Realizing the purpose behind clothing would open several...
Realizing the purpose behind clothing would open several doors of understanding and enable us to do our duty while requesting the All-merciful Lord to clothe all the naked. Following are verses of Qur’ān and supplications worthy of contemplation: [Chapter al-Ā‘rāf -7:26]: يَا بَنِي آدَمَ قَدْ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًا يُوَارِي سَوْآتِكُمْ وَرِيشًا وَلِبَاسُ التَّقْوَى ذٌلِكَ خَيْرٌ...
“O children of Adam, surely we have sent down for you clothing that covers your shame and an attire that causes beauty; and the attire of piety; that is better…” Imām Mūsā bin Ja’far al-Kāzim (as) is reported[^1] to have said that whenever a person would like to put on a new dress he should wipe his hand over it and say: أَلْحَمْدُ لِلٌّهِ الَّذِي كَسَانِي مَا أُوَارِي بِهِ عَوْرَتِي وَأَتَجَمَّلُ بِهِ فِي النَّاسِ.
“Praise belongs to Allāh who clothed me with what I cover my shame and beautify myself among the people.” Studying the abovementioned quotations we come to realize that two important reasons behind clothing are: To conceal one’s private parts To beautify oneself The Inner Attire Having spoken about this great blessing, Almighty Allāh transports the reader to a very important truth, which if neglected would cause extreme regret.
He reminds the human being that he is not just composed of the material body to need ‘the material attire’ only. Rather ‘the inner attire’ is of fundamental significance. In the words of Qur’ān: dhālika khayr (that is the better!) ‘Allāmah Tabātabā’ī in his al-Mizān has a beautiful explanation about this.
In order to indicate the gravity of the situation of ‘the pain’ that the human being experiences when his shameful deeds are displayed, he says: ...إِلاَّ أَنَّ ظُهُورَ السَوْءَاتِ البَاطِنِيَّةِ أَشدُّ... “…except that the pain experienced with the appearance of the inner blemishes is more intense…” Other verses of the Holy Qur’ān clearly explain the calamity of this situation.
✦ ✦ ✦