Hijab is Obligatory: Evidences from the Quran and Sunnah

18/07/2013| IslamWeb

Wearing the Hijab (Islamic covering) is a great act of worship and one of the most important obligations in Islam, as Allah The Almighty has ordained it in His Book and has forbidden its opposite, which is uncovering and dressing improperly. The Prophet commanded it in his Sunnah (tradition) and forbade its opposite. Moreover, it is the consensus of the Muslim scholars throughout the ages that the Hijab is mandatory. Therefore, claiming that this act of worship (i.e., the Hijab) was only obligatory in a certain period of history is baseless and the burden of proof is upon those who make this baseless claim.

As for the proof of the obligation of Hijab in Islam, the following evidences clearly prove the obligatory nature of the Hijab, and silence anyone who claims that it is an inherited tradition, or that it was only obligatory for the early Muslims.

Evidences from the Quran:

• {"And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not display their adornment except that which [ordinarily] appears thereof and to draw their head covers over their chests and not to display their adornments [i.e., beauty] except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husband's sons, their brothers, their brother's sons, their sister's sons, their women, that which their right hands possess [i.e., slaves], 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: 30]

'Aa'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said,

"May Allah have mercy upon the early women of Muhaajireen (the emigrants who came from Makkah)! When Allah revealed (what means): {"And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not display their adornment except that which [ordinarily] appears thereof and to draw their head covers over their chests and not to display their adornments [i.e., beauty] except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husband's sons, their brothers, their brother's sons, their sister's sons, their women, that which their right hands possess [i.e., slaves], 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: 30] they tore a part of their garments and drew it down over their heads to cover themselves." [Al-Bukhari]

• {"And women of post-menstrual age who have no desire for marriage – there is no blame upon them for putting aside their outer garments [but] not displaying adornment. But to modestly refrain [from that] is better for them. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing."} [Quran, 24: 60].

• {"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]

• {"And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves (adornments) like that of the times of Jaahiliyyah (i.e., the pre-Islamic era)."} [Quran, 33: 33]

Evidences from the Sunnah:

1. 'Aa'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated that 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said to the Prophet "'O Messenger of Allah! Why don’t you command your wives to cover themselves?' Then Allah revealed the verse which obligates Hijab." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

2. Ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet said: "On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will not look at the one who drags his garment (below his ankles) out of pride." Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, therefore asked, "What should women do with their dresses?" He replied: "They should only lower it a hand-span (below the ankles)." She then replied, "But then their feet would be uncovered (while walking)." So he said: "Then they should lower it by an arm's length." [Abu Daawood and Tirmithi]