Question
The injunction you cited states that women should cover their bosoms with their head coverings. Why, then should head covering be considered necessary? Why can’t women simply cover their bosoms with any part of their dressings?
Answer
As I had stated in my earlier response that although the Qur’an has not explicitly directed women to cover their heads, yet the words of the Qur’an clearly imply that women, when they have to be present in a mixed gathering, should keep their heads covered.
You state:
Why can’t women simply cover their bosoms with any part of their dressings?
In my opinion, had the Qur’an implied what you have stated then it would just have directed women to cover their bosoms. But the Qur’an, on the contrary, has directed women to “spread their head coverings on their bosoms”. This, in my opinion, implies that the Qur’an , while prescribing the etiquette that should be followed in mixed gatherings, requires women not only to keep their heads covered but also to spread their head coverings on their bosoms.
It may be said that had the Qur’an wanted women to keep their heads as well as bosoms covered, it should have explicitly directed women to do so. My answer to this objection would be that women among the direct addressees of the Qur’an kept their heads covered. Yet their head coverings would hang lose behind their backs. Thus, the Qur’an gave an explicit directive only to the extent to which modification in behavior was required. It is due to this reason, in my opinion, that the Qur’an did not give an explicit directive to women regarding covering their heads.
24th July 1999