Evidence from the Quran and Sunnah
The Quran first commanded believing men to lower their gaze and guard their chastity, then addressed believing women with the same command, then mentioned the khimar and jilbab. Modesty is a shared duty of men and women before it is a dress rule for women.
قُل لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ يَغُضُّواْ مِنۡ أَبۡصَٰرِهِمۡ وَيَحۡفَظُواْ فُرُوجَهُمۡۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَزۡكَىٰ لَهُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا يَصۡنَعُونَوَقُل لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِ يَغۡضُضۡنَ مِنۡ أَبۡصَٰرِهِنَّ وَيَحۡفَظۡنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبۡدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنۡهَاۖ وَلۡيَضۡرِبۡنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّۖ وَلَا يُبۡدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ ءَابَآئِهِنَّ أَوۡ ءَابَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ أَبۡنَآئِهِنَّ أَوۡ أَبۡنَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ إِخۡوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوۡ بَنِيٓ إِخۡوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوۡ بَنِيٓ أَخَوَٰتِهِنَّ أَوۡ نِسَآئِهِنَّ أَوۡ مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُهُنَّ أَوِ ٱلتَّٰبِعِينَ غَيۡرِ أُوْلِي ٱلۡإِرۡبَةِ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ أَوِ ٱلطِّفۡلِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمۡ يَظۡهَرُواْ عَلَىٰ عَوۡرَٰتِ ٱلنِّسَآءِۖ وَلَا يَضۡرِبۡنَ بِأَرۡجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعۡلَمَ مَا يُخۡفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّۚ وَتُوبُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَيَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّ قُل لِّأَزۡوَٰجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَآءِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ يُدۡنِينَ عَلَيۡهِنَّ مِن جَلَٰبِيبِهِنَّۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدۡنَىٰٓ أَن يُعۡرَفۡنَ فَلَا يُؤۡذَيۡنَۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورٗا رَّحِيمٗاقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا: لَقَدْ رَحِمَ اللهُ نِسَاءَ الْمُهَاجِرَاتِ، لَمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ {وَيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ} شَقَّقْنَ مُرُطَهُنَّ فَاتَّخَذْنَ مِنْهَا خُمُرًاAisha (may God be pleased with her) said: “May God have mercy on the women of the Muhajirun: when God revealed ‘and to draw their head-coverings over their chests,’ they tore their waist-wraps and made head-coverings from them.”
Modesty before clothing
Hijab is not clothing only; it is a system of modesty that starts in the heart: a chaste gaze, dignified speech, no flaunting or immodest imitation, and guarding chastity in men and women alike. That is why the Quran gives the verse of lowering the gaze to men before the verses of the khimar to women.
يَٰبَنِيٓ ءَادَمَ قَدۡ أَنزَلۡنَا عَلَيۡكُمۡ لِبَاسٗا يُوَٰرِي سَوۡءَٰتِكُمۡ وَرِيشٗاۖ وَلِبَاسُ ٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ خَيۡرٞۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَذَّكَّرُونَالْحَيَاءُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الْإِيمَانِ“Modesty is a branch of faith.”
إِنَّ الْمَرْأَةَ عَوْرَةٌ، فَإِذَا خَرَجَتِ اسْتَشْرَفَهَا الشَّيْطَانُ“The woman is an ‘awrah (to be covered); when she goes out, Satan seeks to embellish her.”
Where scholars differ: covering the face
- All schools agree that covering the body and hair in the presence of unrelated men is obligatory.
- The majority of Hanafis, Malikis and Shafi’is: the face and hands need not be covered, yet may not be made an object of immodest attention.
- Most Hanbalis and some early scholars: covering the face (niqab) is required in the presence of unrelated men.
- All agree that the required covering is loose and non-transparent, free of deliberate beautification — sheer garments, revealing cuts or striking make-up.
This guide is for learning, not a fatwa. Where scholars differ we present the positions of the schools as recorded in fiqh books; for your own situation ask a trusted scholar or Islamic centre in your country.
Hijab in daily life
Hijab does not prevent study, work or public service; the women of the Companions went out for Friday prayer and to the markets and conducted business. What is intended is a covering, modest dress suited to each country and time.
- What hijab is NOT: isolation from society, abandoning education or work, or neglecting cleanliness and good appearance.
- A new Muslim woman learns and grows gradually; modesty is worship that grows through knowledge and love, not compulsion.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between hijab, niqab and jilbab?
Hijab is the head-covering for hair and chest; the jilbab is a wide outer garment (God said: “to draw their jilbabs over themselves”); the niqab is the face veil, required only by some scholars. For the majority, hijab and jilbab are obligatory; niqab is the preference of those who require face-covering.
Is hijab obligatory by scholarly consensus?
Yes in principle: they agreed that covering the body and hair before unrelated men is obligatory; the only difference concerns the face and hands, not hijab itself.
May a woman show her face and hands?
The majority of Hanafis, Malikis and Shafi’is allow it; most Hanbalis and some early scholars require covering. Both are mainstream positions, a recognised secondary difference in which neither side is dismissed.
How do I start wearing hijab?
Start with intention and learning, choose loose modest clothing with a head-covering for hair and chest, and build steadily. If you face difficulty, consult experienced Muslim women or a nearby Islamic centre.
Quran text and translations: QuranEnc. Hadith translations: HadeethEnc. Sources are shown on each item. Found a mistake? Tell us.