Correct Hijaab

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Allah says,

وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ ۖ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَائِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَائِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي أَخَوَاتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَائِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ أَوِ التَّابِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُولِي الْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ أَوِ الطِّفْلِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا عَلَىٰ عَوْرَاتِ النِّسَاءِ ۖ وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّ ۚ وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّـهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٣١

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. (31)

(Qur'an an-Nur 24:31)

Wearing hijaab is not to be taken lightly. It is a command of Allah and must be observed by all women who have reached puberty. Like teaching children to pray from age 7, parents should acquaint their daughters to wearing hijaab from around this age so they become used to it and don't find difficulty to fulfill this command when it becomes obligatory upon them.

The lowest form of hijaab or minimum hijaab is to cover all of your body except your hands and face. If some hair above your forehead is showing, this is not correct hijaab. If part of your ears or neck or feet is showing, this is not correct hijaab.

If you just look around you, you will find 90-95% of women, even with their head covers and their bodies covered, are not fulfilling the requirements of hijaab. Some of them are wearing flashy and colorful clothes or wearing makeup, befitting of a fashion show. Most women who cover their heads, they also have their arms showing or their feet showing or their hair showing or their size and shape showing or you can see through their clothes or you can smell their perfume. This is not correct hijaab.

The idea of hijaab is not to draw attention to you. So, the clothes you wear should not be something that attract attention to you but something that give you more humility. The clothing must hang loose so that the shape/form of your body or part of your body is not apparent. The material must not be thin that one can see through it. The clothes should not be an adornment in and of itself. Bold designs and colors, and elaborate or fancy/flashy head covers should be avoided because this only attract attention to you. Likewise, if you decorate or paint your face (e.g. with makeup) or expose your adornment, you will naturally attract men's attention to you or even inviting men to talk to you. This defies the idea of hijaab.

The purpose of hijaab for women is to prevent fitnah (temptation), and this can only be avoided if you cover your body with wide and loose, and non-flashy clothes. Tight clothes, even if they conceal the color of the skin, describe the size and shape of your body or part of it, and create a vivid image in the minds of men. So, jeans, pants, tights and leggings are out--they should not be worn unless you cover them with long loose skirt/dress.

Allah says,

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ قُل لِّأَزْوَٰجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَآءِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَـٰبِيبِهِنَّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰٓ أَن يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّـهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

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.

(Qur'an Ahzab 33:59)

The Prophet, Allah bless him an grant him peace, said,

“If a woman prays her five (daily prayers), fasts her month (i.e. Ramadan), guards her private parts, and obeys her husband, it will be said to her, ‘Enter Paradise through whichever of the gates of Paradise you wish.’” (Bukhari)

May Allah guide us. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam