Just as Hindu women use dupatta, chunari or pallu, etc., to cover their heads, similarly hijab is a scarf-shaped square cloth used by Muslim women to cover their hair, head and neck. However, this concept is not unique to Islam and has also been adopted by other religions such as Judaism and Christianity.
Although the tradition of wearing the hijab is deeply rooted in Islam, it is not mentioned in the Qur’an but the Khimar (covering). In fact, the concept of the hijab is very ancient. Although it is not always called a hijab, the concept of covering the body of women in Islam dates back to the sixth century.
Hijab and Khimar are both ways in which women have been encouraged to cover their bodies, although there is a slight difference between the parts covered by the hijab and the Khimar and the manner in which they are worn.
“O Prophet, tell your wives, your daughters and the women of the believers to cast their outer garments. It is more suitable. That they will not be recognized and they will not be abused. Allah is ever forgiving and merciful (verse 59 of Surah al-Ahzab).”
The Veil In The Time Of Prophet Muhammad
Portions of historical evidence suggest that the veil was not introduced to Arabia by the last Prophet of Islam but was already there and associated with high social status.
Surah 33:53 of the Qur’an states, “And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a partition. It is pure for your hearts and their hearts.”
In 627 CE, a term for wearing a veil in the Islamic community, darbat al-hijab, was used interchangeably with “being the wife of Muhammad”.
The Spread Of The Hijab And Its Tradition In Islam
Islam propagated in various societies in the Middle East, Africa and parts of Central Asia and around the Arabian Sea. This included the customs of the local screen.
Although the veil was neither compulsory nor widely accepted by many generations after Prophet Muhammad, male scriptural and legal scholars sought to regain the dominance lost in society due to the Prophet’s egalitarian reforms and began to exercise the political right.
Upper-Class Arab Women Wearing Veils
The revival of the hijab began in Egypt in the late twentieth century as a means of reunification and rededication to the Islamic faith. The movement was known as the Sehwah and women pioneers of the movement adopted Islamic dress, which was composed of an unfitted, full-sleeved, ankle-length gown. In it, the whole head was covered and it also covered the chest and back.
This movement gained a lot of momentum and this practice became widespread among Muslim women. They wore it in public to reject Western influences as a heritage of their religious beliefs.
Despite many criticisms, including the hijab being oppressive and harmful to women’s equality, many Muslim women consider the dress to be a positive thing.