http://womensissues.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.islamic.org.uk%2Fhijab.html
Why do Muslim women have to cover their heads?
It is
the general consensus among the Muslims that a Muslim woman is
required to cover her head leaving only her face showing as part
of an overall dress code and behaviour which Islam prescribes. It
is therefore part of the social system of Islam, and a
manifestation of important general Islamic principles. Firstly, an
educated Muslim woman does this because she is following guidance
from God and His prophet Muhammad recorded in the Qur'an,and in
the Sunnah (the knowledge about the practice and example of the
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)). For example,
one translation of the meaning of the specific ayat (verse)of
Qur'an that mentions the head covering is as follows:
Surah
24 Al-Nur (The Light); ayat 31 (part of)
And
say to the believing women......that they should draw their
head-coverings over the neck opening (of their dresses) , and not
display their ornaments except to their husbands, their
fathers.....(etc)
This
guidance she regards, as by definition a Muslim should do, as
being revealed by the 'All-Knowing' the 'Most Wise', The 'Most
Merciful', 'All-Mighty' God who created all human beings and whose
Power controls everything. She is doing it because she believes
that God with His nature knows best what is in the true best
interests of human beings, far more than a human can know, with
his or her fallibility, and weaknesses.
The
main principle reason for the hijab is modesty, which is not
wishing to receive unnecessary attention from people, such as
admiration and flattery, envy, or, most importantly, sexual
attraction from those other than her husband.Great care is taken
to keep sexual thoughts, feelings and interactions to within the
boundaries of the marital relationship.
These
types of attention may boost the 'ego' for the short term, but all
have the potential to lead to disastrous consequences in the long
term, for example leading to confused feelings, competition,
suspicions, affairs, break-up of marriages and other
relationships, disturbed children, and ultimately a community
where people are insecure,unhappy, and divided amongst themselves.
From
this it can be seen that the hijab is a manifestation of another
important principle in Islam, which is valuing benefits which are
permanent above those which are temporary. What is permanently
beneficial is, for example, a happy marriage between two people
who aim to learn, teach and apply Islam to the best of their
ability in their lives. This is seen as that which brings about
the true happiness of the soul for eternity, by purifying and
keeping it in its pure, natural, God-created state, filling it
with peace and contentment, patience, gratefulness, love and
compassion. What is temporary are the momentary pleasures derived
from, for example, people's opinions of you, leading to your own
self-satisfaction, or, even more basically, those derived from
physical sensations.
A
strong marriage, and a peaceful, cooperative, happy community,
where people's feelings towards one another are good, will not
only provide the true happiness that the soul needs, but also, in
moderation, the good opinion, physical, and other pleasures that
the ego requires.
Therefore, the freedom and benefit of the soul is encouraged,
requiring a corresponding disciplining and moderating of the ego,
but not a total denial or repression of it.
Besides following modest dress codes appropriate to the different
natures of a man and woman, both Muslim men and women should abide
by a certain modest and respectful code of conduct when
interacting with the opposite sex.