This essay will attempt to briefly yet concisely enumerate the basic requirements regarding Muslim womenâs dress (hijab) as stipulated by ash-Shariâah in
Islam. The term hijab, itself includes not only dress and covering of the body, but characteristics of behavior as well, promoting privacy for females and prohibiting loose intermingling between males and females, thereby encouraging modesty, decency, and chastity.
Minor differences exist among the scholars regarding the actual number of the requirements because of varying methods used in codifying them.
However, the requirements mentioned here represent the ones agreed upon by the overwhelming majority of scholars and are all solidly backed by firm evidence.
The First Requirement: The Extent of Covering
The dress worn in public must cover the entire body except what has been specifically excluded, based upon the following proofs: Allah says âAnd tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like palms of hands or one eye or both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer dress like veil, gloves, head-cover, apron, etc.), and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms, etc.) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husband's sons, their brothers or their brother's sons, or their sister's sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islâm), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allâh to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful. (An-Nur 24:31)
The word zeenah in the ayah above literally means adornment and includes both a) that which Allah has adorned (i.e. the womanâs natural/and or physical beauty) that with which they adorn themselves (i.e. jewelry, eye shadow, attractive clothing, hand dye, etc.).
Surat an-Nur spells out specifically the commands concerning the fact that a womanâs natural beauty and her adornments are to be concealed from strangers except by 1) what may show because of accidental or uncontrollable factors such as the blowing of the wind, etc. and 2) what has been exempted. (see explanation at the end of this section)
Allah says "O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e.screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allâh is Ever OftForgiving, Most Merciful. (Al-Ahzab 33:59)
Abu Dawood narrates that Aisha [r] said: âAsma the daughter of Abu Bakr came to see Rasulullah (saw) wearing a thin dress; so Rasulullah (saw) turned away from her, and said, âO Asma, once a woman reaches the age of menstruation, no party of her body should be seen except this- and he pointed to his face and hands.â [In his Sunan, Abu Dawood admits this
hadith is unauthentic]
The word Khumur in the above verse of Surat an Nur refers to a cloth which covers the head hair neck and bosom. The esteemed Mufasir al Qurtubi explains:
âWomen in the past used to cover their heads with al-khimaar, throwing its ends over their backs. This left the neck and the upper part of the chest bare, in the manner of the Christians. Then Allah commanded them to cover those parts with the khimar.â
Allah states further in this ayah:
âAnd let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment..â The women in the time of an-Nabee (saw) wore anklets which could be employed to attract attention by stamping their feet, thereby making the anklets tinkle. This practice is not only forbidden by Allah, but moreover, shows that the legs and ankles are to be covered as well. Some of the modern day Hanafi scholars are of the mistaken view that a woman can display her feet, a portion of her forearms and her ears; yet there is not authentic proof from the practice of an-Nabee (saw) or his sahabah to uphold such a view.
Amongst the authentic ahadeeth which clarify this point is the following:
Ibn Umar reported that Rasulullah (saw) said âOn the day of resurrection, Allah will not look at the man who trails his garment along out of pride.â Umm Salamah then asked, âWhat should women do with the hems of their garments?â He replied, âLet them lower them a handspan.â She said, âTheir feet would be exposed!â He then said, âLet them lower their forearmâs length but no more.â [reported by at-tabarani-- saheeh]
The ayah of Surat an-Nur also lists in detail those with whom a woman is permitted to be more at ease. Furthermore, the ayah from Surah al-Ahzab orders Muslim women to draw their cloaks over their bodies when they go out. Abu Dawood related that Aisha said âAfter this ayah was revealed, the women of al Ansar appeared like crows (because of the color and shape of the cloaks they wore). Hence, an outer garment or cloak must be worn by a Muslim woman whenever she goes out in public or if she is in the presence of strangers.
Slight differences have risen amongst the scholars concerning the precise meaning of ââŚexcept only that which is apparent..â from Surat an-Nur, which according to Ibn Abbas includes the face the two hands and rings. This view is shared by Ibn Umar , âAtaa, and others from at-tabiâeen. [tafsir Ibn Kathir]
Imam ash-Shawkani states concerning this same ayah that it includes âThe dress, the face, the two hands.â But Ibn Abbas and Qatadah have stated, âThe adornments include eye shadow (kuhul), bracelets, hand dye, and rings and it is permissible for women to uncover them. [fateh al qadeer]
The major point of difference among the scholars concerns the hadith of Asma [i.e. that the face and hands need not be covered]. Some of the scholars have maintained that the face and hands must also be covered, because it was the practice of the wives of an-Nabee (saw) and the wives of the sahabah to cover themselves completely according to the authentic ahadeeth.
The above point has been a topic of debate amongst the scholars of both past and present and will be dealt with, inshaAllah at the end of this essay.
The Second Requirement: Thickness
The garment should be thick and opaque so as not to display the skin color and form of the body beneath it. Delicate or transparent clothing does not constitute a proper covering. The following hadith makes this point graphically clear.
Rasulullah (saw) said, âThere will be in the last of my Ummah, scantily dressed women, the hair on the top of their heads like a camelâs hump. Curse them, for verily they are cursed. In another version he said â..scantily dressed women, who go astray and make others go astray; they will not enter al-Jannah nor smell its fragrance, although it can be smelled from afar.â [at-tabarani and sahih Muslim]
âScantily dressed womenâ are those who wear clothing which reveals more than it conceals, thereby increasing her attractiveness while opening the path to a host of evils.
The Third Requirement: Looseness
The clothing must hang loosely enough and not be so tight-fitting as to show the shape and size of the womanâs body. The following hadith proves this point.
Usamah Ibn Zayd said, âRasulullah (saw) gave me a gift of thick Coptic cloth he had received as a gift from Dahiah al Kalbee, and so I gave it to my wife. Thereafter an-Nabee (saw) asked me, âWhy didnât you wear the Coptic cloth?â I replied, âI gave t to my wife.â an-Nabee (saw) then said, âTell her to wear a thick gown under it for I fear that it may describe the size of her limbs.â [narrated by Ahmad, al Baihaqi, and al Hakim]
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