Mary, mother of Jesus may Allah exalt their mention , is rarely depicted without a traditional head-covering and one would assume her to be Muslim. Which, of course, she was. One can still find both Jewish and Christian women today who cover in much the same way as Muslim women. It is one of the common bonds that are shared by these three major faiths. The following purposes and functions of hijab will clarify this point. Hijab is a test for the Muslim woman.
There is no scholarly difference on this point and the Muslim Ummah has applied it for over 14 centuries. When a Muslim woman wears hijab she is obeying and submitting to Allah. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.
It is therefore quite clear that the term Hijab does not absolutely refer to the meaning given nowadays as the scarf that should cover the head. The Hijab has nothing to do with any Islamic female dress. It is rather a symbol of separation between public life and private life at the time of the Prophet. It aimed to make of the prophet's wives Mothers of the Believers. There is another verse that mentions a term that stands for the scarf. This verse says: " The term Khumurihina plural of Khimar stated in this verse refers to the scarf that women used to wear in the Arabian Peninsula and in all the other civilizations at that time.
The Qur'an invites the believing women to fold their scarves Khimar over their chests Juyubihina to cover the upper part of their busts when they are in public. In fact, the classical commentaries report that the Arab women of Mecca used to uncover their neck and upper chest. The majority of Muslim scholars and exegetes agreed that the believing women must cover their hair by putting on a Khimar and leave only their faces and hands uncovered in the presence of men who do not have a direct family relationship with them.
Since there is a difference between Hijab and Khimar, we have the right to ask why do we keep using the term Hijab for what has been named in the Qur'an scarf or Khimar? This error is currently made unwillingly and mostly reproduced unconsciously, but it is worth mentioning that this semantic shift was not made innocently or casually throughout the history of the Islamic intellectual production.
In general, a veil can be described as a piece of clothing worn by women to cover sections of the body like face and head. In most cases, veils are common among religious communities, where women are expected to wear them for various reasons, which have immensely contributed to the debates and stereotypes linked to the practice. Within the context of Islam, there are several veils that are recognized, with most of them having been borrowed from the Arab countries, where Islam is believed to have originated from.
Nevertheless, the veil has continued to face criticism from other cultures, which view it as a practice imposed on women by men as a way of oppressing and promoting their power in the society. According to historians, the veil has a strong history, with evidence showing that it was first used in the 13 th century BC. During this time, the veil was mainly used by good women in the society, as other classes of women like prostitutes remained restricted from using it.
Elements of women using veils were also recorded among Persians, who were mainly leaders at that time. Additionally, statues which have been discovered during the Classical and Hellenistic periods show the use of veils among Greeks, even though it was compulsory for all women to cover their face and head. Moreover, the popularity of the veil grew in , among married women, who used veils that ensured complete covering of the necks, hair, and chins. This continued until , when these veils were overtaken by the popularity of woods.
Initially, sheer veils were worn by women on specific occasions or during a particular season, say, mourning a family member or in funeral ceremonies. In other instances, the veil was commonly used to hide the identity of a woman, especially in cases where she was expected to meet her future husband. Besides this, women concealed their identities in cases where they were involved in a secretive event, which was supposed to remain private. Furthermore, the veil was historically used to protect the beauty and skin of women from being exposed to harsh environmental and climatic conditions like scorching sun, strong wind, and dust.
Islam puts strong emphasis on the manner in which women are supposed to present themselves in the society. This is primarily guided by Hijab, which is based on presentation of women in a modest way.
These headdresses are commonly known as veils, and are widely used by Muslim women all over the world. This has however been interpreted differently, with a section of Muslims arguing that veils are important in preventing women from attracting men sexually. The Hijab is the commonest, especially in Western countries. This covers the neck and head alone.
However, most women outside these countries are required to use the traditional veil, mainly in the Arab World. Besides Hijab, there are other veils like the niqab, which covers the whole body, leaving tiny openings on the head to allow the person wearing it to see through. These veils have gained popularity in the Arab World even though they are common in Gulf States. They have also triggered debates in most parts of Europe, where they have been highly criticized.
In some cases, a section of politicians have recommended its ban, arguing that it poses security threats by concealing the identity of Muslim women.
Chador is another type of veil used by Iranian women, and in other countries in the Middle East. Unlike the niqab, chador leaves the face of a woman exposed even though the head and the rest of the body remain covered. They are mainly black in color, and are also common in countries where Islam in not deeply rooted. The last type of veil worn by Muslim women is the burqa, which covers the entire body, including the whole face.
However, they are designed with a mesh on the head to allow women to see through. This made it criminal for women to be found in public without the veil. Despite these types of veils, it is worth noting that they drive towards the same point of covering the face of Muslim women. As a result, critics have questioned the Quranic support of the veil. In this view, wearing the hijab permits a degree of autonomy and freedom. For numerous Muslims, however, none of that is the point.
Most conservative scholars, and numerous Muslim women, hold that wearing a headcovering is an absolute obligation for Muslim women, regardless of other social considerations. Thus, if a woman is likely to be the subject of special attention on the basis of wearing a headscarf, she need not do so.
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