Social life is one of the most important aspects of human’s life. From the beginning of the creation of humankind, people decided to live together in order to meet their needs. In this issue, the quality of women’s social participation is one of the fundamental concerns in every culture.
Islamic Standards for Muslim Women
One of the most notable points in considering this subject in Islam is the condition of Muslim women’s social participation. Muslim women and men are supposed to appear in society equitably. Muslim women just like men have the right to vote, to educate, to teach, to glitter in high political, scientific, athletic states, etc.
The Islamic society is a place where no one is known and respected for his/her gender but for his/her virtues and morality. Gender should not be the first outward appearance of one’s personality. In this way, if a Muslim woman cooperates as a teacher, doctor, worker, etc. no one is allowed to consider her sex; rather people are supposed to pay attention to her occupation and knowledge.
In fact, all of us are human beings in society, not women and men. For reaching this utopia, everybody has some duties. God tells us not to underline sexual beauties and also not to look at and search for them. A safe society must make our minds free for more important activities. Such superficial challenges decrease our mental power.
Hijab: A Way of Revealing the Inner Beauty
In this regard women also have their own responsibilities. Islam wants women to have a safe and respectful position in society. This is one of the reasons why Islam asks people especially women to cover their body and not to show off their beauties.
That is because no one should look at a Muslim woman as a sexually beneficial object. God in the Holy Quran says: “O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the faithful to draw closely over themselves their chadors [when going out]. That makes it likely for them to be recognized and not be troubled, and Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful” (33:59).
It means that this beauty is so valuable that must not be seen or touched freely. But the main point is that there is another beauty which is more important and more valuable than this one, and that is the beauty of our personality, which can affect our appearance. Women must be known by their thoughts; God does not want women, these delightful, beautiful and also powerful creatures to be just a spectacular scenery for men. So, if women wear Hijab people will pay more attention to their inner beauties.
Hijab and Social Activity
By ordering Hijab God is not to say Muslim women must stay at home because Hijab is the social apparel, not a domestic dressing. It means women can take part in social activities. Nobody is permitted to have an offensive look at a woman as a sexual object but as a precious and respectful citizen.
There is no contradiction between progression and touching advanced states and wearing Hijab. The thing that Islam limits is the irregular, unconditional and dishonorable relationship between women and men, the limitation of sensuality.
Hijab and Instinctual Pleasures
God has created the sexual desire, and it is our natural disposition to satisfy it. Also, God has not prevented Muslims from joys. We as humans must legalize our pleasures. This natural instinct is to satisfy by marriage and with our spouse, not anyone else. Women are not born for being enjoyable and admirable for all men.
This attitude is extremely cruel toward women, and if a woman is not sexually attractive, she becomes worthless for society. In short, Islam always emphasizes the freedom of mind and the pleasure of heart in society rather than the freedom of sensuality and misuse of feminine sexual appeal. On the other hand, this perfect religion has not ignored human’s instinctual pleasures, rather it has recommended us to fulfill them in a controlled and morally and legally acceptable way.
Source:salamIslam