When Muslims speak about hijab, we are not just talking about a cultural habit or a regional dress code. Hijab for Muslim women is rooted directly in the Qur’an. Two verses, in particular, form the core foundation of the Islamic guidance on modest dress:
These verses were revealed in Madinah, at a time when the Muslim community was growing and Muslim women were becoming more visible in public life. The guidance they contain is both spiritual and practical: it is about modesty before Allah, dignity in society, and protection from harm.
Surah An-Nur 24:31 – The inner and outer modesty
In Surah An-Nur, Allah addresses the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and tells him to instruct believing women. verse says:
Tell the believing women to lower their gaze, guard their chastity, and not show their beauty except what normally shows. They should draw their head coverings over their chests and not reveal their adornment except to specific close family members and those who are permitted. They should not stamp their feet in a way that reveals their hidden adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you believers, so that you may be successful.
Qur’anic Verses on Hijab
Surah An-Nur (24:31)
“Tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their chastity, and not display their adornment except what normally appears. Let them draw their head coverings over their chests, and not display their adornment except to 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 sisters, their fellow women, those their right hands possess, male servants with no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet in a way that reveals what they are hiding of their adornment. And all of you believers, turn to Allah in repentance so that you may be successful.”
Key phrases explained (short tafsir-style notes):
“Lower their gaze and guard their chastity”
Modesty begins with behaviour and attitude, not just clothing. Women are called to avoid staring at what is haram and to protect their sexual honour.
“Not display their adornment except what normally appears”
“Adornment” includes natural beauty (like hair and body shape) and added beauty (like jewellery and make-up). Most classical scholars say this means a woman should cover everything except what naturally appears in ordinary life, usually understood as the face and hands.
“Draw their head coverings over their chests”
At that time, some women wore headscarves but left the neck and upper chest exposed. This command closes that gap: the scarf should cover not only the hair but also the chest area, making the whole upper body more modest.
“Not display their adornment except to…”
The verse then lists close male relatives (mahrams) and certain women/servants/children in whose presence a woman can relax her dress. The idea is that there are some relationships where marriage is not allowed, and a different level of dress is permitted.
“Not stamp their feet”
This refers to walking in a way that makes hidden jewellery jingle or draws extra attention. It shows that even small behaviours that attract sexual attention are discouraged.
“Turn to Allah in repentance… so that you may be successful”
The verse ends by reminding all believers—men and women—that everyone falls short sometimes, and that success lies in turning back to Allah. Hijab is part of a bigger journey of taqwa, not an isolated rule.
Surah Al-Ahzab (33:59)
“O Prophet, tell your wives, your daughters, and the women of the believers to draw part of their outer garments around themselves. That is better so that they may be recognised and not harmed. And Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
Key phrases explained (short tafsir-style notes):
“Outer garments”
This refers to a loose outer piece of clothing worn over normal clothes when going outside. In many cultures this takes the form of an abaya, jilbab, long coat, or similar. The purpose is to cover the shape of the body and signal modesty.
“Draw… around themselves”
The garment should be wrapped or draped properly, not just placed on the body in a way that still shows its shape. It is about real coverage, not a symbolic piece of cloth.
“So that they may be recognised”
Hijab makes a woman’s Muslim identity visible. It shows that she belongs to a community with certain values and expectations around respect and interaction.
“And not harmed”
One wisdom of this dress code is protection. It does not blame women for others’ sins, but it presents modest dress as one layer of safety and dignity in a world where women are often harassed or objectified.
“Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful”
The verse ends with mercy. The command is firm, but it is wrapped in the reminder that Allah forgives and understands struggle. Women who are on a journey with hijab—starting, stopping, or returning—are not rejected; they are invited back with mercy.
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Shorten the notes for a more compact blog section. emphasises several key ideas:
Inner modesty before outer modesty
The first command is about behaviour: lowering the gaze and guarding one’s chastity. Modesty starts in the heart and in how we carry ourselves, before it ever reaches what we wear.
Covering the beauty, not erasing the person
The verse does not tell women to erase who they are. Instead, it tells them not to display their adornment—their beauty and attractive features—except what ordinarily appears, and except in front of close family. This allows a woman to be present, active and visible in society, without being reduced to a body.
The headscarf and the chest
Specifically, the verse mentions drawing the head covering over the chest. At that time, some women wore scarves that covered their hair loosely but left the neck and upper chest exposed. The Qur’an corrected this by linking the head covering to fuller modesty of the upper body.
Subtle behaviour matters too
Even something as small as how a woman walks—“stamping their feet” so that hidden jewellery makes a sound—is mentioned. This shows that hijab is not just about fabric; it is about not seeking unnecessary attention to one’s physical attraction.
In short, Surah An-Nur focuses on how believing women should see themselves in front of Allah and in front of other people: dignified, self-respecting, and not inviting objectification.
Surah Al-Ahzab 33:59 – Visible identity and protection
O Prophet, tell your wives, your daughters, and the women of the believers to draw part of their outer garments around themselves. That is better so that they may be recognised and not harmed. And Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Here, two ideas stand out:
Hijab as a visible Muslim identity
The verse tells Muslim women to wear an outer garment that clearly marks them as believing women. Hijab becomes a sign of faith in public spaces—a way of saying, “I belong to this community, and I live by these values.” It is not just a private act; it is a visible identity.
Hijab as a form of protection
The verse explains one of the wisdoms behind this dress code: “so that they may be recognised and not harmed.” While clothing cannot remove all risk or blame from others’ behaviour, the Qur’an presents hijab as one layer of protection and respect in a society that can often be harsh or predatory.
Taken together, these two verses provide both the inner and outer dimensions of hijab:
Inner: modest behaviour, dignity, and taqwa (God-consciousness).
Outer: a clear, modest dress that covers the body, including the hair and chest, in a way that reduces sexualisation and signals Muslim identity.
What This Means for a British Muslim Woman Today
For a British Muslim woman in 2026, these verses are not abstract theory. They sit behind everyday decisions: what to wear to school, how to dress at work, whether to remove the hijab to avoid comments on public transport, or how to combine professional clothing with modesty.
In a society that constantly tells women that their value is tied to how much of their bodies they show, hijab can feel like swimming against the current. But many British Muslim women describe hijab as exactly the opposite of restriction: they experience it as freedom from being evaluated only by appearance, and as a conscious choice to live for Allah first.
At the same time, the Qur’an’s message is not harsh or unforgiving. Both verses end with a reminder of Allah’s mercy and the call to turn back to Him. Hijab is part of a much bigger journey of faith, where mistakes, struggles and gradual growth are all recognised and embraced.
In this way, hijab becomes more than just a scarf or a long coat. It is a daily spiritual practice, a protection, a badge of identity, and a quiet but powerful statement of who a Muslim woman chooses to be in modern Britain.