Sunday, July 6, 2014

The Abaya Is An Example Of How Modest Islamic Clothing Is Mandatory In Some Middle East Cultures

By Rosella Campbell


In many countries in the Middle East it is mandatory for women to wear clothing that covers them from head to toe. It is even illegal for them to appear in public without doing so. However, in many places, it is not necessary for the modest islamic clothing to be drab and without decorations on the garment.

It is the Islamic holy book, the Qeran, that directs both men and women to dress in a modest way. For women, the hijab is a veil that covers the head and chest. Each Muslim woman beyond the age of puberty must wear this outside of the home. It is also worn if non-family members who are male, are visiting in the home.

The word hijab means veil in Arabic. When it refers to separating men and women in public, it is Al-hijab, which means to separate the world from Allah or God. It is a matter of both privacy and religious conformity in the Muslim world.

In Iran, for example, the hijab is legally required outside the home. The chador is a loose cloak that covers the head and falls to the ground at the hemline. The modern garment is made of loosely woven material, most likely to be more comfortable.

A burka is an even more restrictive garment worn in some parts of Afghanistan. This covers the woman entirely, except for her eyes. A woman must wear it when outside the home.

Men in the Muslim culture are supposed to be covered from their naval to their knees. Clothing for men and women must fit loosely. Other countries are trying to forbid women from wearing the hijab in private and state schools. However, the women there want to continue to wear it as a form of religious expression.

Until they reach puberty, young girls need not wear the hijab. In many Muslim cultures, the age is not stated. It is usually considered to be at puberty that they begin to wear it.

The women in the Gaza Strip were encouraged to begin wearing hijab, the full covering in the 1970s and 1980s. They were coerced, although not legally forbidden to appear in public without this garment. In the course of this change, women who did not wear it were harassed.

In one country a woman can be beaten in the street for not being properly dressed. There are actually clothing police patrolling to make certain all women are wearing their burkas. Older women are somewhat fanatic about it.

There seems to be no requirement for the modern abaya or even the burka to be drab and ugly. Some are quite lovely. All cover the arms to the wrist, are floor length and include the hijab worn on the head.

An abaya trimmed in rich gold colored sequins and lace around the wrists and hemline may be worn for a special event. A lace one is lined in emerald green or black to show through the lace. Full sleeves are trimmed in lace on another.

One burka is embellished with golden embroidery and beading from the neckline to the waist. It has gold trim at the wrist and hemline. Another has a green jade sequined top. Each Muslim country has a specific dress code and these may not be acceptable in all places.




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