How to Cover Your Face with a Hijab

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: December 8, 2021 References

Although most Muslim women cover just their head with a hijab, you can easily wrap it to cover your face just like a niqab.^{[1]
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Research source} Start with a long shawl or scarf that's comfortable and that matches your style. If you're dressing conservatively, choose a plain black material for your hijab. It's also acceptable to match the print with your outfit or to choose a hijab with a little embellishment.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Wearing a Hijab without Pins

1
Fold a long scarf in half crosswise. Use a scarf or shawl that will be long enough to fold and tie behind your head. You can use any type of material as long as it's soft and comfortable against your face. Try jersey knit or chiffon, for instance.^{[2]
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Research source} Stretch the ends of the scarf between your hands and bring them together to fold the scarf in half crosswise.^{[3]
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2
Pinch the top corners of the scarf and hold it up to the middle of your face. Hold the top corners of the folded scarf and keep your arms outstretched. Bring the scarf to your face so the top edge rests on your cheeks.^{[4]
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- Position the scarf so it's comfortable on your face and doesn't ride up to touch your eyes.
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3
Tie the top corners of the scarf at the back of your head. Keep the middle of the scarf at your face and bring the top corners behind your head. Make a simple knot at the crown of your head and tie another one just to make sure the scarf stays in place.^{[5]
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- If the knot slides down the back of your head, you may want to wrap an underscarf around your hair before you wrap the hijab.
4
Pull the top layers of the scarf behind your head to complete the look. Once you've tied the scarf to your head, you'll have 2 folded layers hanging down from your face. Grab the top folded layer and carefully bring it up and behind your head. Keep the lower folded layer hanging in front of your face.^{[6]
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- There's no need to pin this style since you securely tied the scarf to the back of your head.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Wrapping and Tucking a Hijab

1
Place the middle of a scarf on your head and tuck it behind your ears. Adjust the scarf so the edge runs across your forehead. Then, tuck the scarf behind your ears so it doesn't slide around.^{[7]
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- Use a long scarf so you can easily wrap it around and tie it behind your head.
2
Wrap 1 end of the scarf around your neck and tuck it back under your chin. Take 1 end and bring it across your neck to the other side of your body. Keep wrapping the scarf behind your head and bring it back to your neck. Then, tuck it into the fabric under your chin.^{[8]
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- At this point, you can untuck the fabric from behind your ears and use it to cover them.
- You'll still have fabric hanging down from the end that you just wrapped around your neck.
3
Fold the end of the scarf and bring it up to the middle of your face. Fold a few inches of the scarf end in towards your torso. Bring the folded edge up across your face so the hijab covers your cheeks.^{[9]
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- If your scarf end isn't long enough, use the other scarf end that you haven't wrapped around your neck.
4
Tie the corners of the scarf at the back of your head to secure the hijab. Hold each corner of the hijab end that's covering your face and bring the corners back behind your head. Tie the corners together and make an extra knot to hold the hijab in place.^{[10]
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- To finish your look, you can drape the other end of the scarf over your chest.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Using an Underscarf

1
Get out a tubular underscarf. A tubular underscarf is easy to wear and it stays in place on your face. Choose a tubular underscarf that matches the color of your hijab if you'd like it to match. If you want the face-covering to stand out, you can pick a color or pattern that complements your hijab.^{[11]
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- For example, if you have a simple cream-colored hijab and you want the underscarf to stand out, choose a bright floral pattern or a bold color.
2
Pull the top of the underscarf halfway up your face. Find the center of the underscarf and pop your head through it. Once it's around your neck, bring the top edge of the underscarf up to the middle of your face so it rests along the top of your cheeks.^{[12]
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- If you don't want to use a tubular scarf, fold a square scarf in half diagonally. Then, hold the long straight side across the middle of your face and tie the corners behind the back of your head.
3
Drape the middle of your hijab on top of your head. To softly frame your face with the hijab, fold the long edge of your hijab or shawl under by a few inches. Then, place the middle of hijab on your head so the folded edge falls onto your forehead by about 1 inch (2.5 cm).^{[13]
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- If you'd like more of your face covered, pull the edge off the hijab onto more of your face so it completely hides your temples.
4
Toss 1 end of the hijab over your shoulder for an effortless look. The nice thing about using the underscarf and hijab combination to cover your face is that you don't have to do a lot of adjustments or pinning. Just bring 1 end of the hijab across your neck and throw it over your shoulder.^{[14]
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- For a turban-style, wrap the ends of the hijab around your head and tuck them into place.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Tucking and Pinning a Hijab

1
Pull your hair back and wrap an underscarf around it. Since you'll be pushing safety pins through the hijab, you need an underscarf to push them into. Gather your hair into a bun or a low braid. Then, wrap a tight-fitting underscarf around your head to completely cover your hair.^{[15]
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- You can bring your braid up under the underscarf or leave it sticking out at the back of your neck.
2
Stick a safety pin through a corner of your hijab and pin it behind an ear. Get out a hijab or large scarf and open a safety pin. Push the pin through the top corner of the hijab and bring the material up near your face. Carefully insert the safety pin through the underscarf just behind one of your ears.^{[16]
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3
Pull the hijab across the middle of your face and pin it behind your other ear. Hold the top edge of the hijab and bring it across the top of your cheeks to the other side of your head. Hold it in place behind your other ear and carefully stick another safety pin through the hijab into the underscarf to secure it.^{[17]
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- You'll have a lot of fabric left on this end of the hijab, which you'll use to wrap around your head.
4
Wrap the long end of the hijab across your head. Take the fabric from the end that you just pinned behind your ear and pull that end onto the top of your head so the fabric drapes behind. Bring the end of the hijab to the other side of your face.^{[18]
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- Wrapping the hijab around your head also helps secure the face covering.
5
Wrap the end of the hijab around your head 1 more time. To complete your classic look, keep hold of the end you just wrapped over your head and bring it across your neck. Pull it over your head again, but bring the fabric over the front of your head near your temples.^{[19]
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- You don't need to pin the wrapped end of the hijab around your face unless you'd like to pin it back near your temples.