Critical Analysis and Exegesis of the Verses on Hijab from the Viewpoint of Companions of the Prophet

The necessity of Hijab or covering based on the Qur’anic verses and narrations is definitely unquestionable; however, it is immensely important to recognize the boundaries of Hijab as one of the divine commands effective in social health or corruption. In recent centuries, due to some western views relying on the emerging schools on Hijab and its boundaries, there has been some doubt and confusion over this issue. For instance, it is said that the current state of Hijab is not what has been intended by God in the Qur’an and what has been common during the time of the Prophet (PBUH) but it is under the influence of cultural viewpoints of the great companions of the Prophet interpreting the verses on Hijab. Considering the fact that there is disagreement on the exegesis of the verses on Hijab and its boundaries, this study seeks to survey the views of the companions as a bridge between the Prophet (PBUH) and later time periods in order to shed light on the limits and boundaries of Hijab from their perspective and then explain its impact and cause. As for Hijab, the companions of the Prophet do not have common views and often act according to their independent reasoning, if it is not attributed to deviation in narrations, it might be under the influence of common culture and political and cultural changes to keep the society safe from corruption.
Received: 5/5/2018   |   Accepted: 2/2/2019