It is well known within the Ummah that when the following verse was revealed:

وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ

“And they are not to show their charm except that which is apparent. And let them cover their chests and necks (Juyoob) with their head covers (khimaars)”.

(An-Nur 24:31)

the believing women who heard this verse didn’t hesitate a second to implement what had been revealed. They didn’t also want to lose a second to be able to please their Lord and so we see that they tore their aprons and veiled themselves immediately (made khimars of it) according to the tafsir of Ibn Kathir.

This was the strength of their Iman and the amount of Taqwa that they had. They truly understood the importance of following the commandments of their Lord and the great loss if they did not implement this ruling in their lives.

So, now look at the reality around you. We see the same and taqwa with many of our sisters in Islam, but we see that it is made increasingly more difficult for our sisters to uphold their promise to their Lord by fulfilling this obligation, like in Kazakhstan where President Nursultan Nazarbayev, is aiming to adopt a legislative ban on girls covering themselves up.

This news should cause sleepless night to every one of us reading the above verse because it should remind us of the situation of many of our sisters who are ridiculed, discriminated against and actually prevented from adhering to this Hukm.

Why sleepless nights? Because as Muslims, we are all obliged to enjoin that which we are commanded with and forbid that which we are ordered to abstain from. So, when we are aware that sisters are prevented from performing any act that pleases their Lord, they should spend their time pondering over what must be done to change this situation as we see in the following verse:

وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاء بَعْضٍ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاَةَ

“The believers, men and women, are awliya (helpers, protectors, friends) of one another, they enjoin the Ma’roof and forbid the Munkar and they establish the salah (prayer).”

(Tawbah, 9:71)

So, let’s take this blessed month of Ramadan as an opportunity to gain the same rewards as the first generations of Muslims. This means carrying the great responsibility in enjoining the Maroof and forbidding the Munkar, and understanding the great reward that comes with standing up to any kind of oppression and not allowing fear to stand between this noble deed. Indeed the Prophet ﷺ stated in one Hadeeth as narrated by Imam Bayhaqi (ra),

»سَيَكُونُ فِي آخِرِ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ قَوْمٌ لَهُمْ مِثْلُ أَجْرِ أَوَّلِهِمْ ، يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ ، وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ ، وَيُقَاتِلُونَ أَهْلَ الْفِتَنِ«

“There will be from the end of my Ummah a people that will be rewarded like the first generation as they enjoin the Maroof and forbid the Munkar”.

 

Yasmin Malik

Member of the Women Section in the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir