Those who harass believing men and believing women undeservedly, bear (on themselves) a calumny and a grievous sin. O Prophet! Enjoin your wives, your daughters, and the wives of true believers that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad) That is most convenient, that they may be distinguished and not be harassed. [...] (Qur'an 33:58–59)
Since arriving less than a week ago, I've seen all kinds of traditional Muslim attire. From my research, I've learned that the dress is largely regional, with colors and scarving chosen according to traditions in the country. However, you really do see it all here.
The Muslim women I've seen usually wear this or something similar. The robe is called an abaya and is floor-length, black, and flowing. The head scarf or veil has many names, but I mostly see it called a shela or niqab. Here, most women that wear shelas have a slit for their eyes like the one pictured above. 
I have seen a few women with veils over their entire face like this. It's odd to see someone walking around like this, but they tend to avoid eye contact in this culture anyway.
Men's attire is pretty simple. The ankle-length cloak is called a kandura or a dish dash, as the expats like to call it. They typically wear white in the summer to reflect the sun and grays or browns in the cooler months. The men's head scarves are called guthras and are usually white or red & white checkered in the UAE. They can be worn loosely or tied in a turban. The black rope that secures the guthra is called an egal or igal. Historically they actually used these to tie down their camels.
The gold-painted, stiff mask called a batula or briqa is mainly worn by the older UAE nationals, as it has gone out of style with the younger population. It's usually worn in place of the face veil and was reserved for married women only. I have seen a few of these, and was surprised that some are thin enough to only cover her nose, with her mouth exposed.
Lots of women wear headscarves like this that only cover their neck, hair, and ears. There are lots of definitions for this word, but I think this is called a hijab. Hijab is also used as an umbrella term for the Muslim woman's modest dress. I have seen these scarves with and without abayas. Sometimes I've seen a women in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt with a scarf. If you look at the sleeve and skirt of this abaya, you'll see intricate beading and embroidery which is very common.
Lots of women wear black gloves with their abayas, and you see lots of henna here. I also see women with bare hands.
Fortunately, I don't have to wear any of this. Dubai is full of expats and western clothing, so I can wear a sleeveless shirt or long shorts. In Abu Dhabi, expat women dress more conservatively - no shoulders or knees showing. I was so curious about the different kinds of traditional dress here, so I started researching and decided to just share it with all of you. However, this is just a few hours of internet research, so I can only hope that I'm telling you correctly!
Since arriving less than a week ago, I've seen all kinds of traditional Muslim attire. From my research, I've learned that the dress is largely regional, with colors and scarving chosen according to traditions in the country. However, you really do see it all here.
The Muslim women I've seen usually wear this or something similar. The robe is called an abaya and is floor-length, black, and flowing. The head scarf or veil has many names, but I mostly see it called a shela or niqab. Here, most women that wear shelas have a slit for their eyes like the one pictured above. I have seen a few women with veils over their entire face like this. It's odd to see someone walking around like this, but they tend to avoid eye contact in this culture anyway.Men's attire is pretty simple. The ankle-length cloak is called a kandura or a dish dash, as the expats like to call it. They typically wear white in the summer to reflect the sun and grays or browns in the cooler months. The men's head scarves are called guthras and are usually white or red & white checkered in the UAE. They can be worn loosely or tied in a turban. The black rope that secures the guthra is called an egal or igal. Historically they actually used these to tie down their camels. The gold-painted, stiff mask called a batula or briqa is mainly worn by the older UAE nationals, as it has gone out of style with the younger population. It's usually worn in place of the face veil and was reserved for married women only. I have seen a few of these, and was surprised that some are thin enough to only cover her nose, with her mouth exposed.
Lots of women wear headscarves like this that only cover their neck, hair, and ears. There are lots of definitions for this word, but I think this is called a hijab. Hijab is also used as an umbrella term for the Muslim woman's modest dress. I have seen these scarves with and without abayas. Sometimes I've seen a women in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt with a scarf. If you look at the sleeve and skirt of this abaya, you'll see intricate beading and embroidery which is very common.Lots of women wear black gloves with their abayas, and you see lots of henna here. I also see women with bare hands.A new & controversial trend in the Muslim world is this "camel hump" hijab. I laughed a little when I was researching this because all I could think about was a giant BumpIt under the scarf. I've seen lots of younger women wearing this style. The controversy stems from the traditional purpose of the hijab, which is to de-emphasize the woman's hair. Some call this style haram, or forbidden according to the Koran.
Fortunately, I don't have to wear any of this. Dubai is full of expats and western clothing, so I can wear a sleeveless shirt or long shorts. In Abu Dhabi, expat women dress more conservatively - no shoulders or knees showing. I was so curious about the different kinds of traditional dress here, so I started researching and decided to just share it with all of you. However, this is just a few hours of internet research, so I can only hope that I'm telling you correctly!
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