Islam has no fixed standard as to the style of dress or
type of clothing that muslims must wear. There are however, some
requirements that must be met. These include:
- Body must be covered.
- Loose Clothing: The clothing must be loose enough so as not
to describe the shape of the body.
- Thick Material: The garments must be thick enough to hide
the shape of the body and the color of the skin.
- Modesty: The dress should not be ragged or fancy. It should
be clean and dignified looking.
- Suitability
Muslim Women Wear
Jibab
Jibab in modern day usage, refers to a long, flowing, baggy overgarment
worn by some Muslim women. The modern jibab covers the entire body, except
for hands, feet, face and head. The head is then covered by a scarf or wrap.
Abaya
The abaya is an overgarment worn by some Muslim women. Traditional abaya
are black, and may be either a large square of fabric draped from the
shoulders or head, or a long black caftan. The abaya should cover the whole
body save face, feet and hands. Contemporary abaya are usually Caftans or
Kaftans, cut from light, flowing fabrics like crepe, georgette and chiffon.
They are now made in colors other than black.
Hijab
The word hijab is frequently used for the headscarf worn by many Muslim
women around the world with various forms of dress, from jeans-and-shirts to
salwar kameez, saris and business suits. It most often refers to a square
scarf which is folded diagonally and worn over the head to cover the hair,
ears and throat, but not the face. In Islamic scholarship, hijab has a
larger meaning: dressing modestly.
Niqab
A niqab is a veil which covers the face.
Burkha
A burqa (also burka or burqua) is a type of opaque veil sometimes worn in
addition to a headscarf by Muslim women. Similar to a niqab, the burqa
covers the wearer's entire face except for a small region about the eyes. A
full burqa or Afghan burqa is a garment that conceals the entire body. The
full burqa includes a "net curtain", which also hides the wearer's
eyes.
Not all Muslims follow the dress codes at work but will dress modestly.
Indian Muslim women wear all kinds of dresses like Salwar kurtas, Sarees,
Shararas as well as western clothes. It is to be noted that there are no
laws enforcing hijab in India, but in some conservative, Muslim-majority
areas, there is social pressure to cover. Some Indian women wear the burkha
and other muslim wear over other dresses, although many content themselves
with dupatta or chunari.