Do unattractive women need to wear a hijab?

Question

And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their khimār over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husband, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments.

Surat An-Nūr - ayah 31

It makes clear that believing women need to veil their beauty. So shouldn't that mean unattractive women, such as those that are over the age of 50, or the very fat etc don't need to wear a hijab?

Answer 1

There is an ayat about your question:

وَالْقَوَاعِدُ مِنَ النِّسَاء اللَّاتِي لَا يَرْجُونَ نِكَاحًا فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ جُنَاحٌ أَن يَضَعْنَ ثِيَابَهُنَّ غَيْرَ مُتَبَرِّجَاتٍ بِزِينَةٍ وَأَن يَسْتَعْفِفْنَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُنَّ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
And women of post-menstrual age who have no desire for marriage - there is no blame upon them for putting aside their outer garments [but] not displaying adornment. But to modestly refrain [from that] is better for them. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing.
Noor 60

This ayat doesn't mention beauty or attractiveness, but it mentions age and losing hope of marriage.

Answer 2

The translation that you picked is wrong. The more accurate translation is by shakir

And say to the believing women that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts and do not display their ornaments except what appears thereof, and let them wear their head-coverings over their bosoms, and not display their ornaments except to their husbands or their fathers, or the fathers of their husbands, or their sons, or the sons of their husbands, or their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or those whom their right hands possess, or the male servants not having need (of women), or the children who have not attained knowledge of what is hidden of women; and let them not strike their feet so that what they hide of their ornaments may be known; and turn to Allah all of you, O believers! so that you may be successful.- Shakir (Quran 24:31)

This means

• A woman should guard her private parts. This most likely meant bosom, but applies equally other private parts well.
• A woman should not display her ornament (bangles, necklaces, anklet) to men other than what is mentioned in the verse above, that is husband, father-in-law, sons, sons of her husband (of another wife), her brothers, brothers sons,sisters sons, other women like her, slaves, and servants who do not have desire for women or children who are not familiar with a woman beauty (that is they are not attracted to women).
• The should not strike their feet, walk the way to draw attention to her ornaments.

So I think the term beautify is being misquoted here. It is verse related to all women, not just beautiful women. As far as I know, there is not such term as beautiful women or men in Islam.

As far as your question, A muslim women must wear hijab regardless of weather she is beautiful or not (unless someone can correct me). Note that I have answer it in general way. They may be specific cases that I have not addressed.

If you need more explanation, please comment, so I can explain better.