Assalamualiakum Mufti Sahb,
My question is pretty straightforward. I come from a religious background-Alhamdulillah . We originate from North West Pakistan and Afghanistan, we are known to the world as 'Pathan,' We are fortunate enough to have close family contact with the likes Of Thanvi (ra) and Sheikh (ra). Due to that reason, many of their teachings have been implied into our family set-up.
The main one is the issue of women remaining secluded. I'd like to bring this issue to ur attention. If we think back to the mentioned Sheikhs' literature or books from any of the Deoband Scholars then it clearly prohibits women from leaving the house all together, unless there is a 'GREAT NEED.'
Then the advise is that one should cloth and cover herself in an old chaadar and hold a walking stick so that she appears to be an old woman.
Where we come from in Pakistan, this is still practised, girls are not allowed to leave the house, for education or any other purpose. SubhanAllah, there are women amongst our elders who have never left the house all their lives, all because of the instructions from our pious predecessors.
My question is, when we look at the rest of the Muslim world, and the so called 'practising muslims' in other parts of the world and here in the West, there is such a big contrast. Women are now so heavily involved in the outside world, it is thought that as long as a woman is modestly covered, there is no harm. Why is there such a contrast? Surely our Ulama could have not exaggerated these masaail.
I know a lot of Gujrati sisters, who obviously are closely linked to the same School of Thought and background who also leave the house for social purposes in the least.
These questions have being plaguing me and my cousins for some time. I was hoping you could shed some light on the issue.
JazakaAllah for your precious time. And please note we are not at all trying to mock or criticise, rather clarify for our understanding. We are afraid of asking our own Ulama in person and such anonymous systems do not exist so far. So please excuse me if you find it to be offensive in anyway,
May Allah give us all the ability to follow the rules of Shariah' in their most purest form, ameen
A concerned Sister
