Question:
What do the pious and expert scholars of Islam say about: Is it appropriate for girls to wear headscarves to school?
Answer:
It is necessary for teenage girls to wear a modest dress that covers them, this includes a head scarf. The Qur’an says “ tell believing women that they should lower their glances, guard their private parts, and not display their charms beyond what is acceptable to reveal; they should let their headscarves fall to cover their necklines and not reveal their charms except to their husbands and their husbands fathers…they should not stamp their feet so as to draw attention to any hidden charms. Believers, all of you, turn to God so that you may prosper. (Surah Al-Nur:31).
This verse lays down the rules for a modest dress, which must:
- Cover the whole body including the head except for the face, hands, and feet
- The dress should be loose, not tight-fitting nor see-through
- These rules are relaxed for immediate family members known as the Mahrams
It is clear that teenage girls must develop the habit of modesty early on in their life, this is not a choice, but a compulsory duty ordained by the Lord.
And Allah ﷻ knows best
Dr Musharraf Hussain Al-Azhari
Director of British Fatwa Council
