Examining the Word " Khimār" with Emphasis on the Companions and the Successors' narrations

Regarding women's clothing, the Holy Quran uses several words. "Khimār"(head covering) in verse 31 of surah "al-Nūr" is one of these words that the jurists and commentators disagree about its meaning. As a result, they have expressed different views and rules about women's head covering. Meanwhile, the semantics of words and expressions used in the text of the narrations can help to understanding this issue. So, in this paper, first, by using the science of etymology, the root and meaning of this word were examined in the proto-languages. Then, it was searched and analyzed in the pre-Islamic literature as well as lexical sources, and the evolution of its meaning was explained throughout history. Finally, by collecting and studying those narrations of the companions (Saḥābih) and the Successors (tābiʿīn) in which this word was used, this meaning was exactly explored, and its usage was determined. The findings suggest that the word " Khimār" originated in Afro-Asiatic languages. Also, throughout history, this concept evolved from the "covering" in its general meaning and without considering a specific gender into "the women's head covering" in the Islamic culture. The narrations of the Companions and the Successors emphasize the concept of the women's head covering too.