Both hijab and khimar are important parts of modest clothing for Muslim women. Below are their main features in brief:
1. Fabric Type and Coverage:
Hijab: This is primarily a cloth to cover the head and neck (e.g., Orna or scarf). It is usually wrapped from under the chin to cover the head, hair, and neck.
Khimar: This provides more coverage than a hijab. Starting from the head, it hangs down to the chest, back, and sometimes the waist or knees, ensuring coverage of the upper body shape.
2. Ease of Wearing and Comfort:
Hijab: Can be worn in various styles and needs to be managed with pins or clips.
Khimar: Usually can be worn easily over the head without any pins. It is quite loose and very comfortable to wear.
3. Modesty and Protection:
Both garments help protect modesty from the gaze of non-mahram men. However, because the khimar is hanging and loose, it provides extra modesty by hiding the body shape.