Roshni Patnayakuni
Women's Clothing:
Islam vs. The Byzantine Empire
In Islam, modesty was an important trait, especially in women; In the bible it says that it should be for Christian women as well though for different reasons. In the Qu'ran it demanded modesty to avoid being risque, while in the bible it spoke of humility and self-control to let your inner beauty shine through. Though still, despite the similarity in rules, the clothing was actually quite different; the dress code of the Muslim people was much stricter than that of the Byzantine Empire. This shows that religion was taken much more seriously in Islam than in the Byzantine Empire.
Paraphrasing:
“O you Children of Adam! We have
bestowed on you raiment to cover your shame as well as to be an adornment to
you. But the raiment of righteousness, that is the best. Such are among the
Signs of Allah, that they may receive admonition.” (Quran 7:26)
“And say to the believing women that
they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not
display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear therof;
that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their
beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their
sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, or their brothers’ sons or their
sisters’ sons, or their women or the servants whom their right hands possess,
or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of
the shame of sex, and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw
attention to their hidden ornaments…” (Quran 24:31).
These chapters in the Qu’ran
basically states that they have clothing therefore it should be used to
exercise modesty. Though it can be a decoration a worshipper’s religion is be
the best embellishment. It also says
that women should “guard their modesty” by not showing their bodies or any additional
adornment besides the necessary basics. They should wear scarves that cover
their heads and drape all the way down to the neckline on their clothes to hide
the neck and collar area as well. There are only select people who they don’t
have to where this outfit in front of: their parents, their siblings, their
children, their sibling’s children, their in-laws, small (innocent) children and
certain servants. As well, they must not stomp to bring awareness to the jewelry
they wear under their clothes
likewise also that
women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and
self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with
good works. (Timothy 2:9-10)
Your beauty should not come from outward
adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine
clothes. Rather,
it should be that of your inner self, the
unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s
sight. (Peter 3:3-4)
…. and be clothed with humility: for god resisteth the proud,
and giveth grace to the humble.
In the bible it says that women should dress “with modesty
and self-control” meaning they shouldn’t wear revealing clothes or clothes or
jewelry with excessive embellishment; Christian women should do this so that
their inner beauty (AKA their sparkling personalities) will shine through. It says that god blesses the humble, not the vain.
Outline:
- Introduction( see opening paragraph)
- Despite the regulations about modesty in the religious texts of both Iran and The Byzantine Empire, the dress code of the Muslim people was much stricter than that of The Byzantine Empire. This shows that religion was taken much more seriously in Islam than The Byzantine Empire.
- 1st Paragraph: Religious Clothing in Islam vs. Real Clothing in Islam
- very similar
- wear their veils properly and conservatively
- wear dull colors: modest colors
- hide ornamentation under clothing
- 2nd Paragraph: Religious Clothing in Byzantine vs. Real Clothing in Byzantine
- rule bending/ possible breaking
- bright colors
- some adornment
- wore headscarves but much looser and less constricting
- interest in fashion
- Conclusion
- what is actually done in Islam was very close to what was demanded in the Qu'ran, while in the Byzantine empire, the clothes that were worn were very different from the rulings of the bible.
- therefore the rulings of religion are taken much more serious in Islam than in the Byzantine Empire.
Works Cited:
Robinson, Scott. "Romanesque/Byzantine."Romanesque/Byzantine. Central Washington University, 1 May 2002. Web. 18 Dec 2013<http://www.cwu.edu/~robinsos/ppages/resources/Costume_History/romanesque.htm>.
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