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develop their dignity and chastity, safe from be<strong>in</strong>g the sub-<br />

ject of idle gossip or vicious rumors and suspicious thoughts,<br />

The advice is imparted <strong>in</strong> these Qur'anic verses:<br />

"Say to the believ<strong>in</strong>g men that they should<br />

lower their gaze and guard their modesty;<br />

that will rnake for greater purity for them.<br />

And God is Well-Acqua<strong>in</strong>ted with all that<br />

they do. And say to the believ<strong>in</strong>g women<br />

that they should lower their gaze and guard<br />

their modesty; that they should not display<br />

their beauty and ornaments except what<br />

(must ord<strong>in</strong>arily) appear thereof; that they<br />

should draw their veils over their bosoms<br />

and not display their beauty except before<br />

their husbands, their fathers ... (and certa<strong>in</strong><br />

other members of the household); and that<br />

they should not strike their feet <strong>in</strong> order to<br />

draw attention to their hidden ornaments."<br />

(24:30-31)<br />

<strong>Islam</strong> is very sensitive to the manners of cloth<strong>in</strong>g and or-<br />

naments. It makes it crystal clear that both man and woman<br />

should be conf<strong>in</strong>ed to their respective natures to safeguard<br />

their natural <strong>in</strong>st<strong>in</strong>cts and endow them with modesty and<br />

high morality. Prophet Muhammad is reported as hav<strong>in</strong>g<br />

said that:<br />

"God condemns those men who behave or<br />

act <strong>in</strong> a woman-like fashion, and those<br />

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