Islam gives guidance about all aspects of life, including matters of public
decency. Although there's no fixed standard as to the style of dress or type of
clothing that Muslims must wear, there are some minimum requirements that must
be met. The following requirements are followed by Muslims when they appear in
public, and not in the privacy of their own homes. 1st Requirement: Parts of the
Body to Be Covered The first bit of guidance given in Islam describes the parts
of the body which must be covered in public. For Women: In general, standards of
modesty call for a woman to cover her body, particularly her chest. The Quran
calls for women to "draw their head-coverings over their chests" (24:30-31), and
the Prophet Muhammad instructed that women should cover their bodies except for
their face and hands. Most Muslims interpret this to require head coverings for
women, although some Muslim women, especially those of more conservative
branches of Islam, cover the entire body, including the face and/or hands, with
a full body chador. For Men: The minimum amount to be covered on the body is
between the navel and the knee. It should be noted, though, that a bare chest
would be frowned upon in situations where it draws attention. 2nd Requirement:
Looseness Islam also guides that clothing must be loose enough so as not to
outline or distinguish the shape of the body. Skin-tight, body-hugging clothes
are discouraged for both men and women. When in public, some women wear a light
cloak over their personal clothing as a convenient way to hide the curves of the
body. In many predominantly Muslim countries, men's traditional dress is
somewhat like a loose robe, covering the body from the neck to the ankles. 3rd
Requirement: Thickness The Prophet Muhammad once warned that in later
generations, there would be people "who are dressed yet naked." See-through
clothing is not modest, for either men or women. The clothing must be thick
enough so that the color of the skin it covers is not visible, nor the shape of
the body underneath. 4th Requirement: Overall Appearance The overall appearance
of a person should be dignified and modest. Shiny, flashy clothing may
technically meet the above requirements for exposure of the body, but it defeats
the purpose of overall modesty and is therefore discouraged. 5th Requirement:
Not Imitating Other Faiths Islam encourages people to be proud of who they are.
Muslims should look like Muslims and not like mere imitations of people of other
faiths around them. Women should be proud of their femininity and not dress like
men. And men should be proud of their masculinity and not try to imitate women
in their dress. For this reason, Muslim men are forbidden from wearing gold or
silk, as these are considered feminine accessories. Beyond the Clothing:
Behaviors and Manners Islamic clothing is but one aspect of modesty. More
importantly, one must be modest in behavior, manners, speech, and appearance in
public. The dress is only one aspect of the total being and one that merely
reflects what is present on the inside of a person's heart.
