Why Do Muslim Women Wear the Hijab? Meaning, Verses and Choice

Muslim women who wear the hijab usually do so as an act of worship and modesty, following verses of the Quran that ask believing women to cover their adornment and draw their head coverings over their chests. For many it also expresses identity, dignity and a personal relationship with God. The Quran asks men to be modest first.

The hijab is one of the most visible signs of Islam and one of the most argued about. Some see it as a symbol of faith and freedom, others as a symbol of control. Both reactions have real stories behind them. This guide explains what the hijab is, where it comes from, the different styles of covering, why women say they wear it, and the problem of coercion in both directions.

Key takeaways

• The word hijab in the Quran means a barrier or partition (Quran 33:53); today it usually means a headscarf that covers the hair and neck but not the face.
• The main Quranic basis is Quran 24:31, which tells believing women to draw their khumur (head coverings) over their chests, and Quran 33:59 on outer garments.
• The Quran addresses men first, telling believing men to lower their gaze and guard their modesty (Quran 24:30).
• All four Sunni schools of law and the main Shia school hold that adult women should cover their hair in front of unrelated men; they disagree about covering the face.
• In Pew's 2017 survey, about four in ten US Muslim women said they always or mostly wear the hijab in public, while 42% said they never do.

What is a hijab? The definition

In everyday English, a hijab (hijab, حجاب) is a headscarf worn by many Muslim women that covers the hair, ears and neck and leaves the face visible. In Arabic, the word means a screen, curtain or barrier, and it has a broader meaning in Islamic teaching: the whole idea of modesty in dress and behavior.

In the Quran itself, hijab does not refer to a scarf. In a passage on etiquette when visiting the Prophet's house, it describes a partition:

And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a partition. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts.

— Quran 33:53

The Quran uses other words for clothing: khimar (head covering) and jilbab (outer garment). Muslims came to call the practice of covering "hijab" because it acts as a barrier between a woman's adornment and public view.

What does the Quran say about hijab?

Modesty for men first

The passage that grounds the hijab begins with men:

Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do.

— Quran 24:30

Islamic law also sets a dress code for men: covering at least from the navel to the knee, avoiding tight or showy clothing and, in most schools, not wearing silk or gold. The idea of modesty applies to both sexes, even if the requirements differ.

Quran 24:31: the head covering

The next verse addresses women:

And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, their brothers' sons, their sisters' sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. 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.

— Quran 24:31

The word translated "headcovers" is khumur, the plural of khimar. Classical commentators explain that Arab women already wore head coverings but often left the neck and chest open, and the verse told them to bring the covering down over these. The phrase "except that which [necessarily] appears thereof" became the main point of debate: many early authorities, including reports from Ibn Abbas, explained it as the face and hands, while others read it more narrowly.

Quran 33:59: the outer garment

O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.

— Quran 33:59

This verse gives a social reason: being recognized and protected from harassment. Our wider guide to what the Quran says about women places these verses alongside the Quran's teaching on spiritual equality.

Hijab, niqab, burqa, chador and khimar: what is the difference?

People often ask "burka or hijab?" or "niqab or hijab?" These are different garments, and only some of them are widely considered religious requirements.

So the burqa and niqab are not the same as the hijab. Most Muslim women who cover wear a headscarf, not a face veil.

Why do Muslim women wear the hijab?

Women who wear it give many reasons, often several at once:

1. Obedience to God. Most say this comes first: they believe the Quran asks it of them and see it as worship, like prayer.
2. Modesty and dignity. Many describe it as asking to be judged by their character and mind rather than their appearance.
3. Identity. The hijab makes a woman visibly Muslim, and for many, especially in the West, it is a statement of pride in that identity.
4. Spiritual reminder. Some say it helps them stay mindful of God and their own conduct through the day.
5. Family and culture. For some, it is part of how they were raised, which can mean anything from a loving tradition to social pressure.

The Quran also describes clothing in moral terms: "the clothing of righteousness - that is best" (Quran 7:26). Many women connect the outer garment with this inner quality.

What do surveys show?

Survey data shows that covering is common but far from universal:

• In Pew Research Center's 2017 survey of US Muslims, 38% of Muslim women said they always wear the hijab in public and 5% most of the time, 15% some of the time, and 42% never. Among women who said religion is very important to them, 52% always covered.
• In Pew's 2013 survey of Muslims worldwide, large majorities in Turkey (90%), Tunisia (89%) and Bosnia-Herzegovina (92%) said a woman should decide for herself whether to wear a veil, while fewer than half agreed in Egypt (46%), Iraq (45%) and Afghanistan (30%).
• A 2014 University of Michigan study in seven Muslim-majority countries found that the most popular choice was a headscarf covering the hair but not the face, while over 70% of Saudi respondents chose one of the two most covering styles. Support for a woman's right to choose her dress ranged from 47% in Saudi Arabia to 14% in Egypt.

Coercion and choice: in both directions

Any honest discussion of the hijab has to admit that some women are not free to choose, and that pressure comes from more than one side.

Forced wearing

• Iran has required women to cover their hair in public since the early 1980s. The death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police in September 2022 set off nationwide protests led by women.
• Afghanistan's Taliban government ordered in 2022 that women cover their faces in public.
• In many families and communities, girls and women face pressure, threats or violence over dress, in Muslim-majority countries and in the West.

Forced removal

• France banned conspicuous religious symbols, including headscarves, in public schools in 2004, and banned face coverings in public in 2010.
• Several other European countries have passed face-veil bans, and Quebec's 2019 law bars some public employees, such as teachers, from wearing religious symbols at work.
• Historically, Iran under Reza Shah banned the veil in 1936, and police removed women's scarves in public, which many women experienced as humiliation.

Muslim scholars and human rights advocates who disagree on many things often agree on this point: modesty forced by the state rarely produces sincere faith, and bans force women to choose between their beliefs and their education or work. The Quran's principle that "there shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion" (Quran 2:256) is often cited by Muslims opposed to compulsory veiling.

What do Islamic scholars say about the hijab?

The classical position across Sunni and Shia law is that adult Muslim women should cover everything except the face and hands, and some schools add the feet, in front of men outside close family. This remains the view of the great majority of scholars and institutions today, including al-Azhar.

The main disagreements are:

• Face covering: Most Hanafi and Maliki scholars say the face and hands need not be covered, though covering may be recommended in some circumstances. Many Hanbali scholars, some Shafi'i scholars and many Salafi scholars hold that the face should be covered.
• Older women: The Quran itself relaxes the requirement for older women past the age of marriage (Quran 24:60).
• Modern dissenting views: A minority of contemporary academics and reformist thinkers argue that the verses require modest dress in general rather than a head covering specifically. Most traditional scholars reject this view.

Is it haram not to wear the hijab?

In the majority view, not covering one's hair is a sin, but it does not make a woman any less Muslim, and it is a matter between her and God. Scholars also stress that wearing the hijab does not prove a person's piety, and not wearing it does not prove its absence. Our guide to women's rights in Islam looks at the wider picture of how Islamic teaching treats women.

Read the verses on Quran Universe

Read Quran 24:30–31 and Quran 33:59 on Quran Universe with the Arabic text, word-by-word meanings and Tafsir Ibn Kathir, so you can see how the key words khumur and jalabib are explained. The whole of Surah an-Nur, "The Light," is a good introduction to the Quran's teaching on modesty, family and community.

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of the hijab?

In Arabic, hijab means a barrier or partition. In everyday use, it means the headscarf many Muslim women wear to cover their hair, ears and neck while leaving the face visible. More broadly, it refers to the Islamic principle of modesty in dress and behavior, which applies to both men and women, though the specific requirements differ.

Why do Muslims cover their hair?

Most Muslim women who cover their hair do so because they believe the Quran asks it of them, especially Quran 24:31, which tells believing women to draw their head coverings over their chests. They see it as worship, modesty and an expression of identity. Muslim men are not required to cover their hair, though some wear a cap during prayer.

What is the difference between a burka and a hijab?

A hijab is a headscarf that covers the hair and neck and leaves the face visible. A burqa covers the entire body and face, with a mesh screen over the eyes, and is mainly worn in Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan. Most scholars hold that a head covering is required, while the burqa is a regional custom rather than a religious requirement.

What is the difference between a niqab and a hijab?

The hijab covers the hair but not the face. The niqab is a face veil that leaves only the eyes visible and is worn together with a head covering. Scholars disagree about whether the face must be covered: most Hanafi and Maliki scholars say it is not obligatory, while many Hanbali and some Shafi'i scholars say it is.

Is it haram to not wear hijab?

According to the majority of Sunni and Shia scholars, covering the hair is obligatory for adult women, so not wearing it is considered a sin. It does not make a woman a non-Muslim, and scholars teach that it is one part of faith among many. A minority of modern thinkers argue the Quran requires modest dress generally rather than a headscarf.

Do Muslim women have to wear the hijab by law?

In most Muslim-majority countries, the hijab is not legally required, and many women choose whether to wear it. Iran and Taliban-ruled Afghanistan enforce covering by law. Islamic scholars debate whether the state should enforce it at all, and many point to the Quranic principle that there is no compulsion in religion.