Not wearing the Hijab is from the major sins
The Evidence
It was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are two types of the people of Hell that I have not seen yet: men with whips like the tails of cattle, with which they strike the people, and women who are clothed yet naked, walking with an enticing gait, with something on their heads that looks like the humps of camels, leaning to one side. They will never enter Paradise or even smell its fragrance, although its fragrance can be detected from such and such a distance.” (Narrated by Ahmad and by Muslim in al-Saheeh).
This hadeeth speaks of two types of people whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had not seen, as they would appear after his time, and their destiny would be Hell because of their sins. The scholars regarded the appearance of these two types as one of the minor signs of the Hour.
The second type is “women who are clothed yet naked, walking with an enticing gait, with something on their heads that looks like the humps of camels, leaning to one side.” Al-Nawawi said concerning the meaning of this passage: al-kaasiyaat al-‘aariyaat (translated here as “clothed yet naked”) means that they will uncover part of their bodies to show their beauty, so they will be clothed yet naked. And it was said that they will wear thin clothes which shows what is beneath them, so they will be clothed yet virtually naked. With regard to the phrase Maa’ilaat mumeelaat (translated here as “walking with an enticing gait”), it was said that it means: deviating from obedience to Allaah and from the commandment to guard their chastity, etc. Mumeelaat means, teaching others to do what they do. And it was said that Maa’ilaat means walking with an enticing gait and mumeelaat means moving their shoulders. And it was said that it means that they try to tempt men by means of showing their adornments.
With regard to the phrase Ru’oosahunna ka asnimat il-bukht (translated here as “with something on their heads that looks like the humps of camels”), this may mean that they make their heads look bigger with veils and turbans, which are wrapped around the head, so that they look like the humps of camels. This is the well-known interpretation. Al-Maaziri said: it may be that what is meant is that they will not lower their gaze in the presence of men, rather they will look directly at them.
Sharh al-Nawawi ‘ala Saheeh Muslim, 17/191.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: The phrase “clothed yet naked” has been interpreted to mean that they wear short clothes that do not cover the ‘awrah that must be covered. And it has been interpreted as meaning that they wear light, thin clothes that do not prevent others from seeing the woman’s skin underneath. And it has been interpreted as meaning that they wear tight clothes that conceal the skin from sight but still show off the woman’s charms.
Fataawa al-Shaykh Muhamamd ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/825.
This hadeeth contains a stern warning against committing these two sins:
1- Oppressing the people and striking them unlawfully
2- Women making a wanton display of themselves and showing their charms and not adhering to correct Islamic hijab and noble Islamic manners.
This hadeeth is one of the miracles of Prophethood, for these two types of people have appeared, and they exist now, as al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz Said:
With regard to the phrase “women who are clothed yet naked, maa’ilaat mumeelaat”, the scholars interpreted this as follows:
“kaasiyat ‘aariyaat (translated above as “clothed yet naked” may have another meaning, which is that they are enjoying the blessings of Allaah, but they do not give thanks for them and they do not obey the commands of Allaah or heed His prohibitions, even though Allaah has bestowed upon them wealth and other blessings.
The hadeeth is also explained in a different manner, which is that they wear clothes that do not cover them, because they are too thin or too short, so they do not serve the purpose of clothes, hence they are described as naked, and because the clothes they wear do not cover their ‘awrah.
Maa’ilaat (literally “deviant”) means they turn away from chastity and righteousness, i.e., they commit sins and evil deeds like those who do immoral actions, or they fall short in doing the obligatory duties, prayer etc.
Mumeelaat means they turn others away, i.e., they call people to evil and corruption, so by their words and actions they lead others into immorality and sin, and they commit immoral actions because of their lack of faith or the weakness of their faith. The point of this saheeh hadeeth is to warn against oppression and all kinds of corruption from men and women.
With regard to the phrase, “their heads are like the heads of camels, tilted to one side,” some of the scholars said that this means they make their heads look big because of the hairstyles they adopt and so on, so that it looks like the hump of a bakht camel. The bakht is a type of camel that has two humps between which there is a dip, so that one hump leans one way and the other leans the other way. When these woman make their heads look big in this way, they look like these humps.
With regard to the phrase, “They will not enter Paradise nor even smell its fragrance,” this is a stern warning; it does not necessarily mean that they are kaafirs or that they will abide in Hell forever, like other sinners who die as Muslims; rather what is meant is that they and other sinners are threatened with Hell for their sins, but they are subject to the will of Allaah. If He wills He will forgive them and if He will He will punish them.
This is like the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, Allaah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills”
[al-Nisa’ 4:48]
If a sinner (who is Muslim) enters Hell, he will not abide therein forever like the kuffaar, and those who will abide therein like murderers, adulterers and suicides will not abide therein forever like the kuffaar; rather it is an eternity which will have an end according to Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah – in contrast to the Khawaarij and Mu’tazilah and the innovators who follow their path, because the saheeh mutawaatir ahaadeeth narrated from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) indicate that he will intercede for the sinners among his ummah and that Allaah will accept that intercession from him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) a number of times; each time He will specify a number who are to be brought forth from Hell. Similarly the rest of the Messengers, the believers and the angels will all intercede by Allaah’s leave, and He will accept their intercession for whomsoever He will among the believers in Tawheed who have entered Hell because of their sins but are Muslims. Then there will remain in Hell those sinners who are not included in the intercession of the intercessors, but Allaah will bring them forth by His Mercy and Kindness, and there will be none left in Hell but the kuffaar who will abide therein forever and ever.
Allaah says concerning the kuffaar (interpretation of the meaning):
“whenever it abates, We shall increase for them the fierceness of the Fire”
[al-Isra’ 17:97]
“So taste you (the results of your evil actions). No increase shall We give you, except in torment”
[al-Naba’ 78:30]
And He says concerning the kuffaar who worshipped idols (interpretation of the meaning):
“Thus Allaah will show them their deeds as regrets for them. And they will never get out of the Fire”
[al-Baqarah 2:167]
And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
[al-Maa'idah 5:36-37]
Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah li’l-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 6/355
SEE also: (1)Ruling on covering the face, with detailed evidence
(2)Verses and hadeeth about Correct Hijaab
<wasalam>
The Evidence
It was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are two types of the people of Hell that I have not seen yet: men with whips like the tails of cattle, with which they strike the people, and women who are clothed yet naked, walking with an enticing gait, with something on their heads that looks like the humps of camels, leaning to one side. They will never enter Paradise or even smell its fragrance, although its fragrance can be detected from such and such a distance.” (Narrated by Ahmad and by Muslim in al-Saheeh).
This hadeeth speaks of two types of people whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had not seen, as they would appear after his time, and their destiny would be Hell because of their sins. The scholars regarded the appearance of these two types as one of the minor signs of the Hour.
The second type is “women who are clothed yet naked, walking with an enticing gait, with something on their heads that looks like the humps of camels, leaning to one side.” Al-Nawawi said concerning the meaning of this passage: al-kaasiyaat al-‘aariyaat (translated here as “clothed yet naked”) means that they will uncover part of their bodies to show their beauty, so they will be clothed yet naked. And it was said that they will wear thin clothes which shows what is beneath them, so they will be clothed yet virtually naked. With regard to the phrase Maa’ilaat mumeelaat (translated here as “walking with an enticing gait”), it was said that it means: deviating from obedience to Allaah and from the commandment to guard their chastity, etc. Mumeelaat means, teaching others to do what they do. And it was said that Maa’ilaat means walking with an enticing gait and mumeelaat means moving their shoulders. And it was said that it means that they try to tempt men by means of showing their adornments.
With regard to the phrase Ru’oosahunna ka asnimat il-bukht (translated here as “with something on their heads that looks like the humps of camels”), this may mean that they make their heads look bigger with veils and turbans, which are wrapped around the head, so that they look like the humps of camels. This is the well-known interpretation. Al-Maaziri said: it may be that what is meant is that they will not lower their gaze in the presence of men, rather they will look directly at them.
Sharh al-Nawawi ‘ala Saheeh Muslim, 17/191.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: The phrase “clothed yet naked” has been interpreted to mean that they wear short clothes that do not cover the ‘awrah that must be covered. And it has been interpreted as meaning that they wear light, thin clothes that do not prevent others from seeing the woman’s skin underneath. And it has been interpreted as meaning that they wear tight clothes that conceal the skin from sight but still show off the woman’s charms.
Fataawa al-Shaykh Muhamamd ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/825.
This hadeeth contains a stern warning against committing these two sins:
1- Oppressing the people and striking them unlawfully
2- Women making a wanton display of themselves and showing their charms and not adhering to correct Islamic hijab and noble Islamic manners.
This hadeeth is one of the miracles of Prophethood, for these two types of people have appeared, and they exist now, as al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz Said:
With regard to the phrase “women who are clothed yet naked, maa’ilaat mumeelaat”, the scholars interpreted this as follows:
“kaasiyat ‘aariyaat (translated above as “clothed yet naked” may have another meaning, which is that they are enjoying the blessings of Allaah, but they do not give thanks for them and they do not obey the commands of Allaah or heed His prohibitions, even though Allaah has bestowed upon them wealth and other blessings.
The hadeeth is also explained in a different manner, which is that they wear clothes that do not cover them, because they are too thin or too short, so they do not serve the purpose of clothes, hence they are described as naked, and because the clothes they wear do not cover their ‘awrah.
Maa’ilaat (literally “deviant”) means they turn away from chastity and righteousness, i.e., they commit sins and evil deeds like those who do immoral actions, or they fall short in doing the obligatory duties, prayer etc.
Mumeelaat means they turn others away, i.e., they call people to evil and corruption, so by their words and actions they lead others into immorality and sin, and they commit immoral actions because of their lack of faith or the weakness of their faith. The point of this saheeh hadeeth is to warn against oppression and all kinds of corruption from men and women.
With regard to the phrase, “their heads are like the heads of camels, tilted to one side,” some of the scholars said that this means they make their heads look big because of the hairstyles they adopt and so on, so that it looks like the hump of a bakht camel. The bakht is a type of camel that has two humps between which there is a dip, so that one hump leans one way and the other leans the other way. When these woman make their heads look big in this way, they look like these humps.
With regard to the phrase, “They will not enter Paradise nor even smell its fragrance,” this is a stern warning; it does not necessarily mean that they are kaafirs or that they will abide in Hell forever, like other sinners who die as Muslims; rather what is meant is that they and other sinners are threatened with Hell for their sins, but they are subject to the will of Allaah. If He wills He will forgive them and if He will He will punish them.
This is like the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, Allaah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills”
[al-Nisa’ 4:48]
If a sinner (who is Muslim) enters Hell, he will not abide therein forever like the kuffaar, and those who will abide therein like murderers, adulterers and suicides will not abide therein forever like the kuffaar; rather it is an eternity which will have an end according to Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah – in contrast to the Khawaarij and Mu’tazilah and the innovators who follow their path, because the saheeh mutawaatir ahaadeeth narrated from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) indicate that he will intercede for the sinners among his ummah and that Allaah will accept that intercession from him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) a number of times; each time He will specify a number who are to be brought forth from Hell. Similarly the rest of the Messengers, the believers and the angels will all intercede by Allaah’s leave, and He will accept their intercession for whomsoever He will among the believers in Tawheed who have entered Hell because of their sins but are Muslims. Then there will remain in Hell those sinners who are not included in the intercession of the intercessors, but Allaah will bring them forth by His Mercy and Kindness, and there will be none left in Hell but the kuffaar who will abide therein forever and ever.
Allaah says concerning the kuffaar (interpretation of the meaning):
“whenever it abates, We shall increase for them the fierceness of the Fire”
[al-Isra’ 17:97]
“So taste you (the results of your evil actions). No increase shall We give you, except in torment”
[al-Naba’ 78:30]
And He says concerning the kuffaar who worshipped idols (interpretation of the meaning):
“Thus Allaah will show them their deeds as regrets for them. And they will never get out of the Fire”
[al-Baqarah 2:167]
And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, those who disbelieve, if they had all that is in the earth, and as much again therewith to ransom themselves thereby from the torment on the Day of Resurrection, it would never be accepted of them, and theirs would be a painful torment.
They will long to get out of the Fire, but never will they get out therefrom; and theirs will be a lasting torment”
They will long to get out of the Fire, but never will they get out therefrom; and theirs will be a lasting torment”
[al-Maa'idah 5:36-37]
Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah li’l-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 6/355
SEE also: (1)Ruling on covering the face, with detailed evidence
(2)Verses and hadeeth about Correct Hijaab
<wasalam>
saw
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him):