# Why Do Muslim Women Wear the Hijab? > Qur’an 24:31 tells believing women to draw their head coverings over their chests. Qur’an 33:59 tells them to draw outer garments over themselves. A Bukhari report describes covering the face. An Abu Dawud report points to the face and hands, and Abu Dawud calls it mursal. - Canonical: https://apologetics.wiki/islam/why-do-muslim-women-wear-the-hijab - Religions: Islam - Denominations: none - Beliefs: none - Tags: islam, quran, hijab - Updated: 2026-10-11 - Author: [Paul Ambrose](https://apologetics.wiki/author/hi-its-paul) ([GitHub](https://github.com/hi-its-paul)) The Qur’an tells believing women not to expose their adornment except what necessarily appears, and to draw their head coverings over their chests. It tells the Prophet to have his wives, his daughters, and the women of the believers draw their outer garments over themselves so they will be known and not abused. A report in Sahih al-Bukhari says women of the emigration covered their heads and faces when the chest verse came down. A report in Sunan Abi Dawud points to the face and the hands, and Abu Dawud says that report is mursal. The grade line on the same page says Sahih according to al-Albani. ## Key Points - [Qur’an 24:31](https://quran.com/24/31) (Saheeh International) tells believing women to wrap a portion of their head coverings over their chests, and not to show their adornment except what necessarily appears, and except to a listed circle of family and others. - [Qur’an 24:30](https://quran.com/24/30) tells believing men to lower some of their gaze and to guard their private parts. It does not give them the same garment command. - [Qur’an 33:59](https://quran.com/33/59) includes the Prophet’s wives and daughters with the women of the believers. The reason in that verse is that they will be known and not abused. - [Sahih al-Bukhari 4758](https://sunnah.com/bukhari:4758) says those women tore their wraps and covered their heads and faces. Sunni hadith: [Which Muslims Accept Which Hadith?](/islam/which-muslims-accept-which-hadith) - [Sunan Abi Dawud 4104](https://sunnah.com/abudawud:4104) has the Messenger point to his face and hands. Abu Dawud says Khalid ibn Duraik did not see Aisha, so the report is mursal. The page’s grade line says Sahih (Al-Albani). - The verses quoted here state no worldly punishment. [1 Timothy 2:9](/bible/1-timothy/2/9) is a different sentence, about modest apparel in the church. ## What Qur’an 24:31 Commands [Qur’an 24:31](https://quran.com/24/31) (Saheeh International) says: > 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 The same verse continues. They are not to show that adornment except to husbands, fathers, husbands’ fathers, sons, husbands’ sons, brothers, brothers’ sons, sisters’ sons, their women, those whom their right hands possess, male attendants without desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. They are not to stamp their feet to make known what they conceal. The verse ends by calling the believers to turn to God in repentance. The English “except that which necessarily appears” does not name the face, the hands, or any other part. That clause is where readers differ. [Qur’an 24:30](https://quran.com/24/30) speaks to believing men: reduce some of their vision and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. The verse does not tell men to draw a head covering over the chest. These two verses do not number a list of eight rules. They give the commands just named. ## Outer Garments, Wives, and a Partition [Qur’an 33:59](https://quran.com/33/59) (Saheeh International) says: > 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 Allāh Forgiving and Merciful. Wives and daughters are in the command, with the women of the believers. The purpose named in the verse is recognition and protection from abuse. The verse does not state a fine, a beating, or a court penalty. The closing words are that God is forgiving and merciful. [Qur’an 33:53](https://quran.com/33/53) is a different rule, for people who come to the Prophet’s houses. When they ask his wives for something, they are to ask from behind a partition. That is purer for their hearts and for the wives’ hearts. The verse also forbids marrying his wives after him. The partition is about asking something of those wives. It is not the sentence addressed to all believing women in 24:31. ## What the Reports Add [Sahih al-Bukhari 4758](https://sunnah.com/bukhari:4758), English on sunnah.com: > May Allah bestow His Mercy on the early emigrant women. When Allah revealed: "... and to draw their veils all over their Juyubihinna (i.e., their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms)..." (V.24:31) they tore their Murat (woolen dresses or waist-binding clothes or aprons etc.) and covered their heads and faces with those torn Muruts. The narrator is Aisha. The report is in al-Bukhari’s collection, which Sunni Muslims treat as sound. [What Are Hadith and Sira?](/islam/what-are-hadith-and-sira) [Which Muslims Accept Which Hadith?](/islam/which-muslims-accept-which-hadith) A Shia reader who does not take Bukhari as proof still has [Qur’an 24:31](https://quran.com/24/31) and [Qur’an 33:59](https://quran.com/33/59). [What Do Shia Muslims Believe?](/shia-islam/what-do-shia-muslims-believe) [Sunan Abi Dawud 4104](https://sunnah.com/abudawud:4104) says Asma, daughter of Abu Bakr, entered wearing thin clothes. The Messenger turned his attention from her and said that when a woman reaches the age of menstruation, it does not suit her that she displays her parts of body except this and this, and he pointed to his face and hands. Abu Dawud then says this is a mursal tradition: the narrator who transmitted it from Aisha is missing, and Khalid ibn Duraik did not see Aisha. The grade line printed on that sunnah.com page says Sahih (Al-Albani). Both lines are on the page. One describes a broken link to Aisha. The other is a later grader’s judgment that the report is sound. Those two reports are the range these texts show. Bukhari’s scene covers heads and faces. Abu Dawud’s scene, with the chain note beside it, leaves the face and the hands visible. [Qur’an 24:31](https://quran.com/24/31) says “except that which necessarily appears” and does not define the phrase in this English. This page does not add a fatwa the verses do not contain. ## Modesty in the New Testament [1 Timothy 2:9](/bible/1-timothy/2/9) says women should adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety, not with braided hair, gold, pearls, or costly array. The verse is about that apparel and those ornaments. It does not command a head covering over the chest, and it does not cite the Qur’an. [1 Corinthians 11:5](/bible/1-corinthians/11/5) says every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head. The verse is about a covering while she prays or prophesies in that argument. It is not Qur’an 24:31, and it is not a civil code for a street. Christians receive those sentences and do not receive the Qur’an’s garment rules as law for the church. The same church confesses that Jesus is God. [The Trinity](/christianity/the-trinity) [What Do Muslims Believe?](/islam/what-do-muslims-believe) ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Is the Hijab Mandatory? [Qur’an 24:31](https://quran.com/24/31) and [Qur’an 33:59](https://quran.com/33/59) command the coverings they name. The English of 24:31 leaves “what necessarily appears” unspecified. Bukhari 4758 describes heads and faces covered. Abu Dawud 4104 points to the face and hands and is marked mursal by Abu Dawud, with a Sahih grade from al-Albani on the same page. ### Did the Prophet’s Wives Wear It? [Qur’an 33:59](https://quran.com/33/59) names his wives and his daughters with the other believing women. [Qur’an 33:53](https://quran.com/33/53) adds a partition when someone asks those wives for something. ### Why Do the Verses Give the Command? [Qur’an 33:59](https://quran.com/33/59) says it is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. [Qur’an 24:31](https://quran.com/24/31) also tells them not to expose adornment, and it calls the believers to repentance. ### What Punishment Do These Verses State? They state none. [Qur’an 24:31](https://quran.com/24/31) ends with repentance. [Qur’an 33:59](https://quran.com/33/59) ends with God forgiving and merciful. ### What Are Men Told to Do? [Qur’an 24:30](https://quran.com/24/30) tells believing men to lower some of their gaze and to guard their private parts. It does not tell them to wrap a head covering over the chest. ### Do These Verses Discuss School or Work? They do not. The commands above are about gaze, adornment, head coverings, outer garments, and, for the Prophet’s wives, a partition. ## Passages Quoted on This Page ### Qur’an 24:31 Saheeh International. [Open on quran.com](https://quran.com/24/31) > 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 [i.e., beauty] 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 [i.e., slaves], 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 Allāh in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed. ### Qur’an 24:30 Saheeh International. [Open on quran.com](https://quran.com/24/30) > Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allāh is [fully] Aware of what they do. ### Sahih al-Bukhari 4758 Muhammad Muhsin Khan. [Open on sunnah.com](https://sunnah.com/bukhari:4758) > Narrated `Aishah: May Allah bestow His Mercy on the early emigrant women. When Allah revealed: "... and to draw their veils all over their Juyubihinna (i.e., their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms)..." (V.24:31) they tore their Murat (woolen dresses or waist-binding clothes or aprons etc.) and covered their heads and faces with those torn Muruts. ### Sunan Abi Dawud 4104 sunnah.com English. [Open on sunnah.com](https://sunnah.com/abudawud:4104) > Asma, daughter of AbuBakr, entered upon the Messenger of Allah wearing thin clothes. The Messenger of Allah turned his attention from her. He said: O Asma', when a woman reaches the age of menstruation, it does not suit her that she displays her parts of body except this and this, and he pointed to his face and hands. Abu Dawud said: This is a mursal tradition (i.e. the narrator who transmitted it from 'Aishah is missing) Khalid b. Duraik did not see 'Aishah. ### 1 Timothy 2:9 King James Version. > In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; ### Qur’an 33:53 Saheeh International. [Open on quran.com](https://quran.com/33/53) > O you who have believed, do not enter the houses of the Prophet except when you are permitted for a meal, without awaiting its readiness. But when you are invited, then enter; and when you have eaten, disperse without seeking to remain for conversation. Indeed, that [behavior] was troubling the Prophet, and he is shy of [dismissing] you. But Allāh is not shy of the truth. And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a partition. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts. And it is not [conceivable or lawful] for you to harm the Messenger of Allāh or to marry his wives after him, ever. Indeed, that would be in the sight of Allāh an enormity. ### 1 Corinthians 11:5 King James Version. > But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. ## Sources Numbered to match the HTML References list. Item 1 is `#ref-1` under `#references`. Scripture links to the King James Version on this site. 1. [Qur’an, 24:30–31; 33:53; 33:59](https://quran.com/24/31) (Saheeh International, as published on Quran.com. The link is 24:31.) 2. [Sahih al-Bukhari, 4758](https://sunnah.com/bukhari:4758) (English on sunnah.com. Muhammad Muhsin Khan’s wording in the site’s quote file. Sunni hadith.) 3. [Sunan Abi Dawud, 4104](https://sunnah.com/abudawud:4104) (English on sunnah.com. Abu Dawud calls the report mursal. The grade line on that page says Sahih (Al-Albani).) 4. [First Letter to Timothy, 2:9](https://apologetics.wiki/bible/1-timothy/2/9). King James Version 5. [First Letter to the Corinthians, 11:5](https://apologetics.wiki/bible/1-corinthians/11/5). King James Version ## See Also - [Did Jesus Die on the Cross?](https://apologetics.wiki/islam/did-jesus-die-on-the-cross) — The Qur'an is widely read as saying Jesus was not crucified. The Gospels, Paul, and two Roman-era historians say he was. - [Do Muslims Believe in Jesus?](https://apologetics.wiki/islam/jesus-in-the-quran-and-the-gospels) — Yes. Muslims believe Jesus was born of Mary and is the Messiah. They do not believe he is God or that he died on the cross. Jesus in the Qur’an and the Gospels is that comparison. - [Does Jesus Do What Only God Does?](https://apologetics.wiki/islam/does-jesus-do-what-only-god-does) — The Qur'an says God gives life to the dead, is the First and the Last, and comes with the angels. The Gospel says Jesus does those things. - [Has the Bible Been Changed? The Muslim Corruption Claim](https://apologetics.wiki/islam/was-the-bible-corrupted) — The Qur'an accuses some People of the Scripture of distorting words and of writing scripture with their own hands. It also speaks of the Torah and the Gospel as books still in their possession. - [Has the Qur’an Been Changed?](https://apologetics.wiki/islam/has-the-quran-been-changed) — Qur’an 15:9 says God guards the message. Sahih reports also describe a later collection, burned copies, and verses companions said they recited that are not in the book. ## History [View history on GitHub](https://github.com/Apologetics-Wiki/apologetics-wiki/commits/main/src/content/articles/why-do-muslim-women-wear-the-hijab.md)