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Observes religious duties but is not convinced of Hijab because it undermines her status

Question

I am a Muslim woman. I observe the prayer and fasting but do not wear the Hijab because I am not convinced of it. I believe that wearing the Hijab undermines my status and feel that men enjoy more freedom than women. Will I be admitted to Hell if I remain without wearing it? Please advise!

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

We have already mentioned that the Muslim women are required to wear the Hijab and that it is an obligation and necessity. We have also supported the argument with proofs from the scholars' statements. So the questioner has to hasten to wear the Hijab with full conviction and in submission to the Command of Allah Almighty. It is not optional. Allah says (what means): {It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should [thereafter] have any choice about their affair.} [Quran 33: 36]

We wonder why the questioner is not convinced of the Hijab. Does it not protect the woman, help her to maintain her chastity and religiousness, and safeguard her from the eyes of wicked people? Moreover, wearing the Hijab blocks the means of temptation and evil and further features full surrender and obedience to the Command of Allah, which are all required for one's faith to be perfect. Allah says (what means): {But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you [O Muhammad] judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission.} [Quran 4: 65]

The Hijab does not restrict the woman's freedom. It does not impede her to handle her affairs; rather, it safeguards her dignity and blocks the way before unlawful desires and evil.

If the questioner insists on abandoning the Hijab, then she is sinful and vulnerable to great danger if Allah does not bless her with sincere repentance. However, we cannot judge whether she will enter Hell or not as this would necessitate an explicit text from the Quran or the authentic Sunnah. This is not subject to personal reasoning. Nevertheless, a wise person would be very cautious in order to save himself by following the commands of Allah and avoiding His forbiddances. Undoubtedly, this is more likely to save him in the Hereafter.

Allah knows best.

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