Do women have to wear the hijab in islam?

I was doing some research in Islam and im wondering because I have heard two stories for this question!! Do women have to wear the hijab or is it a choice? whats the meaning of wearing it?

I'm muslim and no one in my family wears hijab,I even wear bikinis on the beach(but I'm a teen).My family are quite religious and pray and all,but dont wear hijab,they just wear respectable clothes(like no micro skirts and super short tank tops).
It is a choice but in Islam there are 2 categories: Chahites and Sonnites,chahites are more extremists and you can find them in saudi arabia,emirates etc and most of them believe they MUST wear hijab at a certain age.
Sonnites are muslims that you can find in Lebanon,Tunisia,morrocco etc and most of the women DONT wear hijab and believe that they dont need to and that its just for the women who are scared of attracting men and feel more comfortable in hijabs

Wearing the hijab is a government and religious obligation in some middle-eastern countries. It is to cover a woman's hair and body and feet so no man can covet his neighbor's wife. They say if these parts are exposed they are the cause of horrible sin. If you don't wear this gown you will be prosecuted. And you would be at fault for man's sin. I know this because my exhusband told me all of this about Iran. In some parts of Turkey women are allowed to dress normal like you and me.
Hope this helps

Mama K

hijab was mentioned in quran, and actually both sonnites and chahites wear it ,and there are extremists in every category of them, there are some countries that consider it as an opligation such as saudi arabia,so you won't see awoman with out it there, any way in the other countries such as daubai,lebanon,syria and Egypt...etc its your choice to wear it or not ,cause not wearing it isn't agreat sin such as not praying,killing,drinking alchool,having sex before marriage...etc, so actually its your choice and islam prevented forcing anyone to do any thing he doesn't want to do, but its apart of isalm and I guess we should obey god in every word cause he loves us and wants us to be better persons,there was astudy about the numbers of cases including sexual rape all over the world,and they found that in the countries where women wear hijab, there are the lowest number of cases of that kind, the whole idea of hijab is that women are so respected and honored in islam, she is treated like aprecious treasure, so God wanted women to cover their body and hair, to prevent men from looking at her body and may be think about bad thoughts,and cause she is so respected and respect her body, so no man can see it except the one who really deserve her and do whatever it takes to marry her, just like the nuns in the church they don't show their hair,but if any muslim woman doesn't want to wear it ,she may wear something that doesn't show a lot of her body, I hope that helped.

In destinations such as Iran and Saudia etc Hijab is compulsory due to the fact that those countries live by the Islamic Law as it has been mentioned above. On the other hand, in destinations such as western countries, the hijab and jilbab are the individuals own choice Until if the individual is a practising Muslim then they will cover themselves head to toe. Bear in mind that Muslim women in most cases must only cover themselves if they attract attention from men and if the husband of the wife has requested for her to be veiled.

(Hijab- head scarf/ Jilbab- The usage of the term jilbāb (Arabic جلباب) refers to any long, baggy garment worn by some Muslim women. They believe that this definition of jilbab fulfills the Quranic demand for a Jilbab./ Veil- the veil that is worn to cover all features on the face except the eyes).

Thank you all for the answers im really getting to understand Islam more so basically here in the US its a choice that Muslim women make not because they are forced to wear it?

some have to and some doest have to and some MUST ware it but ..
the meaning of the whole thing that the man cant see your hair because you will look pretty and then he would feel like he want the woman so short cut make the woman ware hijab make the men off the street and every one is cool

I must take issue with those who question the religious injunction to cover one's body. The Hijaab doesn't actualy refer to a single garment or type of garment. It simply means compliance with the instruction to cover all of the body except the face and the hands in the case of practising Mulim women. I think the issue is becoming befuddled because, in repressed societies, like those metnioned above, the anonymous flowing dress called the Hijaabd becomes a symbol of the other problems generated by that society. Interestingly, no-one has mentioned the Purdah (veil) which has absolutely nothing to do with Islam but is often associated with the Hijaab.One can do whatever one wishes and face the consequences thereof, bearing in mind that the traditions and laws you follow are the ones by which you'll be judged. Thus, according to the teachings of all orthodox scholars, no lady above the age f puberty is allowed to uncover any more than her hands and face in public I.e. no bikinis, no shortish skirts etc. If you choose to so, it's a personal choice and not allowed.

You can wear it but not must.

I'm a muslim girl from Kuwait. In Islam, there are Shi'a and Sunna (that's how they're correctly written and pronounced). In Islam, girls are required to wear the hijab once they hit puberty. However you are not forced to except in Saudia Arabia and Iran.

I'm 19, but I still don't wear the hijab.

Actually you are just supposed to cover yourself decently when you hit puberty-or wear decent clothes,like no half tops. Butgrizillions of muslim girls wear jeans and shirts,so do I!But decent ones,

All the answers above are not enough and not exactly what she wanted to know, I'm sure about it ,,, al hejab in Islam is required and it has to be some how compalsory,,, since 14 sentury Alla ( God ) said we should wair it and prophet Mohammad said we should wear it ,,, most of the people all over the word didn't think that they may need to wear it , but some how people knew that it was right

I'm 28 yres old wearing alhijab when I was 14yrs, I had friends from lebanon, they didn't were al hijab ,,, when we go to the park or some where the men there all the time were saying so bad and cheap words,, why do people say a very very bad words to them and am wearing al hijab ,, but they can see my face ,,, my face is more beautiful than here ,,, why do you thing they will speak to her like that not with me ,,,

Islam knew that one day people will need alhijab , because the western people are facing alots of problem because of the girls who walking naked in the streets and beaches alots of crimes becuase of sex ,,,

in the other hand we do have these problems ,,, we'll not denid that but if we'll compair that with europ, amirca east Esia ,,, you'll find that there're big diffrences ,,,

so, the answer is yes we should,, because I have my mistakes I can feel the others mistakes

If you want to wear al hijab ,,, wear it dear ,, wear it ,,, its better for you ,,

I'm free minded but I'm wearing al hijab

they should tell you the truth ,,, its complasory expet the face and the hand ,,

thats the truth dear,,,