Where is The Evidence of Hijab in the Quran?

So, one of the very common questions today that many Muslims ask is that where is the proof or evidence in the Qur'an that Hijab is Wajib? In fact, I've seen some speakers, they come out and they say, we looked at the Qur'an, there is no verse that says Hijab is Wajib. Not a single time does the Qur'an says Hijab is Wajib. So, where did you bring this from that Hijab is Wajib? And if it's really so important, the Qur'an should have mentioned it.

When we examine the words in the Qur'an, my dear brothers and sisters, it's important for us to understand the historic meaning of those words. Why are you looking for the word Hijab in the Qur'an? Why? Hijab doesn't mean headscarf in Arabic. It doesn't! Hijab doesn't mean. What does hijab mean in Arabic? Barrier, curtain, barrier. Hijab at the time of the Prophet, at the time of Imams, was not used to refer to the headscarf.

This is something that entered our dictionary later in history. So, why are you looking for the word Hijab to begin with? It wasn't even called Hijab. A head covering at the time of the Prophet was not called a Hijab. Hijab is barrier. And in fact, the Qur'an uses the word Hijab to mean barrier. In two verses, Allah, Subhana wa Ta'ala, uses the word Hijab. But in none of these verses is Allah saying headscarf. It's saying a barrier. Okay.

So, don't look for the word Hijab, because I get a lot of people who ask me Sayyid, there is no verse in the Qur'an that says, Hijab is Wajjb. Why are you looking for the word Hijab? So, what should we look for? We should look for the words that the Arabs used to refer to the headscarf or the covering of the head.

One word that Arabs had to describe covering the head is Khimar. What does Khimar mean? A covering of the head. The Arabs, normally, how did they cover their head? They would put a cloth, a Khimar, on their head and then from the back, they would tie it, from the back, such that their neck would show.

Have you seen maybe some nuns or some people who wear that kind of Hijab, right? Where their hair is covered and it extends into their back, but their neck may be shown. This was a common way for the Arab woman to wear the Khimar. But the Khimar means head covering. In fact, if you look at the root word of Kha-ma-ra, it has to do with the head. In Arabic, what does Khamr mean? Khamr? Wine, alcohol. Why is wine, alcohol called Khamr? What does it do? It affects your head. See, even the word Khamr has to do with the head.

Because it puts a barrier on your head, you can't think straight, you get drunk. That's why the Khamr is called Khamr. "Yakhmuru al-Aql," It puts a barrier on your brain, on your intellect. Not your brain, but your intellect. Right? So, you get drunk. See, even the word Khamr, the Arabs would use the word Khamr and its variations Khimar. They even would use it for horses that had like a distinct head with certain colours. They would use this root word for it. So, to begin with, the word Khimar means something that has to do with the head.

Now, the problem is the Arabs would cover their hair and their head, some tribes, but they would expose their neck. So, what does the Qur'an say? So, Allah, Subhana wa Ta'ala, states in Surat un-Nur verse 31: "Qul li 'l-mu'minati yaghdunna min absarihinna" (24:31). First, Allah starts with the men. Lower your gaze. Remember, when Allah talks about Hijab, first he picks on who? He picks on the man before the woman. Keep that in mind, guys!

Lower your gaze. And then Allah starts with the woman. "Wa qul li 'l-mu'minati yaghdunna min absarihinna wa yahfazna furoojahunna"(24:31). Lower your gaze. Don't look with lustful looks and protect your chastity. Don't show your Zinah. You know, your beauty, your decorations, unless that which is already showing, like the face. Okay?

Then Allah says: "wa lyadribna bikhumurihinna 'ala juyubihinna" (24:31), they should take their Khimar, which we already said, it means what? Head covering. It's already on the head. So, the Qur'an is already assuming that you're covering your hair. It's already assumed. But the Qur'an says now you have a problem. Your neck is showing. So, take the Khimar and cover your Jaib, what's Jaib? This area, the upper chest. This area, that extends from the neck to around the bosom. This is Jaib. So, the Holy Qur'an says take your Khimar, not just your back is covered. Make sure the front is also covered.

Do you want clearer words for Hijab than this? Allah saying that Khimar, make sure that it's covering your Jaib as well. And remember, Khimar is what type of covering? Is it a covering that covers the chest, the belly, the feet, the head. So, it's already a given that your head is being covered. Allah says there is more that you need to cover. The head is not enough. You need to cover the Jaib as well, which is the neck area and this area here, the chest.

The word Zinah has many different meanings. It's a very general meaning. Zinah means beauty, or it means ornaments. Like the jewellery. Allah says conceal your Zinah. Accept "ma zahara minhaa" (24:31), except what naturally shows. What naturally shows has been mentioned in the Hadith. Because remember, with the Holy Qur'an, you also have to go to the Hadith to understand it. Not everything in detail is mentioned in the Qur'an.

And I think these speakers don't really understand that. If you challenge that speaker and tell him how many Rak'at are in Salah? Only Qur'an, what will he tell you? Tawaf is seven rounds. Who said it's seven rounds? Who? Qur'an doesn't say. Qur'an does never says, go around the Ka'ba seven times. Does it say? It doesn't say. The Qur'an, when it talks about fasting, it just mentions eating and drinking. What about the other acts that invalidate the fast? Does the Qur'an mention them? No! So does that mean they're not there? See, the details is not mentioned in the Qur'an.

The Qur'an gives us guidelines. "illaa maa zahara minhaa" (24:31), the Prophet and the Imams explained, the face and the two hands. This is an exception. Doesn't have to be covered. But the head, the hair, the neck, the back must be covered. So just give them this verse. Tell them, go investigate. What is the word Khimar? If they tell you yeah, it's a covering the body. Tell them. No, no. The Arabs would not use Khimar for the covering of the body. Khimar has to do with the head, just like Khamar has to do with the head.

So, that's how we can give evidence for the Hijab. So, they shouldn't be looking for the word Hijab. The word Hijab didn't mean headscarf. Khimar meant head covering. And that's how we can find evidence for Hijab in the Holy Qur'an.