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Why do we cover our body ?

Started by shamsul-arefin, October 16, 2004, 01:56:14 AM

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idolfree1

Peace be upon you Burhan,

QuoteI think part of the answer is in the conditioning of the human mind.

Absolutely, the MIND(nafs) is what it is ALL about  :D

TheNabi

Salaam Burhan,

The human, being a sexual creature, is apt to get aroused wether they are conditioned to appreciate nudism or not. Babies, children, young adults, and adults alike get aroused. In society women can be a source of arousal even if they are clothed, even if they wear hijab. Same as men. Different aspects of a woman turn a man on, her eyes, the way she looks at you, her lips, her butt, her breats, her hips, legs, the way she moves, etc. Likewise women are turned on by a man with a nice chest, smile, eyes, butt, etc.

In some religions, Christianity and Earth-based followings, clothing is there because it protects against the enviroment, not the shame of one's body which God created perfect or which is completely natural. They will worship before God/the gods naked to come to their superiors open. It is also a rejection of the traditions of the world which teach that the body is a bad thing, that must be covered because it is shameful.

However, we see that whether the body is covered or not people will feel shame or aversion towards it. Babies can be conditioned early on and social interactions (positive or negative events) can lead to a healthy upbringing or a bad upbringing. The child who is told that playing with him or herself is evil and has their hand slapped away from them in the living room with other family a # of times and in different contexts will grow up fearful of touching themselves and when they do see it as evil.

Take care.

Joe
All information in my posts is correct to the best of my knowledge only and thus should not be taken as a fact. One should seek for verification & knowledge. ~> [3/190-191; 17/

burhan

Salaam TheNabi,

Quote from: "TheNabi"
Babies, children, young adults, and adults alike get aroused.

Babies get aroused, sexually! Wow, You should get that published in a medical journal.

Quote from: "TheNabi"
In society women can be a source of arousal even if they are clothed, even if they wear hijab.

Thats what I meant by everyone is conditioned differently - but wearing clothes is the safe option, also God imposes self-conditioning ie lowering the gaze.

Quote from: "TheNabi"
also a rejection of the traditions of the world which teach that the body is a bad thing, that must be covered because it is shameful.

shameful doesn't mean evil - it can also be understood in terms of embarrasment.

Humans become aware of their private parts around age 1 and then slowly develop a sense of shame and feel embarrassed if they are naked. This comes naturally like all other emotions. This is what Adam felt in the garden.  Some people overcome that feeling have no problems being naked infront of others - and some don't. But whatever the person covering your privates in public is better than not doing so as a sign of respect for people who are not conditioned in the same way as you.

Take care.
Peace.

idolfree1

Peace be upon you Burhan,

QuoteHumans become aware of their private parts around age 1 and then slowly develop a sense of shame and feel embarrassed if they are naked. This comes naturally like all other emotions. This is what Adam felt in the garden.

Fantastic!

TheNabi

Salaam Burhan,

Quote from: "burhan_21"Babies get aroused, sexually! Wow, You should get that published in a medical journal.

Well, the problem here is that even sexologists are not aware of whether this should be considered masturbation since babies playing with their genitals lacks the associated sexual connotations older individuals have in regards to genital pleasuring. Babies play with their genitals because it feels good and such sexual associations are later learned. It is erotic however and sensual. I never claimed that it was sexual. Yes, babies, like adults get aroused because the skin is a pleasure center. Associations to different events come later as I've said before. I'm sure you can understand this.

Quote from: "burhan_21"Thats what I meant by everyone is conditioned differently - but wearing clothes is the safe option, also God imposes self-conditioning ie lowering the gaze.

Why is wearing clothes a safe option? Safe for what, the weather? Yes, when we are called to lower the gaze we are called to not commit to fornication and adultery in the heart. Otherwise we will be looking down almost all of our lives, not really knowing who is who unless like the blind we become finely attuned to our sense of hearing.

Quote from: "burhan_21"shameful doesn't mean evil - it can also be understood in terms of embarrasment.

Agreed.

Quote from: "burhan_21"Humans become aware of their private parts around age 1 and then slowly develop a sense of shame and feel embarrassed if they are naked. This comes naturally like all other emotions.

Agreed.

QuoteThis is what Adam felt in the garden. Some people overcome that feeling have no problems being naked infront of others - and some don't. But whatever the person covering your privates in public is better than not doing so as a sign of respect for people who are not conditioned in the same way as you.

I agree, it should be a sign of respect to cover in front of others who feel covering is modest and vice versa. I'm sure you do not take respect to the others in that account, but you should, or maybe you simply failed to mention it?

I'm not sure what adam felt in the garden was akin to nudity, but it certainly was to one of embarrasment. You see, in my opinion, adam had become aware that they were naked before God, i.e. all of their thoughts and deeds were clearly apparent to God. God had no problem with adam being naked from the fore, nor did God command adam to cover. When adam had done a wrong against itself, it tried to cover this deed, it did not want to be naked before God, but God could see adam's fault. God then said that the best garment was that of righteousness. Thus adam should cover itself with the goodness that God has called for. This was best.

Take care.

Joe
All information in my posts is correct to the best of my knowledge only and thus should not be taken as a fact. One should seek for verification & knowledge. ~> [3/190-191; 17/

idolfree1

Peace be upon you,

Excellent discussion Joe and Burhan, I think we all are on the "same page".

Wakas

peace Joe,

QuoteI'm not sure what adam felt in the garden was akin to nudity, but it certainly was to one of embarrasment. You see, in my opinion, adam had become aware that they were naked before God, i.e. all of their thoughts and deeds were clearly apparent to God. God had no problem with adam being naked from the fore, nor did God command adam to cover. When adam had done a wrong against itself, it tried to cover this deed, it did not want to be naked before God, but God could see adam's fault. God then said that the best garment was that of righteousness. Thus adam should cover itself with the goodness that God has called for. This was best.

Nice.
All information in my posts is correct to the best of my knowledge only and thus should not be taken as a fact. One should seek knowledge and verify: 17:36, 20:114, 35:28, 49:6, 58:11. [url="http://mypercept.co.uk/articles/"]My articles[/url]

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Grourself

41:33 And who is better in speech than him who invites people to Allah, tries to grow himself in goodness, fulfills the needs of others and declares, "Surely, I am one of those who surrender unto Him?"

OussamaNL

Quote from: idolfree1 on October 16, 2004, 02:08:19 AM
Peace be upon you SA,

I think the "shame" is that the human is falling from the God. What I mean is this, we were meant to be spiritual servants of the God having a physical experience, but man has become twisted and thinks he is a physical being having a spiritual experience. Therefore everything man thinks about is "physical" and the God is sending us a message to take us away from that physical "life of this world" mentality.

Adam and his wife had all they needed, but they became greedy for more, so they fell from the "garden" and started to cover thier private parts, which they were not aware of before.

So while on the physical earth, we must cover our shame because MOST of mankind is are physically-based and the solution to that is to cover  our private parts.

That is my current understanding unless I can hear a better argument.

What do you mean by covering their private parts?

What does covering of the private parts have to do with that situation?

May our Lord increase our Knowledge and Faith.

Peace.
All Praise due to The God, The Lord of the Worlds

OussamaNL

Quote from: shamsul-arefin on October 16, 2004, 07:48:56 AM


Do you think that God can refer this as a state of mind. Which dresses up our mind in a proper way with proper knowledge ?

just a thought :P

peace

Afcourse, nice pondering.

Since our minds can be dressed, it is best to dress them with Righteousness.

May our Lord increase our Knowledge and Faith.

Peace.
All Praise due to The God, The Lord of the Worlds