What Is a Hijab?
The term hijab, which literally means “partition” or “barrier” in Arabic, refers to both the headscarf worn by Muslim women and the practice in Islam of women dressing modestly outside the home. The emphasis on modest dress stems from the Koran, which says that Muslim women “should not display their beauty and ornaments” (Koran 24:31), and that “they should cast their outer garments over their persons” (Koran 33:59). The world’s various Muslim societies have interpreted these passages differently, with some only requiring that a woman veil her face and hair while others insist that a woman cover herself entirely from head to foot.
