How was hijab (head covering) been made obligatory?

Sources

• ✓ 33:59 · Al-Ahzaab

  33:59 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall

  يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ قُل لِّأَزْوَٰجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَآءِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَٰبِيبِهِنَّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰٓ أَن يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًۭا رَّحِيمًۭا

  O Prophet! Tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognised and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.

• ✓ 24:31 · An-Noor

  24:31 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall

  وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَٰتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَٰرِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ ۖ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِىٓ إِخْوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِىٓ أَخَوَٰتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُهُنَّ أَوِ ٱلتَّٰبِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُو۟لِى ٱلْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ أَوِ ٱلطِّفْلِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا۟ عَلَىٰ عَوْرَٰتِ ٱلنِّسَآءِ ۖ وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّ ۚ وَتُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

  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 husbands' fathers, or their sons or their husbands' sons, or their brothers or their brothers' sons or sisters' 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 ye may succeed.

• ✓ Tafsir Ibn Kathir on 33:59

  Sunni

  Tafsir Ibn Kathir · 33:59

  Allah Almighty commands His Messenger, peace be upon him, to instruct the believing women—particularly his wives and daughters, out of their elevated status—to draw their jilbabs (outer garments) close around themselves. This serves to distinguish them from the attire of women in the jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic ignorance) era and from those who were slaves. The jilbab is explained by many early scholars such as Ibn Mas'ud, Ubaydah, Qatadah, Hasan al-Basri, Sa'id ibn Jubayr, Ibrahim al-Nakha'i, 'Ata' al-Khurasani and others, as a cloak worn over the khimar (head covering). It corresponds roughly to an outer wrap or mantle, similar to a waist wrapper today but covering the head and body also. Al-Jawhari defined the jilbab as the 'melhafa' (a mantle or large shawl). A woman from the tribe of Hudhayl beautifully described the jilbab as the garment covering young women as they walk gracefully. Ali ibn Abi Talhah, reporting from Ibn Abbas, said that Allah commanded believing women when leaving their homes on an errand to cover their faces with their jilbabs, leaving just one eye visible. Muhammad ibn Sirin once asked Ubaydah al-Salmani about the phrase “they should draw their jilbabs close over themselves”; Ubaydah covered his face and head with a garment showing only his left eye prominently. Ikrimah remarked that the jilbab should be drawn so as to cover the neck opening tightly. Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from Umm Salamah that when this verse was revealed, the women of the Ansar appeared wearing dark cloaks over their heads and faces, like black clouds of tranquility, out of adherence to this command. There is also an explanation regarding free women and slave women: if a woman was married, she was to wear the khimar, but slaves did not wear the jilbab as it was disliked for them to imitate free women unless they were chaste. The verse specifically addresses the wives, daughters, and believing women. Sufyan al-Thawri commented that viewing the adornment of women of non-Muslims living under Muslim protection is permissible; the prohibition stands only to prevent temptation, not because their adornment is inherently forbidden. He supported this view by referencing the verse which addresses only the believing women. Allah says that drawing the jilbab closely is "that is more suitable that they will be known and not harmed." Ibn al-Suddi explained that before this revelation, some immoral people used to harass women at night in Medina. Since houses were small and streets narrow, when women went out at night they were vulnerable. Those who saw a woman with a jilbab recognized her as a free woman and refrained from bothering her; those without were presumed to be slaves and targeted. Mujahid said that covering themselves with jilbabs enabled free women to be recognized and protected from harm or suspicion. The verse then adds: "And Allah was Forgiving, Merciful" — indicating that disbelief and ignorance prevailed in the pre-Islamic era before this knowledge was granted. Next, the verse warns the hypocrites—those who display faith outwardly but conceal disbelief in their hearts. Ikrimah and others identified these as adulterers and rumor-spreaders in Medina who fabricated false alarms of enemies and wars. The verse threatens that if they do not desist and return to truthfulness, Allah will incite the Prophet against them, empowering him over them, causing turmoil or granting victory against them. They will not find refuge in the city except a few; these will be accursed, weak and few in number, caught and killed wherever found. The verse concludes by affirming that this is Allah’s established law with those who rebel and persist in hypocrisy and disbelief: the believers will be empowered to overcome and punish them. And Allah’s way does not change nor have any substitution. In summary, this ayah commands believing women to cover themselves in a distinctive outer garment to distinguish themselves from non-free women and to be protected from harm. It elucidates the social context of Medina, addresses previous ignorance and current reality, and warns the hypocrites of Allah’s impending justice.

• ✓ Tafsir Ibn Kathir on 24:31

  Sunni

  Tafsir Ibn Kathir · 24:31

  This verse is a divine ordinance from Allah for the believing women and a protection granted by Him for their believing husbands. It distinguishes the behavior and appearance of Muslim women from those of the women of the pre-Islamic period and the polytheists. The occasion of this verse's revelation relates to a report—likely authentic—that Asma' bint Murshid had a place in Banu Haritha where women would visit without proper coverings, revealing their anklets on their feet, their chests, and the tips of their hair and earrings, which Asma' found improper. Then Allah revealed: “And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and protect their private parts...” Regarding “lower their gaze,” it means avoiding the prohibited gaze at men who are not their husbands. Many scholars hold that women must not look at non-mahram men with desire or even without desire. This ruling is supported by hadiths such as one narrated by Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi, where Umm Salamah relates that after the command of hijab was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ instructed her and Maimunah to screen themselves from Ibn Umm Maktum, who was blind but still menacing, affirming the prohibition of looking. Other scholars permit women to look at non-mahram men non-sexually, citing the Prophet's ﷺ observation of Abyssian youths playing with their spears in the mosque while Aisha viewed them modestly behind a barrier. “Protect their private parts” is explained by various authorities as forbidding all indecencies or specifically guarding against zina (fornication). Ibn Al-A'liyah distinguishes this verse from others mentioning the protection of 'private parts', indicating here it means to keep them unseen. The phrase “and not display their beauty except what is apparent” means not showing adornments to strangers beyond what is unavoidable. Ibn Mas'ud and others clarified this to mean that outer garments like cloaks and lower hems of clothes may be visible if they cannot be concealed. A common interpretation includes the face, hands, and permissible jewelry like rings. Regarding the statement “and to draw their headcoverings over their chests,” it refers to the jilbab or outer cloaks drawn over the upper chest to cover the neckline and décolletage, thereby differing from the customs of pre-Islamic women who would expose their chests and adornments openly. Early Muslim women responded to this command by splitting their outer garments to better cover themselves. The prohibition extends to women avoiding walking in ways that reveal concealed adornments—such as striking the ground with their feet to ring the sound of their anklets—since it alerts men to their beauty underneath. It also includes refraining from excessive perfume or fragrance in public so as not to attract attention. “They should not display their beauty except to their husbands, fathers, husbands’ fathers, sons, sons' sons, brothers, nephews, or sisters’ children”—all these are mahrams with whom it is lawful to show adornment, but modesty and avoidance of ostentation is advised. Women may also show adornment to other believing women but not to non-Muslim women, to prevent gossip or exposure. The Prophet ﷺ warned that women should not expose themselves to other women in a way that results in defamation. The category “those men who are not sexually inclined” includes men such as disable persons or eunuchs who do not have sexual desires; showing adornment around them is permitted. Evidence includes a narration in which a certain effeminate man was present with the Prophet’s wives, considered safe due to lack of desire. The exception “children who have not yet understood women's private matters” means children who are too young to comprehend the private nature of women’s bodies and speech; they may enter the presence of women, but once they approach adolescence, entry is forbidden. The concluding words admonish all believers to repent to Allah and to follow these noble qualities and commendable manners, abandoning the vile traits of pre-Islamic ignorance. True success lies in obeying what Allah and His Messenger command and refraining from what they forbid. Allah alone grants success and aid in this endeavor.

• ✓ Sunan Abu Dawud 34:83

  Sunni Sahih (per Al-Albani)

  Sunan Abu Dawud · Book 34, Hadith 83 · Narrated by Aisha

  May Allah have mercy on the early Muhajirat women; when Allah revealed '{Let them draw their veils over their bosoms}' they slit their outer garments at the shoulders in the manner that Ibn Salih described as loosening the sleeves, and then they veiled themselves with these.