What is Hijab – Hijab in Islam, Quran & Hadith

In the name of Allah the most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Definition of Hijab
The Arabic word hijab holds a variety of similar meanings: cover, conceal, hide, screen, and shelter. Among Muslims, hijab commonly refers to a woman’s headscarf. In broader terms, hijab refers to her full modest dress.

In the Quran, ALLAH SWT states: “Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and adornments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers(a list of exceptions)”

[Chapter 24, verses 30-31]

According to the Hadith, “My Lord agreed with me (‘Umar) in three things… (2) And as regards the veiling of women, I said ‘O Allah’s Apostle! I wish you ordered your wives to cover themselves from the men because good and bad ones talk to them.’ So the verse of the veiling of the women was revealled”.

(Bukhari, v1, bk 8, sunnah 395).

There are two authentic hadith which state: “Each religion has a morality and the morality of Islam is haya'” AND “Bashfulness is from belief, and belief is in Al-Jannah (paradise)”. The hijab fits the natural bashfulness which is a part of the nature of women.

The Hijab of the Muslim woman is indeed part of modesty. Modesty accompanies Eemaan (faith). That is why Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu`alayhi wa sallam) said: “Modesty is part of Eemaan and Eemaan is in Paradise.”

[At-Tirmithi].

Wearing the Hijaab isn’t just a matter of simply putting a piece of cloth on your head, it is an attitude, a way of thinking and behaving, and accepting yourself for who and what you are. Basically it constitutes an Islamic way of life, it is a statement which indeed should portray a certain attitude.