'jilboobs' Haram after Fatwa condemning tight clothing in Indonesia.

'jilboobs' Haram after Fatwa condemning tight clothing in Indonesia. HT: Rappler.

HARAM. The Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI) says wearing a jilbab, or headscarf, but with tight clothing – a trend dubbed jilboobs – is forbidden.

JAKARTA, Indonesia - In Muslim-majority but secular Indonesia, the government does not regulate clothing for Muslim women the same way Islamic countries do. You can find Muslim women either fully covered from head to toe, dressed in a revealing tank top and miniskirt, or somewhere in between.

But a trend combining the conservative and the revealing dubbed “jilboobs” has drawn the ire of conservatives and a fatwa, or religious edict, from the country’s highest authority on Islam.

Drawn from the words jilbab, or the Muslim headscarf in Indonesia, and, well, boobs, the word refers to a Muslim woman who wears a headscarf and a tight-fitting shirt or dress that emphasizes their assets.

The issue went mainstream on Thursday, Aug. 7, when the Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI), the country’s highest authority on Islam, waded into the issue and issued a fatwa against jilboobs.

"There is already a MUI fatwa on pornography. This means you cannot show the shape of your body, wearing a jilbab but with tight clothing. MUI strictly forbids it," MUI vice chairman ​​Ma’ruf Amin said, as quoted by the Globe Journal.

A fatwa, however, is not legally binding. In Indonesia, only the province of Aceh imposes the Islamic Sharia law, and there women whose attire are deemed improper – like tight jeans – can be punished by up to 6 lashes if caught by the morality police.

But Hidayat Nur Wahid, a politician from biggest Islamic party, Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), said people should not react so negatively to the jilboobs phenomenon.

The fact that people, especially young teenagers, are willing to wear a hijab is a small step that should be appreciated, he said according to Detik.com, adding that it was understandable that they still want to look trendy.

“Wearing a jilbab in Indonesia is also a part of fashion,” Hidayat said. "However, they should have a commitment to fully cover the body, to gradually dress with the hijab better, as it is originally meant to be.”Read the full story here.