Aurat

Muslim women are often asked: "Why do you wear that scarf?" "Aren't you hot?" "Do the different colors mean anything?" "Why do some women cover their face, but not others?" "Do men have a dress code as well?” What all of this meant to you? I have been watching dress code among our student. Majority of our students tends to expose their aurah especially female students. For examples tights jeans, short sleeves shirt, not wearing scarf, or wearing scarf yet still exposing their hair. For me, that is ethics that I want to change in our college.

According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, ethic means moral principal that control or influence behavior. As a Muslim, it is our responsibility to take care of our aurah.
The reason why we have to take the matter of “aurah” seriously because it is command from the Almighty. In the Qur'an, Allah tells the believers to "lower their gaze and be modest." Specifically, it says: "Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that will make for greater purity for them; and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their chests and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers." (An-Nur; 31)
Nowadays, many cases had been reported especially rape. Rape referred to as sexual assault, is an assault by a person involving sexual intercourse with or without sexual penetration of another person without that person's consent. For me one of the main reasons that lead to rape is the way female dress. For an example, suppose two sisters who are twins, and who are equally beautiful, walk down the street. One of them is attired in the Islamic hijab which is covers the body completely, except for the face and the hands up to the wrists. The other sister is wearing western clothes, a mini skirt or shorts. Just around the corner there is a hooligan or ruffian who is waiting for a catch, to tease a girl. Whom will he tease? The girl wearing the Islamic Hijab or the girl wearing the skirt or the mini? Naturally he will tease the girl wearing the skirt or the mini. Such dresses are an indirect invitation to the opposite sex for teasing and molestation. The Qur’an rightly says that hijab prevents women from being molested. But, today, even those who are covered can be a victim due to problems created by other people. Some people may argue that, either cover or not, women still become the victim of the rapist. So, there is useless to cover the aurah. However, it is should be noted that, the command from Allah was in the early age of the coming of Islam.
Apart from that, society will not be corrupted by evils. It is common knowledge, even amongst Western psychologists who would admit it, that man is a sexual creature. When he sees a beautiful woman, he will get sexual urges. You can just imagine what happens to a society with so many women are exposing their beauty around. Where will these men go to fulfill their urges? Look around your society there are lots of cases involving sexual intercourse. For examples rape, pedophilia, buggery, gays or lesbianism, adultery, broken homes, mistresses and etc.When women's beauty is seen as a common thing because it is everywhere, people will get bored with it and therefore want to try something different for an example homosexuality. So it does not matter whether a woman is in mini skirts or in loose clothing, as long as she is not totally covered, her beauty is still seen. Have you noticed how a change in hairstyle can beautify a person? Or how long, beautiful, not-so-clinging clothing actually draw attention to the body? If you have seen those 'make over’s' you will understand that it is the hair, make-up and clothing that beautify the person.
Besides that, by taking seriously in ethic, it will promote modesty. Women do not become slaves to their pride. They do not compete with each other. This is not to say that wives do not try to look good for their husbands. In fact, they should because this is the normal. The woman or man should make her or himself beautiful for her or his partner. What makes more sense? From the aspect of students, it will portray positive attitude to the public. Besides, it shows formality. Taking aurah as serious matter does make good impression to the public.
As a conclusion, it is clearly mentioned that covering aurah is the Islamic identity. We need to be proud on the entitled of the identity. It is not an individual freedom, but the command from Allah. Indeed, it is important to pay particular attention, the inside intention is not enough. The good deeds are obvious throughout the action and personality goes hand in hand, not the good intention alone.

~Assignment Sebenarnya (^_^)~
~Sekadar Perkongsian~