Men and women are a divine bounty for each other and as such must be cherished as a means of fulfilment and of winning the pleasure of God. He Who has created both knows well their weaknesses and their strength and He has, of His Grace, furnished adequate guidance both for safeguarding them against their weaknesses and fostering their strength. Mischief and ruin ensue upon the disregard of that guidance, and its strict and careful observance renders life serene and joyful.
The Holy Quran affirms:
“Assuredly, We have created man and We know well what assails his mind.” (50:17).
“We created man from a sperm-drop possessing diverse qualities, that We might try him; so We made him hearing and seeing, and We showed him the Way. He is either appreciative and follows it, or is ungrateful and rejects it.” (76:3-4).
Man’s mind receives impressions through hearing, sight and other senses, and incites him to virtue or to vice. He is, therefore, cautioned:
“Follow not that of which thou hast no knowledge; for the ear and the eye and the mind shall all be called to account.” (17:37).
Thus the restraint of the senses and constant watchfulness over them is the essence of righteousness. The Holy Prophet was commanded:
“Direct the believing men to restrain their looks and to guard their senses. That is purer for them. Surely, Allah is well aware of that which they do. Direct the believing women to restrain their looks and to guard their senses, and not to disclose any part of their beauty or their adornment, save that which is perforce apparent thereof. They should draw their head-coverings across their bosoms; and should not disclose any part of their beauty or their adornment save to their husbands or to their fathers or to the fathers of their husbands, or to their own sons or the sons of their husbands, or to their brothers or the sons of their brothers or the sons of their sisters, or to gentlewomen or to their maid- servants, or to such attendants who have no desire for women, or to such children who have no knowledge of the relationship between the sexes; nor should they strike their feet on the ground in such manner as to disclose such of their adornment as they ought not to disclose. Turn ye to Allah all together, O believers, that you may prosper.” (24:31-32).
“O ye who believe, let your attendants and those of you who have not yet attained puberty, ask leave of you at three times before coming in; before the dawn Prayer, and when you put aside your clothes at noon and after the evening Prayer. These are three periods of privacy for you. Outside of these there is no restriction on you or on them, for some of you have occasion to attend upon others. Thus does Allah expound His commandments to you. Allah is All-Knowing, Wise.” (24:59).
“When your children attain puberty they should ask leave in the same manner as their seniors. Thus does Allah expound His commandments to you. Allah is All Knowing, Wise. “(24:60).
“There is no blame on elderly women who are past the age of marriage if they lay aside their outer coverings without displaying their adornment. But it would be better for them to guard themselves. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” (24:61).
There are certain special directions for the wives of the Holy Prophet which set forth the ideal of good behaviour and should be emulated by all believing women:
“Say, O Prophet, to thy wives: If you desire the life of this world and its adornment, come then, I shall make provision for you and send you away in a handsome manner. But if you desire Allah and His Messenger and the Home of the Hereafter, then Allah has prepared for those of you who carry out their obligations fully great reward. Wives of the Prophet, the punishment of that one of you who is guilty of manifest indecency will be doubled. That is easy for Allah. But whoever of you is completely obedient to Allah and His Messenger and acts righteously, We shall double her reward, and We have prepared an honourable provision for her.” (33:29-32).
“Wives of the Prophet, if you safeguard your dignity, you are not like other women. So speak in a simple, straight-forward manner, lest he whose mind is diseased should form an ill design; and always say the good word. Stay at home and do not show off in the manner of the women of the days of ignorance; and observe Prayer and pay the Zakat, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah desires to remove from you all uncleanness, O Members of the Household, and to purify you completely. Remember that which is rehearsed in your homes of the Signs of Allah and of wisdom. Verily, Allah is the Knower of minutest things.” (33:33- 35).
The directions set out above are designed to secure the highest standards of good behaviour for men and women, and that they should comport themselves with dignity and self restraint in all situations, Sobriety, modesty and purity are to be the hall-marks of Islamic society. Free and unrestrained intermixing of the sexes is barred. A certain degree of decorum is required both of men and women. The fair sex is to be shielded against all risks of molestation; as is ordained:
“O Prophet, direct thy wives and daughters and the women of the believers that when they go out, they should pull down their outer cloaks from their heads over their faces. This will make it possible for them to be distinguished, so that they will not be molested. Allah is Most Forgiving, Ever Merciful.” (33:60).
Unrestricted and unregulated association of men and women, and the women’s decking themselves out for the set purpose of attracting men has become the bane of Western society, so that all considerations of modesty and decent deportment have been cast aside and all the old, prized values have fallen into contempt and are ridiculed. It is a matter of great concern that a section of Western oriented Muslims have not been able to resist this suicidal trend that prevails in the West. It is devoutly to be hoped that the dangers inherent in this line of thinking and conduct will soon be recognized, and the beneficence of Islamic values being appreciated will be more strictly adhered to.