What is Hijab?

Why some Muslim women (and men) wear what they wear

I wear hijab. I consider myself a hijabi. Also known as al-muhajabah. The meaning of these words is someone who dresses and acts in a modest fashion according to the teachings of Islam. Notice my emphasis. If you do not act in a modest fashion as well, your clothing means nothing.

I am a woman who wears hijab. But men have hijab, as well. For them it is more about their behavior and their inward thoughts and feelings, though clothes are involved as well.

“Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their private parts; that will make for greater purity for them. Indeed Allah is well acquainted with all that they do.” Qur’an 24:30

For all of you that think that hijab is the burden of a woman to keep a man from straying in his thoughts, here is a wonderful hadith about men’s hijab.

Narrated by Abdullah ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu): “Al-Fadl bin Abbas rode behind Allah’s Messenger (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) as his companion rider on the back portion of his she-camel on the day of Nahr (slaughtering of sacrifice, 10th Dhul-Hijja) and Al-Fadl was a handsome man. The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) stopped to give the people verdicts (regarding their matters). In the meantime, a beautiful woman from the tribe of Khatham came, asking the…