Aspects of etiquette and decency in Islam (III)
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- Category: Philosofaith
- Written by M. U. Ndagi
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We remind Muslim women that it is prohibited in Islam to use artificial hair otherwise called “attachments” in order to, perhaps, look elegant or for other aesthetic reasons. The use of wig is also prohibited because, like the hair “attachments”, such is not in the known culture of Muslims. According to Islamic literature, wig is used by those who do not believe in God. The Prophet (SAW) said, “Whoever strives to look like a people becomes one of them”. However, a woman whose head does not naturally grow hair is permitted to use wig to conceal the bald head. This is because Abu Daud (RA), Tirmidhi (RA) and An-Nasai (RA) all report that the prophet (SAW) permitted one of his followers whose nose was cut off on the battle field to use artificial nose.
The abnormal style of dressing among our youths in recent times is also unbecoming. It is the practice by which young boys push down their trousers below the waist in a manner that their underwear or buttocks (or both) would be exposed. When I asked, I was told it is called “saggy”. This pattern of behavior is, like gay marriage, foreign to our religion and culture.Dressing is part of a people’s culture. Islam identifies with culture if it conforms to etiquette or decency that stems from the moral standards set by shari’ah. Traditions in the form of known practices (urf) and customs (aadaat) are recognized as secondary sources of shari’ah law by all the schools of Islamic jurisprudence. Customary rules are therefore valid in Islam as long as there is no provision on the matter in the Qur’an and Sunnah. An act would, however, be considered un-Islamic if it contradicts ethical values of a given society. It also means that such remains prohibited when it runs contrary to the provisions of shari’ah even if it were acceptable in culture.
The “saggy” trend of dressing is a deviant behavior in most African societies or more specifically (and surely) in Nigerian culture; which thus makes it un-Islamic. A deviant behavior is more or less a manifestation of some “tolerable” measure of insanity, which precludes it from being a thing of pride. So, what’s the craziness for it, in the first place? I was informed (and this could be true or false) that the “saggy” fashion (?) began among some American prisoners in protest of their incarceration. In any case, no matter how modern, advanced, seemingly sophisticated, avant-garde or attractive a fashion may appear; it deserves to be abhorred if it goes against the rules of normal behavior in human society. A thing despised by one’s culture is, as mentioned earlier, equally detested by Islam.
Closely related to this is the wearing of ear rings and the plaighting of hair by young boys. This pattern of behavior is also abnormal within the context of Nigerian culture; and therefore considered prohibited in Islam. These behavioral expressions of decadence are simply the effects of globalization. Abu Daud (RA) in the chapter dealing with dressing and Ibn Majah (RA) in the chapter dealing with marriage, both report that the Prophet (SAW) said, “The messenger of Allah curses any man who wears dresses that are customarily made for women; and he (the Messenger of Allah) curses any woman who puts on clothes customarily meant or designed for men”. It could be that those who manifest these abominable excesses are possibly suggesting that God made a mistake in creating them as males or females.
Islam defines the way we should look and hence states in Qur’an 24:30-31 that believing men and women should lower their gaze and guard their modesty. Our eyes must be guarded against looking at the unlawful, especially persons of opposite gender. A bold and lengthened stare by a man at a woman, married or unmarried (or even at a man), is a breach of refined manners. Women, however, must not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof. A greater amount of privacy is indeed required for women than for men, particularly in the matter of dress and the uncovering the bosom.
Qur’an 24:31 further touches on how women should walk. They are not to strike their feet in order to draw attention to the sensitive parts of their body. Women who strike their feet on the ground while walking or tinkle their ankle ornaments by swinging their arms as if they were pendulums in a new clock, do so most often for devilish motives. These are some of the tricks employed by unchaste women to draw attention (particularly of men) to themselves. Of course, a pious Muslim who guards his gaze would not notice such tricks even if the woman were to pass by his front.
On a general note, Muslims must not be arrogant in their walking steps. Allah (SWT) cautions us in Qur’an 17:37 against walking with insolence. Neither can man (with his arrogance) reach the mountains or even a one-storey building in height nor rend the earth asunder. No matter our political or economic capacities; physical or mental strengths; they are gifts from Allah (SWT). Walking superciliously or undue elation at our (political and economic) powers is the first step on the path to evils. If you think you are powerful because of a worldly position you occupy today as a ward councilor, dan-banga (thug), chairman, member, adviser, SA, SSA, commissioner, minister, governor, senator, “Mr. fix it”, etc; go and read about the story of Prophet Sulaiman (or Solomon in the Bible) who governed and reigned over strong men (and powerful women including Bilqis), Jinn, birds, ants, trees, bees, wind, and several other creatures. Yet, Sulaiman (AS) never walked with pride.
If you think you are wealthy, ask of the story of Qarun. But that may be too far. If you have not heard of rich men like Bill Gates of the United States of America (USA) or Mo Ibrahim of the Sudan, I guess you may have heard of Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga, Dahiru Mangal, or Tony Elumelu in Nigeria. With all the wealth they own, I suppose you have not heard that any of them (because of his affluence) walks with his head instead of his feet on the ground, or has stopped eating food and drinking water, or has stopped having the need to visit toilet. Therefore, let us be modest in the way we walk. Let us walk in humility and with a feeling that we are mortals. We should equally not walk too hastily or too slowly. Our serialized discourse on etiquette and decency continues next week insha Allah. May Allah (SWT) guide us to understand and practice Islam in the manner taught by Qur’an and traditions of the Prophet (SAW), amin.
Apology:
The verse quoted under eating the food offered by Christians in last week’s piece on this page should have read “Qur’an 5:5” and not “Qur’an 5:6”. The error is regretted.
Articles
Aspects of etiquette and decency in Islam (III)
Category: Philosofaith Written by M. U. Ndagi Hits: 973
We remind Muslim women that it is prohibited in Islam to use artificial hair otherwise called “attachments” in order to, perhaps, look elegant or for other aesthetic reasons. The use of wig is also prohibited because, like the hair “attachments”, such is not in the known culture of Muslims. According to Islamic literature, wig is used by those who do not believe in God. The Prophet (SAW) said, “Whoever strives to look like a people becomes one of them”. However, a woman whose head does not naturally grow hair is permitted to use wig to conceal the bald head. This is because Abu Daud (RA), Tirmidhi (RA) and An-Nasai (RA) all report that the prophet (SAW) permitted one of his followers whose nose was cut off on the battle field to use artificial nose.
The abnormal style of dressing among our youths in recent times is also unbecoming. It is the practice by which young boys push down their trousers below the waist in a manner that their underwear or buttocks (or both) would be exposed. When I asked, I was told it is called “saggy”. This pattern of behavior is, like gay marriage, foreign to our religion and culture.Dressing is part of a people’s culture. Islam identifies with culture if it conforms to etiquette or decency that stems from the moral standards set by shari’ah. Traditions in the form of known practices (urf) and customs (aadaat) are recognized as secondary sources of shari’ah law by all the schools of Islamic jurisprudence. Customary rules are therefore valid in Islam as long as there is no provision on the matter in the Qur’an and Sunnah. An act would, however, be considered un-Islamic if it contradicts ethical values of a given society. It also means that such remains prohibited when it runs contrary to the provisions of shari’ah even if it were acceptable in culture.
The “saggy” trend of dressing is a deviant behavior in most African societies or more specifically (and surely) in Nigerian culture; which thus makes it un-Islamic. A deviant behavior is more or less a manifestation of some “tolerable” measure of insanity, which precludes it from being a thing of pride. So, what’s the craziness for it, in the first place? I was informed (and this could be true or false) that the “saggy” fashion (?) began among some American prisoners in protest of their incarceration. In any case, no matter how modern, advanced, seemingly sophisticated, avant-garde or attractive a fashion may appear; it deserves to be abhorred if it goes against the rules of normal behavior in human society. A thing despised by one’s culture is, as mentioned earlier, equally detested by Islam.
Closely related to this is the wearing of ear rings and the plaighting of hair by young boys. This pattern of behavior is also abnormal within the context of Nigerian culture; and therefore considered prohibited in Islam. These behavioral expressions of decadence are simply the effects of globalization. Abu Daud (RA) in the chapter dealing with dressing and Ibn Majah (RA) in the chapter dealing with marriage, both report that the Prophet (SAW) said, “The messenger of Allah curses any man who wears dresses that are customarily made for women; and he (the Messenger of Allah) curses any woman who puts on clothes customarily meant or designed for men”. It could be that those who manifest these abominable excesses are possibly suggesting that God made a mistake in creating them as males or females.
Islam defines the way we should look and hence states in Qur’an 24:30-31 that believing men and women should lower their gaze and guard their modesty. Our eyes must be guarded against looking at the unlawful, especially persons of opposite gender. A bold and lengthened stare by a man at a woman, married or unmarried (or even at a man), is a breach of refined manners. Women, however, must not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof. A greater amount of privacy is indeed required for women than for men, particularly in the matter of dress and the uncovering the bosom.
Qur’an 24:31 further touches on how women should walk. They are not to strike their feet in order to draw attention to the sensitive parts of their body. Women who strike their feet on the ground while walking or tinkle their ankle ornaments by swinging their arms as if they were pendulums in a new clock, do so most often for devilish motives. These are some of the tricks employed by unchaste women to draw attention (particularly of men) to themselves. Of course, a pious Muslim who guards his gaze would not notice such tricks even if the woman were to pass by his front.
On a general note, Muslims must not be arrogant in their walking steps. Allah (SWT) cautions us in Qur’an 17:37 against walking with insolence. Neither can man (with his arrogance) reach the mountains or even a one-storey building in height nor rend the earth asunder. No matter our political or economic capacities; physical or mental strengths; they are gifts from Allah (SWT). Walking superciliously or undue elation at our (political and economic) powers is the first step on the path to evils. If you think you are powerful because of a worldly position you occupy today as a ward councilor, dan-banga (thug), chairman, member, adviser, SA, SSA, commissioner, minister, governor, senator, “Mr. fix it”, etc; go and read about the story of Prophet Sulaiman (or Solomon in the Bible) who governed and reigned over strong men (and powerful women including Bilqis), Jinn, birds, ants, trees, bees, wind, and several other creatures. Yet, Sulaiman (AS) never walked with pride.
If you think you are wealthy, ask of the story of Qarun. But that may be too far. If you have not heard of rich men like Bill Gates of the United States of America (USA) or Mo Ibrahim of the Sudan, I guess you may have heard of Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga, Dahiru Mangal, or Tony Elumelu in Nigeria. With all the wealth they own, I suppose you have not heard that any of them (because of his affluence) walks with his head instead of his feet on the ground, or has stopped eating food and drinking water, or has stopped having the need to visit toilet. Therefore, let us be modest in the way we walk. Let us walk in humility and with a feeling that we are mortals. We should equally not walk too hastily or too slowly. Our serialized discourse on etiquette and decency continues next week insha Allah. May Allah (SWT) guide us to understand and practice Islam in the manner taught by Qur’an and traditions of the Prophet (SAW), amin.
Apology:
The verse quoted under eating the food offered by Christians in last week’s piece on this page should have read “Qur’an 5:5” and not “Qur’an 5:6”. The error is regretted.