dont you think it’s a bad idea to force young girls/teenagers to wear hijab. They do it only for their parents and don’t like being forced. Can’t we be easy on young girls and tell them to do it when they are 18!!

A concerned Sister

Answer:

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

As-Salāmu ‘Alaykum Wa-Rahmatullāhi Wa-Barakātuh.

The law of hijab is first and foremost an important religious obligation which believers are required to uphold. It is a representation of a believer’s submission to their creator and dedication to their faith.

Allah Ta’aala makes mention of hijab in various verses of the Quran:

وَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَاعًا فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍ ذَلِكُمْ أَطْهَرُ لِقُلُوبِكُمْ وَقُلُوبِهِنَّ

And when you ask anything from them (the blessed wives of the Prophet), ask them from behind a veil. That is better for the purity of your hearts and their hearts. (Al-Ahzab 33:53).

In another verse Allah Ta’aala clearly instructs:

“O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their Jilbāb all over them” (Al-Ahzab 33: 59)

Abdullah ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with him) has interpreted this verse as follows: “Allah instructed the women of the believers when they leave their houses to cover their faces from above their heads with a veil and to leave one eye open”.^[1]

It is important to note that once a believer achieves puberty they are now answerable for their actions. They will be required to uphold the laws of Shariah and will be sinful if they transgress.   It is not necessary for them to be considered adults legally for the laws of Shariah to apply.

The seniors of a community must strive to instill love and a desire within the youth to uphold the commandments of Allah and to be proud and confident in fulfilling the requirements of our deen. It is the responsibility of parents, teachers and guardians to guide and encourage the younger generations.

Allah ta’aala commands this in the Quran:

 يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًا وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ ﴾ ﴿

Oh you who believe! Save yourself and your family from the hellfire, the fuel of which will be people and stones. (Al-Tahreem 66:6)

Aspects such as salaah, saum, hijab, etc. need to be encouraged from a young age. It is not guaranteed that someone can change their habits once they reach maturity. The importance is further illustrated from the hadith wherein the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) says:

مروا أولادكم بالصلاة وهم أبناء سبع سنين واضربوهم عليها وهم أبناء عشر

Tell your children to pray when they are seven years old, and beat them for it when they are ten years old.^[2]

In some cases, it may prove difficult to encourage a girl to begin adorning hijab at that difficult juncture of her life. A time where external pressure from trends, fashion and peers are all intense. It will be easier for the one who has the habit engrained from a young age.

We should adopt a diplomatic approach, advising them with kindness and wisdom from a young age. Explaining the Hadith and Islamic rulings as to why hijab has been prescribed. Speaking on the benefits of wearing hijab and the harms of leaving it out.

And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best.

Luqmaan Desai

Student Darul Iftaa
Pietermaritzburg

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Muhammad Zakariyya Desai.

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^[1](تفسير الطبري — ابن جرير الطبري (٣١٠ هـ))

 حدثني عليّ، قال: ثنا أَبو صالح قال ثني معاوية عن علي عن ابن عباس، قوله ﴿يَاأَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لأزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلابِيبِهِنَّ﴾ أمر الله نساء المؤمنين إذا خرجن من بيوتهن في حاجة أن يغطين وجوههن من فوق رءوسهن بالجلابيب ويبدين عينا واحدة.

(تفسير ابن كثير — ابن كثير (٧٧٤ هـ))

يَقُولُ تَعَالَى آمِرًا رَسُولَهُ، ﷺ تَسْلِيمًا، أَنْ يَأْمُرَ النِّسَاءَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ -خَاصَّةً أَزْوَاجَهُ وَبَنَاتِهِ لِشَرَفِهِنَّ -بِأَنْ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ، لِيَتَمَيَّزْنَ عَنْ سِمَاتِ نِسَاءِ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ وَسِمَاتِ الْإِمَاءِ. وَالْجِلْبَابُ هُوَ: الرِّدَاءُ فَوْقَ الْخِمَارِ. قَالَهُ ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ، وَعُبَيْدَةُ، وَقَتَادَةُ، وَالْحَسَنُ الْبَصْرِيُّ، وَسَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ، وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ النَّخَعِيُّ، وَعَطَاءٌ الْخُرَاسَانِيُّ، وَغَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ.

(تفسير الطبري — ابن جرير الطبري (٣١٠ هـ))

﴿وَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَاعًا فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍ﴾ يقول: وإذا سألتم أزواج رسول الله ﷺ ونساء المؤمنين اللواتي لسن لكم بأزواج متاعًا ﴿فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍ﴾ يقول: من وراء ستر بينكم وبينهن، ولا تدخلوا عليهن بيوتهن ﴿ذَلِكُمْ أَطْهَرُ لِقُلُوبِكُمْ وَقُلُوبِهِنَّ﴾ يقول تعالى ذكره: سؤالكم إياهن المتاع إذا سألتموهن ذلك من وراء حجاب أطهر لقلوبكم وقلوبهن من عوارض العين فيها التي تعرض في صدور الرجال من أمر النساء، وفي صدور النساء من أمر الرجال، وأحرى من أن لا يكون للشيطان عليكم وعليهن سبيل.

^[2] [عن [جد عمرو بن شعيب]:] مُرُوا أولادَكم بالصَّلاةِ وهم أبناءُ سَبعِ سِنينَ، واضربوهم عليها وهم أبناءُ عَشرٍ، وفَرِّقوا بينهم في المضاجِعِ

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