The Qu'ran is very specific about how the hijab/khimar (as in the headscarf) should be worn. It says we should pull the headress down so that it covers our jube (chests---the va va voom ladies). If you are not covering your chest with your hijab you are not wearing Islamic hijab. I hate to break it to you but you are wearing Christian hijab. Jewish women were supposed to cover their hair, and the Christian women to cover the hair (their wrap style was often so that the neck and hair were covered but not the chests). I'll do a post on the differences inshaAllah.I love the bright styles and European aura Turkish hijab styles give, but the one thing I can't stand about them is often the lack of chest coverage in the fashion shots. I can always wrap my turkish hijab to give lots of chest coverage, but I wanted to share this Turkish hijab fashion pic that shows some more than awesome chest coverage. Do you like? Would you wear this style?
And to answer Inspired Muslimah's question in the comment section, I don't think an Al-Amira counts as hijab if it isn't long enough to cover the chest also. I always wear an al-amira under my shaylas to get the coverage I am supposed to have.
Comments
I think I would wear that- although maybe not having quite that much hanging down. Personally, I usually like to have my scarf a little more loose than those Turkish styles seem to be.
By the way, I love your blog, masha'Allah, it's very helpful and enjoyable!
Cheers.
To cover your chest.I know that your chest has to be covered I just didn't know it had to be covered with your scarf. the al-Mira hijab don't really cover the chest so is it not hijab?
Women at the time used to wear clothing which was completely open at the front - as in, their chests were completely bare. All the Quran commanded was for this to be covered; it mentions using a khimar to do so; but if you look at the context of the ayah you can easily see that the emphasis is on covering the bare chest, not on the khimar itself. To say that that is what distinguished Muslim hijab from Christian/Jewish is utterly laughable AND insulting. What of the Jewish bedouin women who used to completely veil during Rasulullah's (saw) time? It's bizarre how we Muslims today have such a narrow view of our religion.
Many scholars use that same Quran quote to prove that modest dressing is compulsory. But I don't think it's correct to say that if your hijab doesnt cover your chest then its not considered hijab. If your shirt that covers your chest is not tight fitting so as to reveal your breast-shape, then surely it won't need the extra cover?
I think its the principle of modest dressing rather than the specific method of dressing that is the proper interpretation of that quote. And this is what I've learned from those more learned than me.
I think that if I was wearing a fitted top that culd possibly show my breast-shape, then I would draw my hijab over my chest. Coz it would require it in order to be Islamically modest.
Keep up the good work!
your writing inspires a lot of good in the world, alhamdulillah
-Fatima
Fatima: LOL I am a by-the-book girl (Qu'ran AND archeology text books:D). I am not saying that there aren't cases when one can't get away without a hijab being fully extended to cover the chest, but I think in most cases, even in modest tunic tops and abayas, I can still see the curves of a woman's breasts unless she is wearing her khimar the way the Qu'ran specifies. It is soooooooo easy to wear one's hijab the way the Qu'ran says, and lots of beautiful styles to do so, and since it is safest and obvious in its explaination, why should we not do it the way the Qu'ran decribes, rather than try to innovate our own means of accomplishing what we "think" the purpose it the ayah was meant to convey?
What religious commandments are you referring to?
Most clothes these days are really fitted, even a loose abaya can show off the womans curves and lady lumps so it hink it is better to cover te chest with hijab ... just to be on the safe side!!!
But. They can be kinda small, they're usually only 35 or 36" square, and if you're not wearing something loose, it's not going to cover the chest area, which is a requirement of hijab is to conceal the shape of our body.
So, I think when wearing them, it's something to take into consideration, is to make sure your chest is covered, either by loose clothing or try to get the scarf to cover it.
I hope I don't sound like I'm repeating myself...
Lately, I haven't been wearing them. I never had this problem before, but they just refuse to stay in place! I get so mad about it....sigh...I have a love/hate thing with them..
I don't feel comfortable unless my scarf covers my chest, the va va voom (hehe) just stands out too much without it. The Qu'ran tells us to draw our khimars over our chests for good reason.
-Fatima
the from nowhere the weather turned breezy... boy did i struggle... i only ended up going to like one shop and abandoned my shopping trip cos i was too uncomfortable...
So - goes back to my original point... it is just better to cover your chest with you hee-jab ladies, no matter how you choose to interpret the words of the almighty
masalaama
wa Allahu ta`ala `alum
The color is beautiful buit I personally don't agree that she is interpreting hijab correctly to what the Quran and Hadith tell us to. Shoulders are included in hiding the shape of the body. The hijab should fall in a way that covers the shape of the top of the shoulders (from the neck to the outer edge fo the shouder). So hijabs should be fully pulled down not just on the brest but also the entire upper half as a proper Khimar does.
I know it can be annoying at first to get used to something long and getting into everything across your chest but it grows on you. I hated in Lebanon all you can buy are amirah style and short wraps. None cover the chest... ARG! I loved my pakistani wrap that covered tot eh navel wrapped twice!.
And lets talk breastfeeding LOL! There is no way you can hide it all and still feed properly with a squirming babay. But any khimar style will allow perfect feeding coverage in plain sight of men.
I have seen women sitting crosslegged with khimar and you can't even tell there is a baby under there!
So no i wouldn't wear this:
the front is too long, she'll drag it all over the table.
the shoulders are showing.
By the way it is hard even with khimar to hide a large chest and curves even with full abaya khimar combo... Lol those afghanistan burkas though look like well coverage for al shapes though yes they do lack style.