Honest question about Muslim head covering

[momofkhm]

I don't want a debate about if women should or should not wear them. I just have a question about them.

 

Do they have to be black? I've seen a lady twice while running with a head covering. She is walking with what I assume is her husband. They are both dressed "normally" but she has a black head covering on. I got to wondering if it has to be black. Dark colors attract heat. It seems that in the sun you would be very hot in a dark head covering. Can the covering be a light color?

 

To reiterate: No debate about the why or why not of wearing them. Just do they have to be black?

 

Thanks!

[Lady Q]

Nope. Some of are white. I'm trying to remember if I've seen any other colors, but I've never heard that they need to be black or white.

[LadyAberlin]

I've seen muslims around here wearing different colors, but it may be dependent on the teachings they follow. Kind of like how different denominations in christianity have certain head coverings that they wear.

[bettyandbob]

I've seen them all colors. It may depend on the type of Islam practiced, but I really don't know about that.

 

I have an adult woman I teach swimming to. She wears a white covering on her head in the pool, but when I saw her leave the locker room she had on a blue one. She has on a lot of clothing in the pool. Her head covering for swimming seems to be shaped like a tube. She tucks one end into her rashguard and then pulls the other over her neck and head loosely, just revealing her face. Everything else she wears in the pool is black, but that's because she wanted to make sure nothing would be transparent when wet--she actually told me this today.

[Wendi]

I'm reading a book about Saudi Arabia, and the author mentions that all the women in Riyadh wear black veils. But when she goes to Mecca for Hajj, she sees Muslims from all over the world, and they are wearing a variety of coverings. So there seem to be cultural traditions and preferences, as well as religious teachings involved.

 

By the way, the book is called "In the Land of Invisible Women" by Qanta A. Ahmed. I just love reading about people's lives who are different from me! This book is by a Muslim doctor, raised in the West, who takes a job in Saudi Arabia. While there, she is surprised by a lot of the cultural differences. In the part I'm reading, she's gone to Mecca for Hajj, and is experiencing a spiritual epiphany (having been not very religious before, although raised Muslim). It's fascinating to read about Hajj, and Saudi Arabia. I always enjoy having a glimpse into someone else's life, so I can learn more.

 

Wendi

[Danestress]

But she just wraps them over her head/hair. She doesn't cover her face.

[TeacherZee]

A friend of mine in college wore all different colours. She had a really pretty pink one I remember. I also met her and her mum once and her mum hand a mauve one one that matched her outfit. They were quite observant.

[kah]

There's a young woman who works at our Target who wears a red one (matching the uniform shirts) when she is at work. I don't know anything about her beliefs, I just see her there occasionally.

[momofkhm]

I knew I'd get a quick answer from you all!