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One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Asalam o Alikum,

I have been reading very many articles from your site, and think the site is doing a great job, I wld like to know is it possible for a husband to impose hijaab like the head covering on his wife...can u pls comment on it...

takecare  

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Answer:

Force hijab on wife

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: I wld like to know is it possible for a husband to impose hijaab like the head covering on his wife...can u pls comment on it...
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 59:

O Prophet, enjoin your wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons. It is expected that they will thus be recognized, and not molested. Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah Nur verse 31:

(O Prophet) enjoin the believing woman to restrain their gaze and guard their modesty, and not to display their adornment except that which is displayed of itself, and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not to display their adornments except before their husbands, their fathers, …….and also forbid them to stamp their feet on the ground lest their hidden ornaments should be displayed.

The ‘hijaab’ or the full covering of the modesty of a believing woman in public is an obligatory command of Allah Subhanah; and it is the responsibility of the guardians of the woman (her father, her mother, and after marriage her husband) to make sure that the Laws of Allah Subhanah are obeyed by those in their charge.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 3.730 Narrated by Abdullah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "Everyone of you is a guardian and is responsible for his charges. The ruler who has authority over people is a guardian and is responsible for them, a man is a guardian of his family and is responsible for them; a woman is a guardian of her husband's house and children and is responsible for them; a slave is a guardian of his master's property and is responsible for it; so all of you are guardians and are responsible for your charges."

If one marries a woman who does not cover her modesty in public according to the guidance of Allah and His Messenger (saws), the husband is well within his rights to enforce and impose that she wears the ‘hijaab’.

It would be wise and prudent for one who is looking to marry to find a righteous woman who is obedient to the commands of her Lord and Creator; or if the girl one wishes to marry has not been encouraged to wear the ‘hijaab’ by her parents, the groom should make it known clearly to the parents of the woman before marriage that he expects his wife to adorn herself in the ‘hijaab’…. in this way the man would be able to avoid the confrontation of forcing his wife to adorn the ‘hijaab’ after marriage.

But if one is already married and later realizes the obligatory command of Allah Subhanah regarding the ‘hijaab’, instead of forcing the issue on his wife, one should try and talk to one’s wife and strive to instill the fear of Allah and the Last Day into her heart; and if one has hope and believes that his wife is inclined towards the fear of Allah, he should be patient with her and give her some time to allow her to reconcile her mind.

But if after ones best efforts and striving, the wife is adamant and absolutely refuses to cover her modesty in public according to the commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), the husband is well within his rights to increase the pressure and even threaten her with divorce.

But we reiterate again, that it is always best to use and apply wisdom and practice patience when dealing with one’s loved ones, and use force and coercion only when one has lost hope and as the absolute last option.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan