The Quranic Commands
The requirement for women to cover themselves in Islam comes from explicit Quranic verses and hadith. Far from being a cultural choice, Islamic law mandates that women cover their bodies and hair, with scholars debating whether the face must also be covered.
"And tell the believing women to lower their gaze 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..." — Quran 24:31
"O Prophet, tell your wives and 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
The Requirements
What Must Be Covered?
According to the four major schools of Islamic jurisprudence:
- Hair: All four schools agree hair must be covered
- Neck and chest: Must be covered (Quran 24:31 explicitly mentions covering the chest)
- Arms and legs: Must be fully covered
- Body shape: Clothing must be loose enough to not reveal body shape
- Face: Debated—Hanafi, Maliki, and Shafi'i say the face can be uncovered; Hanbali requires face covering (niqab)
The Reasoning Given
Quran 33:59 provides the reason: "That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused." The implication is that:
- Covered women are "known" as Muslim/modest women
- Uncovered women are subject to abuse/harassment
- Women's covering prevents men from being tempted
- The responsibility for male behavior rests on female modesty
The Underlying Assumptions
Women as Temptation
Islamic teachings present women's bodies as inherently tempting to men. Multiple hadith reinforce this:
"The woman is 'awrah (something to be concealed). When she goes out, the Shaitan (Satan) looks at her." — Sunan al-Tirmidhi (considered sahih)
The term awrah means something shameful that must be concealed—the same word used for private parts.
Male Gaze and Female Responsibility
The hijab requirement places responsibility for male sexual thoughts on women's clothing choices:
- If men are tempted, it's because women aren't covered enough
- Women must hide themselves to prevent male sin
- Men's self-control is secondary to women's covering
- Sexual harassment can be blamed on women's immodesty
The Historical Context
The Verses of Hijab
According to Islamic sources, the hijab verses were revealed in specific contexts:
Surah 33:53 - The Verse of the Partition
"And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a partition. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts." — Quran 33:53
This verse specifically addressed Muhammad's wives, requiring a physical barrier between them and other men. Classical scholars debated whether this applies to all Muslim women or only Muhammad's wives.
Umar's Role
According to authentic hadith, Umar ibn al-Khattab repeatedly pressured Muhammad to make his wives cover:
"Umar said, 'I said: O Allah's Apostle! Good and bad persons enter upon you, so I suggest that you order the mothers of the Believers (i.e., your wives) to observe veils.' Then Allah revealed the Verse of Al-Hijab." — Sahih Bukhari 6:60:313
Enforcement and Compulsion
Is It Mandatory?
Classical Islamic scholarship unanimously considers hijab obligatory (fard). This isn't a cultural preference but a religious requirement. Women who don't wear hijab are considered sinful.
State Enforcement
Many Islamic countries enforce hijab through:
- Iran: Legal requirement with morality police enforcement; violations can result in arrest, fines, or worse
- Saudi Arabia: Required abaya and head covering (historically strictly enforced)
- Afghanistan under Taliban: Full burqa required
- Other countries: Social pressure and harassment for non-compliance
The Mahsa Amini Case
In 2022, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in custody of Iran's morality police after being arrested for "improperly" wearing her hijab. This sparked massive protests, revealing how enforcement of hijab can lead to violence and oppression.
The "Choice" Argument
Modern Muslim Claims
Many Muslims in the West claim hijab is a "personal choice." However:
- It's mandated by Islamic law: Not wearing it is considered sinful
- It's enforced by states: Millions of women have no choice
- Social pressure is real: Even in non-enforcement contexts, family and community pressure is significant
- Religious consequences: Women are taught they'll face divine punishment for not covering
Can it be called a "choice" when the alternative is considered sinful, when family may pressure or threaten, and when some women face legal punishment for not complying?
The Double Standard
Men vs. Women
Islamic modesty requirements are dramatically different for men and women:
- Men: Cover from navel to knee (in most interpretations)
- Women: Cover entire body except possibly face and hands
This disparity reveals an underlying assumption: women's bodies are inherently more problematic and shameful than men's.
Biblical Contrast
The New Testament addresses modesty differently. Paul wrote:
"I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works." — 1 Timothy 2:8-10
Note the emphasis:
- Both men and women addressed
- Focus on the heart (godliness, good works) not just externals
- No detailed regulations about covering hair or body
- General principle of modesty without oppressive specifics
Peter similarly emphasized inner beauty:
"Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." — 1 Peter 3:3-4
Christianity emphasizes transformation of character, not external covering of the body.
Questions to Consider
- Why do women's bodies require covering while men's don't?
- If hijab is truly a choice, why do some countries imprison or kill women who don't wear it?
- What does it say about Islamic views of women that they're compared to private parts (awrah) that must be hidden?
- Why should women bear responsibility for men's sexual thoughts?
- If the Quran commands hijab, can it truly be called "optional"?
- What does it say about equality when women must hide their bodies but men don't?
Conclusion
Hijab is not merely cultural—it's mandated by the Quran and Islamic law. It's based on the premise that women's bodies are inherently shameful and tempting, requiring concealment. While some Muslim women in free societies may genuinely choose to wear it, millions of women worldwide are compelled by law, social pressure, or religious indoctrination.
The contrast with Christianity's emphasis on inner transformation rather than external covering reveals fundamentally different views of women, modesty, and human dignity.
Related articles: Women's Status in Islam | Women Deficient in Mind