Understanding the Command of Hijab in Islam

The Importance and Wisdom Behind the Hijab: Insights from Qur’anic Verses

THE COMMAND OF HIJAB

ALLĀH says:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُل لاَِّزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُوْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَبِيبِهِنَّ

O Prophet! Tell your wives, daughters, and believing women to draw their jalābīb over their bodies.

This verse is the one that is known as the verse of hijab, in which ALLĀH instructs HIS Prophet (ﷺ) to instruct women in general to observe hijab, starting with his wives and daughters, because the instruction is more emphatic in their case than that of other women, and because the one who instructs others to do something should start with his family before anyone else, as in the verse in which ALLĀH says:

یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ قُوۤا۟ أَنفُسَكُمۡ وَأَهۡلِیكُمۡ نَارࣰا وَقُودُهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلۡحِجَارَةُ

O you who believe, guard yourselves and your families against a fire whose fuel is men and stones… {At-Taḥrīm: Verse 6}

يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَبِيبِهِنَّ

to draw their jalābīb over their bodies ˹when they go out˺

The jilbāb (singular of jalābīb) is an outer garment that is worn over the head cover, upper garment and so on; women should cover their faces and chests.

Then ALLĀH mentions the wisdom behind that:

ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَن يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَ يُوْذَيْنَ

this will make it more likely that they will be recognised ˹as chaste women˺ and will not be harassed.

This indicates that they could be harassed if they did not observe hijab, because if they did not observe hijab, it may be thought that they were not chaste, so men in whose hearts is a disease could harass them. Moreover, people might look down on them and assume that they were slave women, and anyone with evil intent might think little of them. Hijab deters those who have evil intentions towards them.

{Tafsi‌r As-Sa’di}

#sadi #ahzab (33:59)

Ummul Mu’minīn, Ā’ishah (may ALLĀH be pleased with her) narrated:

“May ALLĀH bestow HIS Mercy on the early emigrant women. When ALLĀH revealed: “… and to draw their veils all over their Juyubihinna (i.e., their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms)…” {An-Nūr: Verse 31} they tore their Murat (woolen dresses or waist-binding clothes or aprons etc.) and covered their heads and faces with those torn Muruts.”

{Al-Bukhārī #4758}

“Asma, daughter of Abū Bakr, entered upon the Messenger of ALLĀH (ﷺ) wearing thin clothes. The Messenger of ALLĀH (ﷺ) turned his attention from her. He (ﷺ) said: “O Asma’, when a woman reaches the age of menstruation, it does not suit her that she displays her parts of body except this and this, and he pointed to his face and hands.

{Abū Dawūd #4104}