In Islam if women are test for men why God want them to be covered?

Question

In Islam it said that human came to be tested, so they will be rewarded or punished according to their work done. Hence, men regard women as a test and want them to be covered.

So I just wonder that for example - if you are on diet and want to loose weight, then you will regard chocolate as a threat for you and lock it behind the doors and inside boxes, can you still say that the chocolate is a test for you ?

If it is a test you should learn the way to live it is rather than locking or covering it behind the doors. Can anyone explain the aim of covering ?

Answer 1

Well, I think you have some misconception about Hijab. Hijab has a lot of reasons as mentioned in Qur'an and Sunnah.

First, it is an act of obedience

The Hijab is an act of obedience to Allah and to His Messenger Muhammad (Salallahu alayhi wassalam)). Allah says:

"It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have an option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, has indeed strayed in a plain error." (Qur'an 33:36)

Indeed,, Allah ordered that women must put on the Hijab.

He says:

"And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things) and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.) and not to show off their adornment except what must (ordinarily) appear thereof, that they should draw their veils over their Juyubihinna." (Qur'an 24:31)

Second, the hijab is iffah (modesty).

Allah made the adherence to the Hijab a manifestation for chastity and modesty:

"O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) over their bodies (when outdoors). That is most convenient that they should be known and not molested." (Qur'an 33: 59)

In the above Ayah there is an evidence that the recognition of the apparent beauty of the woman is harmful to her. When the cause of attraction ends, the restriction is removed. This is illustrated in the case of elderly women who may have lost every aspect of attraction. Allah made it permissible for them to lay aside their outer garments and expose their faces and hands reminding, however, that it is still better for them to keep their modesty:

"And as for women past child-bearing who do not expect wed-lock, it is no sin for them if they discard their (outer) in such a way as not to show their adornment; but it is best to be modest and Allah knows and sees all things provided they do not make a display of their beauty; but it is best to be modest and Allah knows and sees all things." (Qur'an 24:60)

Thirdly, hijab is Eeman (faith).

Because, in the verses Allah refers to them as,

"And say (O Muhammad (salallahu alayhi wassalam)) to the believing women." (Qur'an 24: 31)

The hijab is for the believing women and it is a manifestation of their faith and helps them remain steadfast.

The Prophet (salallahu alayhi wassalam) also said:

"Any woman who takes off her clothes in other than her husband's home (to show off for unlawful purposes). has broken Allah's shield upon her." Collected by Abu Dawoud and At-Tirmidhi who said: it is a good hadeeth

So, hijab is a shield that Allah has given and ordered for women.

And Hijab is righteousness,

Allah says in Qur'an:

"O Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover yourselves (screen your private parts, etc.) and as an adornment. But the raiment of righteousness, that is better." (Qur'an 7:26)

Hence, wearing hijab is an act of taqwa (righteousness).

Source: Why Hijab?

Answer 2

One of the verses about women's cloths in Quran is verse 24:31 and interestingly the preceding verse 24:30 is to believing men:

قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَزْكَىٰ لَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ

Tell the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty, that is cleaner for them, and God is well acquainted about what [tricks] you build.

وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ ۖ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَائِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَائِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي أَخَوَاتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَائِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ أَوِ التَّابِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُولِي الْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ أَوِ الطِّفْلِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا عَلَىٰ عَوْرَاتِ النِّسَاءِ ۖ وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّ ۚ وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

And tell the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty;
that they should not show their ornaments except what [ordinarily] appear thereof;
that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not show their ornaments except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free from desire [towards women], or small children who are not aware of women's sexuality;
and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments.
And O you believers, return you all together towards God, may you attain bliss.

So Quran tells not just women but both sexes that they have to maintain modesty and follow these rules.

Quran's justification for these is not just for maintaining "the cleanness of men's hearts" but also for maintaining "the cleanness of women's heart" (verse 33:53). In other words, it seems that from Quran's perspective, revealing the ornaments of a women in front of men who might be sexually attracted to her (while she knows it) is problematic for her soul independently of its effect on men.

Another verse regarding the clothing is verse 33:59 (with its preceding and following verses):

وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ بِغَيْرِ مَا اكْتَسَبُوا فَقَدِ احْتَمَلُوا بُهْتَانًا وَإِثْمًا مُّبِينًا

And those who harass believing men and women undeservedly, bear (on themselves) a calumny and a glaring sin.

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُل لِّأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰ أَن يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

O Prophet! Tell your wives and daughters, and the women of the believing men, that they should lower their jilbāb over themselves, that is most convenient so that they are known [to be believers] and not harassed. And God is oft-forgiving, most merciful.

لَّئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ وَالْمُرْجِفُونَ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ لَنُغْرِيَنَّكَ بِهِمْ ثُمَّ لَا يُجَاوِرُونَكَ فِيهَا إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

Truly, if the hypocrites, and those in whose hearts is a disease, and those who stir up sedition in the city, desist not, we shall certainly stir you up against them, then they will not be able to stay in it as your neighbors but a few [little amount of time].

In these verses the justification seems to be that they are known to be believers so they are not [sexually] harassed.

ps: The word "hijab" in Quran is used not for clothing of women but has a more general meaning as a separator restricting the sight and is used in more general context, e.g. verse 17:45 it is used as an invisible separator between the prophet and those who do not believe in the judgment day when the prophet recites Quran.