Allah has made wearing a hijab for women compulsory. There is no direct reference in the Quran about the punishment for not wearing hijab but there’s a punishment for not obeying the command of Allah. Allah has also made clear the consequences of not wearing hijab in duniya which is the humiliation from other gender.
Allah says in Sura An-Nur verse 31:
And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband’s fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! turn ye all together towards Allah.
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In the above verse Allah talked about the rules of the gaze and not displaying their beauty except husbands and other mahram.
Allah also ordered women to cover themselves properly. In Sura Ahzab, Allah says,
O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their outer garments around them’ (33:59). that ye may attain Bliss.
Prophet (SAS) said, ‘when a woman reaches puberty, no part of her body should remain uncovered except the face and the hand up to the wrist joint’. (Mishkaat)
Considering these verses and hadith it is a clear indication that women are told to maintain their dignity by covering their hair and bosoms.
What Is Hijab?
Hijab is a modern version of the plain garment or scarf which women use to cover their hair and chest. There is no word “hijab” that is directly used anywhere in the Quran and Hadid but women are told to stay in cover.
In the Holy Quran, Allah Ta’ala says,
:يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لِأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلابِيبِهِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَنْ يُعْرَفْنَ فَلا يُؤْذَيْنَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُوراً رَحِيماً
Translation: O Prophet, tell your wives, daughters, and the believing women to spread their cloaks over them. It is more appropriate to recognize them. As a result, they will not be harassed. Allah Ta’ala is the Most Merciful, the Most Forgiving. (Surat al-Ahzab: 59)
At What Age Do Muslims Wear Hijab?
It is said to start wearing hijab for Muslim girls during their puberty. In a verse, Allah Ta’ala says,
وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَى
Do not show off your beauty like the girls of the age of ignorance. (Al-Ahzab – 33)
Allah will punish severely those who have disobeyed him in the hereafter. Allah says,
وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤمِنٍ وَلاَ مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمْرًا أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُمُ الخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ وَمَنْ يَعْصِ اللهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلاَلاً مُبِينًا
Translation: If Allah and His Messenger give a verdict, believing men and women will not be allowed to exercise their will. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Apostle, he is undoubtedly an error. (Surah An-Nisa)
In another verse:
وَمَنْ يَعْصِ اللََهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَهُ يُدْخِلْهُ نَارً خَالِدًا فِيهَا وَلَهُ عَذَابٌ مُهِين
Translation: And whoever disobeys Allah and His Apostle and transgresses His limits, he shall enter the fire of eternity. For him it is a painful punishment. (Surah An-Nisa)
Punishment For Not Wearing Hijab
There is punishment in the afterlife for not covering themselves properly. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
صنفان من أهل النار لم أرهما: قوم معهم سياط كأذناب البقر يضربون بها الناس، ونساء كاسيات عاريات مميلات مائلات، رؤوسهن كأسنمة البخت المائلة لا يدخلن الجنة ولا يجدن ريحها، وإن ريحها ليوجد من مسيرة كذا وكذا
Translation: I have not seen two types of hellish people. (They have not arrived yet) One group is the people who will have a cane in their hands like a cow’s tail. The other group is women who will be naked even after wearing clothes. They will be attracted to others, and others will be attracted to themselves. The hair on their heads will be like the hump of a camel in the Bukhti community. They will not enter Paradise, nor will they smell the fragrance of Paradise. But the scent of Paradise can be found from so far away. (Muslim)
Roaming around the streets purposefully attracting other males or females sexually or in any other form is an absolute disgrace and against the law of Islam. For this, women who do not cover their beauty will face serious punishment in the afterlife.
Why Do Some Muslims Not Wear Hijab?
Some of the Muslim women do not wear hijab or cover their head. They say they are not yet convinced by the idea of hijab; the weather is hot; their job doesn’t allow them to wear hijab; they’re not old enough or they’ll wear hijab after attending hajj and so on. These above excuses are the delusion of Satan but nothing else. All Muslim women should follow and obey what Allah says.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can A Husband Force Wife To Wear A Hijab?
There is no law of enforcement in Islam that a husband can apply to his wife but a husband can always encourage his wife to obey Allah and his command.
When Can A Woman Take Off Her Hijab?
In Front of mahram means the husband, father, daughter, son, mother, and little children who are not aware of the sexual knowledge, and when a woman is alone at home or during bath can take off the hijab.
Countries Where Hijab Is Mandatory
Iran and neighboring Afghanistan are the only countries where wearing a hijab is mandatory for women.
Do You Need To Wear A Hijab To Read the Quran?
It is not necessary to wear a hijab while reciting the Quran. The hijab is used to cover hair and chest and restrain the self to reveal beauty to the other human being. One can wear a hijab while reading the Quran to show respect for the holy book.
Final Thoughts
The punishment for not wearing a hijab is actually converted to the punishment for not obeying Allah’s order. They are told about the punishment for not listening to Allah. As the best creation of Allah, Allah has created us to listen to him, whatever he says. As Muslims, we all should obey Allah.
References:
https://muslimguiding.com/punishment-not-wearing-hijab/
https://islamqa.org/hanafi/darululoomtt/52510/consequences-for-not-wearing-hijab/
https://shiastudies.com/en/17436/top-ten-excuses-not-wearing-hijab/
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