Awrah and Women's Clothing: Reinterpretation of Islamic Texts in Indonesian Contexts

282 | Nikmatullah Doi: http://doi.org/10.33650/at-turas.v10i2.6785 Nikmatullah AWRAH AND WOMEN'S CLOTHING: REINTERPRETATION OF ISLAMIC TEXTS IN INDONESIAN CONTEXTS UIN Mataram Email: Received: 2023-09-13 Received in revised form: 2023-12-20 Accepted: 2023-12-22 Available online: 2023-12-30 Abstract: The concept of Awrah among Indonesian Muslims undergoes a process of contextualization and adaptation to local culture. This article focuses on the understanding of the ulemas about Awrah based on the interpretation of Al-Quran and Hadith texts which have implications for the practice of women's clothing. By using a qualitative approach, data obtained from online media and interviews. This article shows that the models, forms and trends of women's clothing influenced by multiple interpretations of Islamic texts, which are not only influenced by religious understanding, modernity, local traditions but also the context of the relationship between Islam and the state. There has been a shift in the reasons women cover their private parts from piety and obedience in religion; security, comfort and tranquility; then a lifestyle. External factors that influence women to cover their awrah are due to the family and friends, as well as maintaining local traditions. Interestingly, women who choose not to cover their awrah have the support of religious prominent, with argumentation personally and religiously. There are attempts to reinterpret the spirit of Awrah which does not only focus on women's clothing, but includes issues of ethics, morals, decency and protection of women. Keywords: Awrah; Women's Clothing; Islamic Text; Indonesian Context; Women's Protection. At-Turāṡ: Jurnal Studi Keislaman E-ISSN: 2460-1063, P-ISSN: 2355-567X Volume 10, No. 2, July-December 2023 Awrah and Women’s Clothing | 283 INTRODUCTION Awrah is a part of the body that must be guarded and covered and causes embarrassment if seen by other people. It is understood and practiced differently by the Indonesian Muslim community. The debate about the boundaries of private parts based on the text of the Quran and hadith influences the models and forms of clothing used by women in everyday life. Some ulemas are of the opinion that a woman's entire body is Awrah, so it must be covered from head to toe. However, some other ulemas argue that not all parts of a woman's body, including Awrah, must be covered with clothing. In the Indonesian context, there are various models of women's clothing such as the veil/niqab, hijab/hijab, veil, and open clothing that shows the head, some hands and feet. Muslim women's clothing is not only an identity and expression of religion, but also a life style (W. Akmaliah, 2023) that follows the development of clothing models that are influenced by modern values and local customs. The veil, which was influenced by transnational Islamic movements, which previously only had dark colors and was identified with conservative and radical Islamic movements, has developed into a variety of colors and shapes to suit women's choices and desires. The headscarf is a symbol of religiously devout students, but nowadays it is seen as un-Islamic along with the popularity of the syar'i hijab. In this way, the process of contextualization of verses from the Quran and hadith takes place dynamically which influences the models and forms of Indonesian women's clothing. The study of women's Awrah and clothing is divided into three categories. First, understanding the Awrah of women determines the boundaries of the Awrah and models of women's clothing. Second, the meaning and experience of women in covering their Awrah. Covering the Awrah is considered a symbol of women's piety and religious commitment in the public sphere. Veil or Niqab as a migration identity is a religious identity and symbol. Third, Awrah and clothing of women in the history cross of Muslim in Indonesia. The influence of the relationship between religion and the state also influences the development of covering the Awrah in Indonesia. The existence of regional government regulations regarding the implementation of the headscarf, as happened in Aceh, has raised resistance from women themselves (Ansor, 2014). The use of the veil/niqab, which was once banned in one of the Islamic universities and was influenced by transnational culture during the reformation era, was also associated with terrorism, fundamentalism and conservativeness. This study complements the study of the intimate parts and women's clothing that has been carried out above, critically and comprehensively and reveals the existence of efforts to reread the intimate text in accordance with the socio-cultural context of contemporary Indonesia. This article focuses on Muslim interpretation of the Al-Quran and hadith texts regarding the private parts and their implications for the form of women's clothing in the socio-cultural context of Indonesian Muslim society. To discuss this issue, three questions are asked: a) How do Muslims understand the Awrah based on Islamic texts? b) How is the practice of women's clothing in the Indonesian context? c) How is the At-Turāṡ: Jurnal Studi Keislaman E-ISSN: 2460-1063, P-ISSN: 2355-567X Volume 10, No. 2, July-December 2023 284 | Nikmatullah Doi: http://doi.org/10.33650/at-turas.v10i2.6785 rereading of Awrah texts in the context of contemporary Indonesia? These questions became the guideline in writing this article. This study is based on three arguments. First, the understanding of the texts of the Quran and hadith about Awrah is very diverse. In addition to the methods used, both textual and contextual, the socio-cultural context in which Muslims are located also influences different interpretations of Awrah. Second, this understanding influences the practice of Muslim dress, even though personally it has various and dynamic meanings. There has been a shift in the meaning of Awrah for women from a symbol of religious conservatism to a symbol of fashion style. Third, some scholars carry out rereading and reinterpretation of Awrah texts which do not only discuss clothing as physical protection for the body but rather the substance related to ethics and morality of decency and the spirit of protecting women from various discrimination and injustice. RESEARCH METHOD This article is based on qualitative research. Data sourced from documentation in the form of Islamic books, online media and reinforced by interviews. Online media has become a reference for the views of contemporary Indonesian scholars regarding Awrah and the practice of women’s dressing. The informants consisted of fourteen women who wore veils/niqabs, headscarves, headscarves and did not cover their heads, who were purposively selected with a focus on the reasons for covering their Awrah. The data from informants were analyzed by using content analysis. Online data and interviews were selected, sorted, classified and mapped systematically and analyzed through three (...truncated)