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FiqhReminders

The Hijab vs The Beard

By October 3, 2015No Comments

It’s very difficult not to get irritated by those men who try to equate the challenge of wearing hijab with their own “challenge” of keeping a beard.

The fear being of course that men might belittle the believing women and look down upon them, and conflate the difficulty of what women face with what the men face themselves, and thus not appreciate their struggles at all.

Brothers, your growing your beard isn’t even 10% of the mission, the fitnah, the danger or even the Islamic obligation that the hijab is. Yes, even though the majority of scholars consider it obligatory to grow a beard as best as one can, there are still differing levels of obligation. So for you to feel good about yourself keeping a beard but expecting your sisters to match your “sacrifice” by reciprocating with a hijab is a joke frankly. It’s comparing chalk and cheese. She wouldn’t be reciprocating. She would be exceeding.

Your beard can be short. It can be long. It doesn’t have to look lame, it can be shaped within set parameters, and enhances a man and shows him in his best natural form. A beard invites respect and doesn’t make you look weak. Women should be physically attracted to a proper man with a proper beard, and most are alhamdulillah. You look unnatural without one, naked almost, and very few want to see men naked.

In summary, you could keep a beard for the sake of Allah. And you could keep it for a multitude of materialistic reasons. And so many do.

The hijab on the other hand is almost the exact opposite. There’s very little room to play with. It doesn’t enhance a woman because her best natural form is obviously without it. A hijab invites racist criminals and puts her in potential danger, far more than men will be with a beard. Men shouldn’t be physically attracted to a proper woman with a proper hijab otherwise they’d make her keep it on day and night. And most don’t alhamdulillah. And a woman looks absolutely great without one, naked almost, and very many want to see women naked.

In summary, you’d never put on a hijab for any reason other than for the sake of Allah. And for those very few who might wear hijab for other than Allah’s sake, well, they must have completely lost their minds.

Dear brother, that makes her better than you straight away when you are trying to make a comparison between the two states. And that makes the struggle to get to those states different as well. Remember that next time when you feel something negative in your heart against your uncovered sister. Make du’a for her instead. Indeed, make one for yourself. Please.

And yes dear sister, for the record let me also say to you: the proper Islamic hijab and its associated behaviour is a definite and absolute obligation which you must all strive for immediately. It is something that must not be seen as minor or insignificant, and must be prioritised and you really must try your best.

Despite what might be described as my friendly demeanour with all those uncovered sisters I know (and don’t know i.e. online) from my students, or those who benefit from my work, or are just on this site passing by, it does pain me deeply that the struggle is still overcoming you as I would dearly love for you all to gain the supreme pleasure of Allah jalla wa ‘ala in your sacrifices for Him.

But as most of you should all know by now, I’m here for you always. Never hesitate to hook me up whenever you see me. I’ll always have your back and remember we’re all part of the Struggle. Because it’s our Struggle. Together.

And it really is real.

#NeverGiveUp

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