Submitters’ Dress (Part 2) 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… [7:26]

Dress alone will not eliminate the attraction of the sexes, nor violence against women. A woman may be totally covered up, but still behave in a way that displays her beauty, manipulating men through her sexuality. Another woman may not follow that type of traditional dress code but may be quiet and humble in her dress and manner. She does not play on attracting men. It is one’s innermost intentions that count the most.

In order to protect men and women from sinful thoughts and actions, at the beginning of the verses 24:30 and 24:31, both men and women arecommanded to “subdue their eyes and maintain their chastity.” The meaning of the word “subdue” is to conquer and bring under control, and the meaning of the word chaste is to stay pure. Therefore both men and women must control and conquer their sexual desires and stay pure. We are commanded to interact with one another in the above state. Other commandments for the submitters’ dress include:

1. Only show necessary parts of the body [24:31]                                                                                                  .2. Cover the chest [24:31].                                                                                                                                     3. Do not draw attention to yourself [24:31]                                                                                                     .4. Dress modestly [24:31, 33:59].                                                                                                                          5. Lengthen your garment [33:59].                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  “Necessary” Parts

“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 dress in the presence of other than their husbands, their fathers, the fathers of their husbands, their sons the sons oftheir husbands, their brothers, the sons of their brothers, the sons of their sisters, the other women, the male servant or other employee whose sexual drive has been nullified or the children who have not reached puberty. They shall not strike their feet when they walk in order to shake or reveal certain details of their bodies. All of you shall repent to God, O you believers, that you may succeed” [24:31].

It is argued by the ignorant that the only “necessary” parts to show are the eyes. In this case the woman is hidden under a tent-like sack, which is demeaning and difficult. On the contrary, God does not wish to make religion difficult for us. It is we who make it difficult for ourselves. We are commanded to dress “modestly” but not to hide ourselves. Therefore, “necessary” parts seem to be the parts that we use to perform the ablution for the Contact Prayers (Salat) five times a day.

Relaxing the Dress Code“                                                                                                                  The elderly women the do notexpect to get married commit nothing wrong by relaxing their dress, provided they do not reveal too much of their bodies. To maintain modesty is better for them. God is hearer, knower” [24:60].

In Webster’s dictionary the word “modest” means “quiet and humble in appearance.” This verse is the second time that God tells when to relax the dress. The first one is mentioned in 24:31 which is quoted earlier.

Immodest Behavior and Dress

“O Prophet, tell your wives, your daughters, and the wives of the believers that they shall lengthen their garments. Thus, they will be recognized and avoid being insulted. God is Forgiver, Most Merciful” [33:59].

This final commandment is to dress in a fashion that will make others to recognize our modesty and protect us from being insulted. This will happen automatically if one follows the guidelines for submitters’ dress: Dress modestly, cover your chest, lengthen your garment and do not show off details of your body.It is all right to express oneself through dress and to look beautiful. However, if one dresses seductively, then sexual harassment and humiliating attitude from unrighteous men become more possible. Even more important is that one disobeys God.

...They shall not strike their feet when they walk in order to shake and reveal certain details of their body” [24:31].

The fashion show model on the runway is a good example of this behavior. Why do some women want to show off their bodies, flirt with men and manipulate them with their sexuality? Don’t they want to be respected as human beings with rights and obligations? That is what God wants for them to be rather than sexual objects. God tells us that women are equal to men [3:195, 4:25] but have different qualities [4:32]. God created everything in pairs [43:12] to complement each other.

Senobar Tafozali and Naima Turner