16. These verses bring into focus several important points.
First, that the need to cover oneself is not an artificial urge in man; rather
it is an important dictate of human nature. Unlike animals, God did not provide
man with the protective covering that He provided to animals. God rather endowed
man with the natural instincts of modesty and bashfulness. Moreover, the private
parts of the body are not only, related to sex, but also constitute 'sawat'
that is, something the exposure of which is felt to be shameful. Also, God did
not provide man with a natural covering in response to man's modesty and bashfulness,
but has inspired in him see (verse 26)the urge to cover himself. This is in
order that man might use his reason to understand the requirements of his nature,
use the resources made available by God, and provide himself a dress.
Second, man instinctively knows that the moral purpose behind the use of dress
takes precedence over the physical purpose. Hence the idea that man should resort
to dress in order to cover his private parts precedes the mention of dress as
a means of providing protection and adornment to the human body. In this connection
man is altogether different from animals, With regard to the latter, the natural
covering that has been granted serves to protect them from the inclemencies
of weather and also to beautify their bodies. However, that natural covering
is altogether unrelated to the purpose of concealing their sexual organs. The
exposure of those organs is not a matter of shame for them and hence their nature
is altogether devoid of the urge to cover them. However, as men fell prey to
Satanic influences, they developed a false and unhealthy notion about the function
of dress. They were led to believe that the function of dress for human beings
is no different from that for animals, viz., to protect them from the inclemencies
of weather and to make them look attractive. As for concealing the private parts
of the body, the importance of that function has been belittled. For men have
been misled into believing that their private parts are, in fact, like other
organs of their body. As in the case of animals, there is little need for human
beings to conceal their sex organs.
Third, the Qur'an emphasizes that it is not enough for the dress to cover the
private parts and to provide protection and adornment to the human body. Man's
dress ought to be the dress of piety. This means that a man's dress ought to
conceal his private parts. It should also render a man reasonably presentable
- the dress being neither too shabby and cheap nor overly expensive and extravagant
relative to his financial standing. Nor should dress smack of pride or hauteur,
or reflect that pathological mental state in which men prefer characteristically
feminine dresses and vice versa: or that the people belonging to one nation
mimic people of other nations so as to resemble them, thereby becoming a living
emblem of collective humiliation and abasement. The Qur'anic ideal can only
be achieved by those who truly believe in the Prophets and sincerely try to
follow God's Guidance. For as soon as man decides to reject God's Guidance,
Satan assumes his patronage and by one means or another manages to lead him
into error after error.
Fourth, the question of dress constitutes one of the numerous signs of God which
is visible virtually throughout the world. When the facts mentioned above are
carefully considered it will be quite clear as to why dress is an important
sign of God.