Comparative Theology · Common Ground
Modesty and the covering of the head
Handle with care. Modesty is commanded of men in Qur'an 24:30 before women in 24:31. Always cite them in that order.
In short
- 1.1 Corinthians 11:5-6 assumes women cover in prayer.
- 2.Rebekah veils in Genesis 24:65.
- 3.Mary is depicted covered in nearly every church.
The claim being examined
Head covering for women appears in both Testaments and in Paul's instructions to Corinth.
The Islamic position
Islam asks the same modesty of women and men, and Muslim women who cover are continuing a biblical practice, not importing a foreign one.
Analysis
Head covering was normal for Jewish and early Christian women and persisted in many churches into the twentieth century. Islamic practice is continuous with it rather than distinct from it.
From the Qur'an
وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَـٰرِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ ۖ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِىٓ إِخْوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِىٓ أَخَوَٰتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُهُنَّ أَوِ ٱلتَّـٰبِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُو۟لِى ٱلْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ أَوِ ٱلطِّفْلِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا۟ عَلَىٰ عَوْرَٰتِ ٱلنِّسَآءِ ۖ وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّ ۚ وَتُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
waqul lil'mu'mināti yaghḍuḍ'na min abṣārihinna wayaḥfaẓna furūjahunna walā yub'dīna zīnatahunna illā mā ẓahara min'hā walyaḍrib'na bikhumurihinna ʿalā juyūbihinna walā yub'dīna zīnatahunna illā libuʿūlatihinna aw ābāihinna aw ābāi buʿūlatihinna aw abnāihinna aw abnāi buʿūlatihinna aw ikh'wānihinna aw banī ikh'wānihinna aw banī akhawātihinna aw nisāihinna aw mā malakat aymānuhunna awi l-tābiʿīna ghayri ulī l-ir'bati mina l-rijāli awi l-ṭif'li alladhīna lam yaẓharū ʿalā ʿawrāti l-nisāi walā yaḍrib'na bi-arjulihinna liyuʿ'lama mā yukh'fīna min zīnatihinna watūbū ilā l-lahi jamīʿan ayyuha l-mu'minūna laʿallakum tuf'liḥūna
And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their chastity, and to draw their head-coverings over their chests.
From the Bible
But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head... if a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off.
Read it in their BibleShe took her veil and covered herself.
Read it in their BibleSources
The spoken script for this entry is inside the app.
Members get the word-for-word delivery guide — how to open, what to say, the likely replies and how to close warmly — plus notes, a dawah journal and the study assistant.
Open the app