Emirati Youth and Western Clothing Western Influence Emirati Youth and Western Clothing Ahmad Al Noobi H00254717 Saif Al Mansoori H00278798 Majed Al Hashmi H00258656 Ahmad Al Rashdi H00283843 Institutional Affiliation

Introduction In the contemporary environment, there has been a clash between religious attire and western style clothing among Emirati youth With conflicting views, there has been the call for a more comprehensive analysis of a way forward The Emirati youth are faced with a changing environment whereby western influence cannot be taken for granted Thereby it is fundamental to examine of a way forward to sustain both moral values and successful transition to the modern lifestyle

Conflict Evident on Clothing UAE has become a home for over 200 nationalities whose influence is significant (Shah, 2012) Most importantly, the interaction among the youth with individuals from different nations has influenced their mode of dressing As such, the Emirati youth have been under scrutiny especially on clothing in regards to religious vs modern attires Sticking to the moral compass of the Islamic values is an issue of concern in regards to how the youths dress Further, acknowledgement of the western attire and its influence towards transition to a tolerate society is an equal issue of concern (Shah, 2012)

Religious Perspective on Emirati Clothing Embracing the religious form of clothing is under the Islamic values and beliefs According to the teachings, conformity to the different styles of clothing for women and men is fundamental (Shah, 2012) Muslim culture emphasizes on modest dressing that is geared towards reducing temptation and promotion of self value Women wearing Hijab is a clear example of conformity to the teachings of prophet Muhammad Further, the Quran and Sunnah makes an emphasis on the values and clothing that men and women ought exude (Shah, 2012)

Western Style of Clothing The western style of clothing is different yet used globally Despite the condemnation among the Islamic nations, there are clothing styles that embrace respectful and can conform to the teachings of Islam (Schmidt, 2013) Further, the Islamic contemporary fashion in clothing has been borrowing from the western style of design and styles There has been an integration of the Islamic style of clothing and western fashion designers to develop new form of dressing (Schmidt, 2013) Embracement of the western style should be focused on ensuring cohesive form of dressing that encompasses tolerance

Power/Fear Power and fear is important in the assessment of how people fit in every situation (Schmidt, 2013) As individuals grow, they learn how to align and behave with the right individuals Emirati youth live in a society that is predominantly Muslim as opposed to the cosmopolitan view of the western nations (Schmidt, 2013) Thereby, as the power factor, the religion forms a precedence in determining the clothing process of the youth Hence, power originating from the religion s a determinant factor to the dressing process

Guilt/ Innocence on Clothing Guilt-innocence worldview is based on deductive reasoning through analysis of the cause and effects Analysis of Emirati youth denotes an analysis of the evident facts regarding the Muslim religion (Schmidt, 2013) From a deductive reasoning, there are clear moral values that dictate the clothing of Emirati youth Further, the religious values dictate the way of life Any deviation by Emirati youth result to guilt since they are against the values set forth in the Quran and Sunnah (Schmidt, 2013)

Honor/Shame on Clothing Society teaches individuals to make the honorable choices Honorable choices are based on communication, interpersonal interaction and relationships evident (Peek, 2014) Therefore, cultural environment influences the clothing process of Emirati youth The youth should stick to the honorable values in which they were exposed to from their childhood Shame prevails in the instance that the youths deviate from what they have been taught

Way to Resolve the Conflict Tolerance and appreciation of interactions of cultures is important From the analysis of the Emirati youth, cultural norms determine personal values In a society that embraces and values religious views on clothing, it is important that the youth stick to the teachings (Peek, 2014) Nonetheless, the development of a collaborative approach to dressing is important Developing a new form of dressing that sticks to the Islam values and equally adopts facets of western values will ensure a renewed environment to clothing (Peek, 2014).

Conclusion Emirati youth are exposed to a changing UAE society in which interactions with the West are increasing Therefore, it is important for further analysis of the clothing debate Focusing on a mutual approach to examination of clothing should be geared towards both tolerance and appreciation of the different cultures globally

References Shah, S. (2012). Leading Multiethnic Schools A New Understanding of Muslim Youth Identity. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 34(2), 215-237. Schmidt, G. (2013). Dialectics of authenticity: examples of ethnification of Islam among young Muslims in Sweden and the United States. The Muslim World, 92(1/2), 1. Peek, L. (2014). Becoming Muslim: The development of a religious identity. Sociology of religion, 66(3), 215-242.