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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Islamic Modest Dress Introduction The Word hijab (Modest Dress) We believe in a particular philosophy in Islam for woman's hijab or modest dress which forms our intellectual point of view and in regard to analysis, it can be called the basis for the Islamic modest dress. Before we begin our discussion, it is necessary to look at the meaning of the word hijab which is used in our age to refer to a woman's covering.

This word gives the sense of 'covering' because it refers to a veil or a means of 'covering' . Perhaps it can be said that because of the origin of the word, not every covering is hijab . That 'covering' which is referred to as a hijab is that which appears behind a curtain.

The Holy Quran describes the setting of the sun in the story of the Prophet Solomon, "...until the sun was covered (bil hijab) and time for the afternoon ritual prayer was over." (38:32) The diaphragm separating the heart from the stomach is also called ' hijab '. In the advice given by Imam Ali to Malik Ashtar, he states, " ...

prolong not your seclusion ( hijab ) from your subjects, for a ruler's seclusion from his subjects is a kind of constraint and (results in) a lack of knowledge of affairs.

Seclusion from them cuts rulers off from the knowledge of that from which they have been secluded.[^1] Ibn Khaldun says in the Muqaddimah , "Governments do not consider a separation to exist between themselves and the people at the beginning of their formation but little by little, the separation and distance between the ruler and the people grows and finally it causes unpleasant results."[^2] Ibn Khaldun used the word hijab in the sense of meaning 'curtain' and 'separation' and not 'covering'.

The use of the word satr , in the sense of 'covering' was used instead of hijab , especially by the religious jurisprudents. The religious jurisprudents, whether in the section on the ritual prayers or inthe section on marriage, refer to this issue and use the word satr and not hijab . It would have been best if the word had not been changed and we had continued to use the word 'covering' or satr because, as we have said, the prevalent meaning of the word hijab is veil.

If it is to be used in the sense of 'covering', it gives the idea of a woman being placed behind a curtain. This very thing has caused a great number of people to think that Islam has wanted women to always remain behind a curtain, to be imprisoned in the house and not to leave it.