Do Muslims really have to cover the head according to the QURAN?

Question

Salaam. I really am confused and want to know the Islamic Quranic truth regarding hijab or covering the head. I know according to the Quran, we have cover our bossoms etc..but what about the head??? Is that obligatory??

Thanks

Answer 1

I don't know if it's in the Quran but I do know it's common sense. It's dusty, there isn't much water, so they can't wash their hair every day. And of course, it's hot so you gotta keep the sun off your head and neck. It makes complete sense to cover your head in those conditions.

Answer 2

yes

Answer 3

No.

Answer 4

No, there is nothing in the Quran that says you have to cover your hair. All there is in the Quran is a general and even vague description of modest dress for women.

Hijab is just an Arab tradition that Muslim scholars assumed is part of Islam.  

Answer 5

Islam uplifted women and gave them equality and expects them to maintain their status.

Islam uplifted the status of women and granted them their just rights 1400 years ago. Islam expects women to maintain their status.

Hijaab for men

People usually only discuss ‘hijaab’ in the context of women. However, in the Glorious Qur’an, Allah (swt) first mentions ‘hijaab’ for men before ‘hijaab’ for the women. The Qur’an mentions in Surah Noor:

"Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do."

[Al-Qur’an 24:30]

The moment a man looks at a woman and if any brazen or unashamed thought comes to his mind, he should lower his gaze.

Hijaab for women.

The next verse of Surah Noor, says:

" And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons..."

[Al-Qur’an 24:31]

3.   Six criteria for Hijaab.

According to Qur’an and Sunnah there are basically six criteria for observing hijaab:

   1.

      Extent:

      The first criterion is the extent of the body that should be covered. This is different for men and women. The extent of covering obligatory on the male is to cover the body at least from the navel to the knees. For women, the extent of covering obligatory is to cover the complete body except the face and the hands upto the wrist. If they wish to, they can cover even these parts of the body. Some scholars of Islam insist that the face and the hands are part of the obligatory extent of ‘hijaab’.

      All the remaining five criteria are the same for men and women.

   2.

      The clothes worn should be loose and should not reveal the figure.

   3.

      The clothes worn should not be transparent such that one can see through them.

   4.

      The clothes worn should not be so glamorous as to attract the opposite s*x.

   5.

      The clothes worn should not resemble that of the opposite s*x.

   6.

      The clothes worn should not resemble that of the unbelievers i.e. they should not wear clothes that are specifically identities or symbols of the unbelievers’ religions.

4.   Hijaab includes conduct and behaviour among other things

Complete ‘hijaab’, besides the six criteria of clothing, also includes the moral conduct, behaviour, attitude and intention of the individual. A person only fulfilling the criteria of ‘hijaab’ of the clothes is observing ‘hijaab’ in a limited sense. ‘Hijaab’ of the clothes should be accompanied by ‘hijaab’ of the eyes, ‘hijaab’ of the heart, ‘hijaab’ of thought and ‘hijaab’ of intention. It also includes the way a person walks, the way a person talks, the way he behaves, etc.

5.   Hijaab prevents molestation

The reason why Hijaab is prescribed for women is mentioned in the Qur’an in the following verses of Surah Al-Ahzab:

"O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad); that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

[Al-Qur’an 33:59]

The Qur’an says that Hijaab has been prescribed for the women so that they are recognized as modest women and this will also prevent them from being molested.

Answer 6

to be recognized as Muslims and thus not get molested (in 7th century Arabia context). but today we find the Hijab to be a problem for many women living in non-Muslim countries and therefore many scholars have issued fatwas that Muslim women living in non-Muslim countries are free to take off the Hijab if they fear for their life and their wellbeing.