- published: 10 Aug 2015
- views: 101907
The abaya "cloak" (Arabic: عباية ʿabāyah or عباءة ʿabā'ah, plural عبائات /عبايات ʿabāyāt), sometimes also called an aba, is a simple, loose over-garment, essentially a robe-like dress, worn by some women in parts of the Islamic world including in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Traditional abayat are black and may be either a large square of fabric draped from the shoulders or head or a long caftan. The abaya covers the whole body except the face, feet, and hands. It can be worn with the niqāb, a face veil covering all but the eyes. Some women choose to wear long black gloves, so their hands are covered as well.
The Indonesian and Malaysian women's traditional dress kebaya gets its name from the abaya.
The rationale behind the abaya is dealt with at greater length in the article Niqab.
Often the Quranic quote, "O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters, and the believing women, to cover themselves with a loose garment. They will thus be recognised and no harm will come to them" 33:59 (Translated by Ahmed Ali) is given as the argument for wearing the abaya.
The poster on the wall of a dear friend
I wish there was a way that I could show you how your songs set me free
The hero of them all
You're a legend
I guess I'll never get a chance to know you
Still you're close as can be
Make the bandstand to a dreamland, Rubber Ball Man
Clapping your hands, let your feet dance, Rubber Ball Man
When you're jumping up and down, nobody's standing still
Some of us dreaming, some of us screaming