Question:
Your Eminence Shaykh Muhammad, the phrase “This is from our traditions” or “This is from our customs” is frequently on the lips of many people. Perhaps you have some guidance regarding these phrases, O Sheikh?
Answer:
Yes. We say that many people do not distinguish between ‘worship’ (ibadah) and tradition—by “tradition” they mean ‘custom’ (adat)—and this is a deficiency in knowledge. The obligation is to differentiate between what belongs to our religion, concerning which we have no choice, and what belongs to our customs, which are subject to change to something more beneficial and proper.
Among these matters is that some people think women’s hijab and the covering of their faces from non-mahram men are customs rather than acts of worship. Therefore, they attempt to make this subject to time and evolution, saying: “Hijab at the time of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, was suited to the condition they were in, whereas now, a different ruling is appropriate for the state of women.”
There is no doubt that this is a deeply erroneous statement. Hijab is not a custom; rather, it is an act of worship commanded by Allah. Allah the Almighty said regarding the wives of His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: “And when you ask (his wives) for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen, that is purer for your hearts and for their hearts.” [al-Ahzab: 53]
And the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The curtain was only prescribed because of the sight, so that a person does not look at a woman while she is in her house with the door closed upon her.”
The important point is that the Quran and the Sunnah have indicated that a woman veiling herself from non-mahram men is not a custom; rather, it is an act of worship performed by a person to draw closer to Allah the Almighty, seeking reward, and keeping away from crime.