This post will be an offshoot of my much earlier post which can be found HERE about the Chador (چادر) in Iran. The Chador continues to be misunderstood by many people outside of Iran. Ive found that many Iranians and Persians abroad imagine the Chador to be a new post-revolutionary fad, meanwhile its been worn in the country in some form thousands of years-see this interesting article from Encylopedia Iranica HERE on the history of the Chador in Iran.
In this post I wanted to concentrate on the types of Chadors worn for prayers or around the house. These Chadors are often noted for being made of a colorful and often printed poly/cotton blend or polyester material (چادر رنگی)
As previously mentioned in my first Chador post, many women, particularly women who come from culturally conservative, rural or religious families grow up around and with the Chador, both at home and outside. Its not uncommon for little girls from those families to have a “play” chador or to want to mimic their mom when outside the home with their own little chador.
The House Chador Around the house the printed lightweight Chador comes in handy in a number of ways. They are easy to throw over your clothing when when guests come over, you can find clothing that is wet or dirty from cooking/washing/cleaning and of course some women just *prefer* to have their house chador perpetually wrapped around themselves like a security blanket, regardless of who is around they just feel more comfortable with it up over their shoulders and knotted at the waist. The size of a Home Chador tends to be a bit smaller than the ones used for prayer or outside so as to lessen the possibility of tripping when cleaning. The fabric usually has some sort of a print and is a very airy thin cotton blend or polyester. The materials these Chadors are made form tend to be made of a cheaper fabric because they wear out quickly from habitual use and most women have several that they keep in rotation around the house.
Prayer Chador: Yes, it’s perfectly acceptable to pray in your house chador or even in your outside chador and many women do it, but in general the preference is to have a specific Chador set aside solely for wearing during Salaat (Namaaz) wether at home or in a Mosque (Masjid).
The rational being that you can be assured the Chador you pray in is clean (pak) and second, it always feel so nice slipping into a clean, fresh prayer garment.
So now your asking well what about arm/leg coverage, etc. Its entirely possible to hold the Chador in such a way as to completely cover yourself during Prayers. With enough practice it indeed becomes second nature and you can indeed pray in say a tank top and shorts in your own home without worry that you’ll expose yourself.
But… Given that many Iranian women who wear Chadors to pray in do not regularly wear a Chador, or started to wear Chadors as adults OR simply just want greater freedom of movement in their prayers you can now buy a variety of ready made Prayer garments and outfits in Iran, much like elsewhere in the Muslim world.
Note that Iranian women in Southern Iran and the areas bordering Iraq, the Gulf and Pakistan tend to prefer to pray in something more akin to what their neighboors would pray in, such as a large rectangular scarf or a shershaf
Ok, let me know what you thought of this post! You all know I love feedback, enshaAllah. -Bailey UmmIbrahim
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Asalaamu alaikum,
So, how do you keep it on while praying? My neighbor brought me one and I love it even though I haven’t quite figured out how pray with out it flying open, so I use a a pin. Is there a trick to holding it when you raise your hands in prayer?
Also, the house chador you described worn as—tucked back over their shoulders and knotted at the waist. Can you find any pictures of this.
I love the chador, it is sooo beautiful. The only problem is I am not used to holding and fixing any hijabs/chadors/duppattas…. Usually I just wear a boring tringle scarf pinned once under the chin. The chador is a lovely version of the khimar, or vise versa. It also looks more….like what the original musimahs must have worn, in my mind.
Shukran for all these lovely articles,
Aischa
well, there are certain methods, you can of course pin at the chin but most women don’t do that, you can either just drape it full over yourself and then pray with it flowing around you or ruck it up under 1 arm or under both arms, there are many diff ways.
I was going to put up more info and pictures and if you want I can take pictures of myself using one for salaat so you see. They are difficult to wear if your not used to them and you really have to wear one a lot to get accustomed to them. The silky crepe outdoor chadors are a whole ‘nother ball of wax as they r very slippery unlike the house and prayer chadors with use fabrics that arent as silky.
Check back soon in a few days when I can complete the post. Right now i’m preparing for a job interview!
Jazah allah khair!
Mine is not outdoor : (
It’s a lovely white purple flowered one. I am not used to wearing floral 😉
But I still love it because you feel so ?nestled? or snug? in it. Can’t describe the cozy feeling of praying in a chador. Any advice is welcome.
As salaam alaikum,
Sister,I love the slip-over prayer Chador Egyptian style (throbe like) that the girl had on.Also,the slip-over prayer Chador that the one sister had on in the middle of the picture. Where and how can I get one.Or see more pictures of the throbe like style Chador.
As salaam alaikum,
I wrote recently,but haven’t gotten a respond.
I would like to know where I can get a 1 peice slip over Chador.I like the way they look…
wa salaam, well sister unfortunately I’m very busy finishing up my masters degree and getting ready to move to KSA, en’shallah so I am not always able to respond right away.
But, about the pull-over chador for namaaz…I dont know, I havent ever seen them inrl being sold in stores, Most of the women I know wh have them just make them, themselves.
Mia’s Desert Boutique store (online) based in Kuwait has a similar prayer garment but she calls it a long prayer thobe with sleeves, it has a chin cover and tie backs.
If your adventurous try to make one… sorry I’m not more help w/ this.
As salaam alaikum,
I pray you success on your masters and moving…Insha-Allah the sisters who make their Chador maybe they could e-mail me on how they did the Chador the one the girl has on….Who made the one in the picture?
Didn’t mean to sound like I was rushing.
I’m sorry I cant help u with this at all. None of the women whom I know who make them are in the US and none of them have internet access. The picture came from a random Iranian website while I was doing a Farsi search.
Sorry.
As salaam alaikum,
Thank you for trying…I’ll figure it out,or make something close to it.
Fatimah
As salaamu alaikum
I just took my shahada 5 days ago. I been studying about Islam for 3 years before I had converted. And I’m still learning. I catch on real easy. So if there’s anymore I need to know I would just ask my sistahs and brothas.
Wa alaikum salaam
I love love love these and would like to have one. Are they for sale somewhere, or can someone describe how to make them? I thought maybe some sheets could be used.
No sorry, you just have to have a template to make one off of or know someone who can make you one. Idid email u though and the picture pretty much shows how they r constructed.
As salaam alaikum Sisters,
Alhamdullalah to sister Kyleemah Sowell,if you live in the USA,InshaAllah I would love to send you a gift.If you can send me an e-mail.May Allah continue to bless you and us all…
Oh Sister,did you get that job?
again, thank u…very good pictures…and useful informations…i was going to write about all stuff of hijab from around the world…in indonesia we wear simple one for prayer, just put the ready-one, usually white one…:)
as salamu 3alayki!
ma shaa ALLAH they look soo secure the way they have them on…it almost looks like its been sewed that way…arrgh im gonna need a vid demonstration..espeaciall for the one that where the older woman is in the pic and its like tied around her chest and the rest of it goes on her head like a sari chaor does(the part of sari thats supposed to be on the head)