Is hijab obligatory in Islam?

Sources

• ✓ 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.

• ✓ 24:60 · An-Noor

  24:60 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall

  وَٱلْقَوَٰعِدُ مِنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ ٱلَّٰتِى لَا يَرْجُونَ نِكَاحًۭا فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ جُنَاحٌ أَن يَضَعْنَ ثِيَابَهُنَّ غَيْرَ مُتَبَرِّجَٰتٍۭ بِزِينَةٍۢ ۖ وَأَن يَسْتَعْفِفْنَ خَيْرٌۭ لَّهُنَّ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌۭ

  As for women past child-bearing, who have no hope of marriage, it is no sin for them if they discard their (outer) clothing in such a way as not to show adornment. But to refrain is better for them. Allah is Hearer, Knower.

• ✓ 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.

• ✓ Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an on 24:60

  Shia

  Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an · 24:60

  The elderly women who do not expect to marry again—there is no blame on them if they remove some of their clothes without displaying adornment and choose to remain chaste; this is better for them. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing. Recitation variants: The people of Kufa, other than Hafs, read the phrase as 'three ʻawrat' with the accusative case. Others have it in the nominative. Among the rare readings from Al-A'mash, it is pronounced with a fatha on the waw: 'ʻawrat.' Abu Ja'far and Abu Abd Allah (peace be upon them) read it as 'they take off from their clothes,' and this reading was narrated from Ibn Abbas and Sa'id ibn Jubayr. Grammatical argument: Abu Ali said, if it is in the nominative, it serves as the predicate of a deleted subject, as if saying 'This is three ʻawrat,' summarizing after the explanation. If in the accusative, it is considered an appositive explaining 'clothes' three times. If you ask, how can it be a temporal phrase because it is clarified as times ('before dawn prayer,' 'when you take off your clothes at midday,' 'after the night prayer'), and yet it is called 'ʻawrat' and not a time? The answer: these times are implied within, as if saying 'times are three ʻawrat.' When the genitive is omitted, the genitive's grammatical case is treated as the annexed. The word 'ʻawrat' is plural of 'ʻawrah.' Nouns on the pattern 'fa'lah' exhibit movement of the middle radical in plural formation, like 'jufnah' and 'jafnat,' but the majority of Arabs disliked movement of the middle radical when it is waw or ya due to the change to an alif. Hence, they pronounced 'ʻawrat' and 'baydāt' with a sukūn, except some, like Huthaillah, gave movement to the middle radical and said 'ʻawarat' and 'lawzāt.' Some even composed poetic lines to justify moving the ya in 'baydāt.' Grammarians squarely support the first view. Regarding the reading 'from their clothes,' it is because not all clothes are removed but some portions only. Abu Abd Allah (peace be upon him) explained that it refers to the jilbab, except for a female slave who may remove her khimār (head covering) without blame. Linguistically, 'tabarruj' means the woman revealing her beauty, which she must conceal; its etymology relates to 'al-burj,' a high building that is visible. Meaning: After explaining the rulings for men and women and who is permitted to enter on women, Allah here specifies times. He said: 'O you who believe, let those whom your right hands possess seek permission of you,' meaning instruct your male and female slaves to request permission when they intend to enter upon your private places, according to Ibn Abbas. It is also said this refers particularly to slaves, from Ibn Umar, a narration reported from Abu Ja'far and Abu Abd Allah (peace be upon them). 'Those of you who have not attained puberty' refers to your freeborn children who can distinguish between what is private and what is not. Al-Jubayyi said permission is required of all adults at all times and also of children during these three periods. The phrase 'three times' indicates three times in the day and night hours. Allah then explains: 'before the dawn prayer,' because one may sleep naked or in a state one would prefer not to be seen in; 'when you remove your clothes at midday,' referring to rest times; and 'after the night prayer,' when a man retires to be with his wife. Allah commands permission-seeking at these times because people are usually undressed or vulnerable then. After elaborating, He summarizes: 'Three ʻawrat times for you.' The times are called 'ʻawrat' because men remove their clothing and their private parts may appear. Al-Suddi said some companions liked to approach their wives at those times to wash and then proceed to prayer, so Allah instructed that the youths and slaves be ordered to seek permission in these three times. 'There is no blame on you nor on them after these times' means believers and free men have no blame if they do not seek permission outside these three times. Then the meaning is clarified: 'They circulate among you,' i.e. your servants who cannot avoid entering upon you at other times and may be excused for not seeking permission always. As Allah said: 'And boys will circulate among them [serving them] perpetually.' The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said, 'They are among those who circulate around you.' He likened free women to servants and slaves. Mqatil said: 'They move about day and night.' 'Some of you upon others' means the slaves are those who circulate upon the freed clients. 'Thus Allah makes clear His signs for you,' the dictums that point to rulings, 'and Allah is Knowing, Wise in what He does.' Then He said: 'And when the children among you reach puberty, let them seek permission in all times as those before them did when they were grown.' Meaning adults must seek permission at all times; children and servants at the three designated times. This meaning repeats with details for emphasis. Said ibn al-Musayyib said: permission is sought even by a man upon his mother; this verse was revealed regarding that. 'And the elderly women who do not expect to marry,' meaning older women who have ceased seeking marriage, either because their menstruation stopped or because they no longer desire marriage or intimacy due to age. There is no blame on them if they remove some of their outer garments, such as the jilbab over the khimār, according to Ibn Mas'ud and Sa'id ibn Jubayr. Others say it refers to khimār and robe. Some say what is above the khimār such as face veils is permissible. The clothes here mean what we mentioned, not all clothes. 'Without displaying adornment' means women are not to remove clothing intending to show their beauty but rather to ease themselves. Revealing adornment is forbidden for older women and others as well. Young women are prohibited from removing jilbabs or khimār and are ordered to wear denser jilbabs to avoid revealing their form. The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said, 'For the husband what is beneath the armor (protection), for the son and brother, what is above the armor, but for those not related by kinship, four garments are required: a cloak, a shawl, a jilbab, and a waist wrapper.' 'And to be chaste,' that is, to seek chastity by wearing the jilbab, is better for them than taking it off even if the hardship is removed. Allah is Hearing your words and Knower of what is in your hearts.