Review/Tutorial: Iranian Prayer Chador!

Assalaamu alaikum!

So, generally when it comes to clothing from specific regions, you know I like to do Get Ready With Me videos. However, I felt like that couldn't really be done when it came to chador, so, here we are.

I was sent a prayer chador from the Imam Reza Shrine. They are super awesome and love to send me books and other things, Allahumma barik lahum!

Traditional chador is a semi-circle sheet of cloth. Traditionally, prayer chador appear to generally be white. In the Varzaneh Provence, this is because white is considered to ward off evil, thus it is useful in prayer. Outside of prayer, and outside of the home, chador can be any color, but appears to primarily be black, and tend to be shorter for ease of walking.

Sisters in Varzaneh Provence praying.

Due to the method of prayer for Shia Muslims, with the arms down at the sides or front, praying with a large sheet as a covering is much easier than if one folds the arms as Sunni Muslims do. When I pray using the chador, I tuck one end under an arm in order to help keep it in place. I also recommend wearing at least an underscarf underneath in order to keep the chador from shifting while you pray, and therefor exposing your hair.

We can see general mode of wearing chador may expose some hair.

Sisters walking in traditional chador.

While out, one generally wraps the chador in such a way that it does not come apart while walking. This is similar to the hayek of Algeria (and Tunesia, by another name), but one does not necessarily tie a knot or pin the chador as one would a hayek. I learned how to wrap chador here and adapted it by wrapping it the opposite way, so that my right arm is free rather than my left. However, this leaves maybe one hand free to carry bags or items, and thus the chador has evolved with the younger generation in order to adapt to our busy lives and needs.

Chador with holes for hands. 

Cue new chador and "chador arabi", which have arm holes and sleeves, respectively! These new styles allow greater freedom for holding items and juggling purses, back packs, shopping bags, and whatever else one might need to carry.

These can be found open, like traditional chador, and closed as well (I believe). This makes things so much easier for young sisters in school, and for moms on the go, alhamdulillah! In fact, some have started making prayer chador in similar styles, as shown below.

"Chador Arabi" marketed for wives and mothers.

Child in chador Arabi/sleeved chador.

Shia sisters only raise their hands for takbeer and duaa. 

I wanted also to touch base on how chador is generally worn. While I wear niqab, and you can see it in many surrounding countries, niqab is not typically worn in Iran. The few times I've seen it worn were either by exceptionally religious sisters (I don't know if they are Shia or Sunni, but regardless) who also wear gloves, or on the Day of 'Ashura, while mourning the death of Hussein, radhi'Allahu 'anhu, as I mentioned in my previous post on my niqab. Primarily chador is worn with hijab and modest dress, but the front of the hair can often be seen and this is considered ok, as far as I am aware, or at the very least it is extremely common. According to my friend in Iran, sisters, especially young sisters, who wear chador, are typically pretty religious, so at the very least it is not done with blatant disregard to the Shia interpretation of Fiqh. (Again, I am not well-versed when it comes to Fiqh and Sharia of Shia Islam. This is just my best guess/understanding.).

So, here is all I know on chador! In shaa Allah it was informative and you enjoyed it.

Jazakum Allahu kheiran,

Sajida.

Sister in typical dress with Chador.