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History of  the Veil in Islam

Islam in the Arabian Peninsula as a small collective of like minded people following the faith. The collective was instituted in Medina by a prophet Mohammed between the years 570–632. From there it spread through the Middle East to Saharan and sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia, and to many places in the Arabian Sea. It made its way into Europe following these regions.

Veils and other headdresses of different variations and forms were commonplace in countless cultures long before the formation of Islam in the seventeenth century. To this day, headdresses are a large part of many religions, such as Orthodox Catholicism and Judaism.

Islam has spread to be one of the world’s major religions since the seventeenth century.  As it spread through the Middle East to other regions, it incorporated and added many veiling traditions. But it is only recently that some Islamic states, such as Iran, have begun to require all women to wear the veil, such as the full body Chador which covers the entire body, as discussed below.

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How to Wear a Simple Hijab

Drape a long rectangular scarf over your head with one side longer than the other.

Pin up both sides of the scarf together under your chin.

Flip the longer end of your scarf behind your opposite shoulder.

Flip the same end back to the front of the other shoulder.

Spread both the ends of your scarf so that they cover your chest.

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Here are a few of the different kind’s of Middle Eastern clothing discussed below

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"There is a difference in opinion on whether wearing the hijab is obligatory in the Muslim faith," Kidwai said. "For those who do believe that the hijab is an obligation, women are required to cover everything apart from their face, feet and hands. Men are also required to cover from at least their navel to knee."

Kidwai said ultimately it's up to people in the Muslim community to decide whether the act of wearing the hijab is appropriate for someone outside of the faith.

This video shows one unfamiliar with the Hijab how to wrap it themselves as well as other informational pieces on when and why women wear it.

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In the modern day, many Middle Eastern women decide whether or not they want to wear the Hijab, and frequently pick to wear it as a fashion statement. This video may seem very surface level, but is a very clear visual example of many different kinds of Hijab.

Nawal, the guest women in this video, showed Anderson the three different types of hijabs; the manzila is currently the most popular hijab; the burqa, which covers the entirety of the woman's face; and the niqab, which covers the wearer's face from nose to chin but keeps visibility of the eyes.

The beginning of more mainstream acceptance around the world within Middle Eastern’s women’s clothing is through widely accessible avenues like this show. It presents a non judgmental analysis of differing types of clothing, and offers information on the topic that many not within the culture or religion would find unless they seeked it out themselves.

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Quotes from Quran about Women’s Clothing:

[Quran 22:78] You shall strive for the cause of God as you should strive for His cause. He has chosen you and has placed no hardship on you in practicing your religion - the religion of your father Abraham. [Quran 7:26] O children of Adam, we have provided you with garments to cover your bodies, as well as for luxury. But the best garment is the garment of righteousness. These are some of God's signs, that they may take heed. [Quran 24:30-31] Tell the believing men that they shall subdue their eyes (and not stare at the women), and to maintain their chastity. This is purer for them. God is fully Cognizant of everything they do. And tell the believing women to subdue their eyes, and maintain their chastity. They shall not reveal any parts of their bodies, except that which is necessary. They shall cover their chests, and shall not relax this code in the presence of other than their husbands, their fathers, the fathers of their husbands, their sons, the sons of their husbands, their brothers, the sons of their brothers, the sons of their They shall not strike their feet when they walk in order to shake and reveal certain details of their bodies. All of you shall repent to God, O you believers, that you may succeed. [Quran 33:59] O prophet, tell your wives, your daughters, and the wives of the believers that they shall lengthen their garments. Thus, they will be recognized (as righteous women) and avoid being insulted. God is Forgiver, Most Merciful.

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The Dupatta is worn in many differing ways varying across Indian subcontinent. The original purpose of the garment was to show modesty. However, in modern day, many wear it simply as an accessory item. The use and style of the Dupatta has changed over time. A Dupatta is traditionally worn across both head and shoulders. However, there are many different ways of wearing Dupatta in modern day. When not draped over the head, it is usually worn whilst being draped over the shoulders while the middle portion sits over the chest.

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A Chador is a full-body fabric that is open at the front. The Chador has no holes for hands or arms, or any kind of fabric, button, or material to hold it together. It is held closed by a women’s hands or arms. Before the 1978–1979 Iranian Revolution, black Chadors were used only in times of death whilst colorful ones were used during the day.However, in the modern day Middle East, colorful Chador’s are primarily used only in the privacy of one’s home outside of a select few elderly.

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The term Burqa, or Burka, is is different from a traditional hijab in that while the hijab refers to a veil or headdress covering the face, a burqa traditionally covers the entire body. It typically only leaves a thin sheet of cloth over the eyes for visibility. Fifteen different nations have banned the burqa. Although the Quran proclaims contains no precise prescription for how women should dress, certain verses have been used in favor of women dressing in veil, specifically in Burqa: “Tell the believing women to lower their eyes, guard their private parts (furuj), and not display their charms (zina) except what is apparent outwardly, and cover their bosoms with their veils (khumur, sing. khimar) and not to show their finery except to their husbands or their fathers or fathers-in-law [...]” -Excerpt from the Quran, verse 24:31

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The Niqab is a sub branch of the Hijab. It is a veil for the face that leaves an opening for the eye area. However, it may be worn with a separate eye veil. Most Islamic scholars have agreed that women are required to cover their face or at the very least severely recommended. The half niqab is made with elastic or ties and is worn on the face. This headdress usually leaves the eyes and some of the upper head in the open. The full niqab completely engulfs the face, leaving only an opening for the eyes. While a woman wearing a niqab with an eye veil would not have her eyes visible to others, she would still be able to see out of it.

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The Hijab is the general verbiage used to describe the veil worn by some Muslim women to cover up when surrounded by non immediate family members. They can come in many differing styles and colors, and most commonly cover the neck and head but leave the face clear. Traditionally, the role of the Hijab was that it was used to present modesty around men not in the immediate family, and was used in the Qur'an to describe a partition or barrier. 

In the modern world, wearing hijab in public has been required by law in Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Indonesian areas for Muslim women. Other countries, both in Europe and in Muslim territories, have begun banning many types of hijab in public and even in some private areas. Many women in various different regions and areas of the world have begun to feel compulsion to either wear or not wear Hijab.