What makes an overgarment? Well, first for me, what makes an undergarment.Understand, the women of the Sahaba made salat in their homes in the undergarment. They only wore jilbab when they went out of their homes and inside their homes they often used a wall or screen if non maharam men had some purpose to be inside their homes. So for me, the minimum garment I could make salat in in my home is the caftan/salwar top pictured above, the slits in the sides ideally going no more than mid calf (any higher and I'd have to wear pants) and a khimar. Soooo. When I wear any garment as an overgarment, it has to be able to fit this style garment underneath. Or to me, it is not the jilbab described in the Qu'ran.
It wouldn't fit in these pants
LOL, I wouldn't even think about it. But I'll admit, I did try with salwar pants. It didn't COMFORTABLY. It all bunched up to one side and I either had to have a bulge at my hip or I had to sit on it. If the jilbab garment isn't loose enough to accomodate clothes you could make salat in (and you don't HAVE TO wear salat-without-jilbab-clothes underneath your jilbab but you'd have to be able to for your jilbab to BE a jilbab) it isn't a jilbab.
These didn't work either:
Though this one did:
when I wear it, I pair it with a cimpletely loose modest top that came past my butt (to the knees is best so the hips catch no clinging). This does too: 
IF the maxi isn't made of a clingy fabric like jersey or a stretchy knit. The maxy though, needs something worn over it, like a box coat or very long and wide khimar/hijab pulled way over the chest and arms or it lacks the hijab-on -the-top part. A sister named Asma on my JILBAB IS FARD post suggested I take each garment and show how it can be adapted to hijab. I'll start with the salwar.
LOL, I wouldn't even think about it. But I'll admit, I did try with salwar pants. It didn't COMFORTABLY. It all bunched up to one side and I either had to have a bulge at my hip or I had to sit on it. If the jilbab garment isn't loose enough to accomodate clothes you could make salat in (and you don't HAVE TO wear salat-without-jilbab-clothes underneath your jilbab but you'd have to be able to for your jilbab to BE a jilbab) it isn't a jilbab.These didn't work either:Though this one did:when I wear it, I pair it with a cimpletely loose modest top that came past my butt (to the knees is best so the hips catch no clinging). This does too: IF the maxi isn't made of a clingy fabric like jersey or a stretchy knit. The maxy though, needs something worn over it, like a box coat or very long and wide khimar/hijab pulled way over the chest and arms or it lacks the hijab-on -the-top part. A sister named Asma on my JILBAB IS FARD post suggested I take each garment and show how it can be adapted to hijab. I'll start with the salwar.
Comments
Anyway, so here we are today and you wrote a whole post about it!!!
But really I still need to know... because it's hot... but hell is hotter... what is the minimum I can get away with for an undergarment and still be doing the job?
Thanks so much for the post!!!!!
I totally agree with you as proper jilbab being an overgarment, but was surprised that you said you would pray in that first garment? Did I read that right? I've always been told that women are required to cover awrah in salat. Obviously that garment isn't covering awrah if it's showing calves, ankles, and forearms.
I generally try to find the evidence for all acts of worship inshallah, and I realized I had been told that but never knew the evidence. So I did a quick search on the internet to see if I was being delusional (I know the internet isn't always the best place for info) and it seemed that
what I have been told is true, at least according to the sites I looked at.
I'm interested to know if you disagree that all of the awrah, which is what we cover ordinarily in the prescence of non-mahhrem is to be covered in salat and would you mind showing evidence for that claim. I'd appreciate that immensely. Here are a few of the links I looked at. Thanks.
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503544886
http://www.islamqa.com/en/cat/90
http://www.al-islam.org/encyclopedia/chapter7/6.html
http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1154526122788&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout
NeverEver: Get yourself a nice light abaya like in a crepe fabric, wear a tank and a cotton skirt or pants under it, khimar in a nice breathable fabirc (not see through of course) and that is the absolute coolest thing I have found to wear in the summer. It's all about airflow and breathability ;)
God bless your efforts! :-D
Your advice to NeverEver is good. Abayaat are the most breathable. That is the reason I started wearing them. I got too hot at work in my hijabified western clothing.