حجاب
Ḥijāb
Modest dress, and in particular the head covering worn by many Muslim women.
What it means
In the Quran ḥijāb means a screen or barrier, as in the verse about speaking to the Prophet’s wives from behind a screen (33:53). The covering of the head and chest is described by other words: khimār (24:31) and jilbāb (33:59). Scholars agree that modest dress is required of men and of women, and they differ on the details, including the face.
Often misunderstood as
That the hijab is a sign of oppression imposed on Muslim women.
What the sources say
The Quran says that there is “no compulsion in religion” (2:256), and many Muslim scholars hold that forcing a woman to veil, as some states do, has no basis in the sources. Many Muslim women who wear it describe it as their own choice and an expression of faith, and many others do not wear it. The issue for the Muslim is consent: being made to veil and being forbidden to veil are both an infringement.
Term and Arabic as listed in Ismail al Faruqi, Toward Islamic English (International Institute of Islamic Thought, 1995), p. 28, listed as ḤIJĀB. The definition is restated here.