Messenger "Mohammad" (peace be upon him) in Bible

When i surfed the web , i saw a good article about our Messenger "Mohammad" (peace be upon him) in Bible written by Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir . let's share with you a brief of it :

These are just a few of the many prophecies found in the Bible about the advent of that great prophet who was going to lead the world into all truth.
Muhammad was going to be, in the words of Solomon, "altogether lovely" which in Hebrew is expressed as Mahmaddim. (Song of Solomon 5: 10-16) He was the fulfillment of the "stone" of Daniel's dream. (Daniel 2:34-35) He was the coming of the lord of the vineyard himself as foretold by Jesus.
True, there are some prophecies about Jesus as well in the Old Testament but it is also a fact that there are many which cannot rightly be applied to him. These could be fulfilled in the person of the one who was coming with a Law and whose mission was to be not just to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" but to the whole world, one who was spoken of by Jesus as the Comforter and Spirit of Truth. The predictions about Muhammad in the Bible are clear and precise.
The door to the Kingdom of Heaven has been opened by the fulfillment of these prophecies. Blessed are those who accept the call of the Lord of Heaven and Earth to enter His Kingdom and receive His communion.
And our last observation is that all praise is due to God, the Sustainer of the Universe.

Is Hijab a obligation or a choice?

let us first define some Arabic terms related to your question: Islam, hijab, and khimar. Arabic Words Have Many Meanings Arabic is a language very rich in shades of meaning for every word; translations often fail to do justice to Arabic verses for lack of appropriate vocabulary.






Consequently, it is necessary, when addressing controversial issues, to look closely at the meaning of the Arabic words used in the original context. Let’s start from the meaning of the name of this religion: Islam. Meaning of the Arabic Word Islam and How Muslims Regard Islamic Rules Islam means total submission to Allah—in mind, heart, body, and soul—total acceptance of His laws and rules without doubts or arguments, total obedience to Him and His Messenger, and total refusal of shirk (associating anyone with Allah) in all its forms. The Qur’an states what means:
*{It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed into a plain error}* (Al-Ahzab 33:36).Muslims should not argue the commands, rules, or laws of Allah and His Prophet (peace be upon him). They do not need proof from Allah for everything He asks of them. Their obedience is the mark of their true faith. In addition, Islam is a complete way of life that should be wholly adhered to by its followers. Thus, Muslims are not supposed to worship selectively, picking out whatever rules or rituals appeal to them and leaving the rest. Denying a basic Islamic rule or ritual is a serious sin. Meaning of the Arabic Word Hijab Hijab in Arabic means “barrier” or “screen” and thus it appears in various Qur’anic verses, referring to many things besides the woman’s head cover. For example: Allah Almighty says in the Qur’an that He only talks to humans from behind a hijab. The Qur’an says what means:
*{It is not given to any human being that Allah should speak to him unless [it be] by revelation, or from behind a veil}* (Ash-Shura 42:51).The Virgin Mary worshipped behind a hijab:
*{She placed a screen [to screen herself] from them}* (Maryam 19:17).And, on Judgment Day there will be a hijab between the residents of Paradise and the residents of Hell:
*{And between them will be a [barrier] screen}* (Al-A`raf 7:51).In all these verses, the Arabic word hijab was used to mean different things. In this light, let’s ponder the logic of hijab. The Qur’an teaches us to look around us with open eyes and minds, to think, rationalize, and reach logical conclusions. If we look at the universe, from the tiny atom to the huge celestial bodies, don’t we see how everything important or precious is protected and concealed with a cover? Think of the skin to the human body, the womb to the baby, the plasma wall to the cell, the bark to the tree trunks, the shell to the egg, even the entire planet we live on is enjoying the protection of a “hijab”—which we call the atmosphere—against the dangers of asteroids and harmful cosmic rays. Think how other planets—Mars for example— deprived of their “hijab” have suffered much harm. Meaning of the Word Khimar in Arabic The Arabic word khimar means “top-cover” and it also applies to many things besides women’s head covers. For example, it applies to the top covering a pot or jar, to any head cover worn by people even men. Notably, that’s where liquor and narcotics got their Arabic name khamr because they “cover” the reasoning when a person is intoxicated. Khimar is the word used to prescribe the head cover of Muslim women in the verse you referred to. The Qur’an says what means:
*{And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons...}* (An-Nur 24:31).The meaning apparent to the Arabic reader is that in the presence of men who are not mahrams to a Muslim women, she should wear a head cover that extends long enough to cover the bosom, not that only the bosom is covered. Another verse in Surat Al-Ahzab clarifies this further. The Qur’an says what means:
*{O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women that they should cast their outer garments over their persons [when abroad]; that is most convenient, that they should be known [as such] and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful}* (Al-Ahzab 33:59).The Arabic word used here to indicate the cover is the plural of jilbab. Ibn Taymiyyah stated in Majmu` Al-Fatawa 22:110-111: “The jilbab is a cover which is large enough to cover the woman’s head and the rest of her body hanging from the top of her head.” Further, the Qur’an instructs the Prophet’s Companions in words that mean:
*{And when you ask [the Prophet’s wives] for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen}* (Al-Ahzab 33:53).The meaning of hijab in this verse is any object that conceals a woman such as a wall, a door, or clothes. The ruling of the verse, even though it was revealed concerning the wives of the Prophet (peace be upon him), generally encompasses all Muslim women. This is because the wisdom behind the ruling is specified in the remainder of the verse. It says what means:
*{that makes for greater purity for your hearts and theirs}* (Al-Ahzab 33:53).This wisdom is general among all men and women. Therefore the generality of the wisdom also indicates the general application of the rule as apparent in surah 33, verse 59 above. Islam uplifted women, gave them equality, and expects them to maintain their status. The status of women in Islam is often the target of attacks in the secular media. The hijab or the Islamic dress is cited by many as an example of the “subjugation” of women under Islamic law. Yet, the truth is that 1400 years ago, Islam recognized women’s rights in a way that grants them the utmost protection and respect as well, a combination other systems fail to offer. Islam granted them freedom of expression, political participation, business and financial rights, and asked the rest of society to hold them in high esteem and offer them due respect as mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters. In the Qur’an, Allah Almighty first mentions lowering the gaze for men before lowering the gaze and wearing hijab for women. The Qur’an teaches us what means:
*{Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do}* (An-Nur 24:30).The moment a man looks at a woman with any brazen or unashamed thought in mind, he should lower his gaze. The next verse of Surat An-Nur is the one commanding believing women to wear the hijab. Islam expects women to maintain their status by following Allah’s rules designed for their advantage. Hijab is one such rule. Six Criteria for Hijab According to the Qur’an and Sunnah, there are basically six criteria for observing hijab: 1. It is obligatory for males to cover at least from the navel to the knees. For women, it is obligatory to cover the complete body except the face and the hands up to the wrist. If they wish to, they can cover even these parts of the body. Some scholars insist that the face and the hands are part of the obligatory extent of hijab, especially if temptation (fitna) is feared in times and places where Islamic rules are not prevalent or if security is scarce. All the remaining five criteria are the same for men and women: 2. The clothes should be loose and should not reveal the figure. 3. The clothes should not be transparent or see-through. 4. The clothes should not be so glamorous as to attract attention. 5. The clothes should not resemble those of the opposite sex. 6. The clothes should not resemble those of the unbelievers, that is, clothes that identify or are symbols of the unbelievers’ religions. Hijab Includes Conduct Complete hijab, besides the six criteria of clothing, also includes the moral conduct, behavior, attitude, and intention of the individual. A person only fulfilling the criteria of hijab of the clothes is observing hijab in a limited sense. Hijab of the clothes should be accompanied by hijab of the eyes, the heart, the thought, and the intention. It also includes the way a person walks, talks, and behaves. Therefore, the hypocritical use of hijab is not a good example of Muslim conduct. Hijab Prevents Molestation The Qur’an says that hijab enables women to be recognized as modest women and this will also protect them from being molested. Suppose there is a hooligan who is waiting to tease a girl. Whom will he tease? a girl wearing hijab, or one wearing a mini skirt or shorts? Hijab does not degrade a woman but uplifts a woman and protects her modesty and chastity. Lifting the Veil Will Not Uplift Women Woman’s liberalization mostly disguises exploitation of her body, degradation of her soul, and deprivation of her honor. Non-Muslim societies claim to have uplifted women via allowing them to expose their bodies, but on the contrary, this has actually degraded them to mere tools in the hands of pleasure seekers and sex marketers, hidden behind the colorful screen of “art” and “culture.” Muslim women should be well aware of these facts. They should be aware that hijab protects them from evil glances and evil desires of those who are sick in the heart, as described in the Qur’an. Muslim women must adhere to Allah’s rules and not be persuaded or tempted by the media that opposes hijab or belittles its significance, as those who spread these ideas only desire evil for her. The Qur’an warns by saying what means:
*{But the wish of those who follow their lusts is that you should deviate away [from the right path], -far, far away}* (An-Nisaa’ 4:27).I hope this answers your question and satisfies your inquiries. Thank you and please keep in touch.

EQUAL STATUS OF THE GENDER IN QURANIC SOCIETY

The first of these characteristics of a Qur'anic society which affect women is that both sexes are held to be equal in status and worth. In other words, the Qur'an teaches us that women and men are all creatures of Allah, existing on a level of equal worth and value, although their equal importance does not substantiate a claim for their equivalence or perfect identity. This equality of male and female is documentable in the Qur'an in passages pertaining to at least four aspects of human existence and interaction.

A. Religious Matters The first of these Qur'anic confirmations of male-female equality are contained in statements pertaining to such religious matters as the origins of humanity, or to religious obligations and rewards.

1. Origins of Humanity. The Qur'an is devoid of the stories found in the Old Testament which denigrate women. There is no hint that the first woman created by God is a creature of lesser worth than the first male, or that she is a kind of appendage formed from one of his ribs. Instead, male and female are created, we read, min nafsin wahidatin ("from a single soul or self") to complement each other (Qur'an 4:1; 7:189). Whereas the Torah or Old Testament treats Eve as the temptress of the Garden of Eden, who aids Satan in enticing Adam to disobey God, the Qur'an deals with the pair with perfect equity. Both are equally guilty of sinning; both are equally punished by God with expulsion from the Garden; and both are equally forgiven when they repent.

2. Religious Obligations and Rewards. The Qur'an is not less clear in commanding equality for men and women in its directives regarding religious obligations and rewards. We read:

B. Ethical Obligations and Rewards Secondly, the Qur'an reveals to mankind the desired equality of the two sexes by establishing the same ethical obligations and rewards for women and men.
If Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala had not deemed the two sexes of equal status and value, such explicit statements of their equality in ethical obligations and rewards would not have been made in the Qur'an.
C. Education Although the more specific commands for the equal rights of women and men to pursue education can be found in the hadith literature, the Qur'an does at least imply the pursuit of knowledge by all Muslims regardless of their sex. For example, it repeatedly commands all readers to read, to recite, to think, to contemplate, as well as to learn from the signs (ayat) of Allah in nature. In fact, the very first revelation to Prophet Muhammad (S) was concerned with knowledge. In a Qur'anic society, there can never be a restriction of this knowledge to one sex. It is the duty of every Muslim and every Muslimah to pursue knowledge throughout life, even if it should lead the seeker to China, we are told. The Prophet (S) even commanded that the slave girls be educated, and he asked Shifa' bint 'Abdillah to instruct his wife Hafsah bint 'Umar. Lectures of the Prophet (S) were attended by audiences of both men and women; and by the time of the Prophet's death, there were many women scholars.

D. Legal Rights
A fourth evidence in the Qur'an for the equality of men and women is its specification of legal rights which are guaranteed for every individual from cradle to grave. Unlike the situation in the West, where until the last century it was impossible for a married woman to hold property on her own, to contract with other persons, or to dispose of her property without the consent of her husband, the Qur'an proclaims the right of every woman to buy and sell, to contract and to earn, and to hold and manage her own money and property. In addition to these rights, the Qur'an grants woman a share in the inheritance of the family (4:7-11), warns against depriving her of that inheritance (4:19), specifies that the dower (mahr) of her marriage should belong to her alone and never be taken by her husband (2:229; 4:19-21,25) unless offered by the woman as a free gift (4:44).

As with any privilege, these rights of women carry corresponding responsibilities. If she commits a civil offence, the Qur'an tells us, woman's penalty is no less or no more than that of a man in a similar case (5:41; 24:2). If she is wronged or harmed, she is entitled to compensation just like a man.

It is clear that the Qur'an not only recommends, but is even insistent upon, the equality of women and men as an essential characteristic of a Qur'anic society. The claim of the non-Muslim critics that Islam denigrates women is denied emphatically by the Qur'an. Similarly denied are the arguments of certain Muslims that women are religiously, intellectually and ethically inferior to men, as Jewish and Christian literatures had earlier maintained.

Islamic Masques

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the state of discipline in islam

Not only that discipline is a secret of the success of great men, our universe also stands on the same foundation. If the solar system is working regularly, if the stars are revolving around the sun systematically and if there is no flaw function for millenniums it is only due to the fact that the solar system is based on order.

Order is found in everything around us from the largest bodies of the universe to the minutest thing called “atom”. Everything in this world is made up of tiny atoms. A wonderful discipline is in action and it is seen in each and every movement of the universe. There are tiny atoms in every system.

Every atom has its own center, which is called ‘proton’. Many ’electrons’ move round the center like stars and moons. In the words of a great Muslim scholar: “If you tear up the heart of every atom you will find its sun in its center.”

The universe is the best guide for all of us. We should learn about life and the causes and reasons of its stability and success from it. This universe tells that: “The secret of my survival is the regularity and orderliness which my Creator has ingrained in me.”

If the educational system of any country becomes chaotic, if the trade and economy of any nation is disturbed, if the balance of supply and demand is upset, if the law and order of any country turns corrupt, if the army gets out of control the end of that nation becomes certain.

When Imam Ali (pbuh), Commander of the Faithful, was fatally injured by the sword of Ibne Muljim, the first bequest uttered by him to his sons, after advising them to refrain from Allah’s (S.W.T) disobedience, was regarding this orderliness in every affair: “I advise you to refrain from disobeying Allah (S.W.T) and to abide by law and order and regularity in life.”

One of the ways of orderliness is to divide our daily time according to our needs. Doing every necessary work in its proper time is life. We should further this foundation of life. We must refrain from disorderliness and indiscipline because irregularity ends propriety and destroys our talent and competence.

The leader of the God-fearing people, Imam Ali (pbuh) says, “A Muslim must divide his time into three parts.

One part should be reserved for Allah’s (S.W.T) worship, one for earning livelihood and the third for attending to the demands of the body which cannot be ignored.”

If there was no orderliness or discipline in our past can we benefit from such orderliness in the remaining years of our life?

“Certainly, we can …” because the three stages of our life, childhood, youth and old age are like three compartments of a ship which can be separated from one another by pressing a button. If a compartment is damaged it can be separated from the rest.

Only he is successful who can, using his wisdom, separate different compartments of his life and deal whit them separately.

It is pitiable that man, instead of gaining from the present opportunities, should remain sorrowful for his past, thus wasting the time available to him and become careless about brining order in the forthcoming time.

A competent minister was carrying out his administrative duties with the help of his assistants.

When asked as to how he was arranging his affairs he replied, “I never postpone today’s work for tomorrow. In my view it is not correct to delay anything”.

We see signs in offices and workshops saying: Time is Gold. It surprises me because the value of time becomes more than gold if everything is done in time.

Hijab

According to Ancient civilizations, Head covering or Hijab used to be part of their customs. This custom can be found both in Ancient Iran, Jew and Hindus.
According to a famous American Historian Will Durant:
“If a Jew lady lacks in following the rules like for example she would go without covering her head in street or in front of other men, or even her voice get heard by other men or neighbours. In this case her husband has the right to divorce her without giving her dowry.”From above text it is apparent that the head covering rules in Jew was rather HARD comparing to that of Islam.
Will Durant further refers to the ancient Persian Civilization, Volume 1 History of Civilization pg 552:“After Daruish the status of woman particularly women from high social background, decline in their freedom came into existence. The women from lower social background somehow could manage to keep their freedom. This was mainly because they had to leave their homes to be in society to earn money and to survive. But women in other economical or financial level were not allowed to leave their homes while in the state of menstrual.”These types of customs took continuation and becoame more and tougher for women. The women from high social background couldn’t dare to go out except in the stretcher (special carrier made out of wood, with four men, each man holding one side of the stretcher) which was totally covered from all four sides with curtains. The women didn’t have even the permission to openly talk to any man. Ladies who were married were not allowed to see any man, even their own father and brothersWhether the concept of Head covering or Hijab is purely coming from Islam Prospective?Will Durant Further states: The Hijab during Ancient Persian times brought the concept of Hijab to Arab world and in particularly in Muslim nation.
We know that Hijab in Islam has nothing to do with the customs and rules of Hijab during Ancient Persian or in Jew. In Islam woman is only not allowed to do her obligatory prayers and fasting and she is not allowed to sleep with her legal partner during the time of her menstrual. Other than this she is completely free to go out in the society or associate with public. The concept of “prison yourself at home” during menstrual time doesn’t exist in Islam at all.
If will Durant is trying to convince us that the whole concept of Hijab was transfer to Muslim world through other civilizations like Ancient Iran or Jew. Again such statement is wrong since Verses of Quran relating Hijab were revealed before Iranian became Muslim.
Arab society according to Will Durant:
Will Durant Explanation about an Arab woman before Islam is no doubt true, but his opinion about the end of first century and beginning of the second century after Islam is doubtful. He talks as if during prophet time there wasn’t a smallest concept of Hijab in Arab and an Arab woman would freely go around with no Hijab or head covering. The History proof this is wrong to us, Islam did brought a lot of changes to the dress code of a woman. Most of Arab ladies used to dress according to the Islamic dress code as explained in the Quranic verses. This fact can be verified by the tradition of Prophet’s Wife like Ayesha.

In one of the writing by Jawahir Lal Nehru the first minister of India, also believed that emergence of Hijab in an Arab nation is from other non Muslim civilization like Iran and Rome. In his book “A look into the history of world” Vol1 pg 328: after praising the Islamic civilization, He talks about the afterward changes in Islam by other civilization.

“One big change that slowly took place in Arab society was in woman sect. In Arabia for woman there was no custom of head covering or Hijab. Arab women wouldn’t be separated in society from men. Rather an Arab woman would have public appearance, attend speeches etc. Arab nation after Islam copied different customs from empire like ancient Iran and Rome. Arab conquered empire Rome and Iran but adopt their customs and etiquettes. Therefore the custom of Hijab has come from other civilizations.”What Jawahir says doesn’t match with history of Islam. We can say that the relationship between Arab Muslim and Non Arab Muslim did add some different types of customs in practising Hijab or made it more strict comparing to Prophet Mohammad time, but saying that Hijab was a concept totally introduce in Islamic world by other civilizations, is incorrect.
Conclusion:
At the end what is apparent is that Hijab as a custom and practice was present in other civilisations. Islam didn’t bring this concept of Hijab as a whole new practice. Islam did make the concept of Hijab easier and took the harsh law which used to be practice by other culture and traditions. For example customs like: woman not associating with man in society, woman get prisoner at homes while in the state of menstrual, women voice couldn’t be heard by any man, woman not allowed even to see their own brothers and father and many more.
Of course we can prove this by the history, Prophet Mohammad daughter like Hazrat Fatima and granddaughter Like Hazrat Zainab had gone in front of public and had given hard speeches to the ruler of that time.
The question which arise here is about the in depth philosophy of Hijab. The philosophy and reasons of Hijab in Islam is same as the philosophy in other ancient civilization. We shall discuss in the later articles.

source:Tebyan.net

The story of one new muslim

let's to present a biography of a new Muslim .

(The photo is symbolic)

I am a Muslimah living in my home-town of Dayton, Ohio where I have lived most of my life. I became interested in Islam during a stint as a travel nurse in Baltimore, MD where I had a Muslim tennis partner. I learned most of my information about Islam on the internet and met many interesting people on-line, including my darling husband of 3 years now.
They say that hind site is 20-20, and I would tend to agree. Early in my college career I taught teenage Sunday school classes at my Methodist church. My teaching style was a bit different because I preferred group discussions to actual lectures and this seemed to work well. This also helped me to avoid any cognitive dissonance with the Jesus as Son of God idea which even then made no sense to me. I guess I was at that church because that's all I knew, even though my parents didn't really push religion on my brother and I as children. Then there came an art history class I took in which I did a special paper for the final on the historical image of Jesus in art throughout history. What I learned was that the current, blonde haired blue eyed, Jesus that we envision today is really the projection of one particular German painter named Peter Paul Rubins. This man believed that we each have god-like qualities and are a part of god therefore he had ever right to project his personal image as that of Jesus. Later I took another class called Understanding the Bible which took a look at the development of the Bible in history in a non-religious context. What I learned from this class was that it was a human decision as to what was included in Biblical text not divine and therefore subject to error. Also that there was no real way to trace the texts to the original source or author.
My early encounter with Islam addressed each of my problems with organized Christian religion. Jesus was a prophet and was immaculately conceived child. Prophets were all good and respectable people...not like some of the Bible stories portray them. In fact all the well known Christian figures have a place in Islam. The Quran is straight from God, and there is a clear difference between the Sunnah and the holy book. Even the intense materialistic tendencies in society were addressed. Thus Islam helped me realize there is one true religion that encompasses all the aspects of daily life. I particularly am fond of the role of women in Islam because we hold an honored place if we choose to live appropriately.
Writed by : Judy Sabyrah Atlagh

Zainab ; the symbol of patient woman in Karbala Revolution

From Karbala throughout times To keep Islam alive Humanity sings peace and joy at once To everyone who seems still in love.To see the trees of truth bloom and the world be rid of gloom, If there is one thing the entire universe shares It is the life of Zainab to read and care.Dreams and hopes will come true When Zainab and her goals are understood. Inside us is the warmth of Allah"s love when we think of Zainab "The patient princess" That is why the Ahlul-Bait of Rasulallah Are the light of saviors here and after this life.The history of Karbala is based on two pillars: The rising of Imam al-Hussein (a.s) and the rising of Zaynab (a.s). She was an outstanding figure in the history of Karbala endowed with divine steadfastness and fortitude. She sacrificed her two sons ‘Aun and Muhammad while fighting against despotism and upholding the importance of justice, freedom, humanity and virtues in human society. After the martyrdom of her beloved brother and her two sons, she knelt down before the Master of the Universe, on the soil of Karbala and said, “O my Lord! Accept our humble sacrifice to You”.

After the demise of the Holy Prophet (saww), there came the period of distress and hardship in the life of Zaynab (a.s). She stood by her mother as far as the question of supreme mandate of her father was concerned. When her mother delivered the Fadak sermon, she was only 4 years old, but narrated the sermon so lucidly and expressively that the people of Banu Hashim remembered it by heart. Later, the Shiite scholars recorded it and that is why She is known as Zaynab, the narrator of traditions. After the martyrdom of her mother, Zaynab (a.s) suffered many calamities. She saw the evildoers, oppressors, insurgents and breakers of covenants defy the truth during the reign of her father. Finally, Imam Ali (a.s) was struck with a sword on his head in the mosque of Kufa, which took his life. Then she saw her brother al-Hasan (a.s) being forced to sign a peace treaty and eventually poisoned by his treacherous wife by the order of Mu’awiyah. After al-Hasan (a.s), al-Husayn (a.s) became the Imam, but the ruler of Syria violated the peace treaty and appointed his son Yazeed as his successor who insisted Imam al-Husayn (a.s) to swear an oath of allegiance to him. When Imam (a.s) refused, this led to the tragedy of Karbala where Imam al-Hussein (a.s) together with the members of his family and companions was brutally killed. His womenfolk and children were taken as captives and paraded on the streets of Kufa and Damascus and finally imprisoned for a year. Zaynab (a.s) was part of this episode and all the time endured the hardships and difficulties. More so, she vowed to continue with the mission of her brother and spoke eloquently against the despotic regime of Yazeed wherever she found an opportunity to address the Muslims.


HER SERMON IN KUFA
When Zaynab (a.s) reached Kufa, she addressed people with fury words:


“Praise to Allah, and may the blessing of Allah be upon Muhammad and his progeny. O people of Kufa! You are hypocrites and deceitful. You feign to be sorry for the death of my brother and his companions. May you always shed tears. I find nothing in you but flattery, evil acts and thoughts, pride and spite and ill will. By Allah! You deserve lasting sorrow instead of joy. Shame on you, your hands is imbrued with the blood of the son of the Holy Prophet, the one who was your sole refuge in case of adversity. By your evil act and disloyalty, you incurred the wrath of Allah against you. Woe betides you! No one will intercede with Allah for you”.


Her furious words provoked people of Kufa to avenge Imam al-Hussein (a.s)’s martyrdom, which frightened Ibn Ziyad and his cruel agents. She also delivered a furious sermon in the court of Yazeed that made his authority and despotic rule feel undermined. She said: “I fear no one but Allah. Make whatever evil plot you can. Blazes are waiting for you in the hereafter. You will be accountable to Allah for your atrocities”.

Women’s sameness in islamic society

Now let us consider the second basic characteristic of the Quranic society which affects the position of women. This is found in the directives for a dual sex rather than a unisex society. While maintaining the validity of the equal worth of men and women, the Qur’an does not judge this equality to mean equivalence or identity of the sexes.
Probably all of you are familiar with the contemporary move toward unisex clothes and shoes, unisex jewellery and hair styles, unisex actions and entertainments. In fact, it is often difficult in America to decide whether one is looking at a boy or a girl. This results from the current notion in Western society that there is little if any difference between the two sexes in physical, intellectual and emotional endowment; and that, therefore, there should be no difference in their functions and roles in society. The dress and the actions are but superficial evidence of this deeper conviction. Accompanied by a downgrading of the qualities and roles traditionally associated with the female sex, this current idea has generated a unisex society in which only the male role is respected and pursued. Although meant to bring a larger measure of equality for women, the idea that men and women are not only equal, but equivalent and identical, has actually pushed women into imitating men and even despising their womanhood. Thus it is generating a new type of male chauvinism. Tremendous social pressures have resulted in stripping women of their role-responsibilities formerly performed by them, and they are forced to live a life devoid of personality and individuality.
The society based on the Qur’an is, in contrast, a dual-sex society in which both sexes are assigned their special responsibilities. This assures the healthy functioning of the society for the benefit of all its members. This division of labour imposes on men more economic responsibilities (2:233, 240-241; 4:34), while women are expected to play their role in childbearing and rearing (2:233; 7:189). The Qur’an, recognising the importance of this complementary sexual assignment of roles and responsibilities, alleviates the greater economic demands made on male members of the population by allotting them a larger share than women in inheritance. At the same time it grants women the right to maintenance in exchange for her contribution to the physical and emotional well being of the family and to the care she provides in the rearing of children. The unisex ideology generates a competitive relationship between the sexes which we find in America and which is disastrous for all members of society: the young; the old; the children; the parents; the single and the married; the male and the female. The dual-sex society, by contrast, is a more natural answer to the question of sexual relationships, a plan encouraging co-operation rather than competition between the sexes. It is a plan which has been found suitable in countless societies through history. Only in very recent times did the idea of sexual non-differentiation or identity achieve prominence, and then primarily in the Western society. Even the medical evidence for mental or emotional difference between the sexes is suppressed in Western research, for it threatens the prevailing trends of thought. How long this socially disastrous movement will continue before it is rejected as bankrupt is not known. But certainly we as Muslims should be aware of its deficiencies and dangerous consequences, and make our societies and young people aware of the disaster caused by it.
Protagonists of the unisex society have condemned the dual-sex human organization as dangerous for the well-being of women. If dual sex means that one sex is superior to the other, such a situation could have arisen. But in the true Quranic society, toward which we all aspire to move, this is not possible. As we have seen above, the Qur’an advocates eloquently the equal status of women and men at the same time as it recognizes their generally relevant differences of nature and function. Thus while acknowledging the religious, ethical, intellectual and legal equality of males and females; the Qur’an never regards the two sexes as identical or equivalent. It justifies this stand in its assignment of variant responsibilities and its provisions regarding inheritance and maintenance which match those responsibilities.

Pope Benedict Still Unknown to Many Americans

Two weeks before his first visit to the United States as spiritual leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI continues to be viewed favorably by a majority (52%) of Americans, which is virtually unchanged from August 2007 (50%). However, the pope remains unfamiliar to a relatively large number of Americans: Three-in-ten say they do not know enough about Pope Benedict to offer an opinion, which also has not changed much since last summer (32%).

Among American Catholics, the pope is, not surprisingly, better known and viewed more favorably than among the general public. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of Catholics in the United States view their religious leader positively, which also has not changed since August 2007.
However, the current pontiff continues to be less highly regarded than his predecessor, Pope John Paul II. Favorable opinions of Pope John Paul II consistently outnumbered unfavorable views by much wider margins than is the case for Pope Benedict XVI.
The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press and the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, conducted March 24-29 among 1,001 Americans, finds that as Pope Benedict completes his third year as spiritual leader of the world's Catholics, he gets mixed ratings for his efforts to promote good relations between the Catholic Church and other major religions.
Overall, 39% of those who have heard at least a little about the pope say he has done an excellent or good job in promoting positive relations with other faiths, but about as many (40%) say he has done only fair or poor in this regard. Overall opinions about the pope's efforts to foster good relations with other faiths are largely unchanged from last August (38% excellent/good vs. 46% only fair/poor).
Among Catholics, however, opinions of the pope's outreach efforts have improved. Nearly two-thirds of Catholics (64%) say he is doing an excellent or good job at fostering interfaith relations, up from 54% in August 2007. Among Protestants, there has been very little change in views of how the pope is doing in promoting good relations with other religions.
Views of Pope Benedict's ideology have changed somewhat since last summer. Currently, 45% of Americans view Pope Benedict XVI as conservative while 28% say he is either moderate or liberal. In August 2007, 56% said that Pope Benedict was conservative while 22% said he was moderate or liberal.
John Paul II Better Known, Better Liked
Pope Benedict XVI is considerably less well known, and less favorably viewed, than his predecessor John Paul II was in the 1980s and 1990s. Currently, 30% express no opinion about Pope Benedict XVI; just 10% offered no opinion of Pope John Paul II in May 1987, nearly a decade after he became pope.
Although Pope Benedict's overall favorability has changed little since last summer (52% overall today, compared with 50% overall in August 2007), the percentage saying they have a "very favorable" view of the pope has increased slightly (from 14% to 18%). This is largely driven by increasingly positive assessments from highly observant Catholics (those who attend church at least weekly); 49% view Pope Benedict very favorably today, compared with 39% who did so in August.
Observant Catholics See Pope Doing Well in Outreach
A substantial majority of Catholics who attend church at least weekly (78%) also say the pontiff is doing a good or excellent job promoting relations with other major religions. This is an increase of 18 points since August 2007. By comparison, the opinions of Catholics who attend less frequently have not changed over this period.
The balance of opinion among white evangelical Protestants has shifted somewhat in the opposite direction, however. White evangelical Protestants are less likely today to say the pope is doing an excellent or good job at developing good interfaith relationships (32% compared with 40% in August 2007).
Overall, 45% say Pope Benedict is conservative, down from 56% in August 2007. Although a majority of Catholics (58%) continue to say the pope is conservative, this number is considerably less than the more than two-thirds (68%) who viewed the pope this way in August 2007. An increasing number of Catholics (31% compared with 22% in August) identify the pope as moderate or liberal, and this change is seen among both highly observant and less observant Catholics.
Protestants' views have also shifted over this time period, moving both toward a more moderate view of the pope's ideological leanings and less certainty about his ideology. In August 2007, 47% of Protestants viewed Pope Benedict as conservative, compared with 34% currently. However, 35% of Protestants today are unable to characterize Pope Benedict's ideology, compared with 28% in August of last year.
Partisans Differ in Views of Pope
Opinions of the pope are, on balance, favorable among all political groups. However, significantly more Republicans (62%) than independents (50%) or Democrats (47%) view the pope favorably.
Republicans also have more positive evaluations of Pope Benedict's promotion of good relations with other religions. A plurality (46%) of Republicans evaluates him positively on this question. By contrast, Democrats are more evenly divided; 39% say he is doing an excellent or good job, compared with 38% who say he is only doing a fair or poor job. Independents are the most critical of the pope's efforts to foster relations with other religions. Only about third independents (32%) rate his interfaith efforts as excellent or good, while about half (51%) rate them as fair or poor.
About the Survey
Results for this survey are based on telephone interviews conducted under the direction of Princeton Survey Research Associates International among a nationwide sample of 1,001 adults, 18 years of age or older, from March 24-29, 2008. The following table shows the error attributable to sampling that would be expected at the 95% level of confidence for different groups in the survey:
About the Projects
This survey is a joint effort of the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press and the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Both organizations are sponsored by the Pew Charitable Trusts and are projects of the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan "fact tank" that provides information on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world.
The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life delivers timely, impartial information on issues at the intersection of religion and public affairs. The Forum is a nonpartisan organization and does not take positions on policy debates. Based in Washington, D.C., the Forum is directed by Luis Lugo.
The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press is an independent opinion research group that studies attitudes toward the press, politics and public policy issues. The Center's purpose is to serve as a forum for ideas on the media and public policy through public opinion research. In this role it serves as an important information resource for political leaders, journalists, scholars, and public interest organizations. All of the Center's current survey results are made available free of charge.
This report is a collaborative product based on the input and analysis of the following individuals:
Pew Forum on Religion & Public LifeLuis Lugo, DirectorSandra Stencel, Deputy DirectorJohn C. Green, Senior Fellow in Religion and American PoliticsGregory Smith, Research FellowDan Cox, Research AssociateAllison Pond, Research AssociateTracy Miller, Copy Editor
Pew Research Center for the People & the PressAndrew Kohut, DirectorScott Keeter, Director of Survey ResearchCarroll Doherty and Michael Dimock, Associate DirectorsKim Parker, Senior ResearcherJuliana Menasce Horowitz, Robert Suls, Shawn Neidorf, Leah Christian and Jocelyn Kiley, ResearchAssociatesKathleen Holzwart, Research AnalystJames Albrittain and Alec Tyson, Research Assistants

The Revelation Of The Glorious Quran( A Miracle to last till the End!)

Well before God's revelation marked him as a Prophet, Mohammad(p) had rejected the religion of Arabia. This religion called on the worship of several gods, and Mohammad felt that these idols were not responsible for life or creation. Questioning the religion that he was born into, Mohammad (p) found peace in reflection, meditation, and contemplation; however, these acts of private worship did not give Mohammad the answers that he was searching for. In his late thirties Mohammad began a practice of retirement, where he would seclude himself from his family and relations and spend several days in a cave on top of a mountain two miles outside of Makkah. He continued this for many years: during the month of Ramadan, Mohammad would often spend the entire month in seclusion, for some instinct must have told him that in this holiest month he would find the answers to his questions. So, it was in his fortieth year that Mohammad (p) received the revelation from God. While engaged in worship in a corner of the cave of Hira in the heart of the night, the orphan son of Abdullah who had never studied or attended a school, was suddenly shaken by the summons, "O Muhammad!" followed by the command to recite, this being the beginning of revelation. A wave arose from the limitless ocean of Divinity, rent the breast of the Prophet, bewildered and anxious, and filled to the brim the cup of his spirit. Mohammad was shocked and afraid. How could there be another voice in the cave when he was all alone? Nevertheless, he replied: "I am not one of those who can read". After his answer, he was taken up, and violently hugged and then set free: the voice repeated, "Read". Mohammad could only give the same answer: "I am not one of those who can read". The being repeated the same action, hugging him again. Once again it commanded him to "Read". This time Mohammad gave a different answer: he said, "What shall I read?", and the voice said: "Read! In the Name of your Lord, who has created you! He created man from a clot of blood. Read, and your Lord is the Most Gracious, He who has taught by the pen, Taught man what he did not know." [Al-Quran: 96:1-4] The shining of a light from the realm of the unseen covered and enveloped his being and shone forth on his fair features, giving rise to new and bright life in the darkness of the night. Then, with a painful tumult in his heart and bearing on his shoulders the heaviest responsibility conceivable, he set out for home from the cave of Hira, destined to become the teacher of all human beings and to assume the leadership of humanity on its long march forward. What force was it that had disquieted him despite his infinite patience, made him anxious despite all his tranquil courage, and plunged his whole being into painful turmoil? Thereafter the envoy of revelation came repeatedly, reciting verses to him, profound and astounding verses that bore no resemblance from the point of view of style and content either to the words of the Prophet himself, eloquent as they were, or to the conventional prose and poetry of the age. Although the Arabs of the Age of Ignorance knew neither how to read nor how to write and had no historians, philosophers or scholars, they were famed for the excellence of their poetry and the eloquence of their speech. The Prophet, however, had never participated before the beginning of his mission in the cultivation of the arts of poetry and eloquence. His conduct, on the one hand, and the verses of the Quran, on the other, both testify that he made no compromises in conveying his message. He conveyed the message that he had been ordered to deliver clearly, unambiguously and in utter contradiction both with the beliefs and inclinations of the people and with his own immediate interests.

He loudly proclaimed the revelation he had received to the evil and the ignorant, to a people made degenerate and corrupt by the worship of the idols they had fashioned themselves, and he informed them that their sole salvation lay in the worship of the One God. The new factor that appeared at a particular time in the life of the Prophet and caused him to engage in unprecedented forms of activity was the wondrous phenomenon of revelation, the heavenly message which he as the most lofty and qualified of men had been chosen to receive. Before then, no preliminary effort or particular inclination had been seen on his part that might have led to the bringing about of the sudden and remarkable transformation of the world he was now about to accomplish. The factor that had this profound effect on Muhammad, that changed that quiet and reflective man into an explosive source of revolutionary energy and enabled him to bring about such a profound transformation of humanity, from within the intense darkness of the Arabs' Age of Ignorance, was nothing other than revelation. It was a call that penetrated the very depths of the souls of human beings that melted the marrow of their bones, and directed all their strivings to the attainment of perfection. The command of revelation negated all the false and lying criteria which human beings had regarded as the measure of goodness and considered the sole means of evaluating human characteristics and habits, while, in fact, clothing falsehood in the garment of truth. It brought into operation new and clear criteria which showed human beings the goals to which they should strive to advance and brought about creativity in their lives. The veil of ignorance and silence was torn apart, the human beings' energies were set to work, the power of thought within them was aroused, and their spirits were borne aloft toward the infinite summit of being. A people who in their ignorance and lowliness would tear each apart on account of the most insignificant things and had lost all virtue, thanks to their various forms of enslavement, now became, through Islam and its great concept of monotheism - the true pillar of humanity and the breaker of idols - so elevated of spirit and so self-sacrificing that they happily abandoned both their lives and their property. The remarkable stories of self-sacrifice on the part of those early Muslims will stand eternally as examples of true nobility. The Prophet of Islam had the vision and belief of a world leader, but he began to proclaim his Divine summons to monotheism in a relatively restricted sphere, a closed environment where tribal institutions exercised great influence and idols were counted as the most sacred and beloved of objects. It was an environment that was not in any way prepared to accept the message of Divine unity. The heavenly teachings of Islam and the culture to which they gave rise were superior not only to the intellectual atmosphere prevailing in the idolatrous society of the Arabs but also to all the religious doctrines and cultures of that age. The program for reforming systems of thought and culture that had become corrupt was laid down by a man who had never studied, who was unlettered, and who knew nothing of the religious books or the civilization of his age. At first he invited his relatives to worship the Creator, and then the people of Mecca and the Arabian Peninsula. Finally he proclaimed to the entire world his mission as the last of the Prophets. The Prophet had been born into an environment where human beings engaged in empty boasting out of their shortsightedness and tribal mentality, where privileges were based on unjust social conditions and prejudices. Now he arose and swept aside all those false privileges. He established new values and concepts with respect to labor, life and social relations, in the framework of a series of rules and ordinances, and strove to concentrate all the goals and thoughts of the human being on a program for liberating peoples from slavery, and delivering the oppressed from the tyranny of emperors and kings. Even for those who do not regard these exalted aims as having a heavenly origin will admit that they are among the most exalted and previous values observable in human history. What is significant about the Revelation, the Message of God, is that it was an act for which the Prophet (pbuh) was ready. Meaning, that he had already forsaken the beliefs of his people and his culture. Mohammad (pbuh) had proved himself ready for prophethood through his pious actions and behavior. Among his people he had already earned the name Al-Amin, The Trustworthy. Moreover, Mohammad (pbuh) was a mature man, one who had lived the majority of his life, and could devote the next twenty-three years of that life to the service of God. Since different verses of the Qur'an were being revealed as and when appropriate, it was not possible from the very beginning to write and preserve it in a book form. So, during the initial stage of Islam, major emphasis was laid on memory as a means of preserving the Qur'an. When a revelation used to come in the very beginning, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) would tend to repeat its words instantly so that they would be memorized well enough. Thereupon, Allah Almighty directed him through the verses of Soorah Qiyaamah that he need not repeat words in a hurry immediately as revelation came. Allah Almighty would himself endow him with a memory that he will be unable to forget the words of the revelation once its descent has been completed. So it was that the moment the Qur'anic verses would come to him, they would be committed to his memory the next moment. Thus, the blessed chest of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), was the most protected vault of the Qur'an, in which there was no chance of even some common mistake, editing or alteration. Moreover, as a matter of additional precaution, he used to recite the Qur'an before angel Jibra'eel every year during the month of Ramadhaan; and the year he left this mortal world he completed a cumulative review of Qur'anic recitation twice with Jibra'eel. (Saheeh Bukhaari with Fat'hul Baari) Again, as it was, he would not restrict his teachings of the Sahaabah (Companions) to just the meaning of the Qur'an, but had them memorize its words as well. Then, the revered Companions were themselves so enamored with a desire to learn and remember the Qur'an that every one of them was anxious to get ahead of the other. There were women who claimed no dowry from their husbands except that they would teach the Qur'an. Hundreds of Companions, freeing themselves from all other concerns, had devoted their whole lives for this purpose. Not only did they memorize the Qur'an but also went on repeating it within the nightly prayers. "When someone migrated from Makkah and came to Madeenah", says Ubaadah Ibne Saamit, "the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) would entrust him to one of us Ansaar so that he could teach Qur'an to the new comer." The mosque of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) was so filled with voices generated by learners and teachers of the Qur'an that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) had to ask them to lower their voices so that mistakes are not made. (Manaahilul 'Irfaan) Thus memorisation of the Qur'an was given more emphasis in early Islam as this was the only protected and trustworthy method given the conditions of that time. The reason is that the number of people who could read or write was very limited in those days. The means of publishing books, such as printing press, etc., were not there. Therefore, in that situation, if writing was taken to be sufficient, it would have neither been possible to spread the Qur'an on an extensive scale nor to protect it reliably. In its place, Allah Almighty had blessed the people of Arabia with a memory of such dimensions that thousands of poetic lines would normally rest in the memory of one person after another. Common ordinary villagers would remember by heart their genealogies and those of their families and unbelievably enough - even those of their horses! Therefore, this power of memory was well utilized for the conservation and protection of the Qur'an and it was through it that the verses and chapters of the Qur'an reached all over in to the far corners of Arabia. Besides having the Qur'an committed to memory, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) made special arrangements to have the Qur'an committed to writing as well. Zayd Ibne Thaabit says: "I used to write down the words of wahee for him. When wahee came to him he felt burning with heat and the drops of perspiration would start rolling down on his body like pearls. When this state would go away from him, I would present myself before him with shoulder-bone or a piece (of something else). He would go on dictating and I would go on writing. When I would be finished with writing, the shear weight of copying the Qur'an would give me the feeling that my leg is going to break and that I will never be able to walk. In any case, when I would be finished with writing, he would say: 'Read.' I would read it back to him if there was a shortcoming, he would have it corrected and then let it be known to people. (Majma'uz Zawaa'id with reference to Tabraani) Thus, there existed, during the time of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), a copy of the Noble Qur'aan which he had arranged to be committed to writing under his supervision. Although, it was not there as a formally prepared book, but it certainly was there in the form of various units of available writing materials. Along with it, it was also the practice of some revered Companions that they would make copies of the Qur'anic verses and keep them for personal recollection. This practice was common since the very early period of Islam. Accordingly, much before Umar embraced Islaam, his sister and brother-in-law had in their possession verses of the Qur'aan which they had written and kept in a book form. (Seerah Ibne Hishaam) After reading about the Revelation of the Holy Qur'an, you might find the following of interest:
How the Holy Qur'an was preserved Zayd Ibne Thaabit says: "I used to write down the words of wahee for him. When wahee came to him he felt burning with heat and the drops of perspiration would start rolling down on his body like pearls. When this state would go away from him, I would present myself before him with shoulder-bone or a piece (of something else). He would go on dictating and I would go on writing. When I would be finished with writing, the shear weight of copying the Qur'an would give me the feeling that my leg is going to break and that I will never be able to walk. In any case, when I would be finished with writing, he would say: 'Read.' I would read it back to him and if there was a shortcoming, he would have it corrected and then let it be known to people.
The Demand of the Qur'an for a Direct Confrontation From the very first day that the Prophet began preaching his message of monotheism, he summoned people also to a realistic vision of the world. When inviting them to faith, he addressed their wisdom and intelligence and called on them to use their eyes and their ears to perceive the truth.
Do we deserve the Qur'an? The student of the Qur'an will find out that, Qur'an is telling us that the messengers of Allah will lead the people from darkness into the light and that nowhere in the Qur'an does Allah tell us a story of a community misled by its messenger or given the wrong teachings by him.

Hijab; Best solution for safe society

The fact is that the covering or its new expression, hijab, is not concerned with whether or not it is good for a woman to appear in society covered or uncovered . The point is whether or not a woman and a man's need of her should be a limitless, free association or not.
Should a man have the right to satisfy his needs with every woman and in every place short of committing adultery?

Islam, which looks at the spirit of the problem, answers: No. Men are only allowed to satisfy their sexual desires with their legal wives within a marital situation based upon the laws of marriage which establish a series of heavy commitments. It is forbidden for men to have any physical relations with women they are not related to by marriage.
It is true that the question externally appears to be, "What should a woman do?" Must she leave her home covered or uncovered? That is, the person about whom the question is raised is a woman and the question is often expressed in very heart-rending tones, "Is it better for a woman to be free or condemned and imprisoned in the modest dress?" But something else lies at the root of the question. That is, should men be free to take sexual benefit from women in any way they choose short of committing adultery or not? That is, the one who benefits here is a man and not a woman or at least a man benefits more than a woman does. As Will Durant has said, "The mini-skirt is a blessing for everyone in the world except cloth merchants."
So the depth of the question is whether or not the seeking of sexual pleasure should be limited to the family environment and legal wives or is the freedom of seeking sexual fulfillment something that should be satisfied in society at large? Islam defends the first theory. According to Islamic precepts, limiting sexual desires to the family environment and legal wives helps to maintain the mental health of the society. It strengthens the relationships between the members of the family and fosters the development of a perfect harmony between a husband and wife. As far as society is concerned, it keeps and preserves energies to be then used for social activities and it causes a woman to attain a higher position in the eyes of man.
The philosophy of the Islamic 'covering' depends on several things. Some of them are psychological and some relate to the home and the family. Others have sociological roots and some of them relate to raising the dignity of a woman and preventing her debasement.
The modest dress in Islam is rooted in a more general and basic issue. That is, Islamic precepts aim at limiting all kinds of sexual enjoyment to the family and the marital environment within the bounds of marriage so that society is only a place for work and activity. It is opposite of the Western system of the present era which mixes work with sexual enjoyment. Islam separates these two environments completely.

By: Martyr Ayatollah Murtuda Mutahhari

Introdaction To Head Covering in Christianity

The Christian headcovering is a veiling worn by various Christian women from a variety of traditions. Some cover only in church or while praying; others cover their heads all the time. They refer to 1 Corinthians 11, or to custom, as the basis for their practice. Many contemporary Christians, however, see no need for this practice.
A common misconception is that Muslim women are the only ones who cover their hair. It may be true that Islam is the only religion in which most women follow its directives to cover the hair, but it is not the only religion to have such directives.
It is particularly interesting to look at the case of Christianity, since Christianity is the predominant religion in the West, and it is Westerners, including observant Christians, who are often the first to criticize Islam because of the hijab (modest dress, including headcovering).

Is Covering the Hair a Religious Commandment for Christian Women?
There can be only one answer to this: yes, it is! Simply open the Bible to the First Epistle to the Corinthians, chapter 11. Read verses 3-10.

But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying with his head covered, disgraces his head. But every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered disgraces her head, for it is the same as if she were shaven. For if a woman is not covered, let her be shaven. But if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head. A man indeed ought not to cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God. But woman is the glory of man. For man was not created for woman, but woman for man. This is why the woman ought to have a sign of authority over her head, because of the angels.

The meaning of this passage is plain enough. We can make the following syllogisms:
Syllogism 1
Praying with an uncovered head is a disgrace
Having a shaved head is the same as praying with an uncovered head
Therefore, having a shaved head is a disgrace
Syllogism 2
If it is a disgrace for a woman to have a shaved head, she should cover her head
It is a disgrace for a woman to have a shaved head - see syllogism 1
Therefore, a woman should cover her head
In other words, the passage means what it says. Have you ever wondered why Catholic nuns dress like they"re wearing hijab (Muslim hijabi women, have you ever been mistaken for a nun? I have, more than once).


Have you ever wondered why Mary the mother of Jesus (peace be upon them both) is always depicted in Christian art with her hair covered? Did you know that until the 1960s, it was obligatory for Catholic women to cover their heads in church (then they "modernized" the service)?


There are some interesting points that can be made about the Christian directive.
1) The explicit purpose of the Christian woman"s head covering, as stated by Paul, is that it is a sign of man"s authority over woman. The explicit purpose of Islamic hijab is modesty. Strange how so many Westerners think that the purpose of hijab is a symbol of male authority.

2) The Christian woman is to cover her head whenever she is praying, whether it be at the church service or just personal prayer at home. This may mean that if she is not praying at home, she is uncovered around male guests who are not related to her; or if she is praying at home, that she is covered around her own husband and family. If any more proof were needed than Paul"s own words that the Christian head covering is not about modesty, this must certainly be it!


This puts hijab (head covering) in a whole new perspective, doesn"t it! To my non-hijabi Muslim sister who feels that hijab is a sign of oppression for the Muslim female, please do read the above and then read the Quran. Believe me, if Allah SWT meant for hijab to be a sign of male authority, the Quran would be as unambiguous about it as Paul is in the Bible. Isn"t this difference the kind of thing that attracted you to Islam in the first place?

Do Any Christian Women Today Cover Their Heads?
It is true that most Christian women do not, and many don"t take other teachings of the Bible (against pre-marital sex, adultery, etc) literally either. However, there do seem to be a growing number of Christian women out there who are committed to following the Bible as it is written.

Christian Women wearing Head covering and practicing what it says in Bible:
Below are some of the Picture and comments of our Christian sister who practices according to bible teaching. I have manage to get the details from one of the website.

Source is: Charming the Birds from the Trees

Lesson on how to cover your head by one Christian sister
Here are some examples of head coverings as some women wear them. All of these pictures were taken during services in the Orthodox Church. Some of the women are wearing hats, but more are wearing scarves. Here are some tips I"ve gleaned during the years I covered my head.

" If you choose to wear a scarf, often it will slip down off of your head. If you fold the scarf into a triangle, cross the ends and then tie them in a knot at the base of your neck (like the woman in picture number four), it is quite easy to put the scarf back up onto your head (especially if it is silky). Ones that are long and rectangular like in picture number three work well wither tied under or chin or wrapped around and tied in the back of your neck.

" Bobby pins are very useful for securing scarves to hair. Another trick (and my favorite) is to buy very tiny claw clips and use them to keep your scarf from slipping off. See picture number one (and my friend Gabby"s head) for bobby pin how-to.

" Tying smaller scarves/bandannas underneath your hair is also easy to do.

" Wearing a hat is less work to keep on, but it can be tricky to find a good one.

" It is hard to keep children away from scarves, especially when they aren"t used to their mother wearing one. Practicing around the house might help get your children used to seeing you in a scarf, but you may just have to train your children not to touch your scarf. I think that securing the scarf to your head with bobby pins or mini claw clips will work well though, too.