Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
In Islam, obedience to parents is not allowed if it means disobeying Allah. Hijab is a duty with clear conditions: it must cover the body except face and hands, be loose, not transparent, and not resemble men’s clothing.
Responding to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:
What to Do If Parents Prevent You from Wearing Hijab?
It is your Islamic duty to wear modest attire while going out. You should not listen to your parents if they want you to go against the rule of Allah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “No obedience is due to anyone in disobedience to Allah. Obedience is due only in regard to matters that are good (i.e. pleasing to Allah” (Reported by Al-Bukhari)
Having said this, let me point out that modest attire does not necessarily mean wearing abayas or the clothing worn by Arab women. Instead, a Muslim woman can wear loose-fitting attire if it meets modesty requirements.
It is important to remember that the purpose of hijab in Islam is not to cut out women from participating in the activities of society or to keep men and women utterly segregated, or to make it hard for them to function normally in life.
Instead, the purpose of hijab is to help a woman maintain her dignity and honor as a free person and help her fulfill her obligations smoothly and comfortably.
The Key Conditions of Hijab in Islam
Therefore, the requirements of hijab are never oppressive or restrictive in any way; here are the requisites of hijab or proper Islamic attire for women:
- It should cover her whole body except her face and hands.
- It should be loose-fitting.
- It should not be transparent or revealing.
- It should not be an attire worn explicitly by men only.
So long as your attire fulfills the above conditions, you don’t have to worry.
Remember, Allah has not revealed religion to make life difficult; it is intended to make it easy and comfortable for us. Allah says, {He has not laid upon you in religion any hardship.} (Al-Hajj 22: 78)
{Allah wishes to lighten the burden for you; for certainly man/woman has been created weak!.} (An-Nisa’ 4:28)
👉 Explore more about Islamic rulings on hijab here:
- Can Hijab Be Removed Due to Safety Concerns?
- Is Taking off Hijab for Medical Reasons Justified?
- Taking off Hijab to Keep Marriage: Allowed?
- I Love Hijab, My Dad Forbids It: How to Handle?
- Hijab Requirements in Islam
- Does Hijab Infringe upon Women’s Liberty?
- Can a Husband Tell His Wife to Wear Hijab?
Almighty Allah knows best.