By Hadiza Mohammed
The NASFAT zonal chairman, FCT, Abuja, Shewudeen Giwa has appealed to Muslim women to dress modestly by wearing their hijab appropriately, as their virtue will bring out the beauty of Islam.
Giwa made the appeal in an interview in Abuja on Thursday.
He said that in view of the unrest and religious intolerance all over the world women, who are the symbol of Islam, should be identified by their dressing.
The NASFAT chairman added that Muslim women should be at their best, tolerant and observant wherever they find themselves.
Giwa said that modernity or fashion should not alter the essence of the rules of Islam concerning hijab dressing.
He added that women should dress in a smart and job related way as long as it conforms to the basic Islamic code of dressing.
”Any form of dressing that does not expose the woman’s body is Islamic.
“I do not believe that some women are being forced to wear hijab, but I want to advise that people should do things based on conviction, not coaxed,” he added.
According to him, the hijab is a shield or covering of a matured female Muslim, from head to toe.
“There are different kinds of hijab from the cape hijab and to the full hijab, Beyond the hijab, Islam has enjoined women to wear lose cloths so as not to give room for weak men to commit zina (fornication) of the eyes,” Giwa said.
He said that NASFAT women group has identified with the coalition of women that are promoting the wearing of hijab and also assist in the advocacy for women to dress properly.
Ganiyat Shonola, a retired Chief Matron, Lagos State Health Service Commission, said that women on hijab should be conscious of their behaviour, so as not to debase the religion.
”We should try to portray the religion in such good light and manner and make people understand that whatever good things that come of a Muslim is the religion and whatever bad that they do is human error,” she said.
Shonola stressed that the basic principles of hijab is wearing cloth that would not expose curves.
She said that ladies working in banks, hospital and other corporate organization should wear lose gowns and shoulder level hijabs instead of wearing tight fitted dresses with hijab.
Hajiya Fatima Yunusa, Head, Women Education Centre said that she wears the hijab because Allah has instructed women to do so and because it serves as a shield to her body and earns her more respect and recognition.
She said that one of the true beauties of Islam is that the hijab frees one from materialistic thinking, as we are assured that Allah does not look at our faces or bodies but our minds.
Yinusa advised Muslim women to purify their hearts from over dependence on earthly desires and undesirable traits such as envy, impatience, hate and covetousness. (NAN)
