Why I Choose Not to Wear a Hijab-Style Covering

 

Christian women who cover their heads have many styles available to them: hats, scarves, veils, wide headbands, and wraps. Some women choose a style that closely resembles a Muslim hijab, covering the hair, ears, and neck.

I personally choose not to.

My decision is not a judgment against Christian women who wear that style, nor is it criticism of Muslim women. It is simply an application of my own conscience and circumstances.

What Does My Covering Communicate?

Clothing communicates, whether we intend it to or not. In modern American culture, a tightly wrapped scarf that conceals all the hair and neck is most strongly associated with Islam. If I wore one, most people who saw me could reasonably assume that I was Muslim.

That is not the message I want my covering to send.

I wear a head covering as a Christian response to 1 Corinthians 11. I want the covering to be recognizable as feminine and intentional without creating unnecessary confusion about my faith. For me, a hat, veil, scarf, or wide headband accomplishes that more naturally.

I also do not believe Paul requires every strand of hair or the entire neck to be concealed. His instruction concerns a covered head, but Scripture does not specify the covering’s dimensions, fabric, or style. A hijab-style covering may fulfill the instruction, but I do not believe it is necessary to do so.

Liberty Works in Both Directions

My reasons for not wearing a hijab-style covering do not create a rule for every Christian woman.

Another woman may live in a culture where that style does not communicate Islam exclusively. She may find it practical, comfortable, beautiful, or particularly secure. She may believe that covering all her hair best expresses her understanding of the passage. She remains free to make that choice.

Christian liberty does not mean that our choices are meaningless. We should consider what our clothing communicates, how it affects others, and whether we can wear it with a clear conscience. But liberty also means that we must not turn personal wisdom into a universal command.

A hijab-style covering is not inherently sinful, and a Christian woman does not become Muslim by wrapping a scarf around her head. Fabric has no religion of its own. Meaning comes from the beliefs, intentions, and cultural associations connected to it.

For me, the possibility of communicating an unintended religious identity outweighs the benefits of that style. For another Christian woman, the circumstances may be different.

I can explain why I choose not to wear it without insisting that no Christian woman should.

Does my covering communicate my Christian conviction clearly within my particular culture?

Can I honor another woman’s liberty without treating her application as either mandatory or forbidden?

For more practical guidance on choosing and wearing a Christian head covering, see Recovering Covering: Scripture, Conscience, and the Beauty of Biblical Head Covering.