‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "May Allah have mercy upon the early emigrating women, when Allah revealed (what means): {..and to wrap [a portion of] their head covers over their chests} [Quran 24:31] they cut their waist sheets at the edges and covered their faces by them." [Al-Bukhari]

It was also narrated that ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said,

No doubt, the women of the Quraysh are superior (to others). However, by Allah, I have never seen women better than the women of the Ansaar (Helpers) in believing in the Book of Allah and in the revelation. When Surat An-Noor was revealed, (in which Allah says what means): {..and to wrap [a portion of] their head covers over their chests..} [Quran 24:31] their men returned to them reciting to them what Allah revealed, with each reciting to his wife, daughter, sister and female relatives. There was no woman among them but she took her printed waist sheet, on which the pictures of houses were inscribed, and used it to cover her head and face, out of trust and faith in what Allah revealed in His Book. In the morning, they came to pray behind the Messenger of Allah with their heads and faces covered as if crows were on their heads. [Ibn Abu Haatim]

O Muslim sister,

Be like those believing truthful women, who complied with the command of their Lord, and hastened to wear the clothing of chastity and purity, the clothing of decency, once they heard the clear evidence, which is too apparent to accept any other interpretation.

Be like your believing mothers and sisters who are upon the truth. Abide by their method and follow their way, for they followed the best way and the best method.

O believing woman, you are obligated to respond and adhere to Hijab (Islamic covering), veiling, chastity and modesty enjoined upon you by Allah The Almighty, in obedience to Him, and His Messenger . Allah The Almighty says (what means): {It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should [thereafter] have any choice about their affair. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly strayed into clear error.} [Quran 33:36]

Why should you not, given that many praiseworthy merits and important benefits lie behind that obligation. They include:

• Guarding honor

Hijab is a protection defined by the Sharee‘ah (Islamic legislation) to preserve a Muslim woman's honor and ward off all causes of suspicion, temptation, and corruption.

• Purity of the heart

Hijab leads to purity of the hearts of both believing men and women, occupies them with piety and honors what is held sacred. Allah The Almighty says (what means): {That is purer for your hearts and their hearts.} [Quran 33:53]

• Noble morals

Hijab leads to maintaining noble morals including chastity, decency, modesty, and religious zeal. At the same time, it veils bad morals that originate from a person who is stained with shameful deeds like indecency, impudence, degradation, and corruption.

• It is a distinctive sign of chaste women

Hijab is a Sharee‘ah-based sign indicative of free, chaste women affirming their chastity, honor and removing them from suspicion, as confirmed by Allah The Almighty when He Says (what means): {That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused.} [Quran 33:59] Righteousness of the external persona of a person is an indication of the righteousness of the inner character. Chastity is the woman's crown and a cause of happiness and felicity in this world and the next.

• Cutting off lust and devilish thoughts

Hijab is a form of social protection against harm and diseases of the heart for both men and women. It cuts off wicked lusts, holds back treacherous eyes, wards off harm from men and women, preserves their honor, as well as that of their Mahrams (non-marriageable men), wards off false charges of immorality against chaste women, puts an end to evil talk, suspicion and doubt, and other devilish thoughts.

• Preserving modesty

Modesty is life, in the sense that there is no life without modesty. It is a moral trait placed by Allah The Almighty in the souls that He likes to honor, thereupon it leads to virtue and wards off vice. It is a natural human characteristic, and an important Islamic value. Modesty is one of the branches of faith. It is one of the qualities that has long been held as praiseworthy, that has been approved and advocated by Islam.

Hijab is but an effective means of preserving modesty, and removing Hijab means renouncing modesty.

• Hijab prevents the impermissible exposure of beauty, exposure of the face and intermixing between the sexes from infiltrating into Islamic societies.

• Hijab is a shield against adultery and pornography, protecting the woman from becoming like a commodity available to every man who desires her.

• The entire body of a woman is ‘Awrah (part which must be concealed), which Hijab screens out of piety. In confirmation of that, Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {O children of Aadam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment. But the clothing of righteousness -- that is best.} [Quran 7:26]

In his commentary on that verse, ‘Abdul-Rahmaan bin Aslam said, "It is to fear Allah The Almighty by concealing one's ‘Awrah; that is the clothing of piety." Also, consider the Marfoo‘ supplication (one that is directly attributed to the Prophet including his words, acts, or explicit approval, regardless of the condition of its chain of narrators) that was narrated on the authority of the Prophet : "O Allah! screen my ‘Awrah and remove my fears." [Abu Daawood and others]

• Hijab is safety from being cursed and expelled from the mercy of Allah The Almighty, for adherence to it is to comply with the order of Allah The Almighty; and whoever complies with the order of Allah The Almighty would be saved from being cursed. The Messenger of Allah said: "Towards the last generation of my Ummah (nation), there would emerge women who are dressed, but seemingly naked, and their heads would incline like the humps of Bukht camels. Curse them, for they are cursed (by Allah)."

O virtuous sister, how long will you put off adherence to Hijab?

O Muslim sister,

Adhere to the Sharee‘ah-approved Hijab with its following conditions and criteria:

 It screens all parts of the body.
 It is not an adornment in itself.
 It is thick and not transparent.
 It is wide and not tight.
 It does not imitate the clothes of men or disbelieving women.
 It is not to be perfumed.
 It is not clothing with which fame is intended.

O Muslim sister,

No one is infallible, and if you have made a mistake in the past that is not a defect, for everyone is apt to err. However, the defect is to continue and persist in committing what is unlawful. Allah The Almighty warns of that, saying (what means): {And whoever does not repent -- then it is those who are the wrongdoers.} [Quran 49:11]

Allah The Almighty also urges us to repent and turn to Him (in repentance), saying (what means):{And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.} [Quran 24:31]

O honorable sister,

Your Lord calls you, saying (what means): {"O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the Mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He Who is The Forgiving, The Merciful."} [Quran 39:53]

Allah The Almighty rejoices at the repentance of the person who turns to Him in repentance, and at the regret of the person who shows regret. In confirmation of that, the Prophet said: "Indeed, Allah rejoices at the repentance of His slave more than anyone of you does when he gets up and finds his camel which he had lost in a desert." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

O sister, despair not of the mercy of Allah, and do not lose hope of obtaining His satisfaction, and hasten to repentance and forgiveness, for Allah The Almighty prepared for those who hasten to repentance, gardens in Paradise, whose breadth is equal to the breadth of the heavens and the earth. They have been prepared for those who pray for forgiveness, i.e. {…those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins -- and who can forgive sins except Allah? -- and [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know.} [Quran 3:135]

So, hasten to show sincere repentance before you miss the chance, and pray for forgiveness more often, for our Prophet said: "O people! Turn in repentance to Allah, and pray for His forgiveness, for I turn to Allah in repentance one hundred times a day." [Muslim]

Hasten before it is too late! Life is short, provision is very little, and the way is very long, and the end would be either Paradise or Hell.