Islam 101
Why do some Muslim women cover?
Modesty, hijab, and choice
4 min, Intro
Islam asks both men and women to dress and behave modestly. Most Muslim scholars hold that women should cover their hair in public. Many Muslim women do. Some do not. Reasons vary. Forcing it is a different matter.
Draft written with AI help: awaiting scholar review
The thread
Ask why some Muslim women cover, and the Qur'an's answer starts somewhere unexpected. With men. This lesson follows the question from that passage. To what scholars made of it. To the women who wear it and the women who do not. To the laws that would decide for them.
Men are addressed first
Here is something that surprises many people. The Qur'an's main passage on modesty does not begin with women.
It begins: tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their chastity; that is purer for them.
Only then does it turn to women: tell the believing women the same, and not to display their adornment beyond what is apparent, and to draw their head coverings over their chests.
Men's modesty includes covering at least from navel to knee, and not wearing silk or gold. But first of all, it is about how they look at women.
قُل لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ يَغُضُّواْ مِنۡ أَبۡصَٰرِهِمۡ وَيَحۡفَظُواْ فُرُوجَهُمۡۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَزۡكَىٰ لَهُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا يَصۡنَعُونَ ٣٠ وَقُل لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِ يَغۡضُضۡنَ مِنۡ أَبۡصَٰرِهِنَّ وَيَحۡفَظۡنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبۡدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنۡهَاۖ وَلۡيَضۡرِبۡنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّۖ وَلَا يُبۡدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ ءَابَآئِهِنَّ أَوۡ ءَابَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ أَبۡنَآئِهِنَّ أَوۡ أَبۡنَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ إِخۡوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوۡ بَنِيٓ إِخۡوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوۡ بَنِيٓ أَخَوَٰتِهِنَّ أَوۡ نِسَآئِهِنَّ أَوۡ مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُهُنَّ أَوِ ٱلتَّٰبِعِينَ غَيۡرِ أُوْلِي ٱلۡإِرۡبَةِ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ أَوِ ٱلطِّفۡلِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمۡ يَظۡهَرُواْ عَلَىٰ عَوۡرَٰتِ ٱلنِّسَآءِۖ وَلَا يَضۡرِبۡنَ بِأَرۡجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعۡلَمَ مَا يُخۡفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّۚ وَتُوبُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ ٣١
30 Tell the believing men to lower their gazes and guard their private parts; that is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is All-Aware of what they do.
31 Tell the believing women to lower their gazes and guard their private parts, and not to reveal their beauty except what appears. And let them draw their veils over their chests, and not to reveal their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their fathers-in-law, their sons, their stepsons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons or sisters’ sons, their fellow women, slaves whom they own, male attendants who have no [sexual] desire, or children who are still unaware of private aspects of women. Nor let them stamp their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden charm. And turn to Allah in repentance all together, O believers, so that you may be successful.
In the Qur'an, lowering the gaze comes before any dress code.
What scholars made of it
The Qur'an's passage on modesty left scholars a question: how much should a woman cover? Most Sunni and Shi'a scholars hold that she covers her body and hair in front of men outside close family, leaving face and hands. The Hanafis also allow the feet.
The face veil (niqab) is debated. The main Hanbali view and many later Shafi'i scholars say it is required. The Hanafi and Maliki schools say it is not.
A minority of modern scholars argue the other way. They say the Qur'an asks for modesty, not a specific garment, and that the headscarf is cultural. This remains a minority view, but it is held by some Muslims.
Most scholars say the headscarf is required. On the face veil, the schools differ.
Faith, not force
So what do the women themselves say? Many who wear hijab describe it as a personal act of worship. Or a sign of identity. Or a way to be seen for their minds rather than their looks.
Others, equally committed to their faith, do not wear it.
And then there are the laws. Some force women to cover. Some ban covering. Both remove the choice.
The Qur'an's principle of no compulsion in religion is often cited against forcing it.
لَآ إِكۡرَاهَ فِي ٱلدِّينِۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ ٱلرُّشۡدُ مِنَ ٱلۡغَيِّۚ فَمَن يَكۡفُرۡ بِٱلطَّٰغُوتِ وَيُؤۡمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱسۡتَمۡسَكَ بِٱلۡعُرۡوَةِ ٱلۡوُثۡقَىٰ لَا ٱنفِصَامَ لَهَاۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ٢٥٦
256 There is no compulsion in religion; the right guidance has become distinct from error. Whoever rejects Tāghoot[i.e., false gods] and believes in Allah has indeed grasped the most trustworthy handhold that never breaks. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
Forcing it and banning it both remove the choice.