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The abaya is a garment worn by women in the Islamic world to cover almost the entire body. It is typically black and worn with a niqab in Saudi Arabia. While not required by law in most Arab countries, many women wear it to show their modesty and uphold their religious beliefs. The abaya has become controversial in Western countries, with some banning it due to concerns about concealing weapons.
In the Islamic world, it is often customary for women to wear a garment that covers almost the entire body. In countries on the Arabian Peninsula, this garment is known as an abaya. The abaya is typically black and extends from the head or shoulders to the feet. In Saudi Arabia, where it is a law that women must cover up, the abaya is worn with the niqab, a veil that covers all parts of the head and face except the eyes. The muttawa, or religious police, enforce the law and can punish a woman if she is seen without this covering.
Because the Qur’an states that women should dress modestly and cover up, the abaya has been an integral part of Arab societies throughout history. However, the words of the Qur’an can be interpreted, which may explain why some countries and regions are more strict about wearing the abaya than others. Some countries and regions allow simple designs to be embroidered on the abayat, but they are generally black and very simple. They are made of light materials such as fine cotton, crepe, or even silk, and other colors of abayat can be worn as long as they do not draw unnecessary attention to the woman.
Most Arab countries do not require Abayat by law, but women tend to wear them anyway. Again, this is because the Qur’an states that women should behave modestly; Some women believe that they can show their modesty in other ways and therefore do not wear the abayat, but a high proportion of women wear the abaya to show their modesty outwardly, thus upholding their religious beliefs.
Abayat has become the subject of controversy in recent years. They were banned, along with the burqa, in France, and many other Western countries have also discussed banning the garments. The reasons for this prohibition vary, but the most common defense for banishment of the garment is the argument that the abayat allows the wearer to conceal weapons or other contraband. This notion was reinforced after several suicide attacks around the world that employed the use of the abaya or burqa to disguise weapons. In Western countries like the United States, women who wear the abaya can also become a target of hostility, as they are automatically identified as Muslim, and there has been much tension and misunderstanding regarding the Muslim faith since the attacks of September 11, 2001. .
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