Islamic Dress Codes Essay

497 Words2 Pages
Allah has stated in the Quran that women must guard their modesty. " 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. " [Quran : 24.31]; " Say to the believing man that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty ; that will make for greater purity for them, and God is well acquainted with all they do. " [Quran: 24.30] (Islamic Boutique, 2002). In the world we know today there tends to be a significant amount of controversy when it comes to the dress code for Islamic men and for Islamic women. This is because many people have different beliefs as to how a Muslim is expected to present themselves in public. Furthermore there are many factors that influence these regulations which may or may not make it more difficult to dress accordingly which consist of social, ethical, political and economic factors. The most important component of the way Muslims are expected to present themselves is hygiene, which is of the upmost importance. This is one essential factor that has to be consistent with both men and women at all times. This was also encouraged by the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) as he mentioned that cleanliness is equal to half the faith; it is a major subject in Islam in both aspects, i.e. material and spiritual cleanliness (Muslim Civilization, 2009). According to the Hadith mentioned above the appropriate way a man is supposed to dress is in a way which covers the area between the navel and the knee and that a woman is required to dress in clothing which is not intimate, transparent or which outlines their body. The idea as a whole is to not expose certain areas which may be perceived as intimate. The level of radicalism a person decides on when it comes to their dress code is something that is completely up to them,
Open Document