Evaluation and Critique of the Arguments Supporting the Individual Nature of Hijab

Hijab is a religious ruling the obligation of which is based on numerous jurisprudential sources and arguments. Some people say that hijab is an individual issue, not a social one; therefore, basically, it is not included in the circle of government and even other people’s interference. This article deals with this important and key debate in the field of responsibility of the Islamic government and proves its social nature by criticizing the arguments of those who say that the hijab is an individual issue. These arguments are divided into two main categories jurisprudential-legal and Quranic arguments, and in this article, in addition to appropriate answers to each argument, the jurisprudential aspect of the issue is also analyzed. Of course, the social nature of hijab, chastity, and the duty of the Islamic government to protect and promote it, does not mean that the government should use force and judicial and penal measures for this purpose; rather, based on arguments from the jurisprudence, the government is obliged to adopt the best ways of invitation to establish this good practice.