Intermediate
Hijab
Surah: Al-Nur (31)
Full Hijab — Sharia Requirements from Al-Nur and Al-Ahzab
وَلَا يُبۡدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنۡهَا
— النور الآية 31
Two primary verses:
"And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts and not display their adornment except what ordinarily appears." (24:31)
"O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks over themselves." (33:59)
Sharia conditions for hijab (from the two verses and Sunnah):
"And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts and not display their adornment except what ordinarily appears." (24:31)
"O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks over themselves." (33:59)
Sharia conditions for hijab (from the two verses and Sunnah):
- Full coverage — encompasses the whole body except what ordinarily appears.
- No ornamentation: "Not display their adornment" — hijab must not be showy or eye-catching.
- No resemblance to men — the Prophet forbade women imitating men (Bukhari 5885).
- No resemblance to non-believers — must not resemble the dress of non-Muslim women in notoriety or provocation.
- Jilbab: In Al-Ahzab refers to a full outer garment drawn over home clothes.
- Majority: Face and palms are among the exception in "except what appears" — uncovering them is permitted.
- Hanbali and some Hanafi: The face is awrah before unrelated men — niqab is obligatory.
Source: Al-Qurtubi (12/228); Ibn Al-Arabi (3/1361); Al-Mughni (7/456); Bukhari (5885)
Test Yourself
What are the conditions of the sharia hijab? What is the disagreement regarding the niqab?
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