A
hijab or (, , or ; , or ) is a
veil that covers the head and chest, which is particularly worn by some
Muslim women beyond the age of
puberty in the presence of adult males outside of their immediate family. It can further refer to any head, face, or body covering worn by Muslim women that conforms to a certain standard of
modesty. Hijab can also be used to refer to the
seclusion of women from men in the
public sphere, or it may embody a metaphysical dimension –
Al-hijab refers to "the veil which separates man or the world from God".