the wearing of the hijab by women in the presence of men other than their fathers, brothers, husbands and close relatives is seen by many traditional Muslims as a religious commandment.
The Institute of Islamic Information (1) noted that a "The Qur'an says: "Say to the believing man that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that will make for greater purity for them; and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. "And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands..." (Qur'an 24:30-31) These verses from the Qur'an contain two main injunctions: (1) A woman should not show her beauty or adornments except what appears by uncontrolled factors such as the wind blowing her clothes, and (2) the head covers should be drawn so as to cover the hair, the neck and the bosom." Thus, the hijab (and other items of clothing worn by Muslim women) is regarded by many Muslims of both sexes as a vital element in "being" a Muslim and follo...