Women's Aurat

From the Fiqh point of view, coverings the aurat for females are Sadd al Dhara'i. (http://ilmuislamuallaf.blogspot.com/…/…/sadd-adh-dharai.html)

Meaning it is an act that was prohibited because it will leads to another End Means or major Sin like Zina. Which mean not covering females aurat by itself is sinless, for example when there're no ajnabi(mahram) around, women are not required to cover their aurat.

There're also rukhsah (kelonggaran atau kemurahan Allah SWT kepada hambaNya) for not covering of female aurat during Hajiyyah and Darurah situation(Qawaid al Fiqhiyyah - Legal Maxim No 3, 'Hardship begets facility - http://ilmuislamuallaf.blogspot.com/…/qawaid-al-fiqhiyyah-l…)

Covering the aurat are considered as a gesture to enhance women modesty and cultivating humility or propriety. It will actually uplift a women morality and civility. Women before the arrival of Islam were treated like slaves or property.

Their personal consent concerning anything related to their well-being was considered unimportant and unnecessary. Women were treated worse than slaves. They were not regarded as human beings but as sort of sub-species between humans and animals.

Islam brought a new lease of life to women. Islam elevated the status of women to great heights: so high that she stood shoulder to shoulder with man. Like men, their rights were also well defined and Islamic Courts supported them to achieve these rights.

Islam granted women the right to ownership. They now owned the amount of their Mehr. They could engage in trade and have their own properties. They were also given the right to inherit the property of the deceased father and husband.

The Holy Quran makes no distinction between man and woman as regards to the fundamental human rights. Here we may specifically state that: Woman, like man, is the possessor of free personality, and enjoys equality with man, in respect of:

Her spiritual and moral status: The Quran says: "Unto men the benefit of what they earn (of virtue) and unto women the benefit of what they earn (of virtue) (i.e., in matters of spiritual grace both, man and woman, enjoy equal status and are independent of one another)" (4:32)

Her economic rights: The Quran says: "Unto the men (of a family) belongs a share of that which parents and near kindred leave, and unto the women a share of that which the parents and near kindred leave, whether it be little or much #150; a legal share." (4:7)

Her legal rights: The Quran says: "And they (women) have rights similar to those (of men) over them, according to what is equitable." (2:228)

So you see, Islam gave women her rights and also gave fair instructions on how a women should behave and act including dressing rulings which includes coverings of the aurat, among other things. All these instructions are for the good of women so that her self image, morality and humility could be preserved. It is for the gender own good, unless they want to go back to the time before the arrival of Islam.

And men should also play a part in up holding this morality by showing courteous conduct by lowering their gaze and acting like a gentlemen(QS 24:30)



Mengenai aurat perempuan, menutup kepala adalah wajib kerana ia adalah perintah Allah SWT dalam Surah An Nur (QS 24:31). Tetapi telah berlaku khilaf diantara ulama mengenai hukum rambut sebagai aurat.

Kebanyakkan ulama yg iktirafkan rambut sebagai aurat adalah berasaskan hukum syubhat yang sepatutnya berjaga-jaga kerana "berternak di sempadan kawasan larangan itu hampir-hampir termasuk ke dalamnya.” Sebahagian ulama mengatakan keseluruhan tubuh perempuan aurat kecuali muka dan dua tapak tangan.

Sebahagian ulama pula berpendapat bahwa aurat perempuan adalah pada bahagian2 kemaluannya sahaja sebagaimana dalam Surah Al-A'raf, (QS 7:22). Al-Quran dan hadis Nabi SAW tidak memberi makna yang jelas atau keputusan yang tidak boleh dipertikaikan. Hadis yang meriwayatkan sehelai rambut perempuan yang dilihat oleh bukan mahramnya bersamaan 70,000 tahun di neraka itu adalah hadis palsu(hadith maudhu).

Walau bagaimanapun, kita boleh mengambil amalan penduduk Medina sebagai rujukkan. Amalan2 penduduk Kota Medina adalah diwarisi dari para Tabiin, para Sahabat dan Rasulullah SAW. Medina merupakan tempat penghijrahan Rasulullah SAW tempat tinggal baginda dan para sahabatnya serta anak2 murid para sahabat(tabiun-tabiin). Wanita2 di Kota Medina menutup kepalanya dan rambut mereka dengan rapi.

Selain dari itu, Islam adalah agama yang mementingkan perpaduan Ummah(QS 4:115) . Oleh kerana itu, Uruf(local customary) telah dijadikan sebagai salah satu dari Qawaid al Fiqhiyyah (http://ilmuislamuallaf.blogspot.com/.../qawaid-al...). Banyak hukum hakam Islam adalah berdasarkan amalan Uruf, contohnya dalam urusan muamalat seperti perniagaan atau perbankan. Dan menutup kepala dan rambut dengan rapi adalah amalan Uruf Muslimah di Malaysia.

Kita perlu ketahui bahwa menutup aurat wanita seperti rambut adalah Sadd al Dhara'i(blocking the means). Ini bermaksud pengharaman ini adalah untuk mencegah kepada sesuatu dosa besar yang lain, seperti Zina. Oleh kerana itu, terdapat Rukhsah(kelonggaran atau kemurahan Allah SWT kepada hambaNya) jika seseorang itu berada dalam keadaan Hajiyyah(berhajat, requirements) dan Darurat.

Selain dari itu, kita juga perlu mengambil kira tahap keimanan dan ketaqwaan seseorang dalam perkara hukum-hakam Feqah. KIta perlu mengutamakan perkara2 yang melibatkan Akidah dan Iman. Contohnya, adakah kita perlu memaksa seorang Muallaf wanita untuk serta merta menutup auratnya selepas mengucap 2 kalimah syahadah? Begitu juga kepada yang dilahirkan dalam keluarga Islam, adakah mereka semua beriman sebagaimana Saidatina Aisyah ra beriman?

Apakah yang lebih penting? Beriman kepada Allah SWT atau menutup rambut? Apakah Nawaitu seseorang wanita menutup aurat? Kerana Allah SWT ataupun kerana paksaan kita? Jika naiwaitu adalah kerana Allah SWT, maka berilah mereka masa untuk memahami dan mengenali Islam. Apabila mereka telah matang dalam pemahaman Islam, mungkin mereka akan menjadi seorang Muslim yg lebih baik dari kita.


Wallahu'alam