|| The Hijāb ||

The word "Hijāb" appears seven times in the Qur'ān. In 7:46, the Hijāb is a "barrier" that divides Paradise from the Fire. In 19:16-17, Mary "secludes" herself from her family to devote herself to God in solitude. In 33:53, a "screen" protects the Prophet's wives from onlookers. In 41:5, a "barrier" prevents the disbelievers from heartfelt belief. In 42:51, a "veil" prevents Allāh from being seen by those He reveals to. In 17:45, a "partition" prevents the disbelievers from comprehending the Qur'ān. In 38:32, a "curtain" prevents Solomon from seeking his prescribed prayers.

The Qur'ān never refers to the Muslim headdress as a Hijāb. In our traditional literature, the garment is instead referred to as a khimar, a jilbāb, or a kisa'. So this begs the question: what is a hijāb in Islāmic terminology? A hijāb primarily is a barrier that prevents or protects one thing from another. It can be both physical (like a curtain) or metaphysical. A physical hijāb may be a simple covering that prevents unwanted access to an object or a person - much like the curtain that would prevent strange men from seeing the Prophet's wives. A metaphysical hijāb could be an attitude that a person has - like Mary's seclusion from her people, or like the "social hijāb" that prevents unnecessary mixing between men and women. But a metaphysical hijāb can also be a boundary that Allāh has set between two things.

The precious pearl hides inside the oyster's mysterious shell. In all instances, the hijāb protects something sensitive from those who have not demonstrated a sincerity to it. It prevents both intentional and accidental harm from coming to the object of value. Only those who have demonstrated a sincerity to the gem beyond the barrier can access its excellence. For example, faith, which is a precious light of Paradise ( الايمان في الجنة ), can only be attained by those who seek it and are open to its reception. If one is insincere to faith, a seal will be placed upon his heart to protect the faith from him, preventing him from corrupting it. Furthermore, inner understandings of the Qur'ān cannot be attained by a cursory reading of it - the esoteric can only be gained by deep reflection and devotion. Through this hijāb, God protects the most priceless secrets from the misunderstanding and misuse of those who seek to abuse them.

Likewise, even the hijāb (both physical and social) of a woman from a stranger protects her from complete objectification. The only ones that can access her feminine energy, her motherhood, her personality, and her physical beauty are (1) her direct relatives, or (2) a man who has sought her expressed consent, the permission of her guardian, and has devoted himself to her sustenance. Once that sincerity is established, the barriers are gradually removed, one after the other, and the sincere man becomes overwhelmed at her marvel.

The hijāb is a Sunnāh of Allāh. It is something that He Himself has enacted, both upon Himself and upon others. Allāh has been inclined to put veils in His creation and His religion (إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حَيِيٌّ سَتِيرٌ يُحِبُّ الْحَيَاءَ وَالسِّتْرَ). He has also created veils for Himself - He created a veil of light between Himself and the creation ( حجابه النور ); and some narrations say many veils of light of darkness ( دُونَ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ حِجَابٍ مِنْ نُورٍ وَظُلْمَةٍ). This light is said to inspire the creation with His greatness, His guidance, and His love ( لما اسري بي إلى السماء بلغ بي جبرئيل مكانا لم يطأه قط جبرئيل فكشف له فأراه الله من نور عظمته ما أحب ). The purpose of these veils is twofold:

 (1) to prevent His recognition and His presence from the insincere disbelievers, and (2) to manifest His signs to those who recognize Him. Allāh's veils are the epitome example for veiling in Islām - they both prevent and inspire. All other hijābs are a symbol of His ultimate and primordial hijāb - a hijāb is to be beautiful, inspiring guidance and awe, but also purposeful in providing the security of an object or an idea.

Allāh's essence is a mystery. It cannot be compared to anything, and it is contrary to all that comes to mind. One of the roles of the Prophet was to protect this secret from corruption - meaning, to prevent the people from generating a polytheistic understandings of Allāh's nature. He taught that your inability to comprehend God is your comprehension of God, and delving into the nature of God is a type of polytheism

It is important that we do not just relegate this beautiful concept of hijāb to a headdress. A headdress without the intention and practice of hijāb is just another piece of cloth. But a modest dress can be a small part of a larger, more meaningful dynamic. We are to carry out the hijāb in all of our practices: we cover our good deeds, we protect our family members from insincere people, we recognize that the hidden intentions are more important than the apparent actions, we seek the meaning of the Qur'ān, and we recognize the limits in both theology and in society.