The Qur'an instructs both Muslim men and women to be modest. According to the Encyclopedia of Islam and Muslim World, this modesty concerns to gaze, gait, garments, and genitalia. The consequence is the hijab (that literally means in Arabic “screen" or "curtain”), which not only refers to the physical body covering, but also embodies a metaphysical dimension, where al-hijab refers to "the veil which separates man or the world from God." As clothing, hijab is a veil that covers the head and chest of the Muslim women beyond the age of puberty in the presence of adult males outside of their immediate family. He may have a broader sense, refering to any head, face, or body covering worn by Muslim women as a symbol of modesty, privacy and morality. A traditional Muslim garment is the abaya, a simple, loose over-garment, essentially a robe-like dress, traditionally black, a large square of fabric draped from the shoulders or head, or a long caftan. The abaya covers the whole body except the face, feet, and hands. It can be worn with the niqāb, a face veil covering all but the eyes.
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