In order to explain the purpose of the Hijab we must understand what the purpose of the Hijab really is before we can truly define the word or its meaning. Many people over the years have mistakenly used the word Hijab as if it only means wearing a head scarf which is a very big misunderstanding. Hijab actually means covering your private parts and adornments in order to maintain modesty in all respects of life.

Covering or protecting your adornments must be explained in more detail to fully understand the concept of the Hijab. Therefore we will consider adornments to be anything which is naturally attractive to others within your society or culture. Covering or protecting your adornments means not to attract attention in a way to lure or seduce or gain the attention of others. It is important to understand that it is up to each individual to decide what this means and only Allah and the individual knows what is in their heart or their true intentions.

It is extremely important to mention and understand that there is absolutely NO Coercion in Islam. I am pointing this out because no person, government or society should ever make it mandatory for men or women to do something they do not fully understand or agree with. It is up to each individual to decide how they will choose to dress and how, when and in what way they will wear the Hijab. It may be a gradual process within yourself throughout the years you live and could change depending on factors around you. There will always be pressures within each society which will somewhat encourage or even discourage the concept of the Hijab, but we must remember that the individual is responsible to answer to Our Creator for their decisions and actions. So because there is no coercion in Islam we are only responsible for educating everyone about the concept of the Hijab and allow each individual to determine what they will do with this information and how and when they will apply it in their everyday lives.

The purpose of the Hijab is to teach men and women to be modest by lowering their gaze and not to display their adornments which will attract others into doing things which could lead them to do things which are harmful to society or what they say in Arabic (Haram). The concept of the Hijab has taught preventative measures against lusting after one another, fornication, committing adultery, rape, child molesting, incest, exhibitionism and killing among other things. It is Allah�s intention to educate everyone regarding this matter so people will look at the Hijab as a way of prevention or protection from these harmful actions of human beings.

For the women it includes full covering of not only the private parts as well as their adornments in a way which will not seduce or attract other people. It is mandatory to cover from the navel to just below the knees for both men and women even while in the presence of the same sex. While in the presence of the opposite sex other than your marital spouse the Hijab is to teach us to lower our gaze in order to not become lustful or shameful.

The Qur�an actually mentions this and begins to explain it to the men first, because it is natural for men to look at a beautiful woman. The men are actually weaker than the women in this respect and that is probably why it is mentioned to the men first. If they are taught at a young age to lower their gaze and to protect their private parts and realize it as a shameful act to expose them to anyone than they are protected from other acts which will lead them to hurting others in society. The Qur�an addresses the subject to the men first because the concept of the Hijab applies to both men and women.

The very next verse talks about the woman�s responsibility to cover because of the fact that this is one of the weak points of the men because they have a hard enough time as it is not to look at the women because it is in their nature to look.

The Hijab is meant to teach societies throughout the world that we must look at men and women as equals and we should not be looking at each other as sex objects. It addresses the fact that men and women are at times weak at controlling their sexual desires and they need to be aware of these weaknesses.

The Hijab is a means of protection for men and women so they do not become immoral in their behavior and everyday lives. It is designed to bring men and women together in the most respectable way during their everyday lives including the home, workplace, schools, Universities, television, advertising and in public places where there is the mixing of the sexes.