Mufti Menk – Hijab Includes…

			Salam, Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh, my brothers, my sisters.
		

			It's a beautiful day, we thank Allah subhanho wa Taala for giving us such an amazing day, I wanted
to speak about hijab, because hijab is something that is misunderstood even by some Muslims. And
what is very, very important for us to note is that it's not just about a piece of cloth. In the
Arabic language, hijab means a barrier, a barrier between two things is known as a hijab, or a
Hodges, you know, something that is a barrier between two things. So that is called a hijab. And the
idea here is to create a barrier. When a person when a person wears clothing, the clothing needs to
be such that it covers you. I mean, what's the whole idea of wearing clothing when you are not
		

			covered? I mean, what's the point? So in Islam, we believe that Allah Almighty has given us a
certain type of models to beautification, through clothing, and yes, to cover your private parts, to
cover yourself in a nice way to look presentable. All of this is actually part and parcel of the
gift of Allah Almighty upon us. So when we say a job, many people think it's just a piece of cloth
on the heads of women covering their hair, not realizing it's an entire lifestyle, that's what it
is. It's it's a whole system, through you know, that we tread upon and live by, for the sake of
Allah subhanho wa taala. So, men, for example, also have to observe a certain level of hijab, they
		

			have to have a certain conduct, the morality needs to be on a very high level, it's very important
because the difficulty we face people look at women and say, Where's your hijab? You know? And I
say, Well, my brother, yes. What about your eyes? Should you not be also practicing or fulfilling a
certain aspect of hijab, which is to lower your gaze? So at times, the problem is twofold or more,
and you cannot just blame someone and say, you know, what, where is your hijab? You know, hijab,
here is the hijab and you throw a piece of cloth. That's only one small aspect of it. But to
dressing loose clothing is also part of the hijab for both men and women. So if there is a man
		

			wearing tight jeans, he is not fulfilling the the rules and regulations of clothing in Islam, even
though he might claim that my private parts are covered. But in actual fact, you've got to wear
something slightly loose. It's in the Hadith of the Prophet salallahu, alayhi wasallam, not to wear
something that reveals, you know, the shape of your body parts. Unless, obviously, if the wind is
blowing, You're excused. Or if you're walking and something happens to, you know, sometimes it shows
a little bit here and there that you're excused for. But when you are wearing your clothing, and you
put on something that is very tight, men and women, I'm talking of men and women, and I've singled
		

			out men here because I know that a lot of people say, Well, men are excused from this, that's not
true. You have to make sure that you've done the right thing. You have to make sure that your
clothing is slightly loose, and at the same time, it's not see through and it's not very thin. So
it's it's a reasonable material. It's nice, it's comfortable, it covers you and it's loose, so it
doesn't show your organs or body parts that is part of hijab. So hijab means to dress modestly in a
way that pleases the Almighty for both men and women and to carry yourself in a way that would not
make the opposite gender uncomfortable and would not be displeasing to the Almighty, regarding the
		

			way you have carried yourself, so if you see something you know, you're supposed to lower your gaze,
lowering gazes for both male and female is part of the general rule of hijab where there is supposed
to be a barrier, what's the barrier? Well, I lowered my gaze and you just say subhanallah or
mashallah Tabata Cola or Stanford Allah or whatever else it may be. So I thought it was important to
spend a few moments explaining that yes, there is a cloth that you wear to cover your hair as a
female. That is a part of it. It extends to
		

			where they would like to cover their faces, that's a part of hijab. And people get to that level,
there is a dispute amongst the scholars as to whether it is compulsory or it is not compulsory. And
it's a known dispute, but the bare minimum where Nobody disputes is that in sha Allah your hair is
covered. That doesn't allow you to just dressing anything after that. So what happens is, because my
hair is covered, now I can put on something extremely tight, something very revealing in terms of
cleavages, and so on, we need to work on that as well, that's also a part of our hijab, until we get
to a point where we can dress with something loose, we can dress with something not tight fitting in
		

			the material is, is beautiful in the sense that it's, you know, I don't want to say fake because
sometimes depending on the weather, you might want to wear something a little bit thinner. I mean,
if it's winter, in Europe, and in Canada, and and so on, yes, you wear something thick, but when it
comes to,
		

			you know where it is warm, and so on, you can wear something that is not so thick, but at the same
time not see through and not tight, not very thin, that everything is showing, that's the whole
idea. It's an Islamic teaching, Allah says, Don't show everything that you have to everyone that is
there that you know, otherwise you will not be appreciated, you will not be appreciated by those who
are supposed to value you. And you know, I may not understand you may not understand what exactly
that might be referring to people argue no show it. You want people to judge you based on who you
are, your performance is the goodness is and you don't want people to only and simply judge you
		

			based on the shape of your butt, or based on what you look like and how well you've made yourself
up. A lot of the times, the makeup that we have is actually
		

			not even us, we ourselves wouldn't recognize ourselves. If we were showing a photo of ourselves with
makeup, before we saw ourselves in the mirror in cases today. That's how that's how it's become
where we're so dissatisfied with our looks and so on that we just don't want to admit that I don't
love myself, the way Allah has made me part of hijab is to love yourself the way Allah has made you
to appreciate it to thank Allah for it. And guess what? To dress in a beautiful, modest way whereby
your body parts are not being revealed. Now I address the men, many men think that well, it's okay.
You know, I can wear these skinny jeans, and I can have these tight, you know, tight shorts. And so
		

			you know, no, no part of a job is that you do not do that the rule applies to men as well, where
you're supposed to wear something that's not tight fitting, you're supposed to wear something that's
not very thin, it's not supposed to be revealing of your organs and your body parts, especially from
the navel to the knee. And subhanAllah you should make sure that you adopt that. So many times
people pick on the women and say oh, you know, these women are not in hijab, but my brother you're
worse sometimes. And yes, I do know a lot of effort is required and a lot of work is required by all
of us, when it comes to improving the way we manage the hijab lifestyle, like lowering your gaze
		

			similarly, part of hijab is the way you speak,
		

			either cell to moon Amata and Aluna. Meanwhile, he jumped the Prophet peace be upon him was
instructed by Allah and His wives were instructed by Allah Almighty, and when you speak to people
speak in a certain way, you know, with a certain barrier and so on. So
		

			yes, my brothers and sisters, this is a live session actually, I can see your comments there. So the
reality is, the way you speak also depicts whether or not you live a lifestyle of hijab, both men
and women, if you're going to flirt if you're going to, for example, try and attract the opposite
* with your words or your voice and if so on, you're not observing the hijab correctly, hijab
should be such that you are respectfully speaking to the opposite gender when needed. And you may
inquire about them or their health and so on or what maybe what they may need. It's but hijab
requires you to speak very respectfully to the opposite gender, with utmost respect, they should see
		

			the character in you of modesty, honesty, goodness, and so on. So that is really amazing.
		

			I think all of us need to do better including myself when it comes to the way we lead this lifestyle
of hijab by the will of Allah so I need to be more conscious
		

			of the way I speak to the opposite gender, I need to be more conscious as a male, about how I lower
my gaze and how much pleasure I get by lowering the gaze for the sake of Allah, I'm pleased because
I've pleased Allah and you will find that element of respect will be so amazing. And then when it
comes to my dress code, I need to make sure that I don't wear tight clothing that which is revealing
that which is very then that which you know, for me as a man, and Subhanallah people say, Well, I'm
wearing jeans it's quite thick but my brother these are skinny jeans Do you know it's not
necessarily it's it is actually not on the ideal teachings of you for you as a Muslim, you're
		

			supposed to be wearing something not as tight fitting but who's there to tell you no one because why
you're a man and you think well hijab is for a woman there goes, this is where we've gone wrong. So
my brothers, my sisters, I've spoken about what I should be doing and let me say the sisters to
insha Allah by the will of Allah subhanho wa Taala we can do better when it comes to the rest of our
clothing after the scarf on the head. Inshallah we can make sure that it's slightly looser, we can
make sure the material is a beautiful material that's not revealing and not so tight fitting, and so
on. And we will earn the pleasure and mercy of Allah. In this way we will protect ourselves and
		

			others from a lot of evil and harm and Allah Almighty will indeed bless us. So I hope that you have
actually enjoyed this particular session like one of our members has commented there to say don't
forget to hit the like button and inshallah the subscriptions and so on.
		

			Inshallah, I'm looking forward to the month of Ramadan, we're planning a good series by the will of
Allah and inshallah I will probably be moving from
		

			country to country, a few countries and a few cities. And I pray that closer to the time we would be
able to reveal a little bit more in that regard. In the meantime, preparation for Ramadan includes
that you start looking into your dress code, and you start making sure that you've improved even in
your dress code. What's the point of a person fasting all day Subhan Allah and yet you've messed up
when it comes to your clothing because you know, you might have fasted but you made others drool,
may Allah forgive us. And Allah grant us ease and Goodness If Allah has given you a lot, you know,
it's good to follow what Allah has said regarding the regarding the rules and regulations of
		

			clothing because I'm not giving it to you mashallah diabolical. It's been lovely to read some of
your comments from all over the world. And looking forward to seeing you guys again sometime in the
meantime as Salaam Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh