10. HIJAB IN ISLAM

10. Hijab in Islam ~ 221 ~ 10. HIJAB IN ISLAM HIJAB IN THE LIGHT OF THE QUR’AN AND HADITH THIS CHAPTER is based on an authoritative Arabic book titled Hijab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah fil Kitab was-Sunnah, by Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani, a famous scholar and traditionist. It was translated by this writer and initially published in condensed form in the quarterly, Islam and the Modern Age.182 The third edition of the original work with some additions is before me. The question of hijab (veil), or purbah in Urdu, the author tells us, has been discussed in light of the Qur’an and Hadith. From the author’s point of view, a woman’s face is not included in the parts of the body that need to be compulsorily covered. He suggests, however, that it is better to cover it. He agrees with those who, in spite of holding the view that the face is not to be covered as a rule, nevertheless advocate the covering of the face in order to discourage mischief, in view of the general moral degradation in present-