By KASHIF AHMED SHAHZADA

DRESS CODE
- Why women should cover parts of their body

Women have been identified in the Quran as an adornment (zeenah) for all Mankind. “Made ATTRACTIVE FOR MANKIND, the love of the lusts for WOMEN and sons and hoarded treasures of gold and silver,…”(3:14).

Since women (Nisa) are termed an adornment or attraction (zeenah), they are required to cover certain parts of their bodies. Note that Women are an adornment for mankind is quite evident all over the world in all societies. The media is one example were she is quite abundantly promoted and made as an attraction in place of men.

Now since women are an open attraction because of her bodily features, she is required to cover some parts of herself in public. But before we see what are the physical ingredients of her dress, let us see what Quran says about the ‘best of dresses’ (Libaas).

WHAT IS THE BEST DRESS?
“O children of Adam! Surely We sent down to you a garment (LIBASS) that would cover your shame and be a good vesture. And the garment of ‘TAKWA’ (Piety) that is the best. That is from the Ayat (Signs) of Allah that they may take reminder” [7:26].

The above verse says that the ‘best dress’ is the garment of ‘takwa’ or piety. Before wearing any physical garment we should adorn ourselves with the garment of ‘takwa’ as without it we become prone to Satan’s planning [7:27].
 
 

INGREDIENT OF WOMEN’S DRESS IN PUBLIC
About the areas to be covered by women in public, is mentioned in Sura An Noor 24:31, Allah informs us through His Messenger, “And say to the Believing Women, to lower their gaze and guard their private parts. And they should not display their adornment (‘zinatahunne’) save what is apparent therefrom. And they should place their covers (‘khummuruhenne’) over their bosoms.
And they should not display their adornment except to their husbands or their fathers or the fathers of their husbands or their sons of their husbands or their brothers or their brother’s sons or sister’s sons or their women or those whom their right hand possess or skillful men under their authority or small children who are not aware of women’s nakedness.

And they should not strike their feet so as to make known what they hide of their adornment. O Believers turn you all together to Allah so that you may be successful” [24:31].

From the above verse the following points can be concluded:

1. Women have two types of ‘zeenah’ i.e. beauty and adornment.
a) ‘ma zahar a minha’ i.e. what is apparent therefrom.
b) ‘ma yukhfaina min zinata hunne’ that which is hidden from their adornment(Zennah)
2. She is to cover her whole self publicly except those areas which are apparent therefrom. (ma zahara minha) these areas are the exposed areas which if covered will restrict daily work and have to be uncovered for performing ablution before the Salat prayer. See Sura 5:6.
3. They are to place their covers, for example a shawl or a dupatta as worn by Asian women, over their bosoms. (wa leyazribanne be khummureheene a’laa jyuub’ehenne). In Sura 33:59 they also ordered to bring over them their over garments (jalabeeb) while going in public:
[33:59] “O Prophet! Say to your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers that THEY LET DOWN UPON THEM THEIR OVERGARMENTS, this will be more proper, THAT THEY MAY BE RECOGNISED, and thus they will not be molested, and Allah is Forgiving Merciful”. In public she is to take ‘Jilbaab’ or over garment over herself according to above verse.
4. They are not to strike their feet so as to display their hidden adornment (zeenah). Hidden ‘zeenah’ is the one which gets displayed by striking feet or walking, as mentioned in the verse. This ‘zeenah’ which is displayed by striking feet is to be covered at all times, and the dress should be loose enough so as not to reveal the shape and features of the body which become obvious when the woman ‘strikes her feet’ or walks.
5. With her bosoms covered well, and dress loose enough so as not to reveal her hidden, she is to maintain this type of dress in public in front of all relations. The only exceptions are:
(1) Husband
(2) Fathers (Includes Grandparents as well)
(3) The Fathers of their Husbands
(4) Their sons
(5) The sons of their husbands
(6) Their brothers
(7) Their brother’s sons
(8) Their sister’s sons
(9) Their women
(10) Those whom their right hands posses
(11) Skillful men under their authority
(12) Small children who are not aware of women’s nakedness.
 

HOW ARE BELIEVING WOMEN TO BEHAVE WITH UN RELATED MEN?
In talking with un-related men or strangers the believing women are informed about the type of behaviour they should maintain. Allah informs us the Messenger : “O Women of the Prophet! You are not like any of the (other) women, if you do guard (againstevil) BE NOT TOO COMPLACENT OF SPEECH lest one in whose heart is a disease should be moved with desire, but speak in such a way (that is ) just” [33:32].
 

WOMEN TO MAINTAIN A LINK WITH THEIR HOME AND FAMILY. NOT TO DECORATE THEMSELVES TO MUCH.
[33:33] “And make your homes your bases and DO NOT DISPLAY YOUR DECORATION LIKE THE DISPLAYING OF DAYS OF IGNORANCE, and establish Salat for purification, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah only desires to keep away uncleanness from you, O people of the House! And to purify you a (through) purifying”.
 

MARY AS AN EXAMPLE
Mary the mother of Jesus is mentioned in the Quran as the women chosen and purified above all the women of all the worlds [3:42]. “And when the angels said: O Mary! Surely Allah has chosen you and purified you and exalted you above all the women of the world”. She has also been called an example for the believers in Sura 66:12.

In observing her behaviour mentioned in the Quran, we see that as she carries the young Jesus with her, to her people, they recognise her. Now had she been wearing a veil (Niqab) her people would not have identified her immediately as she appeared from seclusion. This informs us that she was not covering her face, that is not wearing a ‘niqab’, as mentioned in the following verse; [19:27-30] “And she came to her people with him, carrying him (with her). They (having recognised her) said: O Mary! Surely you have done a strange thing.
O sister of Haroon! Your father was not a bad man, nor was your mother an unchaste woman. But she pointed to him.
They said: How should we speak to one who was a child in the cradle? He (Jesus) said: Surely I am a servant of Allah, He has given me the Book and made me a prophet”.

Mary’s people recognising her indicates that she was not wearing a ‘Niqab’ to protect her face from being seen. In the Quran there is further evidence which negates the practice of wearing “Miqab” (Face covers and veils).

After Allah informs the Messenger about Marriage with certain relations He further reminds: [33:52] “It is not allowed to you to take women afterwards, nor that you should change them for other wives, THOUGH THEIR BEAUTY BE PLEASING TO YOU, except what your right hand possess and Allah is watchful over all things”.

In the above verse it is clearly mentioned that the Messenger is also in a position to see “Husn” i.e. Beauty of women and this clearly establishes that women not related to the Prophet did not wear “Niqab” or veils to cover their faces when they used to appear in front of the Messenger.
 
 

CAN WOMEN TALK TO MEN TO WHOM THEY ARE NOT RELATED (NOT MARRIED)? AND UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES?
In the Quran we have the example of the Messenger Moses as he himself is holding a conversion with two women who are not married to him yet. This conversation is clearly indicating that women who are not related can talk to men provided it is for important tasks only and not complacent speech.
[28:23] “And when he came to the water of Madyan, he found on it a group of men watering, and he found besides them TWO WOMEN keeping back (their flocks).
He said: What is the matter with you: They said: We cannot water until the shepherds take away (their sheep) from the water, and our father is a very old man.
So he watered (their sheep) for them, then went back to the shade and said: My Sustainer I stand in need of whatever good thou mayest send down to me.
Then one of the two women came to him walking bashfully. She said: My father invites you that he gives you the reward of your having watered for us.
So when he came to him and gave him the account, he said: Fear not, you are secure from the unjust people. Said one of them: O my father! Employ him, surely the best of those that you can employ is the strong man, the faithful one”.
 

CAN WOMEN WORK TO EARN A LIVING?
Although the responsibility to provide for the family has been laid upon the man, if required, women can also earn income. (To be kept in mind that at work he has to follow the injunctions of the Quran for her social behaviour). The Quran informs us that women can also earn to make a living, [4:32] “Do not covet what Allah has favoured some with more than He has some others. Men have a share in what they earn and WOMEN have a share IN WHAT THEY EARN. And ask Allah for His favours. Surely Allah has knowledge of everything”.
 

RESPECTING THE PRIVACY OF OTHERS MEETING PEOPLE WITH PERMISSION.
[24:27] “O you who believe! Do not enter houses other than your own houses UNTIL YOU HAVE ASKED PERMISSION and saluted their inhabitants, this is better for you, that you may be mindful”.

[24:28] “But if you do not find any one therein, then do not enter them until permission is given to you, and if it is said to you, Go back, then go back, this is purer for you and Allah is Cognisant of what you do”.
 
 

ENTERING HOUSES WITH PERMISSION SEGREGATION IN SOCIAL GATHERINGS.
[33:53] “O you who believe! Do not enter the houses of the Prophet UNLESS PERMISSION IS GIVEN TO YOU for a meal, not waiting for its cooking being finished but when you are invited, enter and when you taken the food, then leave not seeking to listen to familiar talk, surely this gives the Prophet trouble, but he embarrassed to ask you to leave, but Allah does not forbear from the truth And when you ask of them (The Prophets Wives) anything ASK OF THEM FROM BEHIND A CURTAIN, this is purer for your hearts and (for) their hearts, and does not behove you that you should give trouble to the Messenger of Allah, nor that you should marry his wives after him ever, surely this is grievous in the sight of Allah”.
 

BELIEVING MEN TO MAINTAIN PROPER CONDUCT AS WELL.
[24:30] “Say to the believing men that they subdue their eyes and keep chaste, that is purer for them, surely Allah is aware of what they do”.

The believers guard their chastity, this trait is further clarified in Sura 23, [23:1] “Successful indeed are the BELIEVERS, [23:2] Those who are humble in their Salat, [23:3] And who keep aloof from what is vain, [23:4] And who purify themselves, [23:5] AND WHO RESTRAIN THEIR CARNAL DESIRES, [23:6] Except before their spouses or those whom their right hands possess, do they have sexual relations without blame, [23:7] But whoever seeks to go beyond that, these are they exceed the limits”.

From the verses the dress code can be summed up as follows;
Dress should be loose enough so that the obvious parts of the body are not made apparent when she walks or strikes her feet. [24:31] an extra covering should be taken over the bosoms. [24:31]. Only those parts which are apparent therefrom [24:31] are to be exposed i.e. the areas as mentioned in [5:6].

When talking, speech should not be too soft [33:32] and women should not bedeck herself too much as she is already made ‘zeenah’ an adornment for mankind. [33:33] & [3:14] One important reason that the Quran gives as to why believing women should maintain a proper dress code is given in [33:59] “…Zalika adna ayyu’rafna falla yuzaina…” That (dress code to be maintained) so that they may be recognised and should not be molested…
 

WHAT ABOUT THE TRADITION OF HEADCOVERS AND VEILS?
The headcovers are clearly mentioned not in the Quran but in the BIBLE as St.Paul’s instructions, “But every Women who prays or prophesies with HER HEAD UNCOVERED dishonoured her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved. For if a women is not covered let her also be shorn But if it is shameful for women to be shorn or shaved LET HER BE COVERED”. [Bible1 Corinthians 11:5-6]
Also traditional Jewish teachings have the type of ‘hijab’ that is famous today among many women i.e. only the eyes showing. Do note that in the Quran we are also informed about some unbelievers who ‘cover themselves up with garments’. Can you identify these people?

“Behold! They fold up their hearts that they may lie hid from Him! Ah even when they COVER THEMSELVES WITH THEIR GARMENTS He knoweth what they conceal and what they reveal, for He knoweth well the (innermost secrets) of the hearts” [11:5]

“And whenever I have called them that Thou (Allah) mayest forgive them, they put their fingers in their ears, COVER THEMSELVES UP WITH THEIR GARMENTS, and persist and are puffed up with pride” [71:7].

Can you identify who are these unbelievers who are covering themselves up with garments?