Female Dress Code
and Common Errors in Translation

Analysis of the Quranic Verses

[This is a condensed version of the article submitted for SP. The original article can be accessed at the web site www.masjidtucson.org]

The following is an attempt to shed light on the misconceptions regarding the dress code of women in Islam, many of which find root in the vocabulary used in the verses themselves. The meaning of the words put to use in the Quran has been effectively manipulated in order to contort the true meaning of God’s words and justify the practices of Islamic tradition.

God has given us three basic rules regarding the dress code of women:

(1) the best garment is the garment of righteousness,

(2) whenever we dress, we should cover our chest (bosoms), and

(3) to lengthen our garment.

Though it is within God’s full power to provide mankind with more rules regarding dress code (even to the point of graphs, designs or defining color limitations), He instead lends humanity simple terms for guidance and leaves the rest for us to decide. And ingeniously enough, these three guidelines are perfectly sufficient in giving every woman an awareness of proper decorum while protecting her right to choose her dress freely. Any addition to these basic Quranic rules may be viewed as a blatant

attempt to correct God or improve on His merciful design.

Despite this, translators have deliberately added their own corrupted opinions in the verse that are based on the man-made books of Hadith and Sunna. In all likelihood, elements of their conclusions have also been derived from the traditional dress of Arab women in the days of Muhammad.

As a result, these interpretations of the Quran totally differ from God’s commandments.

Yet, the greatest degree of controversy surrounds a select number of misinterpreted words and terms that we will address, God willing.

Cont’d on page 2