Hijabs and Niqabs in Islam

Have you ever wondered why Muslim women wear Hijabs and Niqabs? This article will help you learn more about them and its significance in Islam.  

What is Hijab? 

• Linguistically, hijab means ‘cover’ 

• In Islam, hijab refers to whatever covers the entire body of a women Why do Muslim Women wear Hijab? 

• Muslims believe that God is alone in His Lordship, meaning that He is the only Creator, Provider, Sustainer and One who gives life and death. They also believe that He is the only One who possesses attributes such as the Most Merciful, All-Hearing, All-Knowing etc. 

• This necessitates the worship of God alone – to do that which pleases Him i.e. to follow His Commandments and stay away from His Prohibitions for His sake only 

• Islam is therefore a religion of submission to God alone 

• God has commanded the Muslim women to wear the hijab, evidenced in the following verse from the Quran (Muslims believe the Quran is the uncreated word of God): 

“O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies. That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” 

[al-Ahzab 33:59] 

• The foremost reason why Muslim women wear the Hijab is because God has legislated it and by adhering to His Legislations, Muslim women become closer to God 

• They do it out of their love to please God, fear of His punishment and hope in His reward 

• In Islam worship, including the wearing of hijab, must be done for the pleasure of God and reward in hereafter, it must also be in alignment with the sunnah (actions, statements or descriptions of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), or things done in his presence and not rebuked), therefore hijab should not be worn out of force 

What is Niqab? 

• Niqab refers to that which a woman wears and covers her face with 

• Some Muslim women wear this as part of their hijab, for the same reasons mentioned above 

• Others may not due to a scholarly difference of opinion on whether wearing niqab is obligatory or a strong recommendation in the religion 

Wisdom behind the Hijab 

• Islam is a religion of submission to God alone; therefore, it is not required for a Muslim to understand the wisdoms behind a ruling 

• Muslims believe that all legislations set by God are full of knowledge, wisdom and mercy as He is the Most Wise and the Most Merciful – He is the One who created us and knows what is best for us 

Some of the wisdoms behind the hijab include: 

• Protection – the hijab protects Muslim women from unwanted attention and harassment from men with desires and protects both men and women from illicit sexual relations 

• Purification – it purifies the hearts of both the men and the women as shown in the following verse: 

“And when you ask (Prophet’s (peace be upon him) wives) for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen, that is purer for your hearts and for their hearts.” 

[al-Ahzab 33:53] 

• Honour – it distinguishes the Muslim women from the rest of society 

• Empowerment – it frees Muslim women from objectification, so that they can be known for their intellect and not just their looks 

• Freedom – it frees them from conforming to the ever-changing beauty standards of society 

• Modesty – it increases them in shyness and humility, a trait highly valued in Islam Shyness and Modesty in Islam 

• Islam praises and encourages modesty and shyness for both men and women 

• Modesty is seen as a part of faith: 

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be upon him) said: 

“... and modesty is a branch of faith.” 

[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 9, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 35] 

• Covering oneself, for both men and women, increases them in shyness and will result in an 

• increase in one’s faith 

• The opposite is also true: 

Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him) said: 

“Shyness and faith are inseparable; if one of them is lost, the other will be lost too.” 

[Saheeh al-Jaami‘ 2483] 

• Both men and women should be modest in their dress, speech and actions 

• The ultimate modesty comes from knowing Allah observes and is aware of your actions 

Conditions of the Hijab 

For the clothing of a women to classify as a hijab, the following conditions must be met: 

1. It should cover the whole body – there is difference of opinion regarding if the face and hands can be uncovered 

2. Should not be an adornment in and of itself 

3. The material should not be transparent 

4. Should be loose on the body 

5. Should not be perfumed 

6. Should not resemble the clothing of men 

7. Should not resemble the clothing of non-Muslim women 

8. Should not be a clothing of fame and vanity 

What about men? 

• In Islam, men and women are differentiated but this does not mean one is superior to another 

• Men are obliged to cover from their navel to the knee and modesty is still upon them 

• If societal customs do not go against the shariah they are valid to rule by in some scenarios, for example a man not wearing a shirt would not be befitting due to customs of the people

To learn more about the importance of the Hijab and the Niqab, join us at the Hijab and Niqab stall on Monday, 18 November from noon to 4pm, at the Blomeley Rooms. This is the perfect opportunity to learn more as well as the chance to browse and purchase products! There will be a variety of things such as Hijabs, Niqabs, stationery and much more.  Find out more information other events happening during Islamic Heritage Month here, and we hope to see you there!