Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

aslaam ali kum

i wanted to know whether covering your head in islam is compulsory. Isn`t the intention of a person within the most important thing of all?

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Answer:

Hijaab covering head

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 59:

O Prophet, enjoin your wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons. It is expected that they will thus be recognized, and not molested. Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah Nur verse 31:

(O Prophet) enjoin the believing woman to restrain their gaze and guard their modesty, and not to display their adornment except that which is displayed of itself, and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not to display their adornments except before their husbands, their fathers, …….and also forbid them to stamp their feet on the ground lest their hidden ornaments should be displayed.

Allah Subhanah has directed the Command towards the Prophet (saws) commanding him to enjoin his wives, his daughters and the believing women that they should cast their outer garments over their full body, except what is displayed of itself. All the schools of thought in Islam are unanimous in their opinion that the casting of an outer garment or ‘jilbaab’ is absolutely obligatory on every believing woman who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day.

Your Question: i wanted to know whether covering your head in islam is compulsory.

In light of the above direct and clear Command of the Lord Most High, it is indeed absolutely compulsory and obligatory for every believing woman, who sincerely fears Allah and the Last Day to cover herself including her hair when in the presence of non-mehram males.

Your Question: Isn`t the intention of a person within the most important thing of all?

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.1 Narrated by Umar bin Al Khattab

I heard Allah's Messenger (saws) saying, "The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended.”

Beloved sister, indeed the reward of every deed will depend on one’s intention for doing the deed; but that does not in any way mean that one stops obeying the direct, clear, and obligatory Commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws).

If a believing woman wears the ‘hijaab’ only because she is Commanded by Allah Subhanah to do so, she will indeed earn her reward for her obedience; but if one covers her hair with a scarf only because it is the current fashion, then obviously she will have no reward from Allah for her deed. That is what is meant by the principle that the rewards of the deed depends upon the intentions.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan