Short answer
Men do not wear a headscarf, but they have their own hijab: lowering the gaze, covering from the navel to the knees, dressing modestly, and not being alone with non-mahram women. The Quran gives the command to lower the gaze to men first, in the verse before the one addressed to women.
A man's awrah is from just below the navel to the knees, with the knee included; the navel itself is not awrah. Looking at a non-mahram woman with desire is haram; the first unintended glance is forgiven, but a second deliberate look is not. A man wearing a woman's headscarf would be imitating women, which is not allowed; caps and turbans are men's dress.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- The man's awrah is between the navel and the knees; the navel and knees themselves are not included.
- Hanbali
- Agrees with the Shafi'i school that the navel and knees are not part of the awrah.
Explanation
When people hear "hijab" they think of a woman's scarf, but in the Quran modesty starts with men. Allah tells the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their private parts, and only then addresses the believing women. The Prophet ﷺ told Ali not to follow one glance with another: the first is forgiven, the second is not. He also listed lowering the gaze among the rights of the road for men sitting in public.
A man's hijab in practice:
- The gaze: do not stare at women in the street, at work or online. This includes images and videos.
- Covering: from the navel to below the knees at all times in front of others, including at the gym, the beach and the changing room.
- Clothing: not tight or see-through in a way that shows the private area, and not silk or gold.
- Conduct: no khalwah with non-mahram women, no flirting, and decent speech.
- Head covering: a cap or turban is a Sunnah-rooted habit, not a fard. Men should not wear women's scarves or a niqab, since imitating women is forbidden.
So when a man asks why women must cover, the first answer is that he must lower his eyes. See awrah for men and women, the hijab guide and free mixing.
The evidence
Quran, Surah An-Noor 24:30
قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا۟ مِنْ أَبْصَٰرِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا۟ فُرُوجَهُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَزْكَىٰ لَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾
Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do.
Modesty is commanded to men first.
Sunan Abi Dawud 2149
Grading to be checked... لا تتبع النظرة النظرة فإن لك الأولى وليست لك الآخرة ...
"Do not follow a glance with another; the first is yours, but the second is not."
An unintended glance is forgiven; a deliberate second look is not.
Sahih al-Bukhari 6229
Sahih... إذا أبيتم إلا المجلس فأعطوا الطريق حقه ...
"If you must sit there, then give the road its right. They asked what its right was, and he said: lowering the gaze."
Lowering the gaze is a duty on men in public places.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Karahiyya, chapter on looking and touching. A man's awrah is from below the navel to the knee, the knee included.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Hazr wa al-Ibaha, chapter on looking. Looking at a non-mahram woman with desire is forbidden.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.