Awra
/ˈaʊ.rə/noun
In Islamic usage, the parts of the body that are regarded as requiring concealment according to religious or cultural norms.
Did you know?The Arabic term is connected with the idea of a bodily or personal vulnerability, not simply ordinary nudity, giving concealment a protective and almost sacred dimension.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
ʿ-w-r
“A root associated with defect, weakness, or vulnerability”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ʿawra (عَوْرَة)
“A vulnerable part, private part, or something exposed and requiring protection”
7th Century
Qur’anic Arabic
ʿawrāt (عَوْرَات)
“Private or vulnerable parts requiring concealment”
Medieval Islamic scholarship
Arabic
ʿawra
“The parts of the body whose covering is prescribed or discussed in religious law”
Modern English
English
awra
“An English transliteration used for the Islamic concept of bodily privacy or required covering”