One important point that needs to be made here is that a Muslim woman knows perfectly well how to dress in accordance with the Qur'an so there is no need for a man to tell women how to dress. A man has no right whatsoever to interfere in what a woman wears, much less tell her how to dress or judge her. God has not given man that right. Today, this is an important matter that needs to be brought up and emphasized, especially in Muslim societies.
A woman may wear the head-covering, or cover herself up entirely or uncover her head or wear low-cut clothes. Once she says, “I am a Muslim,” nobody has the right to judge her. It is known only in the Sight of God which is more virtuous. It is sincerity that counts in the faith, not clothing. In the same way that someone who covers up entirely may be insincere and go to hell, a woman who wears low-cut clothes may also earn the right to enter paradise. It is God alone Who will decide.
When people adopt guides other than the Qur'an, problems arise that are unsuited to human nature and will invariably make trouble of one kind or another. These also cease to be individual problems and can transform into social conflicts or problems. The distinction based on forms of dress – such as with or without the head-covering, or low-cut clothing versus covering up entirely - is a false perception that has no place in the Qur'an and leads to tensions in society. God reveals in a verse that according to the Qur'an, superiority lies not in dress and external appearance but in piety, or taqwa (acting out of a fear of God):
Children of Adam! We have sent down clothing to you to conceal your private parts, as well as to be an adornment to you, but the garment of piety–that is best! That is one of God's signs, so that hopefully you will pay heed. (Qur'an, 7:26)
Faith is lived and made reality in the heart. Faith manifests itself through moral virtues, a person's warmth, affection, generosity, forgiving nature, quality, culture, manners and conception of art and science; in short, in everything. It is therefore important to evaluate people through their moral values, not by their external appearance.
No matter what their external appearance, people who say, “I am a Muslim” are all precious Muslims. It is wrong to discriminate between them. Nobody has the right to discriminate.
