Dressing modestly is mentioned in many religious books.
The Bible speaks of dressing modestly (1 Timothy 2:9), and so does the Quran (Surah Noor Ayat 30 and 31).
But in every faith, the definition and interpretation of modesty vary from person to person.
Denise Allan, 35, and Maryam Mujahid, 28, are both Sunni Muslim women. Both are American born. Both are college educated and both are married with children.
When you see these women out and about around Wilson, although both are devout Muslims, they dress differently because they have different definitions about what modest is.
Mujahid was born to parents who are practicing Muslims, and so has been Muslim all of her life. Allan converted as a teen.
Except for when in the privacy of her home, Mujahid wears a covering called a hijab. Allan covers or wears hijab for mosque and prayer, only.
A hijab is a scarf that covers the hair, ears, neck and chest. Mujahid said the Quran instructs women to be modest and not draw attention to themselves.
"Men are required to dress modestly, too," Mujahid said. "The Quran is not just addressing women. But most men normally dress modest, anyway, so it is harder to point out Muslim men in society, unlike women."
Some Muslim women wear even more covering, called a niqaab. Only the eyes are seen when a women wears a niqaab.
Both Allan and Mujahid say that they don't believe the Quran requires women to wear niqaab.
"I have asked Muslim women who wear niqaab why they do, and they give a variety of reasons, Mujahid said. "Some believe the Quran does require it. Some want to take on the extra struggle, while others believe it takes away all vanity and say they even feel more protected in niqaab."
Allan said women are required to take off the niqaab when they go to Mecca, and for her that is proof enough that niqaab is not required.
Allan does not feel in conflict with the Quran by not wearing a hijab in her daily travels outside of her home. Her husband, who is Arab, does not and has not ever asked that she wear the covering. She made the decision not to wear hijab years ago and thinks she is already modest in her jeans and a blouse that comes down over her hips.
"When I was younger I made the decision to cover to see how it felt," Allan said. "So I went out into the world covered for a few days. But I didn't feel like myself. Especially among the members of my own faith. I felt the men felt that they were superior. I don't know that they felt that. But I immediately felt below everyone else. It may have been the wrong way to feel, but I did."
As a result, Allan wears the hijab when she does the required five prayers a day and when she goes to the mosque.
She and her husband have three daughters, and Allan said it will be their decision whether to wear hijab.
Mujahid, on the other hand, could not wait to wear hijab when she was growing up. She said that nobody ever asked her to wear hijab. It is not a concern for her children because she has sons.
"I believe Allah does require me to wear covering," she said. "I cover, and I enjoy it. When I was growing up and would go to the mosque and see the women covered, wearing those beautiful colors, I looked forward to wearing it."
Mujahid said that she does not judge Muslim women who don't wear the covering because there was a time when she didn't wear it also.
She has only been wearing the hijab for four years now. Before that, she just wore a covering for her hair.
Allan and Mujahid said that they don't mind people asking questions about being Muslim. They said they wish more people would ask questions so that there would be a positive dialogue and fewer misunderstandings.
"I wish people knew that we are not terrorists," said Allan.
Mujahid said that she wished people knew that Muslim woman are not unhappy, trapped people.
"The question I am asked the most is am I hot in the summer," Mujahid said with a laugh. "I always tell people that I don't use heavy fabric when the weather is hot. I don't think that I am any hotter than anyone else."
janet@wilsontimes.com | 265-7847