The Hijab in the Quran: A truth that will set you free

 

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine this:  

 

You're a 12-year-old girl, standing in front of your bedroom mirror, nervously wrapping a scarf around your head for the first time. Your mother smiles proudly, telling you this is what "good Muslim girls" do. But at school, the other children stare. Some pull at it when the teachers aren't looking. You learn to recognize that look - the quick up-and-down glance from strangers, the unspoken questions in their eyes.  

 

Years pass. The scarf becomes part of your identity. You endure summer heatwaves with a damp neck, swimming lessons you can't participate in, job interviews where you're judged before you speak. Yet through it all, one thought keeps you going: "This is what Allah commands."  

 

But what if... what if we've been misled?  

 

What if the very book we hold sacred, the Quran we swear by, never actually commands women to cover their hair? What if generations of mothers have passed down a tradition disguised as divine law?  

 

The truth is both liberating and heartbreaking. The word "hijab" appears in the Quran 7 times and not once does it mean "headscarf." Not once does Allah command all women to cover their hair. The evidence has been there all along, waiting in the pages we claim to revere.  

 

This isn't about rebellion. This is about returning. Returning to the pure, unaltered words of our Creator,  free from human additions.  

 

Let's read together. Let's discover. And then... let's have the courage to face what we find.  

 

 

The truth isn't afraid of questions, only lies are... 🌸

The Word "Hijab" in the Quran


The term *hijab* appears in seven verses, none of which command women to cover their heads. Below are the verses with their meanings:

1. A Barrier Between Paradise and Hell (7:46)

Arabic:وَبَيْنَهُمَا حِجَابٌ
Translation: And between them will be a barrier (hijab).
Context:This verse describes a physical partition separating the people of Paradise from those in Hell.

 

2. A Partition for the Prophet’s Women (33:53)


Arabic:وَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَاعًا فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ مِن وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍ
Translation:And when you ask his wives for something, ask them from behind a barrier (hijab).
Context:This was a specific instruction for the Prophet’s wives to maintain privacy, not a general command for all women.

 

3. A Visual Barrier (38:32)


Arabic: حَتَّىٰ تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ
Translation:Until it disappeared behind the veil (hijab).
Context: This refers to the sun being concealed from sight, not a head covering.

 

4. A Metaphorical Barrier of Disbelief (41:5)


Arabic: وَبَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكَ حِجَابٌ
Translation: And there is a barrier (hijab) between us and you.
Context: The disbelievers claimed a metaphorical barrier prevented them from accepting the message.

 

5. Divine Communication Behind a Veil (42:51)


Arabic: أَوْ مِن وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍ
Translation: Or from behind a veil (hijab).
Context: Allah describes how He communicates with humans, sometimes from behind a veil, not physically but in a concealed manner.

 

6. A Hidden Barrier for Disbelievers (17:45)


Arabic: وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ حِجَابًا مَّسْتُورًا
Translation: We have placed a hidden barrier (hijab) between you and those who do not believe in the Hereafter.
Context: A metaphorical divide between believers and disbelievers.

 

7. Maryam’s Privacy Screen (19:17)


Arabic: فَاتَّخَذَتْ مِن دُونِهِمْ حِجَابًا
Translation: So she screened herself (hijab) from them.
Context:Maryam sought privacy, not a head covering.

Linguistic Meaning of "Hijab"

The Arabic word hijab (حجاب) comes from the root ḥ-j-b (ح ج ب), meaning:  

 

  • To conceal, block, or separate 
  • A barrier, partition, an obstacle or screen
  • A thing that prevents, hinders, debars,or precludes

 

Allah does not forget or leave anything out of the Quran

 

Allah states clearly that the Quran is complete and sufficient:  

 

He said: “The knowledge of it is with my Lord, in a record. My Lord does not err or forget.” 20:52

 

We did not leave anything out of the record. 6:38

 

Shall I seek other than God as a judge when He has sent down to you the Book fully detailed?” Those to whom We have given the Book know it is sent down from your Lord with the truth; so do not be of those who have doubt. 6:114

 

And We have sent down to you the Book as a clarification for all things, and a guidance and a mercy and good tidings to those who have submitted. 16:89

 

 

If hijab were a mandatory head covering for all women, Allah would have clearly stated it, just as He specified other obligations.  

The Quranic usage of hijab consistently refers to a barrier, partition, or concealment, never a head covering for women.

 

In a follow-up article, we will examine the Quranic dress code for both men and women, proving that Allah’s commandments are clear and complete in the Quran alone, without the need for external sources.  

 

Stay tuned for our next article: The Quranic Dress Code for Men and Women.