Burka/Abaya take a colourful twist
BY RUWAN LAKNATH JAYAKODY- July 14, 2014
The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka (MCSL) announced that with the blessings of the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama they were changing the colour of the Burka /Abaya from black to simple pleasing pastel shades.
Vice President of the MCSL, Hilmy Ahmed, said the move to distribute the multi-hued Abaya among the urban poor had no political motive behind it, nor was it meant to introduce the Abaya to non-wearers and should also not been seen as a knee-jerk reaction to the recent events in Aluthgama or affronts to it by the Bodu Bala Sena.
Although Islam does not prescribe the colour black, the black Abaya traditionally worn by Arabian women particularly in Saudi Arabia was introduced to Sri Lanka after people visited Mecca during Haj or having picked it up after being employed in the Middle East, Ahmed opined.
"The dark garb has been heavily criticized by various quarters the world over and is even related to Wahhabism, but we too feel it is unnecessary, as the visibility of those who don it is very high on the streets and when interacting with people and when using public transport persons could be intimidated or targeted," he said, noting "This is a pilot project where we are providing the Abaya made from fairly good quality fabric at a minimal cost of Rs 750 to Rs 1000 or free of charge and we are targeting those who already wear it in urban centres with mixed populations. The model we have used as the ideal is the Bohra community who have been wearing such coloured attires virtually since the beginning."
An Abaya depending on the fabric, designer style, label and where it is coming from is priced from Rs 2,500 upwards to even Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000.
Ahmed observed that it has now become very fashionable to import the Abaya from Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and even the United Kingdom.
He emphasized that although there will be people within Muslim communities in Sri Lanka who oppose even the changing of colour, Muslims in the country were by and large now looking inward within themselves to see how they as a people belonging to Sri Lanka belonged to country and nation.
BY RUWAN LAKNATH JAYAKODY- July 14, 2014
The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka (MCSL) announced that with the blessings of the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama they were changing the colour of the Burka /Abaya from black to simple pleasing pastel shades.
Vice President of the MCSL, Hilmy Ahmed, said the move to distribute the multi-hued Abaya among the urban poor had no political motive behind it, nor was it meant to introduce the Abaya to non-wearers and should also not been seen as a knee-jerk reaction to the recent events in Aluthgama or affronts to it by the Bodu Bala Sena.
Although Islam does not prescribe the colour black, the black Abaya traditionally worn by Arabian women particularly in Saudi Arabia was introduced to Sri Lanka after people visited Mecca during Haj or having picked it up after being employed in the Middle East, Ahmed opined.
"The dark garb has been heavily criticized by various quarters the world over and is even related to Wahhabism, but we too feel it is unnecessary, as the visibility of those who don it is very high on the streets and when interacting with people and when using public transport persons could be intimidated or targeted," he said, noting "This is a pilot project where we are providing the Abaya made from fairly good quality fabric at a minimal cost of Rs 750 to Rs 1000 or free of charge and we are targeting those who already wear it in urban centres with mixed populations. The model we have used as the ideal is the Bohra community who have been wearing such coloured attires virtually since the beginning."
An Abaya depending on the fabric, designer style, label and where it is coming from is priced from Rs 2,500 upwards to even Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000.
Ahmed observed that it has now become very fashionable to import the Abaya from Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and even the United Kingdom.
He emphasized that although there will be people within Muslim communities in Sri Lanka who oppose even the changing of colour, Muslims in the country were by and large now looking inward within themselves to see how they as a people belonging to Sri Lanka belonged to country and nation.
