The dress must be loose enough so as not to describe the shape of a woman's body. This is consistent with the intent of the 'ayahs cited above (24: 30-31) and is surely a crucial aspect of hiding zeenah.

Even moderately tight clothes which cover the whole body do describe the shape of such attractive parts of the woman's body as the bustling, the waist, the buttocks, the back and the thighs. If these are not part of the natural beauty or zeenah what else is?

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) once received a thick garment as a gift. He gave it to Osamah b. Zayd, who in turn gave it to his wife. When asked by the Prophet why he did not wear it, Osamah indicated that he gave it to his wife. The Prophet then said to Osamah "ask her to use a "gholalah" under it (the garment) for I fear that it (the garment) may describe the size of her bones."¹¹

The word gholalah in Arabic means a thick fabric worn under the dress to prevent it from describing the shape of the body.

A highly desirable way of concealing the shape of the body is to wear a cloak over the garment. The Prophet (pbuh), however, indicated that if the woman's dress meets the Islamic standards it suffices (without a cloak) even for the validity of prayers.¹²

The dress should be thick enough so as not to show the color of the skin it covers, or the shape of the body which it is supposed to hide.

The purpose of 'ayah (24:31) is to hide the Muslim women's body except ma dhahara minha (the face and hands). It is obvious that this purpose cannot be served if the dress is thin enough so as to reveal the color of the skin or the shape or beauty of the body. This is eloquently explained by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh):

"In later (generations) of my ummah there will be women who will be dressed but naked. On top of their heads (what looks) like camel humps. Curse them for they are truly cursed."

In another version he added that they:

"will not enter into paradise or (even) get a smell of it."¹³

At one occasion Asma' (daughter of Abu-Bakr) was visiting her sister 'A'ishah,wife of the Prophet. When he noted that Asma's dress was not thick enough he turned his face away in anger and said:

"If the woman reaches the age of puberty, no part of her body should be seen, but this, and he pointed to his face and his hands."¹⁴