The Qu'ran says that women must; 'lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers" and a few others. (Qu'ran 24:31)

Muhammed was more specific when Asma, daughter of one of his leading companions (and first successor Abu Bakr, came to see him while "wearing thin clothes." "O Asma," exclaimed the Prophet, "when a woman reaches the age of menstration, it does notsuit her that she displays her parts of body except this and this, and he pointed to her face and hands." (Abu Dawud, book 32, no. 4092)

It is possible from this to conclude that the Qu'ran says one thing and Muhammed another!

Quote Originally Posted by MMI View Post
I think we are also in danger of branding all Moslems as misogynistic tyrants who belong to a period that ended several centuries ago.

Islam requires women to behave modestly and to dress appropriately. Local traditions in various places within the Moslem world impose different standards upon the female population. Many of the "stricter" traditions belong to communities that have barely left the mediaeval times those customs date from. Those communities believe their customs and traditions actually protect the womenfolk and are for the common good.

It it the rarer, but more vocal fanatics who adopt such traditions and take them out of their original contexts in order to impose them on the rest of us who are so despicable.