When did the Muslim tradition of veiling start?

Question

This is for my college thesis and need facts, dates, reasons.

Answer 1

When moohamed realized that if all the women in his house wore veils he could act like he did not know it was one of his daughters he was sleeping with instead of one of his wives.

Answer 2

It was adopted from the Persians in about 642 CE when Muhammad's "troops" toppled the Sassanids. Of course the Greeks and Romans and Byzantines also had the concept too, but it was mainly from the Persians from whence the tradition, which was actually cultural, was adopted, along with the seclusion of women (mainly wealthy, priviledged women).

_()_

Answer 3

The tradition actually predated islam. Its not just a way to protect yourself from sexual men, islam tells you to remain modest. and that goes for both men and women. Men who tell their wife to wear hijab and go around wearing shorts are being hypocrites.
here is a link that talks about the historical background of hijab:
http://www.submission.org/dress4.htm
ok...it kind of says that hijab has nothing to do with islam which isn't true but it makes the point that islam did not start with islam...
hope it helps

maybe this is better?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chador

Answer 4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veil
According to this site: Veils for Muslim women, began in the Byzantine Empire.

(Good luck with your thesis.)

Answer 5

Is it not possible that it pre dates islam? After all, the area is pretty hot, and there is a lot of dust blowing around.

No facts behind that, just a thought.

Answer 6

I like women in jeans. It makes them look more home town like and it generally does not look like they try too much but if you are looking to get this fellas attention, this might not be what you want

Answer 7

I really do enjoy using long skirts once in a while. They are really actually convenient than Denims and also much less hot to wear.

Answer 8

It is a basic tenet of the Muslim religion that a man cannot be expected to control himself sexually. Therefore it is the woman's responsibility to make sure she does not show herself to be attractive. Cf. Mohammad's life.

Answer 9

May the peace, blessings and mercy of God be upon you

From the Islamic tradition , the obligation to be modest is from these two verses.

From Surah Anur - The Light

[024:030] Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts). That is purer for them. Verily, God is All-Acquainted with what they do.

[024:031] And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, headcover, apron), and to draw their veils all over Juyûbihinna (i.e. their bodies,necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband's fathers, or their sons, or their husband's sons, or their brothers or their brother's sons, or their sister's sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islâm), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of feminine sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg God to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful.

From the explanation of the Qu'ran, from the Classic Scholar Ibn Kathir (from the 14 century).

This is a command from God to the believing women, and jealousy on His part over the wives of His believing servants. It is also to distinguish the believing women from the women of the Pre-Islamic ignorance and the deeds of the pagan women. The reason for the revelation of this Ayah was mentioned by Muqatil bin Hayyan, when he said: "We heard -- and God knows best -- that Jabir bin `Abdullah Al-Ansari narrated that Asma' bint Murshidah was in a house of hers in Bani Harithah, and the women started coming in to her without lower garments so that the anklets on their feet could be seen, along with their chests and forelocks. Asma' said: `How ugly this is!' Then God revealed:
(And tell the believing women to lower their gaze...)''

the explanation on the source page goes on to explain each verse in detail, the link is in the sources.

Peace Be With You

Answer 10

Muslim women wear hijab—which is more than just a head cover—because God ordered them to do so in two places in the Qur’an, and because Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also ordered it. The Qur’an says in Surah 24, verses 30 - 31 what means:
*{Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest. That is purer for them. Lo! Allah is Aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment save to their own husbands or fathers or husbands fathers, or their sons or their husbands' sons, or their brothers or their brothers' sons or sisters sons, or their women, or their slaves, or male attendants who lack vigor, or children who know naught of women's nakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn unto Allah together, O believers, in order that ye may succeed.}*

These verses tell us that our Islamic dress is not just a matter of covering the head alone, but also of covering the bosom, which is attractive to men, and of lowering the gaze and walking in a way that does not attract attention. Note that the order to lower the gaze was addressed first to men…

You can also read the other verse about the same point, which is verse number 59 in Surah 33. It may be translated:
*{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, that so they may be recognized and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.}*

This indicates that one of the reasons for hijab is to distinguish the believing woman from the non-believing. This relates to your second question concerning the logic behind hijab.


Ask yourself, or ask the next person who asks you that question, if a female judge walked into the courtroom wearing a tight miniskirt and low-cut blouse, would you take her seriously? Who would you respect more, a woman dressed like that or one dressed modestly? The Qur’an was revealed for all times, and though circumstances change, human nature does not. The fact is that men do like to look at women’s bodies, so a woman who covers herself is more likely to be respected as a person than looked upon as a piece of meat!

Up until the end of the nineteenth century, a Western woman who had any self respect covered her head—though perhaps not all her hair—in public. Your audience may argue that a woman who does not cover her hair is no longer looked upon as a loose woman. That may be true, but women still know that men look at them. Otherwise, why would they spend millions of dollars every year to style, color, and treat their hair?


It is true that men don’t have to cover their heads, but there is a dress code for them, as well, although it is not so widely publicized as the women’s dress code. Men must at least be covered from the navel to the knees with loose fitting clothing. The rules for men are different because women are less likely to ogle men than the other way around.


Do women feel hot in hijab? To be honest, sometimes, yes, so smart women wear cotton. But overall, loose dresses are much cooler and healthier than pants [trousers] or pantyhose.


Some women cover their faces either because they think it is required of them - only a minority of scholars say so - or because they think it is better for them to protect their modesty. Others do not think it is required, but they prefer to act as the wives of Prophet Muhammad did, for they take them as a model in their every day life. Those, believe that such act is a fadl, which would earn them more heavenly reward.


Does a head cover prevent a woman from practicing her daily activities? I don’t see how it could! A woman does not normally wear hijab in her own house, so it shouldn’t get in the way when she’s doing housework. If a long head covering would get in the way in her work or pose a danger to her—if the woman were working around machinery or in a laboratory, for example—she can wear a different style that doesn’t have dragging ends. Actually, hijab—perhaps loose trousers and a long shirt if her work requires her to bend, lift, or climb steps or ladders—gives a woman more freedom of movement while protecting her modesty than does a short dress.


Is hijab an oppression? Quite the contrary. Dr. Fatima Naseef, author of Women in Islam, sees hijab as a woman’s right to maintain her modesty and to be respected as a person. Please turn the question around to the asker: if one woman has the right to go half naked in public, why doesn’t another woman have the right to cover herself in public? Why is it looked upon as an oppression if she chooses to be modest?

more in hijab:
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-AAbout_Islam/AskAboutIslamE/AskAboutIslamE&cid=1123996016350

good luck.