On a point of Hijab

 

It is a fact that madaris (plural of madrassah - "Islamic" school) are empty. Everyone stops learning at a young age because we really are busy people. We end up learning from titbits and most of our religious education is not actually obtained from people more knowledgeable than ourselves.

The aspect or issue of hijab is quite interesting as certainly everyone has an opinion on it. Opinions range from it is in my heart, to wearing a scarf, to wearing pants to "I don't care". The issue of Niqaab we will bypass that for today. The issue of hijab is ongoing and people feel proud that they wear hijab. There is agreement that it is a requirement but the application may not meet the requirement. The argument is that "she has a view, I have a view and you have a view". Well, honestly, I don't have a view. And therein lies the crux. We believe that we can have a view or opinion on matters of the deen. This is a recipe for dispute (and disaster) at every level and a time when the ignorant find a voice. I have merely used hijab as an example of how we treat matters of the deen.

There are two primary sources - Quran and Sunnah - and that remains our first port of call. We can debate about issues of deen, till the cows come home, but if there is no reference to the primary sources of knowledge then the argument or debate is futile. There are of course matters where we refer to consensus of scholars but for the most part, all our fundamental matters are dealt with in Quran and Sunnah. The point that one can have an opinion on aspects of deen makes you a scholar of Islam. Nonetheless, the opinion of anyone cannot contradict Quran and Sunnah. Few people will read this, or will want to understand this or will share this, yet they will be in disobedience to our Creator by acting on wrong information when they have an opportunity to seek true guidance or they will speak on matters and advise others while they themselves are ignorant.

The next time you say "I am dressed appropriately", then ask yourself according which Islamic ruling which you got from which source. This actually applies to anything that you think you are doing right but have not thought about the fact that you may actually have followed another blindly without reference to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ.

And Allah knows best

We pray for His guidance and protection