The Hijab (, ) is a term which signifies, within the Islamic literature, an inner sense of modesty, bashfulness, and reserve traditionally sanctified as haya, which is reflected in codes of dress and behavioral standards. It is also commonly used today to refer simply to the headscarf"Hijab." Cambridge Dictionary, dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/hijab. Accessed 6 Sept. 2023. worn by Muslim women that covers the hair, neck, and ears while leaving the face exposed. Furthermore, within the framework of different interpretations or local understandings, this word can denote forms of covering that go beyond the headscarf whether more comprehensive or more relaxed. Traditional Muslim women's clothing style, determined by numerous interactions including tradition, necessities of life, geography and climate, and Islamic advice literature etc, has been reshaped through the hijab, presented as Islamic clothing in response to Western cultural influence; grown globally since the 1970s, with religious Muslims viewing it as a symbol of modesty and faith or a form of adornment.
In the history of early Islamic practices —which serves as an ultimate model for many— the term hijab was used not to denote a style of dress, but rather to refer to a section of the house separated by a curtain (as exemplified in the Qur'an Al-Aḥzāb; 53) or a form of sentiment. Regarding women's attire, the Qur'an employs only the terms "khimār" —which some translators and exegetes prefer to render as "headscarf"— and jilbāb, an outer garment, in a few specific verses. These verses did not contain details regarding who should observe the practice of veiling, under what circumstances, in whose presence, or to what extent. These questions were raised by Islamic jurists in later periods and were answered and codified through a combination of anecdotes attributed to Muhammad and their own independent legal reasoning ijtihad. While Islamic scholars who follow classical jurisprudence argue that covering the head is a religious requirement in women's clothing, modernist thinkers and the Quran-centric approach that considers these sources to lack informational value do not consider it among Islamic obligations.Aslan, Reza, No God but God, Random House, (2005), p.65–6 Furthermore, scholars who maintain that the hijab is obligatory hold differing views regarding whether it mandates covering everything except the face and hands —when in the presence of non-mahrams— or requires covering the entire body, including the face and hands.Fisher, Mary Pat. Living Religions. New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2008.
While in Iran and Afghanistan under the Taliban rule, the hijab is mandated by law, in other countries and places, its use is subjected to restrictions or bans.Azerbaijan: , Morocco:, Tunisia: , Egypt: Algeria:, Turkey: France: , Germany: , Senegal: , Singapore:, Kosovo: , Québec: , Austria: , Switzerland: , Denmark: , Kazakhstan: , Kyrgyzstan: , Tajikistan: , Turkmenistan: , Uzbekistan: Because of these regulations and strict hijab practices, women may face repercussions for wearing in some countries and not wearing headscarf in others.M. J. Gohari (2000). The Taliban: Ascent to Power. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 108-110. This issue has the potential to be highly controversial not only in terms of women's social participation and status in Islamic life, but also from the perspective of human rights and international laws; because the participation of individuals wearing religiously symbolic clothings in judicial proceedings would call into question the principle of the conscientious independence and impartiality of judges, a fundamental principle in the judiciary.
Terminology and influences
The Arabic word hijab () (lit. 'curtain, cloth barrier') is the verbal noun originating from the verb (hajaba), from the triliteral root (H-J-B), which forms a large class of words mostly relating to concepts of hiding, concealing, or blocking.Lane, Edward William (1863), "ح ج ب", in Arabic-English Lexicon, London: Williams & Norgate, pages 515–516 The term was originally used to denote a partition and was sometimes later used for Islamic rules of modesty. While one usage in the Quran refers to the curtain separating Muhammad's wives from visitors, other usages refers to a metaphysical barrier separating man or the world from God. The Quran does not use the word hijab for women's clothing, but uses other terms such as jilbab (as an outer garment recommendation) and khimar (for discussions see below) in various contexts.Sahar Amer (2014), What Is Veiling?, University of North Carolina Press, pp. 25-27Contemporary Fatwas by Sheik Yusuf Al Qaradawi, vol. 1, pp. 453-455Ruh Al Ma'ani by Shihaab Adeen Abi Athanaa', vol. 18, pp. 309, 313 The word in Turkish expresses an emotional state, shame, that is not related to clothing.
Much like the tichel or snood of observant Jewish women, the hanging veil, apostolnik, or kapp, worn by certain Christian women, and the dupatta favored in North Indian Hindu and Sikh cultures, the Islamic hijab is not monolithic, but manifests itself in diverse forms called by different names and shaped by local laws and customs as well as climatic-biological environment.
In Islamic scripture
Qur'an
A verse in the Surah Al-A'raf-26 gives the simplest and most fundamental purpose of dressing as covering one's intimate parts and emphasizes that fear of God is more important than covering oneself. There are seven verses in the Quran that refer in some way to women's clothing, and the two discussed below are ostensibly related to the form of clothing;Bucar, Elizabeth, The Islamic Veil. Oxford, England: Oneworld Publications, 2012. The clearest verses on this topic are , telling both men and women to dress and act modestly, with more detail on women's position. The "ornaments" in the verse has been interpreted and presented by some scholars as the parts that are adorned, and by others as the female body, with the potential to encompass the entire body. Meanwhile modesty is exalted in the Islamic understanding, the opposite behavior is despised as fahisha by Islamic scholars alike as emblematic of a state of spiritual ignorance Jahiliyyah. In Luxenberg's Syro-Aramaic Reading analysis on Qur'an, the part "Let them draw their veils over their chests" means literally as "snap their belts around their waists", an idiom, the belt was a symbol for chastity and does not order any organ to be covered with cloth. According to him, the meanings of the words in the relevant part of the verse are as follows: Khimar; cummerbund, jyb; sinus, sac, ; "let them hit." (See also:Revisionist school of Islamic studies)
A statement ın Al-Aḥzāb: 59 is as follows; This was a statement that tells women to wear their "outer garments" when going out for various needs (such as defecation), interpreted by some as a command and by others as a recommendation of protective measures against sexual harassment in Medina.
Those who perceived the statement as a command were also divided into two; while most scholars consider it won't to include face, a small group arguing that "the purpose of the veil is to prevent women from being recognized", hence the face is included. The statement in question is as follows: () literally "so that they will be recognized and not be harmed." In order to understand the expression, some narrations can give clues about the sociological infrastructure of the period. It is reported that Umar prohibited female slaves from resembling free women by covering their hair, no different from earlier social practices in which noble women who could wear ornate female headdresses were easily distinguished from slaves as in Mesopotamia, Assyria and ancient Greece. According to well-known explanation of the verse, by Al-Qurtubi the verse was an expression directed towards free and Muslim women, not slaves or non-Muslim women, for which Tabari cites Ibn Abbas. Ibn Kathir states that the jilbab was distinguishing free Muslim women from those of Jahiliyyah, so other men know they are free women and not slaves or prostitutes, so they are not harassed.
Some later scholars like Ibn Hayyan, Ibn Hazm and Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani questioned the quoted explanation. Their reasons were that slaves were not explicitly excluded in the verse or hadith, and that they could attract lust more easily, and that the prohibition of adultery and molestation should also apply to slaves. What is said about the dimensions of the Jilbab varies; While Qurtubi reports that jilbab covers the whole body, Ibn Arabi considered that excessive covering would make impossible for a woman to be recognised, which the verse mentions.
During Muhammad's lifetime
The word ḥijāb in the Qur'an refers not to women's clothing but to a spatial partition or curtain as in other early Islamic texts in literal usage while in other cases the word denotes separation between deity and mortals (42:51), wrongdoers and righteous (7:46, 41:5), believers and unbelievers (17:45), and light from darkness (38:32). Available evidence suggests that veiling was not introduced into Arabia by Muhammad, but already existed there, particularly in the towns, although it was probably not as widespread as in the neighbouring countries such as Syria and Palestine. Similarly to the practice among Greeks, Byzantines, Jews, and Assyrians, its use was associated with high social status.
The Quran in Sura 33:53 which is believed to have been revealed in 627; states, "And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a hijab (partition). That is purer for your hearts and their hearts". As Muhammad's influence increased, he entertained more and more visitors in the mosque, which was then his home. Often, these visitors stayed the night only feet away from his wives' apartments. It is commonly understood that this verse was intended to protect his wives from these strangers. Leila Ahmed adds that Muhammad's concubines did not wear veils, while his wives did, and emphasizes that the term "darabat'ül hijab" was used among Muslims over time to mean "she entered among Muhammad's wives." This is understood as not requiring slave women to wear veils and is supported by tradition.
Some have also offered different interpretations of this barrier; A visual barrier between Muhammad's family and the surrounding community, a physical barrier is used to create a space that provides comfort and privacy for individuals, and an ethical barrier, such as in the expression purity of hearts in reference to Muhammad's wives and the Muslim men to make something forbidden.
The Assembly of the Forty, or Council of the Forty, is a communal worship ceremony in Alevism and Bektashism that is said to have been attended by Muhammad upon his return from the Mi'raj.Alevîlik-bektaşîlik yazıları: alevîliğin yazıh kaynakları; Buyruk, Tezkire-i Şeyh Safi / Sönmez Kutlu. - Ankara : Ankara Okulu Yayınları, 2006 Unlike the classic Sunni Miraj stories, the story tells of Muhammad being removed from his role as a person who brought God's commands, and how he was able to enter the realm of meeting with God by giving his ring, which contained the seal of prophethood, to a lion. In the stories, alongside the understanding developed by Islamic theology that God cannot be likened to or enter into any created being, there are short references challenging traditional Sunni positions such as prayer, alcohol prohibition, separation of men and women, and veiling practises in Islam.
Hadith The Hadiths sources specify the details of hijab for men and women, exegesis of the Qur'anic verses attributed to the sahabah, and are a major source which Muslim legal scholars used to derive rulings. Sahih al-Bukhari records Aisha saying:
Aisha also reported that when was revealed,