Few topics in Islamic scholarship carry as much spiritual weight — and as much misunderstanding — as hijab. In a landmark episode of In the Light of Islam, Dr. Bilal Philips addressed questions submitted by students at the Oxford School, unpacking the obligation of hijab, the role parents and educators play in nurturing modesty, and the Islamic position on beauty and self-presentation. What emerged was not merely a legal ruling but a comprehensive Islamic framework for understanding modesty, identity, and the protection Islam offers to believing women through divine guidance rooted in the Quran and the authenticated Sunnah.
The Quranic Foundation and the Weight of Obligation
“O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies. That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” — [Al-Ahzaab 33:59]
The Islamic ruling on hijab is established through multiple verses of the Quran — particularly Surah Al-Noor (24:31) and Surah Al-Ahzaab (33:59) — as well as numerous authenticated ahadith. Dr. Philips clarified that hijab becomes obligatory upon a Muslim girl at the onset of puberty: at minimum, everything must be covered except the face and hands. The Prophet ﷺ described women who would be punished in the Hereafter as those who were “dressed yet undressed” — meaning they wore clothing that failed to fulfill the Islamic standard of modesty. This is not a cultural preference or a secondary matter of faith; it is a command of Allah ﷻ, and to knowingly neglect it is sinful. The historical record is equally clear: when the Sahabiyyat (female Companions) heard the revelation of Surah Al-Noor, they tore their garments to immediately cover their faces, responding with the speed of true faith. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) praised them saying she had never seen women who believed the Book of Allah more strongly or had more faith in the Revelation — a testament to how modesty and iman are inseparably linked in Islamic spirituality.
- Hijab is obligatory upon Muslim women from puberty, established by both the Quran and the Sunnah
- The minimum requirement is covering everything except the face and hands; many scholars hold the face must also be covered
- Women who knowingly neglect proper covering are in sin and accountable before Allah ﷻ
- The Prophet ﷺ warned of women in Hell described as “dressed yet undressed” — clothed in a way that defeats the purpose of modesty
- The immediate response of the Sahabiyyat to the hijab verses shows that faith and modesty are intertwined — one reinforces the other
Raising Daughters with Modesty: The Responsibility of Parents and Schools
Dr. Philips addressed the heart of the students’ questions — how to encourage hijab when role models themselves fall short — with a principle rooted in prophetic guidance: children are shaped far more by what they see than by what they are told. Just as the Prophet ﷺ instructed parents to teach children prayer by the age of seven, instilling an awareness of the body and a sense of modesty should begin well before puberty. A child raised from the ages of three or four with a natural consciousness of covering will carry that sense of hayaa (modesty) effortlessly into adulthood; the girl who grows up wearing revealing clothing will, by contrast, experience the hijab as an unwelcome imposition when puberty arrives. The contradiction at the heart of some Islamic schools — where students are required to wear hijab while teachers do not — sends a silent but powerful message that the obligation is negotiable. School administrations that have committed to Islamic principles carry a duty before Allah to ensure all staff comply. On the question of authority, Dr. Philips cited the prophetic hadith: “Whoever among you sees an evil should change it with his hand if in a position of authority — it is obligatory on you to correct evil.” On this basis, both parents and Islamic school administrators have not merely a right but an obligation to enforce hijab, and both will be answerable to Allah if they do not. Beyond the spiritual dimension, modesty in dress provides a protective shield for women in society — reducing unsolicited attention, signalling virtue, and creating an environment where women are engaged as full members of the community rather than as objects of desire.
“If we raise our children without a consciousness of hijab, of covering the private parts, then when the time comes for them to cover, it will be very difficult — and they will be the ones asking: why do we have to wear it? Because they were not taught from a young age.” — Dr. Bilal Philips
Islam’s guidance on modesty does not end at the headscarf. The same episode addressed the permissibility of women cutting their hair — permitted as long as it does not imitate men — and the boundaries of beautification. A woman may adorn herself for her husband in the home, or in the presence of mahram relatives, and this is in fact encouraged. What Islam prohibits is adorning oneself in public in a manner designed to attract attention: applying makeup and perfume before going out among non-mahram men runs counter to the entire spirit of hijab, which seeks to lower the gaze and reduce temptation on all sides. Beautification also has its internal limits: plucking the eyebrows, cosmetically adjusting teeth spacing, and tattooing are all explicitly forbidden in the authenticated Sunnah, as each involves altering the creation of Allah ﷻ without a valid medical necessity. The principle throughout is consistent — Islam does not suppress femininity; it channels and protects it within boundaries that honour the dignity of women and the moral health of society. For the Muslim woman who wears her hijab with understanding and conviction, modesty is not a restriction but a declaration of identity: a visible, daily act of faith that connects her to the believing women who came before her, to the words of Allah ﷻ revealed in His Book, and to a way of life designed to safeguard the soul.
