How Islamic is the Burqa, really?

Question

And how can the Taliban call themselves Muslims??? They are not following the Prophet (saws). What is your take on this?

"In Pakistan, women are routinely raped by anyone who has a grudge against their families, and the humiliation of their women-folk strikes at the honor of that family. Women who have been raped are punished, flogged, and imprisoned. Despite the fact that there was a female prime minister, the men got off scot-free. Often the women are then killed by their own families, because of their dishonor.

In Iran, after the Ayatollah Khomeni's revolution, more than 20,000 young virgin girls of the opposition were raped by their prison guards before they were executed, in order to prevent them going to Paradise! What perverted view of the Prophet's teachings was responsible for that decision? This is not Islam, neither is what the Taliban are doing. This is about power, and the misuse of such power to subjugate half of a population.

The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.a.w) said it was the duty of every Muslim, male and female, to be educated. He did not say females could only learn to read the Qur’an, and then stop at the age of eight years. The Qur’an tells women: "Draw your head coverings across your necks and bosoms." There is nothing about covering from head to foot. The chador and veil originate from pre-Islamic Persia, and was a sign of the status of upper class women. Slave girls did not cover themselves in this way, neither did any other female servant. Indeed, in the Hajj, no woman is permitted to wear any sort of veil.

http://www.islamfortoday.com/taleban3.htm

Answer 1

Ive lived in saudi arabia for 20 years and received their standard religion and history lessons.

And I can tell you pretty much this: the veil was used before Islam ever came around.

They just used it differently. They would cover their faces but leave their hairs and/or bosoms open.

Leaving the bosom open was even a sign of royalty for pre-islamic arabian tribes.

They teach this as an uncensored history lesson in schools in saudi arabia.

So I know the veil is not an Islamic teaching.

Thank you for the question

Answer 2

The things you say about Pakistan and Iran are false. Please do not spread such lies about these things, although I'll give you the benefit of doubt and assume you thought these things were true. The thing in Pakistan happens but it is not normal.

Islamically the things that you mention happening in Pakistan are completely wrong. It has happened a number of times that a rapist has had charges dropped, and also the 'honor killing' thing is common across the world. But both these things are very wrong and not permitted Islamically. You can only blame the deranged people there for following backward cultural heritage and evil tribal mentality.

The Iran thing is a lie outright. Could you imagine 20,000 girls disappearing from society? It would have been publically announced or discovered by the media, but the reality is such a thing did not, and will not happen. Islamically, if a girl gets raped it becomes more likely that she goes to heaven because she has suffered, and if we relate a hadith from sahih bukhari, narrates Aisha, A Muslim is not harmed even by a prick of a thorn that he will receive recompense for his suffering on Judgment day.

The Taliban and whoever does wrong do not represent our religion. Concerning the Burqa, that is extremism. The hands and the face may be shown in most understandings of fiqh, but some people, especially followers of Ibn Taymiyyahs teachings state that the Niqab is mandatory and only the eye must be shown. The Burqa goes one step further and covers everything. This is a cultural biddah and shouldn't be permitted in our religion but a lot of people are foolish.

Answer 3

Taliban was very Noble at its beginning my Sister...

2 sharia Students (Student = Talib, 2 students = Taliban) who decided to fight against the Russian invaders and establish Islamic law in the country.

Taliban was a Moderate and good movement, with really noble intentions and actions.. until America began to finance and support it.. we suddenly saw the "2 Needy Sharia Students" and their mates leading 200 Tank, 120 Phantom, and using unlimited ammo.

As Taliban gained Victory, US started to push every "Talib" against the other.. Till it came to what you see today.. Taliban today = oppression.

Divide and conquer... Same like I'm Shia, You're Sunni, Let's Kill each other.. While if both sects took a careful look into the history, America Lit the fire of Hatred between the Sunni Iraqi people and The Sunni Kuwaiti Neighbors.. Shia of "Amal Movement" were in a bitter war with the Shia of Iran one day.. whose the cause?

whose the cause?

It's not then a matter of "Sunni Vs Shii".... Have we realized that bpoth Taliban and Saddam's actions gave America the reason to invade?

Burka in Islam is a face cover, which is an ultimate discretionary matter to the woman, if she thinks that her beauty may cause her troubles in a certain time or place, so she hides it.

Many misconceptions and bad thoughts against Islam are Made by foriegn powers, who wants Muslims toi stay weak and chasing their lust forever...

Answer 4

Aisha and the other wives of the Prophet(PBUH*) covered themselves from head to toe. Yes they covered their faces to and are an example to all the Muslim women. The Muslim women should try to be like the Prophet's(PBUH*) wives. That is why I as a Muslim woman plan at some point on wearing the Niqab and Abaya and covering everything except my eyes. All the women in my family cover everything except for my small nieces and they are happy about it. Aisha narrated in a very strong Hadith that when the verse about covering was revealed the women tore their skirts and put the torn pieces of cloth on their faces from that day forward.

Answer 5

the sahaba them selfs were of different opinions of the
(i think you mean) niqab. some held the opinion that it was obligitory and some held that it wasn't obligitory. you should be able to find an article at www.troid.org about this issue. And the true scholars from the past till the present had differences of oppinions...
and if i will look for the different proofs for the 2 different viewpoints i will let you know inshallah..
the prophet's wives wore the niqab them selfs so we dont want say things without knowledge of the deen like some people do...

imam bukhari brought for a hadeeth for the proof for covering the face, not the eyes... so if somebodey sais niqab is jahiliyah and not part of islam then he is saying that imam bukhari and a lot of sahabah are liars here is the hadeeth below...
Hadith - Bukhari 6:282

'Aisha used to say: "When (the Verse): 'They should draw their veils over their necks and bosoms,' was revealed, (the ladies) cut their waist sheets at the edges and covered their faces with the cut pieces."

shaikh nasirudden al albani rahimahullah (from our time) was of the opinoin that the niqab is not obligartory.

shaikh muhammad bin salih al uthaymeen rahimahullah (from our time) was of the opinion that it was obligatory.. so we should not just jump and say things without proper knowlede. indeed that is the way of the people of misguidance.
allah says:
And among mankind is he who disputes concerning Allâh, without knowledge, and follows every rebellious (disobedient to Allâh) Shaitân (devil) (devoid of each and every kind of good). (Al-Hajj 22:3)

and also .......Yet of mankind is he who disputes about Allâh without knowledge or guidance or a Book giving light! (Luqman 31:20)...







allah says in the quran ....(And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allâh and His Messenger (SAW), if you believe in Allâh and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination. (An-Nisa 4:59)

Answer 6

Free choice i support that all the way Islamic or not, but the west talks about democracy but do not practice it pathetic really. If a women can go half naked in public then i think she should have a choice if she wants to cover her whole body and face eyes to its her prerogative.

Answer 7

some of these people ar still living in the era of the tribe and get very mixed up asto what is Islam and what is culture .they need to look close at what Islam is and then throw away the culture rubbish as Islam is first and should not be used as they feel

Answer 8

as-salaam aleikum wa rahmatullah,

how Islamic is the Burqa?

well, there it is a matter of a difference of opinion over many centuries amongst our scholars.

We, as sisters, have to do our best and do what we feel is right, as being two opinions, we can follow either of them as these are opinions from Major Scholars.

Scholars of the caliber of Shaykh bin Baz, Rahimahullah, Sheykh Al Uthaymin, Rahimahullah, Sheykh Al Munajidd, Hafidullah, hold the views that it is compulsory and they give their proofs. Scholars of the caliber of Shaykh Al Albani, Rahimahullah, Shaykh Saleem Al Hilali, Hafidullah, Shaykh Alee Al Halabi, Hafidullah, etc.. holds the views that it is Mustahabb (highly recommended and that it is better for a woman to wear a niqaab) but not obligatory, and they also give their proofs.
These scholars have studied Fiqh and Usool al FIqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) , Hadeeth etc... for most of their lives and they are advanced in age. So, they know what they are talking about.
We sisters cannot criticise this ruling or that ruling with the little understanding that we have (but of course we have the right to ask for explanation if we do not understand).

Any sisters who do not wear the niqab MUST not criticize the sisters who do wear it. And the sisters who wear niqab MUST not criticize the sisters who don't, and tell them they are sinning for not covering their faces. We need to recognize the difference of opinion.

This is not like the hijab, where ALL the major scholars agree it is obligatory.

so depending on the scholars whose evidence we agree with, we decide on whether or not covering is obligatory.

and for those who CHOOSE to follow the scholars who say it is obligatory, the way they cover their face will be in many different ways. In places like Afghanistan, it is the burqa... in the Middle East it is either the niqab, boushiya, or some women throw part of their hijab over their face.

the problem is when other people FORCE us to follow their opinion.

my sister-in-law went to Saudi Arabia and did not cover her face, but was wearing hijab and abaya. She was told by many men in the streets "cover your face" and she just replied to each and every one of them, "lower your gaze"


the other things you mentions... Astagferallah that there are Muslims who mix their culture with Islam even if it goes against Islam. Then they practice these cultural things for generation after generation and each generation believes it is Islamic.

this gets even worse in societies where illiteracy is high. The people cannot read the Qur'an and the Hadiths to study for themselves, and rely on the leaders of their communities who are either also undeducated, or is teaching others that their un-Islamic cultural practices are a part of Islam.

for instance, the issue of rape. There are too many (NOT MOST...but too many, nonetheless) Muslims out there who consider rape a crime of sex. For the victim it is NOT illegal sexual intercourse. It is a crime of violence. And the Islamic punishment for rape is death for the rapist. The woman does not need 4 witnesses.

And then those who mistakenly consider rape as illegal sexual intercourse, they then also consider that the victim must produce 4 witnesses, and if she then cannot (I mean, coem on, how many people rape in front of witnesses?) they punish her????!!!! NOPE, this is FALSE. It is haram.

For what those did in Iran... AstagferAllah... how sick that is that they think by raping girls that the girls would be denied paradise. The girls did not commit ANY sin. The men and all those who supported the men are all criminals, and those rapists are supposed to receive the punishment of death.

These are sick people calling themselves Muslims and commiting these CRIMES in the name of Islam.

Answer 9

i've been in karachi a few years back ... more people are wearing burkha's than last i rememberd, and i think it's because it's very polluted and wearing a burkah gives u a kind of filter and makes it easier to breathe...

but i agree to ur point - men over there are neanderthals...

Answer 10

I like your thinking, I am not sure what the Burqa is but this definately makes me want to find out.

Thanks