Womens dress code.

[SisterJennifer]

Hi Habib Hibee,

I hope this will help to clarify for you:

<i>Originally posted by HabibHibee </i><b></b>

There is nothing specific about wearing the Hijab or wearing a veil and these are \"traditions\" of the region and not direct from Allah. So my take on it would be that a Muslim woman in say Birmingham, England is not required to wear a Hijab unless she wanted to, where as it would be appropriate to wear in the Middle East.

Surah An-Nur (24:31)

Bismillah ar-Rahman nir-Raheem

"And tell the believing women to lower their gaze, and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands, or one eye, or dress like veil, gloves, headcover, apron), and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinnh (i.e, thier bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or there fathers, or their husbands fathers, or their sons, or their husbands sons, or their brothers, or their brothers sons, or their sister's sons, or their sisters in Islam, or female servants whom their right hand possess, or old male servants who lack vigor, or small children who have no sense of femine sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O Believers, that you may be successful."

----------------

At the time in which this verse was revealed, narrarated by Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her):

"When Allah revealed: And to draw their veils all over juyubihinna, they tore their Muruts (a wollen dress, or a waist binding cloth, or an apron) and covered their heads and faces with those torn Muruts." (Sahih Al-Bukhari 6/4758)

Clearly this illustrates that Allah (swt) did in fact specify that women should cover these parts of their bodies. It is also clear from the above that it was not customary for the women of this time to cover themselves, as they tore up cloth in order to cover.

-Jennifer