Even though, there are restrictions that limit womens rights and freedom, such as being forbidden from

driving a car; during menstruation or postpartum bleeding, she may not pray the ritual salah or touch the Koran and she does not have to fast; nor does she need to fast while pregnant or nursing. Polygamy, in fact, is encouraged as an act of charity. Needless to say, the widows were not necessarily sexy young women, but usually mothers of up to six children, who came as part of the deal. Contrary to Christianity, Islam does not regard marriages as "made in heaven", they are contracts with conditions. If either side breaks the conditions, divorce is not only allowed, but usually expected. Before marriage, a woman has the right to choose her husband. Islamic law is very strict regarding the necessity of having the woman's consent for marriage. The groom gives a marriage dowry to the bride for her own personal use. She keeps her own family name, rather than taking her husband's. As a wife, a woman has the right to be supported by her husband even if she is already rich. She also has the right to seek divorce and custody of young children. She does not return the dowry, except in a few unusual situations.

Dressing
But the most expressive example of restrictions is the way women must dress. The veiling of Muslim women is a more complex issue. Certainly, the Koran requires them to behave and dress modestly - but these strictures apply equally to men. Only one verse refers to the veiling of women, stating that the Prophet's wives should be behind a hijab when his male guests converse with them. In practice, most modern Muslim women appreciate attractive and graceful clothes, but avoid dressing provocatively. The word hijab is derived from the Arabic root hajaba, which means to hide from view or to conceal. Many people use it to refer to the headscarf which Muslim women wear, but hijab is much more than a headscarf: it is an entire way of dressing, behaving and believing. It is acceptable to name the scarf hijab so long as it does not lead to the wrong impression that a headscarf is the only requirement of true hijab. The Hijab meets the following conditions: 1. Clothing must cover the entire body, only the hands and face may remain visible (According to some Fiqh Schools) . 2. The material must not be so thin that one can see through it. 3. The clothing must hang loose so that the shape / form of the body is not apparent.

4. The female clothing must not resemble the man's clothing. 5. The design of the clothing must not resemble the clothing of the non believing women. 6. The design must not consist of bold designs which attract attention. 7. Clothing should not be worn for the sole purpose of gaining reputation or increasing one's status in society.