Is it Allowed to Force Someone to Wear the Hijab?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

Is it allowed to force someone to wear a headscarf, especially with what is happening in Iran? Some scholars agree that it can be forced, whereas some do not. I need some clarification about this matter as well. I am in turmoil. Please clarify.

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

The hijab is fard ‘ayn (individual obligation) upon every adult Muslim female. It is a duty for a parent to tell their daughter to wear the hijab, but not to enforce it or harm her in any way, but continue to educate, encourage, and advise her with wisdom after telling her initially. Similarly, on a government level, too. They can educate the masses through all the modern-day means of spreading messages, like social media, billboards, educational programs, etc.

Allah Most High says, “And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their chastity, and not to reveal their adornments1 except what normally appears. Let them draw their veils over their chests and not reveal their ˹hidden˺ adornments except to their husbands, their fathers, their fathers-in-law, their sons, their stepsons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons or sisters’ sons, their fellow women, those ˹bondwomen˺ in their possession, male attendants with no desire, or children who are still unaware of women’s nakedness. Let them not stomp their feet, drawing attention to their hidden adornments. Turn to Allah in repentance altogether, O  believers, so that you may be successful.” [Quran, 24:31]

Educate With Wisdom

Allah Most High said in the Qur’an, “Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and fair exhortation, and reason with them in the better way. Lo! Your Lord is Best Aware of those who stray from His way, and He is Best Aware of those who go aright.” [Qur’an, 16.125]

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Call people with good tidings, and do not turn people away.” [Muslim]

I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction in sha Allah.

Related

• Can Parents Force Their Daughter to Wear the Hijab? – SeekersGuidance
• Is Hijab Obligatory? – SeekersGuidance
• Denying the Obligation of Wearing Hijab – SeekersGuidance
• Purification of the Heart for Youth: Diseases of the Heart and Their Cure – YouTube
•  The Path of Muhammad: Birgivi’s Manual of Taqwa Explained – YouTube

Why not begin your search for knowledge by signing up for a course on SeekersAcademy (seekers.flywheelstaging.com), like from the Islamic Studies Curriculum (seekers.flywheelstaging.com) or Youth Islamic Studies Curriculum (seekers.flywheelstaging.com), building your way up doing each course?

I pray this helps answer your question.

[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied within UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan and Turkey.

He started his early education in UK. He went onto complete hifz of Qur’an in India, then enrolled into an Islamic seminary in UK where he studied the secular and Alimiyyah sciences. He then travelled to Karachi, Pakistan.

He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for a number of years. He has taught hifz of the Qur’an, Tajwid, Fiqh and many other Islamic sciences to both children and adults onsite and online extensively in UK and Ireland. He was teaching at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences.

He currently resides in UK with his wife. His personal interest is love of books and gardening.