Boreal

Volleyball Attire at the Olympics and the Koran

Which of the two players – the hijab wearing Egyptian player on the left or the German player on the right – is dressed according to Koranic standards? Both, with the German player slightly more so if her visible hair is taken into account. It all has to do with what Allah considers a "woman's finery" and keeping a man guessing.

24:31 And tell the believing women to cast down their eyes and guard their private parts and not show their finery, except the outward part of it. And let them drape their bosoms with their veils and not show their finery, except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, the sons of their husbands, their brothers, the sons of their brothers, the sons of their sisters, their women, their maid-servants, the men-followers who have no sexual desire, or infants who have no knowledge of women’s sexual parts yet. Let them, also, not stamp their feet, so that what they have concealed of their finery might be known. Repent to Allah, all of you, O believers, that perchance you may prosper.

What is a woman's finery?

It is her breasts and pubic area. Not only must they always be covered but the breasts must not be seen to jiggle — the German player's taut top more than meets this demanding celestial fashion statement — and invite speculation; the reason also for His decree that "women not stamp their feet."

When Allah communicated His instructions, the bra had yet to be invented. The women of Muhammad's time and place wore loose-fitting clothing. That usually kept bouncing breasts out of sight and out of mind. God, to be safe, added another layer, the veil.

And let them drape their bosoms with their veils.

What about the hair?

Yes, the German's is not completely covered like her opponent.

Both God and His Spokesman only expected women to cover their pubic hair at all times. The hair on a woman's head was not part of her "finery." It was Muhammad who decreed, after consulting with the god for whom he spoke, that women could cover their head hair and face to conceal their identity when answering the call of nature – for privacy, not piety. There is no compulsion in Islam when it comes to the hijab or the veil, it's a woman's choice.

It is impossible to play volleyball with eyes downcast as demonstrated by both players. Therefore, aren’t believing women who participate in games at the Olympics where they are required to look up or ahead committing a grave sin?

Not necessarily. When Allah insisted that "believing women cast down their eyes" He meant women who encounter men other than their husband, a close male relative or males they have not suckled, so that they won't misinterpret their looking at them in the eye as an invitation to fun and games that have nothing to do with the games of an Olympiad.

Believing female athletes, if they are careful to stare at their feet when encountering a male Olympian or an opposite-sex spectator or being interviewed by a male, I doubt very much Allah will find them guilty of anything except perhaps the minor sin of having fun.

There are no jokes in Islam. There is no humor in Islam. There is no fun in Islam. There can be no fun and joy in whatever is serious.

Ayatollah Khomeini

One final observation: the young Egyptian player is already showing symptoms ordinarily associated with middle age and older women who have kept the sun at bay for most of their lives and that is weight gain due to a lack of vitamin D.

Bernard Payeur, August 10, 2016