Although religious scholars state that the home serves as a hijab for women, and in the absence of non-mahram men in the home environment, a woman can wear clothing of her own choice within the framework of Sharia, a number of women interviewed by Salam Watandar in Herat say their fathers or husbands do not allow them to wear their preferred clothing inside the home.
According to Islamic teachings, a home is considered a private family space as long as it is protected from the view and presence of non-mahrams. In the presence of their husbands and mahram relatives, such as fathers, brothers, and children, women have more freedom in choosing their clothing. Religious scholars emphasize that forcing women to observe strict hijab in such an environment has no clear basis in the Sharia.
Sayed Mohammad Shirzadi, a religious scholar, says, “Inside the home, in the presence of a father, brother, paternal uncle, or maternal uncle, there is no problem if a woman’s head is uncovered or if her arms are bare up to the upper arm. The case of the husband is different; in front of her husband, a woman may wear any clothing she wishes. There is no problem with that.”
According to him, however, piety and Sharia require caution to be observed when young male family members are present in the household.
“There is no doubt regarding women’s freedom. God Almighty created every human being free, meaning that no person is obligated to another but rather has an independent personality of their own,” he adds.
Abdul Salam Hossaini, a researcher of Islamic and religious affairs, emphasizes that the home is the safest place for women and that they have freedom regarding their choice of covering within their homes, in accordance with the framework of Sharia. He says,
“If only a husband, wife, and their children live in a house, there are no restrictions. A woman may wear short or comfortable clothing, and there is no prohibition. However, if anyone other than her husband and children is present, the woman has certain obligations that she must observe in accordance with social norms and Sharia principles.”
Despite this, some women in Herat say that male family members—particularly fathers, brothers, and husbands—force them to observe strict covering even inside their homes, a practice that takes away their sense of freedom and comfort.
Seddiqa Hassani, a 37-year-old mother of five children who has been married for 23 years, says she has spent all those years living in accordance with the preferences and behavior of her husband and his family. She says,
“In our culture, women are expected to wear hijab even at home. Our headscarves must be large, and our dresses must be long. From the very beginning, I suffered a lot. They would say, ‘Don’t sit with your head uncovered; don’t wear comfortable clothes. It’s inappropriate, and your daughters will learn from you.’ If a person cannot be free in their own home, where can they be free? You cannot go uncovered in the street or at public gatherings. What place is safer than one’s own home?”
She lives in a separate and independent house and believes that women, like men, should be able to make their own decisions and have the right to choose how they dress.
“Hijab is good. We are Muslims, and we accept hijab, but it has its place. In the appropriate setting, a person should also be able to feel free. I would like to feel free in my own home. Outside, one observes hijab,” she adds.
Meanwhile, Setayesh Naser, a young woman who recently got married, says that although she lives alone with her husband in an independent home, her husband does not let her wear shorter or more relaxed clothing, even inside the house and in his presence.
“I have been married for one year. My mother never interfered with my hijab, but my husband’s family is very strict. They criticize the way I dress, sit, move around, and wear hijab at home. Although I live separately from my mother-in-law, my husband remains very strict and does not allow me to wear shorter clothes,” she says.
Farzana Mustafa, another young woman, says that she is monitored by her father and even by her younger brother and has to dress according to their preferences.
“They do not let my headscarf slip back even slightly. They always say that I must observe hijab at home. We live in an apartment, and they do not even allow me to go into the yard without wearing a headscarf. They tell me, ‘Fix your headscarf properly, then you can go.’ In short, they criticize a lot.”
Meanwhile, Arezo Azizi, a legal expert and women’s rights activist, says, regarding the practice of forcing women to wear specific clothing at home, “If a woman has an independent home where no non-mahram men live, pressuring her about what she should or should not wear constitutes a violation of her individual freedom.”
She emphasizes that a father or husband may only express views about appropriate clothing when a woman is outside the home or in the presence of non-mahram men.
While opinions differ regarding the limits of women’s covering within the family environment, many women believe that “voluntary veiling” means the ability to make decisions independently, without fear, pressure, or humiliation in their own homes—a right they see as part of the dignity and human freedom of every individual.
