What is the point of "covering" in some religions?
By pinkytabor
@pinkytabor (818)
Philippines
October 4, 2008 12:16pm CST
I will not specify a religion here but i just want to know why do women have to cover themselves from head to toe in some religion? I know that their holy book said they should but why do other believers don't do it? I mean, it said that you will not go to heaven if you don't cover yourself, but some women go around, though dressing still quite modestly (reasonably covered: high neckline, ankle length hemline, long sleeves) but head uncovered. Does that mean they will not go to heaven? I have known women who are "heaven-bound" when it comes to dressing but oh what they do in secret is super bad. Why is external appearance so great a basis for holiness?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@Milanovich (700)
• Egypt
4 Oct 08
so what the point of uncovering women?!
i will give you an example and i hope you answer..
if you are married to a woman..do you like her to be viewd by each man?..do you like some men have pleasure at seeing her?..you let her go out and she is uncovered so any one can see her things which must be only seen by her husband?!
ok..logicaly no man in this whole world whatever his religion could stand seeing his wife or daughter or even his mother in this situation..it is hard to him to just think that someone may think of his wife..so why not to cover her to prevent all that?!
do you have an idea?
@pinkytabor (818)
• Philippines
4 Oct 08
Hello milanovich. I am a woman, married to a man who wants me all covered. I dress modestly (as already defined) and even cover my head. If she doesn't wear a scarf, does that mean she is "uncovered?" and will go to hell? Because i definitely don't get the point as to why we have to be all covered. Is it not enough for a wife to be faithful, loyal? Is a man's sense of security and trust on his wife based on how "covered" she is? Or is it based on how she acts? On her character? I tell you, there are a lot of men who can say "thank you God" for creating such beautiful creatures without feeling any lust on them. I am a woman but i know men like those in my family, whose "eyes" are pretty tamed. And they are not threatened with the way other men look at their wives. It does not mean they are cold or they don't care. As long as their wives are modestly dressed (again, as i already defined.) Now my question (again) is this: what about women who cover but do bad things in secret? what about those who don't but truly live a holy life? are not they as equal to a man who looks at a woman with lust? What about you? When you see an attractive woman, do you think it is her sin for being attractive and thus causing you to "sin" too by being attracted to her?
@Milanovich (700)
• Egypt
4 Oct 08
Well pinkytabor..you have some points and i will answer you from the islamic view..
islam hasn't ordered woman to be completely covered!..only very beuatiful women who need to be covered..it is not a sin to be beutiful but it is a sin to make men look at you and make them wish to get you and in some cases a rape will accour..so why?..if you are beautiful why not to protect your self and others from your beauty?..beauty sometimes are changed into a curse when it is used in another way apart from it's original!..is it matter for you to be beautiful infront of the whole world or just your husband whom concerns you?!
and about your second question it is completely simple that any one can answers you..you asked what about covered woman who do bad things?..ok..so is it the fault of good women who are covered and do good things in their secret?..can we judge on all to be bad for just a little number caught to be bad?..is it really justice to describe all covered women as bad?
NO..you know why?..because there are a lot and not a little amount but a huge amount of women who are uncovered and also did bad things in their secret..so why only we give a look to the covered woman?..uncovered woman are evry where some are good and others are bad..can you deny this?
so if it is a general case for all women whatever they are covered or not that there are good and there are bad why we make it only something about covered women?
it is completely unjustice for them!
and yes if she is attractive and showed me her attraction and i am attracted to her then it is her sin..why showing me something only her husband have the right to see it?!..what she think she is doing this way?!
i hope i answered all your questions..
@Milanovich (700)
• Egypt
5 Oct 08
no i didn't say to be attractive is a sin 
just use it in the correct way..and for sure when an attractive women show men her beauty it is not only her sin but also the men who will look at her will considered to do sin too..also her father and brother and husband who let her go out this way will get sin too..so why having too many sins and we can avoid this by just making the attractive woman not show her beauty to forign men?
it was nice to respond to your discussion
just use it in the correct way..and for sure when an attractive women show men her beauty it is not only her sin but also the men who will look at her will considered to do sin too..also her father and brother and husband who let her go out this way will get sin too..so why having too many sins and we can avoid this by just making the attractive woman not show her beauty to forign men?
it was nice to respond to your discussion 
@ramangill (1479)
• India
4 Oct 08
"What is the point of "covering" in some religions?"
those religions do discrimination.
they dont take women as humans,
If acc to one's religion one cant even wear what he/she likes,then i would call it slavery not religion.
thanks.
@ramangill (1479)
• India
5 Oct 08
"I am a woman, married to a man who wants me all covered. "
isnt it slavery??
@pinkytabor (818)
• Philippines
7 Oct 08
I am both willing and happy to do what my husband wants. I have a choice to dress the way i want, but to make him happy is my choice. It is therefore not slavery. Slaves are those who are sold with a price and have no free will nor choice of their own except to follow their master. Sometimes, i'd rather though that i am a slave for someone i love, than be a slave to my own selfish desires that could create trouble among people i love. In a way, women in this religion are better "slaves" than some who are slaves to passions/obsessions they cannot cannot control.
@pinkytabor (818)
• Philippines
5 Oct 08
For the women in those religions, it is not actually discrimination nor slavery because they believe it is sin not to cover yourself. It becomes slavery when they are forced to do so even if they have a choice not to do it. Within their own, they do discriminate when they judge a woman if she doesn't cover her head.
@Harley009 (1416)
• India
6 Oct 08
Pinky,
There exists guidance for different aspects of Life in God's path. So the dress code for man and woman as well. As per Islam the beauty of a woman is only for her husband excluding what is apparently appear there of. Quran says to draw cloaks over the chest of woman and to dress modestly. So covering chest is very important. The tradition of prophet advices woman to cover their body excluding face and fore-arms. There exists differences among Scholars regarding this matter. Many says that woman has to cover their body excluding face & arms; some are saying to cover entire body; few are saying even covering head is not necessary just a modest dress is fine. Most of the Muslims follows the first one, and my family also. My mom, sis and wife used to cover their body excluding face & fore-arm while goes out of home, my mom sometime wear purdah(gown with full sleeve & head scarf), sometime sari. My wife wear long skirt/midi, salwar& Khamis, Pijama, Churidar with full sleeves and head scarfs.
These scholars differences exists because the multiple meanings of similar wordings used in texts and it's change of view in classic times and in modern times and the dressing style of people at the time of prophet and special directions to the wives of prophet Mohammad.
The aim of wearing dress is to conceal our private parts and to hide our beauty from others. As per modern view people think that beauty is to show off for everyone, but Islam says its for the husband/wife. So if you feel you want to be a good believer & follower, you can dress modestly as per Islam as I shown above and refrain from very tight or transparent dresses.
By the way How is your married life going on? are you happy?
All the best.
@Harley009 (1416)
• India
6 Oct 08
To add up, the devout Jews and early Christians cover their head. Jewish belief were before Christianity and completion of Islam were after Christianity, so the Christianity lost that teaching but both end exists such a teaching.. Just to think of it.
