Paranja is the religious clothing of Muslim women

"White Sun of the Desert" - almost the only source of our ideas about the way of life, rules of conduct and norms, which are followed by Islamic women. And like any artistic description, this film has created in our minds a lot of prejudices, mistakes and prejudices, with which we are willingly operating to this day. Most believe that the veil is such a kind of veil, designed to hide the woman's face, while an outsider is not at all forbidden to look, for example, at her navel and waist. But this is not so!

The paranja is not a "curtain" on the face

There is a special device, autonomous from the rest of the clothes. It is called "niqab," and in reality, the truth can be compared with the veil thrown over the face. And the veil is a full dress. And it must meet certain requirements. In particular, clothing should not fit a figure; He must have long sleeves, hiding his hands on the very brushes. It is necessary that the head is covered with a cloth. The length of the hem should hide even the feet. However, it was not religious attitudes that became the reason for choosing such an outfit for women. Even in Ancient Egypt, he was very popular, because he protected the body and head from the hot sun - let's not forget about the prevailing climate in these parts. So the veil is, first of all (at least in its original purpose), fencing from burns and heat strokes.

Ideology and burqa

As we have already found out, this type of women's clothing originally belonged not to Arabs, but not to Muslims. So it's not necessary for Muslims to walk in burqas, no matter what "savages" -Europeans thought about this. The Qur'an does not regulate the style of clothes, it only requires that the body be completely covered with cloth, and the head - covered with a handkerchief. Even the woman's face, like the brushes of her hands, could remain open. The further development of Islam, its division into Shiites and Sunnis, demanded complete concealment not only of the body, but also of the face of the orthodox Muslim woman, and then in one of the currents. However, the texts of the Qur'an do not require that the woman wear a veil. It can be a free, not depicting figure, not short and not transparent clothes - more is not required.

The social meaning of the burqa

Any clothes, even democratic jeans, can loud enough to declare the status of its owner. In some ethnic groups in the past, according to the apparel, it was possible to trace the whole genealogy, the level of family solvency, the number of children, the respectability of ancestors, and even further prospects. In some way, such a sign can be a veil. That this is not just passing clothes, you can guess at least by the fact that in many families this type of clothing is kept only for solemn occasions. Accordingly, according to the fabric, its color, ornaments, it was quite possible to assess to which gender the woman belongs, how rich he is and with whom he is connected. And many embroideries on the burqa had a magical character and were amulets. Now in most Muslim countries, such a deep sense of the veil is already lost, but people who know can still identify important things about the clothes of Muslim women.

When an Eastern woman can reveal an outsider's face

First of all, the burqa is not worn by little girls - usually before the first menstrual period. It is not necessary for very elderly women. Do not wear it and mendicants. However, Muslim women of high social status can sometimes "open up". First of all, during the matchmaking, before the future husband. Ironically for us, a woman can open her face to the seller, but with the proviso that it "does not lead to temptation." What for it is necessary to "strip the face", it is not specified: maybe when buying ornaments or cosmetics? And the last case is a medical examination. However, the doctor is obliged to be a Muslim, and even better - a woman of "right" faith, and when viewed, there is certainly a husband or a close relative.

So what is a veil? For Europeans it is a symbol of infringement and lack of rights of eastern women. However, the look at the traditional outfit of the Muslim women is quite the opposite. In many Western countries, orthodox women require permission to wear a veil and hide a person from strangers. So, perhaps, it's worth leaving the issue of their clothes to the Muslims' discretion - at least until it contradicts the laws of their country of residence.