Hijab: A Divine Ordinance, ordained by all Prophets of Allah (SBUT)

Part 4

It is also important to keep in mind that Shaytaan (satan …) works step by step, thus headcovering in christianity was not disregarded at once rather it slowly changed form in christian communities … The following statements are from “Head Covering Through the Centuries” by David Bercot:

“Around the time of the Reformation, the cap form of head covering became popular in northern Europe in place of a hanging veil.

“In the sixteenth century, the cap type of covering replaced the hanging veil in western Europe and in the newly discovered Americas.

“During the 1800's, middle and upper class women generally wore bonnets for head coverings. Sometimes these were more a matter of fashion than of modesty. However, among the common people, caps and veils were still quite common.

“During the nineteenth century in the United States and western Europe, the middle class and wealthy women switched from veils and caps to ornate bonnets. Bonnets became more a matter of fashion than of modesty or obedience.

“By the turn of the twentieth century, the ornate bonnets of the nineteenth century had given way to ladies' hats. Until the mid-century, women in Europe and America typically wore a hat or scarf in public, but they were simply following tradition and fashion without realizing that there was originally a spiritual reason behind the practice. Similarly, until about 1960, western women wore hats when in church. But the meaning behind the hat was lost.

“Today, Christian women in eastern churches still cover their heads in church. Some of them cover their heads all of the time. In the west, some Plymouth Brethren women still wear the prayer veil in church, as do many black women. But usually these sisters do not wear a head covering at other times.

“Generally speaking, in the west today, only the Mennonite, Amish, Brethren and Hutterite women still practice wearing a head covering at all times. However, in recent years, they have been joined by thousands of Christian women from house churches and other independent congregations who have re-discovered this New Testament practice.”

It is important to keep in mind that, as mentioned above and confirmed by all christians, most christian women until about 1960, followed some Hijab rules and thus it has only been about 50 years since the Hijab issue has been seriously forsaken by most christian women:

“At the start of the 20th century, women in most mainstream Christian denominations wore head coverings during church services. (Kraybill, Donald B. (5 October 2010). Concise Encyclopedia of Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites. JHU Press. p. 103.) These included many Anglican (Muir, Edward (18 August 2005). Ritual in Early Modern Europe. Cambridge University Press. p. 31.) Baptist, (Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches 2012. Abingdon Press. 2012-04-01. p. 131.) Methodist, (Morgan, Sue (2010-06-23). Women, Gender and Religious Cultures in Britain, 1800-1940. Taylor & Francis. p. 102.) Presbyterian (Seth Skolnitsky, trans., Men, Women and Order in the Church: Three Sermons by John Calvin (Dallas, TX: Presbyterian Heritage Publications, 1992), pp. 12,13.) and Roman Catholic Churches. (Henold, Mary J. (2008). Catholic and Feminist: The Surprising History of the American Catholic Feminist Movement. UNC Press Books. p. 126.)

“In fact, until the 20th century no Reformed [protestant] theologian taught against head coverings for women in public worship. While Anabaptists, Amish, and Mennonites advocate the wearing of headcoverings at all times, … the [later] Reformed teaching is that "praying and prophesying" refers to the activities taking place in public worship, … Anabaptists disagree and many women in their communities are so concerned with violating what they believe to be a command outside of public worship … The Reformers understood the head covering mandate for women in public worship to be a sign of her submission to her husband, as the Scriptures declare "Christ is the head of man, man is the head of the woman". Anabaptists have argued, however, that a woman is obligated to rebel against her husband if he forbids her to wear the covering at all times, for it is better to obey God than to obey man. (1st Corinthians 11:3)” (English Wikipedia)

“In Sweden the use of veil was common in older times, but faded away in the early 20th century and when women started going to church without a veil in the mid 1920s it caused little concern and within a decade most agreed that Swedish Christian women were not veiled, nor ever had been, nor should be. (As a veil: The Christian veil in a Swedish context, Hallgren Sjöberg, Elisabeth; 2014. As cited in the English Wikipedia.)

This is an obvious example of distorting history, effecting those who ignorantly do not know the facts: “within a decade most agreed that Swedish Christian women were not veiled, nor ever had been”.

But let us not forget that the issue of headcovering in christianity has not yet totally faded away:

“Some [christians] have argued that it [Hijab] is still obligatory, advancing several grounds for their opinion, including the claim that headcovering for women is a centennial and immemorial custom (cf. canon 5 of the Code of Canon Law).” (Michael, Jacob (August 27, 2010). "Still Binding? The Veiling of Women and Meatless Fridays". As cited in the English Wikipedia.)

Interestingly today some christians are even advertising and selling head coverings for ladies in the United States, the following is one sample:

“Scroll Publishing now offers head coverings for sale. These are made by a local sister, and she offers them at very reasonable prices. To see the different styles and sizes available, please go to …”

“In some countries where women no longer as a matter of course wear hats when going outdoors, [some traditionalist] Catholic women do wear headcoverings in church. The forms range from a mantilla to a hat or a simple headscarf. If mantillas are worn, they are usually black (or any color but white) for married and white for unmarried women.” (English Wikipedia)

“Headcovering, at least during worship services, is still promoted or required in a few denominations and among the more traditional Catholics. Among these are Catholics who live a plain life and are known as Plain Catholics. Some Anabaptist denominations, including the Amish, Old Order Mennonite and Conservative Mennonites, the Old German Baptist Brethren, (Thompson, Charles (2006). The Old German Baptist Brethren: Faith, Farming, and Change in the Virginia Blue Ridge. University of Illinois Press. p. 33.) the Hutterites, (Hostetler, John (1997). Hutterite Society. The Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 105.) and the Apostolic Christian Church; Christ's Forgiveness Ministries; some Pentecostal churches, such as the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith, The Pentecostal Mission, the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, and the Christian Congregation in the United States, like Congregação Cristã no Brasil; the Laestadian Lutheran Church, the Plymouth Brethren; and the more conservative Scottish and Irish Presbyterian and Dutch Reformed churches.” (As cited in the English Wikipedia.)

“Some Eastern Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches require women to cover their heads while in church; an example of this practice occurs in the Russian Orthodox Church.” (Gdaniec, Cordula (1 May 2010). Cultural Diversity in Russian Cities: The Urban Landscape in the Post-Soviet Era. Berghahn Books. p. 161. As cited in the Wikipedia.)

“In Albania, Christian women often wear white veils, although their eyes are visible; moreover, in that nation, in Orthodox Christian church buildings, women are separated from men by latticework partitions during the church service. (Edwin E. Jacques (1995). The Albanians: An Ethnic History from Prehistoric Times to the Present. McFarland. p. 221.)

“In nations in regions such as the Indian subcontinent, nearly all women wear head coverings during church services.” (Haji, Nafisa (2011-05-17). The Sweetness of Tears. HarperCollins. p. 316.)

It is more than obvious that Allah (SWT)- thru all His Prophets (SBUT)- has ordained the “purifying” command of Hijab and it has been humankind who has followed satanic temptations and has been gradually ignoring this Divine Ordinance and thus experiencing so much personal and social problems … in spite of this, it is undeniably so beautiful that The “purifying” issue of Hijab is quite in harmony with human Fetrat (Allah-endowed innate Recognition of Allah …); all Divine Ordinances are such … . If we cleanse sins, ignorance, arrogance and … from our souls, hearts, minds, actions … then the Light of Fetrat shall shine …

We also cordially invite our friends to read “True love” and “Toward God” in this site: kindfather.com

To be continued …