The Jilbaab, what exactly is it?

Society Religion & Philosophy
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It has several names, abaya, long kaftan etc. And it is mentioned in hadith, what exactly is it? Is it the arabic dress of modern arab countries today? Or does it refer to any outergarment that is modest. If we can wear whatever dress we want as long as its modest, then why is this mentioned? Personally I wear a long kaftan like dress, its one piece and wide and loosefitting, i guess some people could call it an abaya. It’s funny recently i bought this long dark kaftan dress from this shop owned by hindus and my uncle accused me of dressing like an arab, he hates them so much and really gives me stick for it (everyone wears shalwar kameez in our family)

this is an excerpt i got from an essay -
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"RT ONE: What does the Shari’a say about the garment called “jilbab”?** In the Quran, Surah al-Ahzab ayah 59 (33:59) says:
Ya ayyuha an-Nabiyy qul li azwajika wa banatika wa nisa al-mu’minin yudnina alayhinna min jalabib hinna; dhalika adna an yu’rafna fa laa yu’dhayn. Wa kana Allahu Ghafur Rahim
O Prophet! Say to your wives and your daughters and the women of the faithful to draw their JALABIB close around them; that is better that they will be recognized and not annoyed. And God is ever Forgiving, Gentle.
The word “jalabib” is the plural of “jilbab”. Clearly, this ayah states a command for Muslim women to wear a garment which Allah SWT has called “jilbab”.
Beyond this, the hadiths record how the sahabiyat (rAa) went about obeying Surah al-Ahzab ayah 59 when it was revealed:
Sunan Abu Dawud Book 32 #4090. Narrated Umm Salama, Umm al-Mu’minin: When the verse, “That they should draw their jalabib close around them” was revealed, the women of Ansar came out as if they had crows over their heads by wearing jalabib.

Sahih Bukhari Book 8 #347. Narrated Umm Atiyya: We were ordered to bring out our menstruating women and screened women to the religious gatherings and invocation of the Muslims on the two Eid festivals. These menstruating women were to keep away from the musalla. A woman asked, “O Messenger of Allah! What about one who does not have a jilbab?”. He said, “Let her borrow the jilbab of her companion”.

http://www.muhajabah.com/jilbab.htm

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Re: The Jilbaab, what exactly is it?

The above verses states “This is for all Muslim women, those of the Prophet’s :saw2: household, as well as the others. The times were those of insecurity ( insecurity explained right in next verses) and they were asked to cover themselves with outer garments when walking aborad. It was never contemplated that they should be confined to their houses like prisoners.”

**Jilbab, **plural **Jalabib **is an outer garment, a long gown covering the whole body, or a cloak covering the neck and bosom.

The object was not to restrict the liberty of women, but to protect them from harm and molestation under the conditions then existing in Madina. In the East and in the West a distinctive public dress of same sort or another has always been a badge of honour or distinction, both among men and women. This can be traced back to teh earliest civilisations. Assyrian Law in its palmiest days (say, 7th centuary B.C.) enjoined the veiling of married women and forbade the veiling of slaves and women of ill fame. This rule was not absolute: if for any reason it could not be observed “Allah is Oft-returning, most Merciful”.

The next verses explain that It was necessary to put down all kinds of unseemly conduct in the Prophet’s City. And here is the warning in the plainest terms. And the warning had its effect. The “Hypocrites” were men who pretended to be in Islam but whose manners and morals were anti-Islamic. Those “with dieased hearts” may have been the onces that molested innocent women. “Those who stirred up sedition” put false rumours in circulation to excite the crowd. Alas! we must ask ourselves the question: “Are these conditions present among us today?”.