What women wear and why they wear it.

One thing that I think causes a lot of controversy is what commonly is known as the veil. Some people think that it is oppressing to women and that they don’t have any rights. I am going to try to clear some things up as to what women wear, why they wear it and how they feel about it.

Women wear what is called hijab, which is any type of clothing that fits the seven conditions of women’s dress in Islam as stated in the Quran.

1. Clothing must cover the entire body, only the hands and face may remain visible (According to some Fiqh Schools).
2. The material must not be so thin that one can see through it.
3. The clothing must hang loose so that the shape / form of the body is not apparent.
4. The female clothing must not resemble the man's clothing.
5. The design of the clothing must not resemble the clothing of the non believing women.
6. The design must not consist of bold designs which attract attention.
7. Clothing should not be worn for the sole purpose of gaining reputation or increasing one's status in society.

The reasons for these strict rules are to protect the women from the lustful looks of men. She shouldn’t do anything to attract the opposite sex, and do anything to protect her modesty. Islamic women dress for God not for man.  

In the Quran it says “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.” The kicker is that it says the exact same thing for men and the seven conditions also apply to men.

Women in America are exploited everyday, female sexuality is used in advertising to attract buyers. Women are also faced with how the ideal woman is to look and dress. Over 230 women are raped every day in the U.S and many more are sexually assaulted.

I can’t speak for all women that wear hijab but I can speak for the majority of truly Muslim women, including my mother and sisters. They choose to wear the hijab because they want to dress for Allah, and to stay true to their faith, they have a lot of respect for themselves and feel more comfortable. Girls aren’t expected to wear hijab until they are 13. Most women in Saudi Arabia only cover their hair and not their whole face. Other Middle Eastern countries that are more conservative you will see women with their faces covered it depends on the culture.