Certain Commands and Etiquettes for Women
Great Reward for the Protection of Modesty and Chastity
The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) said, “When a woman offers her five daily prayers, fasts during Ramadan, protects her modesty and chastity, and obeys her husband in lawful matters, she will enter Paradise through whichever gate she desires.
The veil is a divine blessing for women
Allah Almighty has commanded women to observe modesty, which is a great blessing from Allah for women. In this modesty lies the honor of a woman, and it is a means to protect her chastity. A woman who observes modesty is granted countless blessings in this world and the hereafter by Allah Almighty, the greatest of which is that Allah becomes pleased with her. Obviously, for a Muslim woman, there can be no greater blessing and happiness than that Allah Almighty is pleased with her. A woman is the embodiment of modesty.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said that a woman is an embodiment of modesty, and when she steps out, Satan looks at her with an evil eye, meaning that Satan tries to incite people to look at this woman with lustful gazes and to engage in other sins.
The Best Place for a Woman
Allah Almighty loves for a woman to remain in modesty, and the more she stays modest and hides herself from non-mahram men, the more Allah is pleased with her. It is mentioned in a hadith that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said that a woman is a thing of modesty, and when she leaves her home, Satan looks at her. A woman is closest to Allah Almighty when she is in a secluded corner of her home.
The Best Place for a Woman to Pray
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said that it is better for a woman to pray in her room than in the courtyard, and it is even better for her to pray in a corner of her room. SubhanAllah, the virtue of observing modesty is clearly evident even in a significant act of worship like prayer, as highlighted in this blessed hadith.
The Reason for the Difference Between the Prayers of Men and Women
The Shariah has established a clear distinction between the prayers of men and women. As a result, in many instances, the prayer of a woman differs from that of a man. The reason for this difference is that a woman herself is the epitome of modesty and chastity. Therefore, in prayer, the method prescribed for her is the one that best upholds modesty and concealment. Imam Muhaddith (رحمه الله) said that the foundation of all the rulings for women is modesty. Therefore, in prayer, a woman has been instructed to follow the method that best maintains her modesty and concealment.
Severe Warning Against Wearing Indecent Clothing in the World
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “There are two groups of people in Hell whom I have not yet seen. One group consists of those who will have whips like the tails of cows, with which they will beat people. The second group consists of women who, despite wearing clothes, will be naked; they will be inclined towards non-mahram men, and men will be inclined towards them. Their heads will be like the humps of Bactrian camels, leaning to one side. Such women will not enter Paradise nor will they smell its fragrance, even though its fragrance can be perceived from a great distance.”
The meaning of being naked despite wearing clothes is that either the clothes will be so short that they do not cover the body, or they will be so tight that the shape of the body is evident, or they will be so transparent that the body is visible.
Curse for Imitating Men in Dress
The Prophet (ﷺ) has cursed the woman who dresses like a man. It is mentioned in the Hadith that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) cursed the man who wears the dress of a woman.
Observance of Shariah Regulations for Women Going Outside the Home
From this detailed explanation, it is evident that the concept of modesty (purdah) is extremely important for women, and staying at home is the primary commandment. This is where the pleasure of Allah lies. However, Shariah has allowed women to go out of the house in case of severe necessity, but this permission also comes with certain conditions. By adhering to these conditions, a woman may go outside. Below, the rules and etiquettes for women while walking outside are explained.
⭐ Guarding one’s gaze while walking.⭐ Just as it is necessary for men to guard their gaze from non-mahram women while walking, this commandment also applies to women, as looking with bad intentions is a grave sin. Allah Almighty has also commanded women in the Qur’an to lower their gaze.
⭐ “And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and protect their private parts.”
⭐ Guarding one’s gaze is among the rights of the path.
⭐ One of the rights of the path is to guard one’s gaze from non-mahram individuals. This command is for both men and women, so women should also protect their gaze from non-mahram men while walking. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Avoid sitting on the roads.” People said, “O Messenger of Allah, we cannot avoid that, as we need to sit there and talk.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “If you must sit, then give the road its rights.” They asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what are the rights of the road?” He (ﷺ) replied, “Lowering the gaze, removing harmful objects, returning greetings, speaking good words, and preventing evil.”
Warning against passing by non-mahram men while wearing fragrance
Women are not permitted to walk in the middle of the path; rather, according to Hadith, the instruction for them is to walk on one side of the path. Walking on one side of the road has multiple benefits, as the central part of the path becomes specific for men, thus avoiding any intermingling between men and women. In ‘Shu’ab al-Iman,’ it is mentioned that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Women do not have the right to walk in the middle of the road.”
Similarly, in another Hadith, it is mentioned that the Prophet (ﷺ) was standing outside the mosque when men and women became intermixed on the road. The Prophet (ﷺ) told the women, “Move back, you do not have the right to walk in the middle of the road; rather, it is necessary for you to walk on one side.” As a result of this instruction, women began walking so close to the wall that their clothes would sometimes get caught in it. This also indicates that the mixing and crowding of men and women are prohibited. Therefore, women should walk in such a manner that they do not intermingle with men, and they should remain silent while walking.
The modesty of a pious Muslim woman demands that she remains silent while walking, so as not to attract the attention of men with her words, which could become a source of temptation for them. Sadly, it must be said that nowadays, Muslim women often engage in conversations and gossip while walking, leading to numerous issues due to such immodest behavior.
All these Ahadith and details make it clear how much Allah Almighty loves and values the concept of hijab for women. Therefore, when a woman needs to leave her home, she should do so with complete hijab. Moreover, she should avoid wearing a burqa that does not fulfill the purpose of modesty and draws attention from men. Just as going out without hijab is highly disliked by Allah Almighty, wearing a tight or fancy burqa is also highly disliked by Him. By following these etiquettes and commandments, women can protect their modesty and honor, and also gain the pleasure of Allah Almighty.
