The Obligatory Conditions for An Islamic Hijab

COVERING ALL OF THE BODY
Some scholars are in agreement with the position that the face and hands of the woman must be covered as he has detailed this in discussions of the Hijab issues in his book:

Some scholars say it is permissible to uncover the face and the hands of the woman as long as there is no fitna (infatuation) caused by her or inflicted upon her.

They see that if: a) she is beautiful and beautifies her face and hands with external substances, and b) the society around her is corrupt where men do not lower their gaze, then it is prohibited for her to uncover her face and hands.

THE HIJAB MUST NOT BE A DISPLAY
The Hijab itself must not be a display. Allah ordained it so as to cover the beauty of women and not for show off. He (SW) says:

"And not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent."

(Qur'an 24: 31)

"And stay in your houses and do not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance." (Qur'an 33:33)

It is not logical that the Hijab itself be a source of display.

THE HIJAB MUST NOT BE TRANSPARENT
The purpose must be achieved. In order for the Hijab to be a cover, it must not be made of transparent material making the woman covered only by name,  while in reality she is naked. The Prophet (pbuh) said:

"In the latest part of my Omaha (nation of Muslims) there shall be women who would be naked in spite of being dressed, they have hair high like the humps of the Bukht camel, curse them, for they are cursed". He (pbuh) added in another hadeeth:

"They will not enter Al-Jannah and would not perceive its odor, although its fragrance can be perceived from such and such distance.

This indicates that a woman could cause herself a grave and destructive sin if she puts on a garment that is thin and transparent and which clearly shapes her body's features.

HIJAB MUST BE ROOMY, FLOWING AND NOT TIGHT
The Hijab is a safeguard against Fitna. If tight, it will be descriptive of the woman's body and this violates the purpose of Hijab. Usamma Bin Zaid (RA) said:

"The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) dressed me with a thick Qubtyeeyah (cotton dress from Egypt) which was a gift that he received from Duhia Al-Kalbi. So I gave it to my wife to wear. He (pbuh) said: "What made you not to wear the Qubtyeeyah?" I said: "I dressed my wife with it." He (pbuh) said: "Order her to put an undergarment (or gown) under it, because I am afraid it may describe the size of her bones.

THE HIJAB MUST NOT BE PERFUMED WITH INCENSE
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

"Any woman who perfumes herself and passes by some people that they smell her scent, then she is a Zaniyah (prostitute).

THE HIJAB SHOULD NOT RESEMBLE MEN'S DRESS

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

"Women who assume the manners of men are not from us and also those of men who assume the manners of women.

Abu-Huraira (RA) narrated that:

"The Prophet (pbuh) cursed the man who wears the dress of a woman and the woman who wears the dress of a man."

THE HIJAB MUST NOT RESEMBLE THE GARMENTS OF THE KUFFAR
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

"The one who takes the similitude (manner) of a certain people becomes one of them.

Abdullah bin Ummar (RA) said:

"The Prophet (pbuh) saw me wearing two clothes dyed in saffron, whereupon he said: these are the clothes (usually worn) by the Kuffar, so do not wear them."

THE HIJAB IS NOT FOR FAME!
The Messenger (pbuh) said:

"The one who wears a garment designed for a worldly fame, Allah will make him wear a garment of humility on the Day of Resurrection then he will be set ablaze."

The garment of fame is any garment a person wears to make him/her look famous. This applies whether the garment is highly precious and shows admiration to the life of this world or if it is chosen of a low quality to show lack of interest to this worldly life.

The person may put on clothes with distinct colors so as to draw attention, act proudly and/or arrogantly.

WATCH FOR "CONCEALED" WAYS OF DISPLAY
Examining the various conditions about the Hijab one can clearly recognize that many of the young Muslim women are not fulfilling these conditions. They consider what they put on now, wrongly as "Hijab"

The enemies of the Islamic revival wanted to destroy it in its infancy by oppression and cruelty.

Allah (SW) defeated their plots and held the believing men and women steadfast in their obedience of Him (SW).

The enemies of Islam realized that they should deal with the Islamic revival in a wicked way in order to sway this revival away from its course towards Allah.

They started to spread innovated forms of "Hijab" as a "midway" solution by which the Muslim woman can "please" Allah (they claim so!) and at the same time "accommodate" her society and preserve her "beauty" and "glamour".

The modern "boutique" stores were declining in their trade due to the widespread use of the true Islamic Hijab.

Suddenly, the markets were flooded with altered forms of Tabar'roj under the name 'modern/contemporary Hijab'.

In the beginning this was protested and women were cautious. A group of "displaying women" who were embarrassed with the Islamic Hijab rushed towards the "contemporary Hijab" to "relief" themselves from the pressing social realities caused by the spread of Hijab.

With time the phenomenon of "concealed display" became widespread and known as "contemporary Hijab". Women friendly to this course think they are the best of girls and best of wives while in fact they are as one poet said:

If they relate to the Hijab-It is the relation of an intruder so! O women of this kind be mindful to Allah (SW) and His Messenger (pbuh) and do not be deceived by those who may "bless" this action of yours and conceal their true intentions.

Do not be deceived and let your response be: "I am better than those who are in a complete state of display!" There is no excuse to follow the evil.

Know that the fire of Hell has different lower levels while Paradise has different higher levels.

So it is proper to follow your sisters who truly adhere to the Islamic Hijab and its conditions.

Aim high towards the highest levels of Aj-Jannah. It has been related that the Prophet (pbuh)said:

"Look at those who stand at lower levels than you (regarding worldly wealth) and those who stand at higher levels than you in religion (adherence to faith), for this would not make the favors (conferred upon you by Allah) insignificant (in your eyes)."

Az-Zohri reported that Ummar Ibin Al-Khattab (RA) recited the saying of Allah (SW):

Verily those who say: "Our Lord is Allah (Alone), and then they stood straight (i.e. they believed in the Oneness of Allah and worshipped none but Him (Alone) and obeyed Him for all that He ordered them) on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death) (saying); "Fear you not, nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings of Al-Jannah which you have been promised!)” (Qur'an 41:30).

He then said:

"They, by Allah, followed the straight path of Allah by obeying Him and did not dodge like wolves."

Al-Hassan Al Basri, may Allah's Mercy be upon him, said: "If Shaytan (Devil) looks and finds you continuously adhering to the obedience of Allah he will seek you (i.e. check you) one time after the other. If he finds that you are still holding, he becomes weary of you and rejects you. But if you adhere one time and you do not another, then he becomes covetous, he wants to have you for himself."

So come on to a straight path that has no crookedness and a guidance that has no misleading ways in it, and to an honest repentance that has no disobedience in it:

"And turn you all together to Allah (and beg Him) to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful." (Qur'an 24:31)