Khimar is Mandatory?

Does the Quran tell women to cover the hair? The hijab, well the "Khimar," has been a topic of discussion among Muslims for years, and it remains a matter of dispute among religious leaders and regular Muslims alike. Some believe it is mandatory and others believe it is not. But what does the Quran explicitly say? That is the question. Of course, everyone can have an opinion; however, there is only one truth when it comes to what the Quran explicitly says.

"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 "Khumur" over their chests and not expose their adornment."

Now the word in question is "Khumur," which is the plural form of "Khimar." The word comes from the trilateral root Kha-Miim-Ra: to cover, conceal, or obscure something.

The word "Khimar," however, linguistically speaking, literally means "a covering." Therefore, the verse should simply be translated as "to draw their coverings over their bosoms." The reason many translations render khimar as "head covering" is because, historically speaking, the khimar was commonly understood in the Middle East as a covering worn on the head by women. However, the word itself linguistically means "a covering," not specifically "a head covering."

But let's throw that translation a bone. Let's say, for the sake of argument, that the word did mean "head covering." The question still remains: Does the verse actually command women to cover their hair?

Pay Attention to the Wording and Grammar

Now let's pay attention to the wording and grammar Allah SWT used, because many sheikhs, imams, and scholars try to say that this is the verse Allah revealed commanding women to cover their hair, even though nowhere in this verse do we see the word "ra's" (رَأْس) for head or "sha'r" (شَعْر) for hair.

Also, notice how Allah SWT says "to draw their head coverings over their bosoms" and not "draw a head covering over their bosoms." Based on the grammar Allah SWT uses, we can see that He is addressing women who already have these coverings. They were already wearing these coverings before this verse was revealed.

Now the Question Becomes: Why?

If this verse was revealed to command women to cover their hair, why were they already wearing these coverings before this verse was revealed? Well, if we look at it from a historical perspective, many people throughout the Middle East, from different tribes, cultures, ages, and religions, wore head coverings for specific reasons: protection from the sun, protection from sand and dust, and as social or tribal identifiers.

"And Allah has made for you, from what He has created, shadows, and He has made for you from the mountains, shelters, and He has made for you garments which protect you from the heat and garments which protect you from your [enemy's] violence. Thus does He complete His favor upon you that you might submit [to Him]."

Allah said He made for us garments which protect us from the heat, that is, the sun. The sun and its heat were among the main reasons head coverings were historically worn in the region. And as I said, these coverings were not worn exclusively by Muslims; non-Muslims wore them as well. They were a common custom based on where people lived and their personal circumstances.

So if the head covering was inherently something religious or specifically Islamic that Muslim women were commanded to wear, then why were non-Muslim women wearing them as well? This simply shows that the head covering itself was not necessarily something religious or uniquely Islamic, but rather something that was practical and customary for the environment and circumstances in which people lived.

So nowhere in this verse does Allah SWT tell women to put on a head covering. They were already wearing them.

Addressing the Arguments

Now, let's address some of the arguments people try to use regarding this. Some will say, "Well, Allah never told you to take it off, so that must mean you have to keep it on." But we can use that exact same argument and say: Allah also never told you to keep it on.

For example, you can keep the khimar on your head while drawing it over your bosom. But you can also take the khimar off your head and then draw it over your bosom. Both actions still fulfill the command Allah SWT actually gave in the verse. Why? Because even if you take the khimar off your head, it is still a khimar. It is simply being used to cover the bosom rather than remaining on the head.

Now, some people may argue that once you take the khimar off your head and use it for another purpose, it is somehow no longer a khimar. They would say that it is only considered a khimar as long as it remains on the head.

Okay, let's put that idea to the test. Imagine I'm in the desert with a group of people, and someone says, "Tell them to draw their shirts over their heads." I could take my shirt, while it is still on my body, and draw it over my head. Or I could take my shirt completely off and then draw it over my head. If I take the shirt completely off and use it to cover my head, does that suddenly mean it is no longer a shirt? Of course not. It is still a shirt, regardless of how I choose to use it.

The same principle applies here. Taking the khimar off the head does not somehow make it cease being a khimar. The word refers to the covering itself, not to the covering being permanently attached to one particular part of the body.

And we also have to remember the historical context. These women were already wearing these coverings as a custom. They served practical and cultural purposes within their environment. They were used for protection from the sun, heat, sand, and dust, as well as for cultural and social reasons. So why would Allah SWT tell them to remove something that was already part of their customary way of dressing, especially when it served practical purposes in their environment?

Instead, Allah gave the command in a way that accommodated their existing customs and circumstances while addressing what He was commanding them to cover: their bosoms. This is also consistent with Allah's mercy. He did not need to tell them to abandon an existing cultural practice in order to give them a command concerning modesty. He could simply instruct them to use the coverings they already had and draw them over their bosoms.

But we have to make an important distinction: the fact that Allah accommodated their culture and circumstances when giving a command does not mean that every cultural practice of that society automatically becomes a universal religious requirement for all of humanity.

Conclusion

So no, according to the Quran alone, there is no explicit statement where Allah commands women to cover their hair.