Definition of Hijab

It is very clear that it is mandatory for every Muslim to understand his/her faith the correct way. This means to have authentic knowledge of Islam based on the Qur’an and the Sunnah so that we can follow what Allah I and His Messenger r have commanded us to do and refrain ourselves from committing sins because of disobedience.

The best way to learn and practice Islam correctly is by knowing and understanding at least the correct meaning of the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad r in Arabic, if not learning the language of the Qur’an itself. We have to understand that no matter how much efforts were put to translate the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad r or the right deductions by the renown Muslim scholars of these two revealed sources of knowledge and guidance to other languages there will always be errors because of misinterpretation of the meanings of the words. 

It is in this context that I tried to give the real/explicit meaning of the word “Hijab” in Arabic. If we look at the meaning of the word “Hijab” in the dictionary we learn that the word means “veil”, “screen”, “cover(ing)” or “curtain” (see Al Mawrid: A Modern Arabic English Dictionary, 1992 p. 453). The meaning of the word “Hijab” becomes more clear to mean “covering” which also means “veil” as Allah I Himself uses the term. As stated in the Qur’an Allah I tells us Allah which meaning of is translated as:

“It is not given to any human being that Allah should speak to him unless (it be) by Revelation, or from behind a veil.” ( 42:51). From the above verse, Allah I clearly mentions the word Hijab(veil) to mean covering. He makes it very clear to us that no one has spoken to Him directly face to face while seeing His face but there was always a Hijab (covering or veil) between Him and the one who spoke to Him. In fact, even Prophet Muhammad r Allah’s Prophet and Messenger to the whole mankind did not see Allah I. After Allah I honored the Prophet r to have ascended to the highest Heaven, and given him the privilege to speak to Himself, one of his Companions asked him whether he has seen Allah I.

The Hijab as Daw'ah by Dr. Aisha Hamdan

Most Muslims are familiar with the various reasons that Allah has required women to wear hijab: The hijab reflects modesty, purity and respect; it lessens temptation so that more serious sins will be avoided; it protects women from the harm and molestation of evil men; a woman who wears hijab will be evaluated for her intelligence and skills rather than her appearance.

One important aspect that is often overlooked, however, is that the hijab is a symbol of Muslim identity. A woman who covers her head is making a statement that she is a member of the Muslim community and that she follows a particular code of moral conduct.

Allah says: "O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments around them. That is more suitable that they will be known (as Muslims and chaste believing women) and not be abused." [Qur'an, 33:59]

Muslim women speaking about hijab

The hijab and niqab worn by some Muslim women have hit the news lately, especially after France's ban on the veil worn by some Muslim women (niqab) went into effect, and after death threats against a British imam who held that wearing hijab (a scarf covering the hair) was a woman's choice (he also held that evolution and Islam need not be at odds). 

Some sort of headcovering for women is a common feature of Middle Eastern cultures (orthodox Jewish women cover their hair, too, and the men wear a hat or yarmulke at all times), which doesn't make it automatically good or bad, but it does make it different in other cultures, and that causes some tension. 

Hijab or Niqab?

This has been a matter of discussion amongst Muslims for ages, ulama supporting any of the 2 have concrete proofs, however the times we live in, the Ladies (especially modernist girls/women) are more inclined towards wearing Hijab rather than going for Niqab (If they are ready at first place) , the western mind set looks down upon noble women wearing Jilbab in its true sense (i.e. Niqab).

Note: Technically even Hijab refers to Proper covering from top to bottom, but here It will be referred for those who are not convinced with Face covering.

Some scholars have tried to reconcile between both viewpoints by offering choice to women whether they like to go for Hijab or Niqab (though Niqab is recommended), some like Nasir ud-din Albani have even gone to the extent of justifying that ruling on Hijab supercedes that of Niqaab, this according to us is a wrong conclusion, especially for our sisters in sub-continent where men are often seen preying at women (so in any given condition, anywhere in the world where the women may become easy targets of men satisfying their inner lustful desires, then the ruling of Niqab from merely recommended changes to Wajib and there indeed is proof of it rather a dominant one)