An old interview clip of actor Hamza Ali Abbasi is going viral on social media, in which he says that the Quranic instructions about hijab were mainly for the wives of the Prophet and not for ordinary Muslim women.
The clip is from a podcast recorded about four months ago. In it, Hamza shares his opinion about the concept of hijab in Islam.
In the podcast, when asked a question, Hamza said that if a woman covers her head with a scarf, it is a good thing. And if a woman also covers her face with the intention that it is the command of Allah and she wants to please Him, then that is also very good, and she will surely get reward for it.
But he added that according to the interpretation he believes in, covering the face and head is not a religious obligation. If someone does it, it’s good, but it is not mandatory.
Hamza explained that discussions about hijab and covering usually refer to three parts of the Quran — two from Surah Ahzab and one from Surah Noor.
According to him, one part in Surah Ahzab gives specific instructions to the wives of the Prophet. They were told to speak from behind a curtain when talking to non-mahram men and not to go out of their homes.
He said that these were special rules for the Prophet’s wives and are confirmed by the Quran and the actions of the companions. For example, they were also told they could not remarry after the Prophet’s death. So if these instructions were for all women, then no woman would be allowed to remarry after her husband’s death.
Hamza said these hijab rules were made for the Prophet’s wives because of their unique situation. The Quran even says that the Prophet’s wives are not like ordinary women, and that is why extra rules were made for them.
He added that these rules were given during a time of political tension when the Prophet’s family was being targeted. So the purpose of these rules was protection in that specific situation.
Hamza also said that in another case, Muslim women were told to cover their faces during unusual circumstances when hypocrites were harassing them at night. Allah told them to cover themselves with large sheets so they could be recognized and not bothered. If anyone still harassed them, they would be punished.
He believes that both these situations were very different and the rules made for them were not for all Muslim women. He said the question now is where are the general rules for ordinary men and women? Those are found in Surah Noor.
According to him, in Surah Noor, the commands are simple: when men and women meet, they should lower their gaze, protect their modesty, and women who wear makeup should cover their chest with a scarf so their body shape is not visible. That’s all that has been clearly instructed.
He said that if someone still wants to cover their head or face, it is their personal choice. Allah will be pleased with them based on their intention.
Hamza also said that if people read the 11 verses before the hijab verse in Surah Ahzab, they will understand that those instructions were only for the Prophet’s wives.
He suggested that Muslims should read the translations of these Surahs so they can understand things better.