Is Hijaab a Matter of Personal Choice?

Q. I have been speaking with other Muslim sisters who don’t wear hijaab and they told me that “hijaab does not mean: to cover the head,” and “it’s a personal choice whether a person wants to wear a headscarf or not”. I’m a bit confused because there are so many schools of thought and I fear that I may be misled.

A. The sisters you spoke to are in gross error. Hijaab is not a matter of individual choice. It is a Divine Command emphatically stated in the Qur’aan. Concealing the hair is absolutely necessary for a woman when she has to leave the confines of her sacred home. There is unanimity on this issue.