She wore an itsy bitsy teeny weenie, yellow polka dot bikini....Um yeah right. Even in my non-muslim days I didn't feel like showing off my body in front of men in anything stringy and "teeny weenie" "itsy bitsy". I know very very very few non-muslim women (I can count ONLY ONE on my pinkie) who are confident enough in their bodies to feel comfrotable enough wearing a string binkin in public without excercising or dieting frantically in an attempt to "earn" the love and affection of men through sexual attraction. Most of the women we do see confidently flaunting themselves are actually flaunting a product, flogging a beer, a calendar, a car, a music video...
Muslim women in general (if they come from a very Islamic household [or are married to such a good practicing brother] where a woman's mind and piety and natural beauty are more stressed than a public-held impossible ideal) do not suffer from the same body images. In fact, muslim men are often attracted to all body types, IF they haven't been bombarded by media screwing with their mental image of what a woman should look like. That's why hijab makes swim suit shopping so easy for us (inshaAllah I WILL explain how easy very soon) and why a man's hijab (lowering his gaze) is so beneficial for his health. In the United States and Europe (where sexuality is highly publicized and skin actually hard to avoid in public interactions) men's potency [their ability to egage in sexual relations] is actually decreasing at a younger age than it had in the fifties. Men are losing their ability to have sex, as they are bombarded more and more by images of it, and are not just leaving it in the halal role of marriage. The good practicing Muslim brother consequently, isn't going to have to use viagra as much as his non-muslim counter-part, and he is more likely to be satisfied sexually in his marriage than a man who does not lower his gaze. And a woman who wear hijab and has a gaze lowering husband, is MORE likely to feel sexual empowerment within the marriage, than a woman who doesn't cover.
As a Muslim woman, I will not be wearing any bikini in front of anyone but my husband. I don't want any man BUT HIM leering at me in the disgusting manner of this young tool, pictured below. But of course, with my husband, it is not disgusting:D cuz I love him!
So what does a gal that believes khimar should cover the chest and an overgarment is fard do to go swimming? Does she buy one of these pretty but sketchy way too tight Islamic swim suits?
Nope. These TOTALLY fall into the category of clothed but naked, especially if one is lounging around the pool in them. This is as bad as skin tight jeans and a skin tight long sleeved thermal t-shirt and no hijab coverage (the khimar has GOTTA cover the chest if it to Islamic hijab). At least IN the water these babies would be modest, so I guess if someone hands you an abaya to slip into WHEN you get out it'd be okay...but not ideal. This bathing suit is too tight that it is too risky for even a split second. Your mermaid moment leaves you one big spandex body sculpture, and lounging in this baby would be haraam for myself. If someone can make out my cup size and see my thigh fat..... IT AIN'T HIJAB.
So what is a girl who is as active as I am to do? Buy a looser fitting "Islamic" swim suit" like this one from http://www.jelbab.com/Product.asp?prdID=400419 for $84.99 USD? It is modest enough to wear in one's home, LOL (though who'd be doing that?), I mean, one could preform salat in it since it is loose, non-see through, and covers the necessary parts, but it isn't a jilbab (which is necessary for a muslim woman when she leaves her home) and the hijab part doesn't cover the chest. I own a swim suit like this is one, and this is what I do. I wear a big comfy (and better than a towel) terry cloth bathrobe over top of it as my jilbab, and I wear a loose light shayla hijab. As I wade into the water, I lift the robe, and when I am fully and modestly immearsed (meaning none of my body is visible over the top of the water but my head) I toss the robe on the side of river bank, pool, or beach. If I am with any children, I have them carry it to the side for me. I do the same with my shayla, lifting it till my chest is covered. Once it is covered, I through the shayla to the side of the beach/pool ect. And I enjoy my swim. If I am only staying in the shallows, I just wear an old abaya, but if one has some serrious swimming, I go the bathrobe (plus loose Islamic swimsuit) route. When getting out of the water, have someone available to bring the robe and khimar wrap for you. Kids often do, or husbands, or non-swimming sisters. Once out I am swaddled in my towel of a robe, wrap my dry khimar for neck coverage, pile on a big floppy hat, and let myself dry in the sun. If I am at a friend's beach cottage, I am enjoying sipping pink lemonade and drinking cream soda Jones soda. Mmmmm. Yum. This works for a strictly jilbab and khimar girl like me. Someday inshaAllah, I might also wear niqab. Um Travis, from Tea Break Thoughts, did a post on how to go swimming with niqab here http://teabreakthoughts.blogspot.com/2008/10/my-thoughts-on-swimming_06.html
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