Islamic Clothing For Women

Why the Big Deal About Islamic Clothing for Women?

It’s amazing how Islamic clothing for women is such a concern for some non-Muslims. They are not concerned about the other problems in the Muslim world such as poor education,
poverty, warfare, drought, corrupt leadership, and poor health. Yet they make such a big deal about what a Muslim woman wears on her head.

These people aren’t really concerned about the rights of Muslim women. They’d just as soon see Muslim women the world over in bikinis and short-shorts. Their idea of “women’s freedom” and “liberation” is turning
modest women into eye-candy for men.

Makes you wonder which society really degrades women.

As I’ve mentioned before, the Islam religion is not just a religion.
Islam is truly a way of life. Most Muslim women who choose to follow Islamic dress standards choose to do so willingly. Visit
any Muslim country and you’ll see that most of the women wear the khimar (head scarf) and abaya (flowing dress) even though it is
not mandated by law.

And for the record, most Muslim countries DO NOT require women to wear the hijab. Yes, some countries, like Saudi
Arabia and Iran do have that requirement. Yet, most Muslim women, in virtually all countries that have a significant
Muslim population, choose to willingly wear Islamic clothes.

Even in my home country of America, the beacon of freedom, women’s rights, and liberation, most Muslim women here willingly abide by the Islamic dress code.

Let’s face it people. Most Muslim women have no problem wearing Islamic clothing for women.

Hijab

Most people think the word hijab refers to the head scarf Muslim women wear. Actually, hijab refers to the entire
category of Muslim women’s dress. So for a woman to be appropriately observing hijab, she would have to conform to all standards of Islamic dress.

Rather than try to dress according to a specific style, Muslim woman should make sure their clothing meets a certain standard. So long
as their clothing meets that criterion, they are dressing according to Islamic standards.

Here are the standards of Islamic clothing for women:

• Must cover the entire body except the hands and face
• Must not be see-through or transparent to the point their bodies beneath can be seen
• Must not be tight or form-fitting
• Must not resemble men’s clothing
• Must not resemebe the clothing of non-Muslims

The Khimar

The most prominent aspect of Islamic clothing for women is the headscarf. While many people think this is the hijab, the correct term
for this item is Khimar. The Khimar is worn over the head and should cover a woman’s hair, neck, and throat. Similar to
the picture to the right.

The Khimar is mandated in the Quran in the following verse:

Surah An-Nur [24:31]

And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their
adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils (Khimar) over their
bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment save to their own husbands or fathers or
husbands’ fathers, or their sons or their husbands’ sons, or their brothers or their brothers’
sons or sisters’ sons, or their women, or their slaves, or male attendants who lack vigor, or
children who know naught of women’s nakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as
to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn unto Allah together, O believers, in
order that ye may succeed.

The Abaya

The Quran instructs Muslim women to cover their adornments accept from their husbands and close family members. This can be easily
achieved by wearing a loose, flowing gown or dress known as an Abaya.

As mentioned above, Muslim women must conceal their figures. An abaya is a loose
dress commonly worn by Muslim women. Wearing tight or see-through abayas would defeat the purpose of modesty the Muslim women’s clothing attempts to attain.

Though an abaya should be loose, they can be adorned and decorated in many different styles. These pictures show several different abayas in different colors and decorations. A caftain can also be worn in place of an abaya, so long as it covers what Allah has ordered to be covered.

The Jilbab

The final piece of Islamic clothing for women is the Jilbab. The Jilbab is something like an overgarment that goes over the entire body. This piece of clothing is also mentioned in the Quran in the following verse:

Surah Al-Ahzaab [33:59]

O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw
their jilbabs close round them. That will be better, so that they may be recognized and not
annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.

Like the abaya, the Jilbab can also be of several different colors and designs as you can see in the pictures below. The jilbab is simply to add even more modesty to Muslim women.

It shouldn’t be assumed that the above three pieces of clothing are the only things Muslim women are allowed to wear. There are several different options for Muslim women. What’s important is that the goal of modesty as prescribed in the Quran and explained by Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) is attained.

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