Hijab in Islam: A Religious Obligation and a Human Right
Hijab and
modest dress, from both Islamic and human perspectives, are fundamental pillars
of virtue and religious observance associated with human dignity and identity.
However, the modern era has witnessed successive waves of legal and political
controversy seeking to restrict this human and moral right under various
pretexts and justifications.
The Obligation of Hijab in the Quran and
Sunnah
Allah SWT says, {O Prophet! Ask your wives, daughters, and believing
women to draw their cloaks over their bodies. In this way it is more likely
that they will be recognized ˹as virtuous˺ and not be harassed. And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.}
[Al-Ahzab 33:59]
In Arabic, the term jilbab “cloaks” refers to an outer garment that covers the
entire body over one’s clothes. The reason given in the verse—{In this way it is more likely that they will be
recognized ˹as virtuous˺ and not be harassed.}—indicates that hijab
serves as a sign of modesty and protection, helping shield women from harassment and harm.
Allah the Exalted also says, {And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and
guard their chastity, and not to reveal their adornments except what normally
appears. Let them
draw their veils over their chests.} [An-Nur 24:31]
This divine text establishes two
prohibitions and one explicit command for believing women. The first
prohibition is against looking at what should not be looked at, and the second
is against displaying adornments to unrelated men. The explicit command is: {Let them draw their veils over their chests.}
The term khimar “veils” refers to a covering worn over the head,
while juyub “chests” refers to the
openings around the chest and neckline. The command to draw the veil over the
chest therefore entails covering the head, neck, and chest, which constitutes
the essence of Islamic hijab.
Allah SWT further says, {As for elderly women past the age of marriage, there is
no blame on them if they take off their ˹outer˺ garments, without revealing their adornments. But it is better for them
if they avoid this ˹altogether˺.}
[An-Nur 24:60]
This verse grants elderly women who
are past the age of marriage a concession to remove certain outer garments,
provided they do not display their adornments. It concludes by explaining that
maintaining modesty and adhering to more complete covering is better and purer
for them.
`A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with
her) reported that Asma’ Bint Abi Bakr entered upon the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) wearing thin garments. He turned away from her and said,
“O Asma’, when a woman reaches the age of
menstruation, it does not suit her that she displays her parts of body except
this and this,” and he pointed to his face and hands. (Narrated by Abu Dawud and Al-Bayhaqi.)
`A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) also reported that the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The
Salat (prayer) of a woman, who has reached puberty, is not accepted unless she
is wearing a Khimar.” (Narrated by Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, and
Ahmad.)
`A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with
her) further said, “May Allah bestow His Mercy
on the early emigrant women. When Allah revealed: {... and to draw their veils
all over their Juyubihinna (i.e., their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms)...}
(V.24:31) they tore their Murat (woolen dresses or waist-binding clothes or
aprons etc.) and covered their heads and faces with those torn Muruts.”
(Narrated by Al-Bukhari.)
Modest Dress in Judaism and Christianity
Hijab and modest covering are not concepts introduced exclusively by Islam.
Rather, they have deep roots in earlier divinely revealed religious traditions.
Traditional Jewish legal and Talmudic
texts require women to observe modesty in dress and regard covering the hair as
an established religious obligation expressing dignity and moral integrity.
Jewish law goes beyond merely encouraging modesty, prescribing serious legal
and moral consequences for women who appear in public with their hair
uncovered.
A married woman appearing in public
with uncovered hair has traditionally been regarded in certain Jewish legal
interpretations as violating religious law and established standards of
modesty. Moreover, under the rules of the Shulchan Aruch, a central code
of Jewish law, a husband may be entitled to divorce his wife without paying her
marriage settlement if her conduct meets the relevant legal grounds. Such conduct
is treated in these rulings as a form of marital disobedience and a breach of
recognized religious and moral obligations.
Christian texts also contain numerous
calls for modest dress and head covering, particularly during worship and
sacred gatherings.
The First Epistle to the Corinthians,
chapter 11, verses 5–6, states: “And every woman who prays or prophesies
when she has her head uncovered disgraces her head; for she is one and the same
as the woman whose head is shaved [in disgrace]. For if the woman be not
covered, let her also be shorn.”
Hijab as a Personal, Legal, and Human Right
From an intellectual and legal
perspective, hijab is more than an act of religious obedience. It is also a
matter of human dignity and moral freedom, supported by principles of personal
liberty, international legal instruments, and rational considerations.
1. Freedom of Religion and
Religious Expression
International declarations and
treaties recognize freedom of religion and belief. Article 18 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights affirm that everyone has the right to
freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. This includes the freedom to
manifest one’s religion or belief through worship, observance, practice, and
teaching.
2. Bodily Autonomy and
Personal Freedom
Modern human rights principles
recognize bodily autonomy, including an individual’s ability to choose an
appearance and style of dress that reflects personal beliefs and convictions.
If the freedom to choose clothing is
protected for someone who chooses revealing attire on the grounds of personal
liberty, justice and equality require the same protection for a woman who
chooses hijab and modesty, without discrimination or persecution.
3. The Right to Education
and Employment Without Discrimination
Banning hijab in educational
institutions or workplaces can force Muslim women into an unfair choice between
abandoning what they regard as a religious obligation and being deprived of
their fundamental rights to education and employment. These rights are
addressed in Articles 23 and 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Such restrictions can constitute
direct discrimination against women on the basis of their religion.
How Hijab Promotes Modesty, Virtue, and
Social Well-Being
Divine legislation does not prescribe
hijab arbitrarily or merely to impose restrictions. Rather, it serves profound
purposes and higher objectives intended to benefit both individuals and
society.
1- Preserving Women’s
Dignity and Recognizing Their Worth
Hijab frees women from the pressures
of bodily commodification, which reduce their value to superficial appearance
and their ability to conform to materialistic beauty standards.
By wearing hijab, a woman encourage
society to engage with her intellect, abilities, knowledge, and humanity rather
than viewing her merely as a body or an object intended to entertain those who
look at her.
2- Creating a Safer Social
Environment
Hijab contributes to reducing visual
distractions and certain moral distractions in public spaces, workplaces, and
educational institutions. Such social boundaries can help create serious
environments for work and learning that prioritize productivity and creativity.
Not to mention it reduces harassment
and other forms of misconduct by establishing a barrier of modesty around
women.
3- Protecting Family Life
and Marital Stability
Adhering to the principles of modesty
and hijab directs emotional energy and human desire toward what Islamic
teachings identify as their proper and lawful context: marriage.
This, in turn, supports family
stability and reduce marital infidelity and conflicts associated with immodest
exposure and indiscriminate sexual stimulation.
Opposition to Hijab: Restrictions on Modesty
and Religious Freedom
Campaigns and practices seeking to abolish hijab or prohibit it in public life are not regulatory or legal positions, but as
challenges to the values of modesty and virtue for the following reasons:
1. The Double Standard in
Debates About Personal Freedom
When laws and social norms allow women
to wear revealing clothing and regard this as an inviolable personal right, yet
punish or prevent them from covering their bodies and heads, this creates a
serious inconsistency.
Such a contradiction suggests that the
objective is not simply to protect freedom, but to oppose modesty and promote
immodesty.
2. The Moral Consequences
of Immodesty and Compulsory Undress
Abolishing hijab and forcing women to
abandon modest covering is presented as an attack on purity and chastity,
potentially contributing to the spread of immorality and the weakening of
family bonds.
It also undermines modesty, which is
the cornerstone of moral character in every society.
3. Authoritarianism
Disguised as Liberation
Coercing women into abandoning modest
dress in the name of liberation is characterized as a form of authoritarianism
and paternalistic control.
How can a person be deprived of the
right to obey their Lord and follow their moral conscience in the name of
freedom?
Genuine women’s liberation means enabling women to practice their faith, preserve their dignity, and remain protected from coercion and compulsion.
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