A sociological approach to women's hijab

Clothing or hijab is a multidimensional phenomenon. On the one hand, it is a moral, religious, or epistemological phenomenon; on the other hand, it is a social, cultural, and political phenomenon. These various dimensions are so intertwined that it is impossible to study its social dimensions and aftermaths and leave its ideological and religious foundations intact. This research shows that five cultural subclasses which determine women’s choice of external clothing and hijab can be identified. In this paper, each of these external models are classified according to religious definitions and reference to Quranic verses and the individual’s conceptions of and attitude to clothing is evaluated.