Tackling the Topic of Women's Clothes and Accessories, within Quranism, for the Last Time

Published in Arabic in October 14, 2016

Translated by: Ahmed Fathy

Introduction:

1- Years ago, we have written and published on our website articles about hijab (veil or headscarves) and niqab (full-veil covering faces as well), and we have proved that they have nothing to do with Islam at all; there is no such a thing as males and females having certain dress-code, and how such hijab and niqab are merely Wahabi political symbols to brainwash women, and Arabs at large, to invade all Arab countries to unify them under Wahabi ideology to establish a caliphate later on, even if this would to the destruction of these countries; and we see now Syria and Iraq ruined, among other countries poised for a similar fate. Within some of our YouTube episodes of the program ''Exposing Salafism", we have tackled the topic of women's clothes and accessories, and we have published many fatwas on the subject within the fatwas section on our website.  Strangely, repeated questions on the same subject often come to us via email; most people feel overwhelmed by the amount to read on our archive, and they prefer a short, brief, to-the-point, ready-made answer and reject our repeated request to read first our archive of articles and books before posing their questions, as they will find answers to all FAQs. Yet, sadly, most people are too lazy or too busy to read. We rarely respond to questions that we have answered before on our website, recently or years ago, like questions on the topics of prayers and other acts of worship. When occasion arises, we sometimes give answers while announcing that this would be the last time to tackle such topic that we have discussed at length many times before ad infinitum ad nauseam.  Due to many questions received about the topic of women's clothing and accessories, we have decided in this article to recapitulate, for the very last time we assure our readers, what we have written before on that topic. This topic will never be tackled again by us on our website.

2- We have received this question via email, from a young woman, and we publish it here followed by our reply: (… I know that you, Dr. Mansour, oppose head wear for women as never a religious duty at all, and that the Quran required women covering their chests and legs, but I wonder about the issue of overt or showy accessories in different body parts of women; what are accessories to how and what to hide and where? What about wearing too many pieces of jewels and accessories under my clothes, without showing them in public? Besides, if a woman covers her chest and legs, could she show her arms and shoulders, parts not mentioned in the Quran? Or this is might be deemed indecency? Can I wear a swimming suit covering my chest and upper legs? What are accessories that should not be shown by elderly women? What about dress-codes for elderly women and young women? What about differences between clothes indoors and outdoors? Thank you in advance. Waiting eagerly for your reply, yours faithfully …)

OUR REPLY:

Firstly:

 "And tell the believing women to restrain their looks, and to guard their privates, and not display their accessories except what is apparent thereof, and to draw their coverings over their breasts, and not expose their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, their brothers' sons, their sisters' sons, their women, what their right hands possess, their male attendants who have no sexual desires, or children who are not yet aware of the nakedness of women. And they should not strike their feet to draw attention to their hidden accessories. And repent to God, all of you believers, so that you may succeed." (24:31). We deduce the following points from this verse.

1- the literal meaning of term "hijab" in the Quranic tongue and in the 7^th century Arabic tongue in Arabia is not any clothes or women wear at all; it simply means a curtain, a barrier, a wall, a cover on a wall, or a door (especially tent doors). The Quranic term ''kheimar'' does not mean a women's headwear or head-cover; rather, it means any piece of cloth or any clothes or upper garment(s) to cover the chest, breasts, and cleavage. Hence, it is NOT forbidden for women, indoors and outdoors, to show before anyone their heads, hair, necks, and faces. It is permissible in general to show indoors and outdoors all body parts that are being washed up daily while performing ablution before prayers. Hence, women can show their feet, indoors and outdoors, before anyone.    

2- Women are advised in the Quran to cover their legs, as we discern from this phrase: "…And they should not strike their feet to draw attention to their hidden accessories..." (24:31). This means that hidden accessories here refers to oriental ornaments such anklets or bracelets worn around the ankles and produce sounds when women wearing them are walking. We discern from the following verse that legs are to be covered by lower garments/clothes: "O Prophet! Tell your wives, and your daughters, and the women of the believers, to lengthen their garments. That is more proper, so they will be recognized and not harassed. God is Forgiving and Merciful." (33:59).

3- There are jewels, pieces of jewelry, accessories, and makeup (Maquillage) that are overt and therefore permissible to be shown, in women's faces, hair, necks, and hands, and on their clothes, like necklaces and brooches, that are OK to be shown indoors and outdoors before anyone. On the contrary, there are more inward-body-parts accessories or special private women showy wear/clothes, underwear, or lingerie that should be worn only indoors in private rooms or bedrooms before husbands only and not before anyone in women's houses.

4- In general, there is a difference between what others see in women body parts and accessories and what husbands can see in their wives in private. There is a difference between women's indoors and outdoors clothes depending on one's culture, level of education, location of living, social norms, etc.  and not on Islam per se, apart from strictly sticking to the Quranic guidance of covering chest (breasts and cleavage) and legs of women.

Secondly:

 "Women past the age of childbearing, who have no desire for marriage, commit no wrong by taking off their outer clothing, provided they do not flaunt their accessories. But to maintain modesty is better for them. God is Hearing and Knowing." (24:60). We deduce the following points from this verse.

1- This Quranic legislation is for elderly women who desire not to marry, and the following points are our deduced points derived from this verse, about ''taking off their outer clothing''.

2- the Quranic term ''clothing'' means, in all verses, outer garments or raiment. This meaning is repeated in other verses such as the following: "They wrap their chests to hide from Him. But even as they cover themselves with their clothing, He knows what they conceal and what they reveal. He knows what lies within the hearts." (11:5). "Whenever I called them to Your forgiveness, they thrust their fingers into their ears, and wrapped themselves in their clothing, and insisted, and became more and more arrogant." (71:7). Hating the prophets' message, they would hide their eyes and ears to avoid listening or paying attention to prophets (in these verses: Noah and Muhammad), and this means that outer clothes are intended in these verses by the term ''clothing''. The meaning of this term (i.e., clothing refers to outer garments) is asserted once more in the verse about what Paradise dwellers will wear: "Upon them are clothing of green silk, and satin…" (76:21).

3- Accordingly, the term ''clothing'' in24:60 refers to outer garments, NOT bed-wear, lingerie, or underwear. Hence, it is permissible for these elder women to dress in clothes fit for indoors but without accessories and makeup and their likes, as modesty is required, as part of piety.  

Thirdly:

1- In all previous Quranic commands, the vital aim is the one major legislative purpose: attainting piety, and here, piety is attained by means of chastity. Disregarding these commands, partially or wholly, about clothing and accessories of women is a small sin or a mistake; every believers cannot totally escape making mishaps/mistakes and small sins in daily life. God says the following about the pious ones: "…and recompense those who do good with the best. Those who avoid gross sins and indecencies-except for minor lapses-your Lord is of Vast Forgiveness. He knows you well, ever since He created you from the earth, and ever since you were embryos in your mothers' wombs. So do not acclaim your own virtue; He is fully aware of the righteous." (53:31-32). Most people fell into the trap of making small sins as steps introductory to or leading to thinking about illicit sex or committing sexual foreplay (such as touching, ogling, talking in order to cause arousal, hugging, stroking, and the like), and such things are small sins and mistakes as long as they do not lead to full-fledged fornication. Asking God's pardon for such small sins and doing lots of good deeds makes God forgive us our small sins; even some pious people make small sins or mistakes but do not insist upon repeating them intentionally: "If you avoid the worst of what you are forbidden, We will remit your sins…" (4:31).    

2- Hence, apart from fornication, other small ''physical'' or sexual sins may be forgiven; see 24:30-3. Hence, among small sins or mistakes/mishaps of women are to wear heavy makeup or too many pieces of accessories and jewelry, as well as wearing mini-jupes, short skirts, monokinis, bikinis, clothes revealing upper legs or cleavage of breasts, and not to restrain one's looks away from sexually arousing scenes or persons.

3- Hence, women doing the above, but without committing the major, grave sin of fornication, are NOT like female fornicators; the latter ones should repent before death to avoid Hell, whereas the former ones who wear revealing clothes that show breasts and upper legs are making a small sin or small mistake that can be forgiven; see 4:31. 

4- God knows best His human creatures: "Would He not know, He Who created? He is the Refined, the Expert." (67:14), and hence, divine sharia legislation is the best one for people, and about chastity, God permits men to be polygamous and He promises to forgive small sins and mistakes of those who repent and atone for them by good deeds and asking God's pardon all the time, as people are weak as far as carnal lusts are concerned, and they cannot stifle their sexual desires, but one must avoid fornication at all costs; fornicators must repent once and for all: " God intends to redeem you, but those who follow their desires want you to turn away utterly. God intends to lighten your burden, for the human being was created weak." (4:27-28).

Fourthly:

1- Wearing accessories are permissible for men and women within reasonable limits; without excesses: "O Children of Adam! Dress properly at every place of worship, and eat and drink, but do not be excessive. He does not love the excessive." (7:31). The next verse denounce those who prohibit things permissible by God in the Quran: "Say, "Who forbade God's finery which He has produced for His servants, and the delights of livelihood?" Say, "They are for those who believe, in this present world, but exclusively theirs on the Day of Resurrection." We thus detail the revelations for people who know." (7:32). The next verse confines prohibited things to certain items, especially falsely and intentionally ascribing to God lies and fabricated sharia or narratives: "Say, "My Lord has forbidden immoralities-both open and secret-and sin, and unjustified aggression, and that you associate with God anything for which He revealed no sanction, and that you say about God what you do not know."" (7:33). Hence, one cannot make the prohibited permissible or to prohibit the permissible things and ascribe such personal views to God: "Or is it that they have partners who issue for them religious laws never authorized by God? …" (42:21). Those liars and fabricators transgress the right of God as the Sole Legislator in religion: "O you who believe! Do not prohibit the good things God has permitted for you, and do not commit aggression. God does not love the aggressors. And eat of the lawful and good things God has provided for you; and be conscious of God, in whom you are believers." (5:87-88). Those aggressors/transgressors exceed and add to what God says in the Quran, thus deifying themselves and defying the Almighty by this gravest sin: "O you who believe! Do not place your opinions above that of God and His Messenger, and fear God. God is Hearing and Knowing." (49:1)   

2- The above point is closely linked to our topic here in this article; God allows women to show their faces outdoors and indoors. Proof: God has said to Muhammad: "Beyond that, no other women are permissible for you, nor can you exchange them for other wives, even if you admire their beauty, except those you already have. God is Watchful over all things." (33:52) and beauty here was shown in the face, of course. Faces of both genders are the features that make us know the interlocutor or the one who does the act or deed and showing them in public is essential to determine identity and allow people to testify before judges in court. The divine command in the Quran to restrain looking at others lustily are addressed to both genders, and it implies that faces of pretty women were seen in public. Hence, wearing niqab is a crime and sin of adding to God's sharia something that is not part of it; as if those wearing niqab were adding a better way that God's way! This is very insulting to God! Hence, niqab is a Wahabi legislation for which God sent down no authority at all, and applying it is polytheism; as one here by imposing or wearing niqab obeys dead deities of the Sunnite Wahabism and NOT God in the Quran.  It is a sin akin polytheism to say that niqab or hijab is part of Islam; as persons are not allowed to legislate in Islam things not mentioned in the Quran. Those wearing niqab have no right whatsoever to deem themselves as more pious or to deem others as sinners. Those wearing niqab for social reasons without ascribing it to Islam are OK.     

3- When we compare a woman in niqab and another woman in bikinis, the latter is making small mistake or small sin (i.e., showing her cleavage and upper legs, thus disobeying Quranic advice in this respect) that may be forgiven by atoning for it by good deeds and imploring God's pardon, as long as she does not commit the grave sin of fornication, whereas the former is falling into the trap of polytheism, a major sin that makes her deserve Hell if she dies without repenting the sin of ascribing such falsehood (i.e., niqab) to Islam.

Lastly:

1- With niqab and hijab dominating over most countries of the Muhammadans, as supposedly religious duties forced on Islam for no reason, we see how fornication, rape, and sexual harassment thrive among gravest sins in such countries of Shiites and Sunnites: the former allow fornication by allowing Shiite women remarry many times (for pleasure of both sexes) without the required three-month waiting period, and the latter allow 'sex jihad' like ISIS terrorists as well as Salafist and MB terrorists in their times of armed aggressions. Let us not forget that the Sunnite Wahabi ISIS terrorists allow in their religion rape of captured women! Yet, those fanatics of Shiites and Sunnites prohibit lawful items such as arts, singing, and music and allow the prohibited sins of murder, rape, fornication, looting, and massacring of innocent peaceful ones. Hence, the overemphasis on growing beards, wearing male and female djellaba, and wearing hijabs and niqabs are over signs of covering up vices, corruptions, immorality, fornication, eating from ill-gotten money, etc. and are signs of earthly, man-made, fabricated creeds that have clergymen; hence ISIS terrorists commit rape and massacres while imposing niqab on women!

2- If we, Dr. A. S. Mansour the founder of the Quranism intellectual trend, assert in our writings the basic fact that (the Quran alone is the solution), the Muhammadans accuse us of contempt of religion. We are indeed despise and feel contempt toward their earthly, man-made, fabricated religions.