The Cultural Shift: The Abaya and Change in Saudi Women

The Internet has brought provocative ideas to countries where freedom of expression is not a cornerstone of society. Social media has furthered this by letting people communicate with others in less restrictive cultures and discover that they are not alone in their beliefs or desires.

Saudi Arabia is one of two Muslim countries that specifically imposes a dress code on women (Iran is the other). Every woman in the Kingdom is required to wear an abaya when out in public. The abaya is a long, black, shapeless garment that covers women from their throats to their feet. It is worn over the women's clothing. Muslim women also must wear a headscarf, although in some cities, foreign women are not required to do so. The headscarf covers the head and hair. Some very religious women may wear the niqab, a piece of cloth that covers the face, but leaves the eyes free to see.

What Brought This About?

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was founded in 1932. The founder, Abdul Azziz Al Saud (also referred to as Ibn Saud) was a follower of the austere Wahhabi sect of Islam who based the country's laws on a strict interpretation of Islamic Law (Sharia Law).

The requirement for women to wear the abaya is reputed to be based upon Verse 33:59 of the Qu'ran (Koran) -- "Oh Prophet! Tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognized and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful."

This has led to the edict (fatwa) among the country's religious rulings stating that abayas may not have "decoration that draws attention"; ornaments, drawings, inscriptions or labels; or "resemble the clothing of infidels or men". Thus leading to the long, shapeless garment foreigners call to mind when they hear the word abaya.

Why Black?

Despite an exhaustive search, I've not been able to find a reference to the requirement for abayas to be black. In fact, until about 100 years ago, abayas were commonly colorful, as was much of the Bedouin clothing. What is clear is that the purpose of the abaya is to cover women in public in such a manner that they do not draw attention to themselves. As with many strictures, this is followed most closely in conservative cities such as Riyadh and less so in cities such as Jeddah.

A Decade of Colorful Changes

By 2007 some Jeddah women were making their own abayas in white, brown and dark green. By 2011, expensive Saudi designers were making custom abayas in a wide range of fabrics and colors. By 2015, colorful abayas were de rigueur among trendy Jeddah women who donned abayas with patches of fluorescent color, floral patterns, animal prints, embroidery and even zodiac signs.

There has been a slow, but steady movement to redefine the look and feel of the abaya. This is a spotlight into the other changes in personal freedoms that are slowly emerging in the kingdom where women now out-number men at university, have entered the workforce (Vision 2030 hopes their participation will reach 30% over the next 14 years) and have more control over some aspects of their lives.

From a western standard, the ability to wear a colorful or fashionable abaya might not seem like progress, but it is important to look at any change through a cultural lens. In a country where there is no choice but to wear the abaya, changing its look is a major cultural adaptation for those woman brave enough and in families sufficiently tolerant to allow it.

In April 2016, the government curtailed the power of religious police by requiring them to be accompanied by the regular police when arresting women. This has ended some, but not all, of the harassment of women who chose to dress in a colorful abaya. The official religious authority maintains that women are required to cover their face and their hands, despite the fact that many religious scholars say that injunction cannot be found in Mohammed's writings.

It is to be expected that there are nay-sayers when women make changes to their dress code. Dammam University has banned any but black abayas for students. There was a backlash and negative press against the four Saudi women who participated in the summer Olympics without covering their faces, even though face-covering is not required in the country.

The spark for these fashion changes were lit during the rule of King Abdullah. He appointed women to the Shura Council, allowed the first coeducational university within the country, and changed the law so only women could work in the lingerie and make-up areas of stores. Until that time, women had to buy intimate items from male clerks, take them home to try them on, and then return them to the male clerk if they were not a good fit.

Change is comprised of continued small steps. Considering what Saudi women have achieved in the last decade, I look forward to what they accomplish in the next.

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