WOMEN AND CLOTHES IN ISLAM

The Quran writes little about women. At a time when physical strength counted much in war and violence, men were essential for a robber baron or warlord. Women are mentioned in 95 or a few more of the better than 6ooo verses in the book. Many of those times they simply are gifts or rewards to "good" Muslim men - in this life or in Paradice. Ot they are just mentioned by the way or reminded they are underlings of their men and should be obedient. They have 1/2 the value of men - and not too bright intellectually.

The dress codes are in some Muslim areas parodies - often inhumane: From covering of the dangerous female hair, to a black "tent" covering everything, except a narrow hole for the eyes.

(There is no difference between male and female hair - they are made from just the same stuff. The only superficial difference, is the cutting, etc. which can be regulated in other ways. Og "teltet"? The black colour and little fresh air makes it pretty hot + reduced oxygen.) But in a religion where father and father-in-law - or someone else - decide who marries who, men may thrust their women so little, that they have to be "shilded" from the world and temptation.

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The Quran only has 4 verses talking about women's clothes;

7/26; "We (Allah*) have bestowed raiment upon you to cover your shame, as well as to be an adornment to you". The word "shame" used as a name for a body part, in normal speach means the visible part of the sexual organ - for women the vulva. 7/26 thus tells that Allah has bestowed clothes upon women so that they can hode their vulva + be decotation for the women. A full "tent" covers everything, included budy parts Allah has not adviced covered + such a black "tent" far from is decorative, like Allah clearly permits.

24/31. "And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty (Arab "farj" = "private parts", "intimate parts", "sex") - that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and should not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons (with other women*), their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their womenfolks, or those whom their right hands possess (= their slaves*), ot male servants free of physical needs (= castrated*), or small children who have no sence of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments.

A. Thus 24/31 says for one thing that women shall lower their gaze and guard their modesty (Arab "farj"). "Private" or "intimate" parts for women, in normal speach mean the breasts plus the lower body - the vulva and the "behind". (These are the only body parts the Quran names and advices to be covered.)

B. For another: "- - - they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof - - -." If it is correct that a normal outer garment at that time was a knee-length skirt with or without short sleeves, at leat this could/can be exposed: The head, the forarms, the hands, the lower legs, and the feet. If the local community accepted such a skirt without arms, the entire arms could/can be exposed.

C. For a third the verse tells that women may be less careful with their cloths towards near relatives and slaves owned by her family. The rule approximately covering many women would meet in the extended family they normally lived in.

33/55: "There is no blame (on these ladies if they appear) before their fathers or their sons, their brothers, ot their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the (slaves) whom their right hands possess ( whom their right hands possess = an Arab expression for slaves)." 33/55 thus tells that women may be less carefully dressed in front of close relatives or slaves possessed by their family - similar to 24/31c.

33/59: "O Prophet (Mohammad*)! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outher garments over their persons (when abroad): that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such (high moral women*)) and not be molested." 33/59 thus says that it is best for women when they are out among people (but not neccessarily when at home), and that the reason is not religious, but the practical one: To show they are "good" women, and then less risk for to be molested.

CONCLUTION: Allah advices - not demands, but advices - that women put on outer garments when they leave home. This not for religious reasons, but in order to be safer from molesting. The outer garments may be an adornment to the lady - (multi)colored, decorated, etc. These are the Quran's words.

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But there are som more points which counts when making rules for women's clothes:

A. It is Allah who shall decide and make rules: 5/87, 10/31, 10/109, 30/4, 32/5, 34/26, 42/10, 66/1, 75/19, 87/3. It is shining clear that Muslims shall go by and follow the Quran, and thus Allah's rules.

B. Nobody can change Allah's words/meanings (and decretes/orders). 6/21*, 6/34, 10/64, 18/27. to change Allah's/the Qurans's words/meanings is a heavy sin. The Quran is to be read letter by letter like Allah conveyed them.

C. Allah is omniscient and has perfect knowledge. This is claimed at least 30 places in the Quran. Thus Allah's/the Quran's words are correct, true and perfect. And no human can do better or more correct than an omniscient god.

D. Because of point C he never makes errors or is wrong. He always are right. 3/7, 4/32, 6/34, 20/52.

E. - and he never forgets anything. 20/52.

F. He also has not omitted anything from the Quran. 6/38. This is an essential point: Everything he means mean anything, is in the Quran. This also means that anything he has not commented on there, is ok and lawful for him.

G. On the contrary: Allah conveyed (to Mohammad and thus to the Quran) what he wanted to convey. 53/10. Also see point F.

H. It is Allah who shall make the explanations. 4(82, 25/33, 78/19. Thus it is not for humans to explain anything - at least not "explanations" not in accordance with Allah's words/meanings. The Quran is Allah's exact words and meanings.

I. Allah explains everything in detail. This is stated in at least 20 points in the Quran:

a. That he explains everything = he explains everything he means have religious effect or meaning.

b. That he explains everything in detail, means they are the ultimate explanations - remeber he gives the best explanations. 25/33, 75/19.

"Explanations" differing from Allah's thus are worse, wrong, misunderstandings - or dishonesty/bluffs.

J. Those wanting to change Allah's words, meaning, rules - do they believe they are wiser than Allah? 2/140. They have to believe so, as they want to "correct" his words or meanings. Reduce him to something lower than a human, and thus one who can be corrected by humans.

K. The ones who want to change/"correct" Allah's words/meanings, are said to be perverse. 2/99, 3/7, 7/37.

L. To make a lie and tell it is from Allah, is said to be the worst of all kinds of lie. 7/37, 3/94, 4/50, 6/93, 10/17.

M. "Make not unlawful the good things which Allah hath made lawful to you." 5/87, 66/1. Here: More convenient clothes for women is not ptohibitted - not even adviced against - by Allah/the Quran. They very obviously were accepted by him, as he did not even advice against them, not to mention forbade it.

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Conclutions:

1. The Quran makea it clear that its comments on womens clothes are practical advices to not be molested, not religion.

2. Allah/the Quran says that when skal ut på offentlege stadar, he advices - not orders, but advices - them to cover the parts of their bodies which normally were covered. If it is true that the normal outer clothes was a knee-lenght skirt with or without sleeves, this means that Allah's(?) advice left at least the head, included the hair, the lower arms, the hands, the lower legs, and the feet visible. If he meant a skirt without sleeves, the entire arms were visible. As he has explainer everything and in detail, and as he never forgot or omitted anything, this means that he means this may be visible - if not he had adviced to cover it. And the Quran is full of points claiming that Allah is perfect, omniscient and right.

3. Yes, the Quran even clearly states that Allah conveyed what he wanted to convey. Thus, as he did not specify anything, this indicates that he found it ok that these parts were visible. (When talking about clothes in Arabia in the old times, also remember that it is a hot country - too much clothes is too hot - and that all fabric had first to be spun by hand, then woven by hand, and sewn by hand = it became expencive, and more expencive the more cloth was needed - - - and the average family was not rich.)

4. It is Allah who shall give religiously based rules. As Allah has not made the harsh rules for how women shall dress, that means that Islam's such rules are made by humans. (By men not trusting their forcibly married wives? Or by fanatics "more Muslim than Mohammad"? - 'If Allah means some covering is good, we ar better than him, as we demand more covering!!', etc. 'not to mention that we are even better, as we severly punish for breaking our rules!!')

5. That women shall cover their hair, is the rule or law in large parts of the Muslim world. This is a man-made rule - it is not from the Quran. A point here is that there is no difference between female and male hair - they are both made from the same kind of keratin. The only differences may be length and styling - which may be regulated in other ways, if neccessary.

6. The Muslims and Muslim areas which change Allah's words/meanings - f.x. by ordering covering of what Allah has permitted visible - are perverse, according to the Quran. (Looking at womens' position in some Muslim areas, that statement is correct. It also is possible that it is Satan who makes Islam believing they are treating their women in the best way - Satan often makes humans believe bad ideology and bad motal codes, really are good ones, according to several points in the Quran.

7. The Muslims and the Muslim areas which indicate that Islam's rules here are for religious reasons = from Allah, are sinning very gravely. To make up things and claim it is from Allah, is among the gravest of sins, the Quran tells.

NB! NB! NB! NB!

And we remind you: "Make not unlawful the good things which Allah hath made lawful for you."