Philosophy of Hijab

In Surah Ahzaab (33), verse 59, Allah says:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُل لِّأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاء الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَن يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا {59}

[Pickthal 33:59] O Prophet! Tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognised and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.

Here the Prophet is being asked to tell the faithful women to observe hijab by casting an outer garments upon themselves.



We will discuss what is meant by 'jilbab';
And, we will ponder upon the meaning of 'being recognized' and 'not molested'.

JILBAAB
According to different Arabic Dictionaries, we gather three meanings for htis word.
1) a piece of cloth to cover your body (larger than a dupatta but smaller than a chader)
2) Maqn'a or khimar which a like a scarf worn by Arabs over their heads but it hands back
3)a long and loose tunic (kurta)
contd....