What does the Islamic teaching say about how a woman should dress?

[Spirit of Light]

***Mod Post***

Thread moved to Religious Debates per staff consensus.​

I respect the decision to move the OP to the debate forum, And have no issue with it
But since the OP was intentionally put in the discussion forum, I chose to no longer reply here, since the intention of the reason for the OP has changed.
For those who wish to debate, please continue without the OP starter taking further part

 

[England my lionheart]

If any book tells you how to dress and the A to Z of how to conduct oneself in life is tragic IMO.

 

[firedragon]

I want to add this video to give a deeper sense of the topic, unfortunately, it is 17 minutes long but well worth looking into

.

With all due respect, this video I have seen previously, and she does not do justice to your OP. Your OP stands on its own.

 

[firedragon]

It all comes down to interpretation, and I see the lady's interpretation as a better one, but I would be overstepping my bounds as a non-Muslim (or even as any other person lacking a time machine) to proclaim a certain interpretation as the true interpretation as intended by Muhammad Himself.

In my opinion.

What is a "true interpretation"? Can you provide a linguistic explanation? Lets say there is a time machine, and you go back to the time of Muhammed, which verse, and how could that be interpreted differently?

 

[Link]

Actually, it's very clear (hijab) in Quran and you are supposed to cover your hair unless you are changing the meaning of words which you did in your translation.

The Qur’an and Hijab | Hijab, The Muslim Womens Dress,Islamic or Cultural? | Al-Islam.org

 

[Link]

(1) What is the meaning of “khumur” used in this verse?
Khumur خُمُرٌ is plural of khimarخِمَارٌ , the veil covering the head. See any Arabic dictionary like Lisanu ’l-‘Arab, Majma‘u ’l-Bahrayn or al-Munjid.

Al-Munjid, which is the most popular dictionary in the Arab world, defines al-khimar as “something with which a woman conceals her head —ما تغطى به المرأة رأسها .” Fakhru ’d-Din al-Turayhi in Majma‘u ’l-Bahrayn (which is a dictionary of Qur’anic and hadith terms) defines al-khimar as “scarf, and it is known as such because the head is covered with it.”2

So the word khimar, by definition, means a piece of cloth that covers the head.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

There is only 3 verses in the quran that actually speak of this, and one of them say about both men and woman.

Dress Code for Women based on Quran (masjidtucson.org)

Tell the believing men that they shall subdue their eyes (and not stare at the women), and to maintain their chastity. This is purer for them. God is fully Cognizant of everything they do.
And tell the believing women to subdue their eyes, and maintain their chastity. They shall not reveal any parts of their bodies, except that which is necessary. They shall cover their chests, and shall not relax this code in the presence of other than their husbands, their fathers, the fathers of their husbands, their sons, the sons of their husbands, their brothers, the sons of their brothers, the sons of their They shall not strike their feet when they walk in order to shake and reveal certain details of their bodies. All of you shall repent to God, O you believers, that you may succeed.* (24:30-31)

*24:30-31 Dressing modestly, therefore, is a trait of the believing men and women. The minimum requirements for a woman's dress is to lengthen her garment (33:59) and to cover her chest. Tyrannical Arab traditions have given a false impression that a woman must be covered from head to toe; such is not a Quranic or Islamic dress.

The second one is this

O children of Adam, we have provided you with garments to cover your bodies, as well as for luxury. But the best garment is the garment of righteousness. These are some of God's signs, that they may take heed. (7:26)

The third one is.

They have deserved gardens of Eden wherein rivers flow. They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, and will wear clothes of green silk and velvet, and will rest on comfortable furnishings. What a wonderful reward; what a wonderful abode! (18:31)

God will admit those who believe and lead a righteous life into gardens with flowing streams. They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, and pearls, and their garments therein will be silk. (22:23)

On them will be clothes of green velvet, satin, and silver ornaments. Their Lord will provide them with pure drinks. (76:21)

Surely if the believers dress beautifully in Paradise, it cannot be unrighteous to do so here. And indeed God tells to dress nicely when we go to the mosques:


Interestingly the Quran does not require a woman to cover her hair, but rather to dress modestly and to cover her chest as we see in the following verses and their footnote from Dr. Rashad Khalifa’s translation of the Quran:

So the question remains: Was it men who could not look down who added the covering of the hair? Does Hijab actually mean a different form of vail?

Nothing you quoted demands women wearing a veil. It speaks of women covering her adornments, but does not specify, except to mention the chest. It says nothing about covering hair or face.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

Actually, it's very clear (hijab) in Quran and you are supposed to cover your hair unless you are changing the meaning of words which you did in your translation.

The Qur’an and Hijab | Hijab, The Muslim Womens Dress,Islamic or Cultural? | Al-Islam.org

Nowhere in the quran does it specify that hair must be covered. Surah 24:30 states that a woman should cover her "adornments" but offers only the chest as an example. Wearing a veil is thus Arabic culture, not Islam.

 

[QuestioningMind]

There is only 3 verses in the quran that actually speak of this, and one of them say about both men and woman.

Dress Code for Women based on Quran (masjidtucson.org)

Tell the believing men that they shall subdue their eyes (and not stare at the women), and to maintain their chastity. This is purer for them. God is fully Cognizant of everything they do.
And tell the believing women to subdue their eyes, and maintain their chastity. They shall not reveal any parts of their bodies, except that which is necessary. They shall cover their chests, and shall not relax this code in the presence of other than their husbands, their fathers, the fathers of their husbands, their sons, the sons of their husbands, their brothers, the sons of their brothers, the sons of their They shall not strike their feet when they walk in order to shake and reveal certain details of their bodies. All of you shall repent to God, O you believers, that you may succeed.* (24:30-31)

*24:30-31 Dressing modestly, therefore, is a trait of the believing men and women. The minimum requirements for a woman's dress is to lengthen her garment (33:59) and to cover her chest. Tyrannical Arab traditions have given a false impression that a woman must be covered from head to toe; such is not a Quranic or Islamic dress.

The second one is this

O children of Adam, we have provided you with garments to cover your bodies, as well as for luxury. But the best garment is the garment of righteousness. These are some of God's signs, that they may take heed. (7:26)

The third one is.

They have deserved gardens of Eden wherein rivers flow. They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, and will wear clothes of green silk and velvet, and will rest on comfortable furnishings. What a wonderful reward; what a wonderful abode! (18:31)

God will admit those who believe and lead a righteous life into gardens with flowing streams. They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, and pearls, and their garments therein will be silk. (22:23)

On them will be clothes of green velvet, satin, and silver ornaments. Their Lord will provide them with pure drinks. (76:21)

Surely if the believers dress beautifully in Paradise, it cannot be unrighteous to do so here. And indeed God tells to dress nicely when we go to the mosques:


Interestingly the Quran does not require a woman to cover her hair, but rather to dress modestly and to cover her chest as we see in the following verses and their footnote from Dr. Rashad Khalifa’s translation of the Quran:

So the question remains: Was it men who could not look down who added the covering of the hair? Does Hijab actually mean a different form of vail?

What a silly god you describe, one who creates men and women to have a natural sexual attraction to one another and then tells them it's wrong for them to feel this natural sexual attraction. Talk about a serious design flaw.

 

[danieldemol]

What is a "true interpretation"? Can you provide a linguistic explanation? Lets say there is a time machine, and you go back to the time of Muhammed, which verse, and how could that be interpreted differently?

A true interpretation is one which follows the intention of the author.

The time machine would allow us to go back to time of Muhammad and ask, when you say hijab, did you mean to imply covering the head as it is understood in Arabic culture or not?

In my opinion.

 

[firedragon]

A true interpretation is one which follows the intention of the author.

The time machine would allow us to go back to time of Muhammad and ask, when you say hijab, did you mean to imply covering the head as it is understood in Arabic culture or not?

In my opinion.

Well it you read the Qur'an it is pretty evident that "Hijab" means a cover of some sort. It could even be a cover of darkness if you make up that sentence "cover of darkness" or . And it is never, ever, in the Quran meant to be a "covering of the head" which sentence doesnt even make sense really. So, this is just too evident and well known.

I think you should think of some other example.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Nothing you quoted demands women wearing a veil. It speaks of women covering her adornments, but does not specify, except to mention the chest. It says nothing about covering hair or face.

Because it is not originally a part of Islam Men later on made woman covering their hair. Muhammad never asked woman to cover their hair.

 

[danieldemol]

Well it you read the Qur'an it is pretty evident that "Hijab" means a cover of some sort. It could even be a cover of darkness if you make up that sentence "cover of darkness" or . And it is never, ever, in the Quran meant to be a "covering of the head" which sentence doesnt even make sense really. So, this is just too evident and well known.

I think you should think of some other example.

Muslims all around the world are wearing a head covering, if it doesn't come from the word hijab perhaps it comes from their understanding of the word "khumur" see post #26 for details.

In my opinion.

 

[firedragon]

Muslims all around the world are wearing a head covering, if it doesn't come from the word hijab perhaps it comes from their understanding of the word "khumur" see post #26 for details.

In my opinion.

No its not. Most Muslims around the world dont know this word. They only know Hijab.

What you are basically saying is, by hook or crook, Hijab or Khmr, some how the head covering is there.

Tell me, in your understanding what does the word Khmr mean? (please dont try to pronounce it in transliteration).

 

[danieldemol]

What you are basically saying is, by hook or crook, Hijab or Khmr, some how the head covering is there.

I'm not saying it definitely is there or isn't there, just that it has been understood that way.

In my opinion.

 

[firedragon]

I'm not saying it definitely is there or isn't there, just that it has been understood that way.

In my opinion.

Which way?

 

[danieldemol]

Which way?

The way of post #26 for example.
In my opinion.

 

[firedragon]

The way of post #26 for example.
In my opinion.

Well, I told you already that most Muslims around the world never knew about the word KHMR and the veil. Only in some parts of the world they had a shawl that was named Himar. So its not quite right what you say. In fact, I will say it bluntly that you were outright wrong.

 

[Truthseeker]

There is only 3 verses in the quran that actually speak of this, and one of them say about both men and woman.

Dress Code for Women based on Quran (masjidtucson.org)

Tell the believing men that they shall subdue their eyes (and not stare at the women), and to maintain their chastity. This is purer for them. God is fully Cognizant of everything they do.
And tell the believing women to subdue their eyes, and maintain their chastity. They shall not reveal any parts of their bodies, except that which is necessary. They shall cover their chests, and shall not relax this code in the presence of other than their husbands, their fathers, the fathers of their husbands, their sons, the sons of their husbands, their brothers, the sons of their brothers, the sons of their They shall not strike their feet when they walk in order to shake and reveal certain details of their bodies. All of you shall repent to God, O you believers, that you may succeed.* (24:30-31)

*24:30-31 Dressing modestly, therefore, is a trait of the believing men and women. The minimum requirements for a woman's dress is to lengthen her garment (33:59) and to cover her chest. Tyrannical Arab traditions have given a false impression that a woman must be covered from head to toe; such is not a Quranic or Islamic dress.

The second one is this

O children of Adam, we have provided you with garments to cover your bodies, as well as for luxury. But the best garment is the garment of righteousness. These are some of God's signs, that they may take heed. (7:26)

The third one is.

They have deserved gardens of Eden wherein rivers flow. They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, and will wear clothes of green silk and velvet, and will rest on comfortable furnishings. What a wonderful reward; what a wonderful abode! (18:31)

God will admit those who believe and lead a righteous life into gardens with flowing streams. They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, and pearls, and their garments therein will be silk. (22:23)

On them will be clothes of green velvet, satin, and silver ornaments. Their Lord will provide them with pure drinks. (76:21)

Surely if the believers dress beautifully in Paradise, it cannot be unrighteous to do so here. And indeed God tells to dress nicely when we go to the mosques:


Interestingly the Quran does not require a woman to cover her hair, but rather to dress modestly and to cover her chest as we see in the following verses and their footnote from Dr. Rashad Khalifa’s translation of the Quran:

So the question remains: Was it men who could not look down who added the covering of the hair? Does Hijab actually mean a different form of vail?

The descriptions of paradise are symbolic, not literal, in my view. I believe it is culture and hadiths that have caused the dress we usually see in Muslim women in Islamic counties. Hadiths are unreliable!

 

[danieldemol]

Well, I told you already that most Muslims around the world never knew about the word KHMR and the veil. Only in some parts of the world they had a shawl that was named Himar. So its not quite right what you say. In fact, I will say it bluntly that you were outright wrong.

I think when you are referring to most Muslims you are probably reffering to the lay folk. Did most of the scholars and quranic exegetes agree that a Khimar was required to cover the hair or not?

In my opinion.