What Khimar meaning?

They state that the word ‘khimar’ in 24:31 means head cover, and thus they state that this word alone makes it obligatory for all women to wear a khimar to cover their hair.

Here it is necessary to analyse two issues:

1- What is the correct meaning of the word khimar?

2- Is there a command in 24:31 for women to cover their hair?

1- What is the correct meaning of the word khimar?

The Arabic word khimar means cover. Any cover can be called a khimar such as a curtain, a dress, also a table cloth that covers the top of a table is a khimar, also a blanket can be called a khimar and so on. The word khamr, which is used in the Quran for intoxicants, has the same root as khimar. Both words mean that which covers. The khimar covers a window, our body, a table and so on, while khamr is that which covers the mind. Traditional translators, being influenced by Hadith and culture, claim that khimar in 24:31 has only one meaning, and that is veil or hijab, and thus they mislead women into believing that 24:31 commands them to cover their hair! The fact that the word khimar can mean any cover, and not just head cover, is a matter which can be verified by consulting any Arabic dictionary.

In 24:31 God is telling women to use their khimar (cover/garment), which could be a dress, a coat, a shawl, a shirt, a blouse, a scarf and so on to cover their cleavage/bosoms.

2- Is there a command in 24:31 for women to cover their hair?

For a start, we note that the words ‘head’ and ‘hair’ are not found in 24:31.

In addition, we must differentiate between two components in the wording of 24:31.

God says to women to draw their khimar (garment) over their cleavage/bossom. Here we have:

1- The subject of the command, which is the cleavage/bossom

2- The tool, which is the khimar.