Hijab-Muslim Women's Headscarf

Hijab is a headscarf worn by some Muslim women to protect them from unwanted attention and to safeguard their modesty.

Islam protects women by requiring her to wear hijab so that the covering of herself does not attract men like the swamps of flies are attracted to exposed food.

The actual date of the revelation regarding Hijab is one of differing opinions however; Hijab was made compulsory within 3.A.H or 5.A.H.

The Holy Quran contains 7 verses altogether pertaining to Hijab, 3 of these are found in Surah Noor and 4 in Surah Ahzaab.

The revelations concerning Hijab are as follows:

"Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their modesty that is purer for them. Lo! Allah is aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment save to their own husbands or fathers or husband’s fathers or their sons or their husband’s sons or their brothers, or their brother’s sons or sister’s sons or their women or their slaves, or male attendants who lack vigour, or children who know naught of women’s nakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn unto Allah together, O, believers in order that you may succeed." (Surah Noor, verses: 30-31)

"Do not enter the houses of the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam unless you have been granted permission." Surah Ahzaab.

I am a Muslim but never wore a hijab in my entire life, until a few months ago. I always had the desire to wear it but different fears and doubts put me off. I was afraid about what people will say? Will they laugh at me? How will I look? Will people label me as backward? What if I start and after a few days feel uncomfortable and stop wearing it? What if I forget to wear it if I am in a rush to leave the house and getting late?

Then one day at a religious gathering we got into the discussion about hijab (most of them were hijabis) and I happened to mention my concerns to them. It was then that I was bombarded with questions like “So you are afraid of people and not afraid of Allah?

What will you answer him when you are questioned about this on the judgement day?

If you can obey all other orders of Allah then why not this one?” You claim you are a Muslim and you love Allah and you still disobey him?” I was totally speechless. I had no answer to these questions. They further said that “hijab is a “must” in Islam, however, you are not forced to wear it because this comes from the heart. You wear it not for people or because of men, but for Allah and yourself. If you respect your religion and believe in Allah you will do everything he ordered us to do. It’s not about arguing whether men look or not, but because Allah has ordered us to do so in Quran. If you have doubt in hijab, then you will have doubt in Allah.”

These two examples further convinced me to start wearing hijab

1. Nobel Peace Prize winner, Tawakkol Karman of Yemen when asked by the Journalists whether she does not see her mode of dressing as something which contradicts her education and intellectual level as the hijab is viewed as oppression of women and backwardness.

Karman answered them with very simplistic and wise words:

"The human being in early times was almost naked. With the development of his thought over time he began to wear clothes. What I am today and what I wear Is the height of intellect and sophistication reached by man through the ages, not backwardness. Unclothedness is a sign of backwardness and human thinking going back to early times".

2. Here is the story as told by one of Muhammad Ali's daughters:

When we finally arrived, the chauffeur escorted my younger sister, Laila, and me up to my father's suite.

My father took a good look at us. Then he said something that I will never forget. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, "Hana, everything that God made valuable in the world is covered and hard to get to. Where do you find diamonds? Deep down in the ground, covered and protected. Where do you find pearls? Deep down at the bottom of the ocean, covered up and protected in a beautiful shell. Where do you find gold? Way down in the mine, covered over with layers and layers of rock. You've got to work hard to get to them."

He looked at me with serious eyes. "Your body is sacred. You're far more precious than diamonds and pearls, and you should be covered too."

Source: Taken from the book: More Than A Hero: Muhammad Ali's Life Lessons Through His Daughter's Eyes.

After this I did some serious inner-self searching and made sincere dua for Allah to guide me and give me courage to help me turn to Him. Today I wear hijab and realize that I made a right decision. Wearing the hijab has not only given me freedom from constant attention to my physical self but also given me a feeling that I am not what anyone expects of me, I am only what Allah commands me to be.

There are different types of Hijab that you can choose to wear.

A single piece hijab can be in a form of a square, oblong, or triangle. These are often wrapped and pinned or tied to hold them in place.

Other type is in form of tube that slips over the head. These can be in one-piece or two-piece styles. The tube style is very easy to wear as they don't require pinning.

Always choose colours that suit your complexion and your outfit. If your dress is light coloured wear dark coloured hijab.

You can use hanging beads along the edges of the material or a lace or ribbon to make you look stylish.

You can also wear jewellery and make-up without over-doing it and staying in limit.

May Allah bless you all.