NO DRESS COMPULSION FOR WOMEN IN ISLAM

1. Sheikh Muhammad Abduh ( Egypt 1849-1905 ) , Head of Islamic verdict in Egypt & most Islamic countries in his time clearly issued a verdict that women face cover is contrary to Islam & that there is no dress compulsion or specific dress for women in Islam except the covering of women breast slots & to observe general moderation & decency  guidelines as per the society & time & place  & lowering eye gazing for both men & women. Tackling the same issue several decades later ,the Islamic Egyptian famous thinker Gamal al-Banna, (died 2013) author of “The Muslim women between the Quran liberty and the restriction of scholars” wherein he stated that women bosom (breast slot) alone is required to be covered in Islam & that the moderate clothes is a discretional issue that the muslim woman decides about what she deems to be moderate within the society & time she lives in. & that there is no religious necessity or requirement for women to wear the veil or hijab or other repressive clothes & there is no dress compulsion of any kind for women in any Quran verse

2. The so-called Islamic veil or hijab or chador requirement known today are not from  Islam in anything but only an innovation that resulted from ignorance of the teachings of the Quran and the fundamentals of religion. The veil or hijab or any enforcement of repressive clothes on women was never imposed by Quran or Sunnah & any hadith about these repressive clothes is fake, & historically  this hijab & veil was  claimed to be a religious must  since  half a century by political Islam groups to identify some of the women and girls under their banner and make a slogan for them and tagged it a religious character

3. Quran calls for lowering the gaze for both men & women & maintaining their genital parts for legal partners only. Quran enacted a penalty for adultery but no punishment for sins which are below adultery based on the rule that good deeds wash out bad deeds

Q 53;32

الَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَائِرَ الْإِثْمِ وَالْفَوَاحِشَ إِلَّا اللَّمَمَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ وَاسِعُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ

translation “Those who avoid the major sins and immoralities, only [committing] slight ones. Indeed, your Lord is vast in forgiveness”——-

Q 11;114

إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ

translation “Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds”—–

4. . The entire dress issue is not at all an issue of belief in Islam that cannot be discussed or changed but merely a matter of general decency subject to social traditions & developments & this issue should not be so much overestimated as what is happening nowadays by many muslims & Islamic institutions . Historically , at the time of Jahiliya in the Arab peninsula , many women used to wear a hair cover (same as men) to protect their hair & head from the harsh sun while their dress front have large opening showing their bosoms, thus Quran called for covering the bosoms & observing decency in very short simple words without further details & also called on women to lengthen their dress (avoid short skirts or dress ) if they fear being harassed by indecent men chasing playful women & Islam did not mention any penalty for non decent clothes or any compulsion for decent clothes , which makes it  up to the society to take such measure in a just compromise between general public decency guidelines & respecting of personal dress freedom

.See Q 24;31

قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَزْكَىٰ لَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾ وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ ,

translation “ tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their genital parts. that is purer for them. indeed, Allah is acquainted with what they do. and tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their genital parts and not expose their adornment except that thereof appears and to bring their covers over their bosoms “— —— & Q 33;59

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُل لِّأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰ أَن يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ

translation “O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to lengthen their dresses (jalabib). This is closer to having them recognized and not harassed ( by indecent men) .”———–