Veil

Origin and Religious Meaning

Although wearing the veil is attributed to teachings of the Qur'an, it is not explicitly prescribed in the book. There are two Qur'anic passages most frequently quoted regarding veiling: Surat Al-'Ahzab-“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 Surat An-Nur-“Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do. 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 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, 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 Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.”

Neither of these passages contains an explicit requirement for the veil. Still, they are quoted both by those in favor of the veil and those who oppose it. It is argued that veiling gradually came to be regarded obligatory with the development of fiqah (Islamic jurisprudence).

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