How to Hijab:

Your Comprehensive Guide to the Islamic Dress Code for Women and Men

by Saraji Umm Zaid

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Introduction

Welcome to How To Hijab, your comprehensive guide to the Islamic dress code for men and women.  How to Hijab was the first practical guide to Islamic dress, and today, is the largest and most in-depth guide available.  I wrote How to Hijab because I saw so many sisters who were new to Islam confused about how to wear the scarf, and how to shop for appropriate clothing.  There's also special section for men, the only online guide to clothing definitions and styles for men on the internet.

In this guide, you'll find definitions from many different cultures for all types of Islamic dress.  You'll find practical tips to help you when you're shopping and trying to choose the type of head cover or garment that best suits your lifestyle and / or the occasion.  Unlike some other guides, How to Hijab presents you with practical and realistic styling tips, styles you can wear everyday to the office, or on special occasions.  How to Hijab also presents you with the largest online directory to Islamic and modest clothing providers.

Different Styles of Head Coverings

Without exaggerating, we can say that this is probably the most basic and most important garment the Muslim woman wears.  We all need them, they are an "everyday" thing for us, and yet Muslims are judged and represented by the scarf on a woman's head.  More than any other item of clothing, the head covering is the symbol of both Islamic modesty, and of Islamic womanhood.

Hijab, Esharb, Sharb, Mandeel The word hijab comes from the Arabic word haya, meaning modesty. However, it is commonly used to mean either the entire Islamic dress code, or even more popularly, the head scarf.  In this section, we will use the word "hijab" to refer to the square headscarf.

Muhajaba, Hijabi Woman who wears hijab

Khimar (Arabic), Charchaff (Turkish) Described in the Qur’an, khimar is the correct word for the Islamic women’s head-dress (rather than hijab). In some circles, khimar means any headscarf, but it is often used now, especially by companies selling Islamic clothing, to describe a long cape-like veil made of a semi-circular flair of fabric and sewn up at the straight edge leaving a hole for the face.
They often come with a small cap or underscarf to cover the forehead, and can come from mid chest length to the ankle.  Sometimes worn with a matching skirt.  Many Muslim women own khimar sets for prayer or going on hajj.

Al-Amira, Buknuk (Gulf) This is usually a two-piece tube style slip on head covering, although some styles have the two parts sewn together.
It us usually made from a cotton knit or stretch polyester. The cheaper kind have lace sewn on the edges. Especially popular with children. The nicer buknuks come in different patterns, colors, and materials, including velvet and rhine-stone studded.

Chaddar, Dupatta (Indo-Pak), Chaderi (Afghan), Lamba (Madagascar) Long rectangular shaped scarf worn by Afghan, Indian, and Pakistani women. Often sheer or very light materials, especially cotton.  Sometimes they are opaque and made of a plain cotton, eyelet, or wool.

Shayla, Milfeh (Gulf), Shal (Sham) The long, rectangular shaped scarf traditionally worn in the Gulf, which is now experiencing a revival (with the new style of abaya). It is wrapped around the head and tucked or pinned in at the edges. Some women in the Gulf use milfeh to cover their faces.Traditionally, only in black or white, but now available in various colors and materials.

on to tips for buying and wearing

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© 1998 - 2004, Modern Muslima and Saraji Umm Zaid