February 1 is observed as World Hijab Day. It was founded by New Yorker journalist Nazma Khan in 2013. The motive behind this was to encourage women irrespective of their religious background to wear and experience the Purdah. Literally, in Persian the word ‘ Purdah’ means “curtain or veil”. It is a long, voluminous robe worn over other clothing by many Muslim women. The word ‘Hijab’ is derived from the Arabic root word ‘Hajub’ (حَجْبٌ) which means to refrain someone from accessing something.
A question arises here: why is it so important for women only? To answer this, Islam teaches its followers that a woman needs to be kept hidden from strange men. It is also an Islamic symbol of identity. It covers the body from the neck to the feet, covering even the wearer’s shoes from view, with sleeves extending to the wrists. The purdah or hijab is a dress code, traditionally black in colour. The wearing of purdah or abaya defines women in many regions as a symbol of religious integrity and national identity.
Today the hijab is not only a hotly debated issue at the national level but on international platforms, too. The recent row in Karnataka state is the latest episode. The hijab-versus-saffron scarves issue has spread to other institutions in other parts of the state such as Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, Hassan, Chikkaballapura, Mandya, Kalaburagi, Bagalkote, Belagavi and Vijayapura. This burning matter is now pending before the Hon’ble High Court of Karnataka. This court has appealed to students and people to maintain peace as the hijab row has escalated in parts of the state.
Petitions filed by some students studying in the Government Pre-University College for Girls in the coastal town of Udupi have sought a declaration from the court that they have a “fundamental right to practice essential religious practices, including wearing of Hijab as per Islamic faith, on the college premises.” The single bench of Justice S. Dixit observed that the court has full faith in the wisdom and virtue of public at large and hopes that the same would be put to practice in the premises. However, Justice S. Dixit also observed that only some mischievous people were keeping the issue burning. Advocate D. Kamat appearing for the petitioner-students wanted hijab to be permitted.
In one viral video, there was a crowd heckling and raising slogans of “Jai Sri Ram” versus “Allah-hu-Akbar” against Muskaan Khan on the premises of PES College of Arts, Science and Commerce in Mandya district. However, the college authorities have supported and protected her.
There are two chapters in the Holy Qur’an that refer to female veiling. In Chapter No. 33, (Al-Ahzab) under verse No. 33, “The Joint Forces,” it reads, “When you ask (the Prophet’s) wives for something, do so from behind a screen: this is purer for your hearts and for theirs.”
Later in the same chapter it says under verse No. 73, “O Prophet! Tell your wives, our daughters, and women believers to make their outer garments hang low over them so as to be recognized and not insulted.”
The verse 53 of the above chapter is ambiguous in its applicability to veiling; the word translated as “screen” from the original Arabic is “hijab,” which is interpreted historically as a literal screen or curtain between different parts of a house. This screen was present to give the Prophet’s wives privacy from the many believers who came to the Prophet Muhammad’s house for prayers five times a day. However, many jurists do interpret it as a literal veil, as the word is colloquially used today. While as in verse No. 73 of the above said chapter is more useful when it comes to creating veiling requirements: women are asked to “make their outer garments hang low over them,” which is often interpreted as a requirement for baggy clothes or cloaks.
In chapter No. 24 “Al-Noor” (The Light ) the Quran explains about the veil as, “And tell believing women that they should lower their glances, guard their private parts, and not display their charms beyond what (it is acceptable) to reveal; they should let their headscarves fall to cover their necklines and not reveal their charms except ….” (Al Qur’an). This verse provides the greatest justification for veiling in Islam; it describes proper modest behaviour and mentions the wearing of headscarves.
Many Muslims agree that these verses exhort women to wear loose clothing that covers much of their bodies. However, Islamic veiling takes many forms, and there is no absolute set of rules for how women should dress, nor is there a single garment that is objectively “better” or “more Islamic” than all others. The three rules that are set around it are dressing with righteousness (Al-Qur’an; 7: 26), covering up of the bosoms with Khimar (24:31) and lengthening of the garments (33:59).
According to one of the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, related in Book of Abu Da’ud’s collection, after the above verses were revealed, “women walked to dawn prayers looking like crows,” which some scholars cited as the reason women should wear black abayas.
However, the many proponents of the abaya-as-fashion feel that since the garment is generally “all covering” just like the judicial abaya, there is no harm in embellishing the garment itself.
The abaya-as-fashion “privileges the concept of fashion over piety” and disrupts the function of the veil. Mischievous elements have changed not only the face of the abaya but also its essence. Currently abayas look more like dresses than hijabs (i.e., veils). Nowadays, some abayas actually reveal the female figure rather than conceal it. Some of them are even designed to look like dresses.
There are many examples in support of Hijab as well as against it throughout the world. In USA, the most westernised country, Raffia Arshad was appointed as a first hijab-wearing judge. Need of an hour is that all the Islamic jurists and religious organisations come forward to generate awareness of Hijab in light of the primary and secondary sources (Qur’an and Hadith) of Islam, and to review the contemporary abaya as per the standard of Islamic judicial or Shari’ah with simplicity in design and colour. It is also necessary to resolve the said burning issue amicably with inter-faith dialogue, so that mischievous elements and new fashion trends can be curbed once for all.

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Bilal Ahmad Paray