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Throughout Islamic history the libas of the Islamic people has been recorded, researched and interpreted by historians around the world. The clothing used by Muslims were used for common sense things like protection against cold, heat, and covering ones genital parts but it was also used for symbolic purposes including covering ones face with a veil for reasons like privacy, modesty and division between the public and private sphere. Islamic people used clothing for two main purposes, which were clothing for inside and outside everyday wear as well as clothing required for religious reasons. By looking at the entry about Islamic libas in the Encyclopedia Of Islam Vol. 2 in a historiographical manor we can see the way this subject has been studied.
Clothing for everyday wearing purposes can be seen as early as the time of the Prophet Muhammad. Research done during this time shows that the basic articles of clothing during the time of Muhammad for both sexes consisted of an undergarment, a shirt, a long dress, gown, or tunic, and something overtop like a mantle coat, or wrap.
Footwear used during this time was either shoes or sandals, and everyone had a head covering. The clothing worn during this time by men and women were similar to one and other. The differences in males and female fashion could be seen by how their clothes hung off of their body, the jewelry, headwear (like the veil) and footwear they used as well as the colours of their clothing. One of the main questions that has come up with clothing during this time is the type of undergarment that was worn by the Islamic people. The basic undergarment was the izar, which goes back to prehistoric times but scholars have been asking the question and disputing that...