Hijab

When speaking of faith, it is important to distinguish between matters that exist on the periphery and those that strike at ultimate purpose of the path. The Arabic word iman is usually translated as ‘faith’, but contains the idea of ‘security’, indicating that iman is the prism through which humans must interpret the universe in order to attain inner security, and by extension, tranquility. The goal of the path, as the Holy Prophet indicated, is to see Truth as Truth, and act accordingly. This means that the path is the journey towards bearing witness to the Majesty of the Divinely-Designed Tapestry that is our existence. This is achieved by surrendering to His Will, safe in the knowledge that if interpreted accurately, every incident, every moment, and every experience contains the capacity to facilitate recognition of Reality. The recognition of this Truth led Ibn Al Qayyim (Allah be well pleased with him) to say:

Had Allah lifted the veil for his slave, and shown him how He handles affairs for him, and how Allah is more keen to benefit the slave than he is himself, his heart would have melted out of the love for Allah, and he would have been torn to pieces out of thankfulness.

The Islamic spiritual orders approach the objective of the path in varying manners. Some begin at the periphery, viewing the exoteric fruits of faith as the starting point, and employing them as a vehicle to lead one towards the inner security outlined above. Other paths begin with the heart, and stress the significance of reconfiguring one’s interpretation of the universe. Through spiritual practices, the wayfarer is encouraged to move away from belief in the arbitrary organisation of events, towards the recognition of the Divine Shadow that is cast over all happenings, even those which initially leave a bitter taste in the mouth. The second path is the way of my teachers.

Islamic jurisprudence is a vehicle by which one approaches the Lord. That which He has forbidden is inherently toxic, and intentionally contradicting His Legislation hinders one’s progression towards clarity. The consumption of alcohol obstructs the capacity to witness Truth as Truth, perhaps due to the resulting intoxication, but ultimately because of the Divine Instruction to steer clear of it. He is the Creator of humanity, the path, the universe, and everything, and so He is best placed to act as our guide towards Reality. Hence, although jurisprudence is in many ways a sterile, somewhat dusty science, the ‘restrictions’ it places on our lives exist only to permit liberation from inaccurate perception. If He has legislated it, it can benefit us on the path. I have only witnessed a handful of traditional legal scholars who have permitted women not to wear the hijab, and then only under severe duress. Hence, donning the hijab is an act that can facilitate awakening.

However, one must carefully consider the direction in which one exerts one’s energy. The mature individual acknowledges that Islam is a Divinely-Ordained path to human perfection, the objective of which is to witness His Majesty in all matters. It is insulting to our noble ancestors to reduce this path to a cultural identity, and believing that by covering the hair with a scarf one has attained the purpose of the path is frankly infantile. There is wisdom in all matters. For some, the battle to wear the hijab may be the starting point on their path, perhaps the first point of engagement with the ego. Those for whom the preceding sentence describes their own experience, I convey my sincerest respect and admiration. However, my teachers begin with the heart. For the awakened one, the outer form reflects her inner reality. However, it is better to be the possessor of the inner reality without the outer form than vice-versa. Hence, rather than becoming preoccupied with the hijab, one should work to amend one’s perspective by engaging in the obligatory spiritual practices associated with the path (ritual prayer, dhikr, Qur’anic recitation, and meditation), and permit them to transform one’s perception of the universe. Once the hole in the heart (called insecurity) is filled by iman, and the efficacy of the path becomes evident, the now nourished roots will begin to bear fruit.

And for every rule, there are exceptions.

And He Knows Best.