· The second regulation: Abiding by the Hijab (Islamic covering) approved by the Sharee‘ah (Islamic legislation):

Allah The Almighty Says (what means):

· {O Prophet, tell your wives, your daughters, and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.}[Quran 33:59]

· ‎{And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, their brothers' sons, their sisters' sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.}[Quran 24:31]

· ‎{O wives of the Prophet, you are not like anyone among women. If you fear Allah, then do not be soft in speech [to men], lest he in whose heart is disease should covet, but speak with appropriate speech.}[Quran 33:32]

We will not speak here about the conditions and description of the Sharee‘ah-approved Hijab because it is well-known. However, we want to stress the fact that Hijab includes two points: the material aspect and the moral aspect.

The material aspect of Hijab is covering the body, while the moral aspect means refraining from softness in speech and swaying while walking, or exposing adornment through different means such as wearing colorful clothes, applying perfume, using cosmetics and the like.

The Sharee‘ah-approved Hijab includes these two points and it is very disappointing to see some women observing the material aspect of Hijab while they neglect the moral aspect to a great extent.

· The third regulation: Avoiding meeting in seclusion with non-Mahram (marriageable) men:

Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that he heard the Prophet, , saying: “No man is to meet in seclusion with a woman except in the presence of her Mahram (non-marriageable male relative)…” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

An-Nawawi said,

"If a man meets in seclusion with a non-Mahram woman and there is no third person with them then it is forbidden according to the consensus of Muslim scholars. Similarly, if they are together in the presence of someone who they do not feel shy of due to his young age, such as a two-year-old or three-year-old child, as his presence and absence are equal, it is also forbidden. The same applies to several men meeting in seclusion with a non-Mahram woman; however, it is permissible for several women to meet in seclusion with a non-Mahram man according to the preponderant opinion.

”.The scholars of our school (the Shaafi`i scholars) of Fiqh (Islamc jurisprudence) said that there is no difference between the prohibition of a man meeting in seclusion with a non-Mahram woman whether in the case of prayer or any other; however, meeting in seclusion for a necessity is excluded from this prohibition. For example, if a man finds a non-Mahram woman lost on the road it is permissible and even obligatory upon him to accompany her if he fears that she might be subjected to any harm if he fails to do so. This ruling is unanimously agreed upon by scholars as proved by the Hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, on the “Incident of Slander .

· The fourth regulation: Avoiding intermixing with men in order to avoid temptation and corruption.

This regulation is based upon a series of incidents and texts of Sharee‘ah. The Prophet, , used to separate men from women in prayer, which is the greatest act of worship during which people draw nearer to Allah The Almighty. Thus, men it is with good reason that men should be separated from women during other activities.

The Prophet, , specified a door for women and another door for men in the mosque and commanded men to stay in their places until the women leave. Likewise, the Prophet, , dedicated certain days to teach women and enlighten them about issues related to women that may be embarrassing to them if discussed in front of men.

In addition, Allah The Exalted drew our attention to the natural attraction between men and women by forbidding women from speaking softly with men lest those in whose hearts are disease should be emboldened to covet.

Hence, if softness in speech is forbidden, then intermixing must definitely be forbidden with greater reason. Elimination of means that lead to unfavorable results is an established Sharee‘ah ruling, thus, we should pay attention to this issue so as not to violate the commands of Islam.

Muslim women in the field of medicine - I