 Sheikh Chassib, son of SheikhKhazʿal bin Jaber, Crown Prince of theEmirate of Mohammerah, wearing the adorned bisht affiliated with the clothing, in a picture of 1923. | |
| Type | Arab clothing |
|---|---|
| Material | Camel hair andGoat wool and for the wealthy puregold thread |
| Place of origin | Arabian Peninsula |
| Introduced | 2300 BCE |
Abisht (Arabic:بِشْت; plural:بِشُوتbishūt andبْشُوتbshūt), known in some Arabic spoken dialects asmishlaḥ (Arabic:مِشْلَح) orʿabāʾ (Arabic:عَبَاء), is a traditional men'scloak popular in theArab world, and worn in general for thousands of years.[1][2]
According to ancient Christian and Hebrew paintings, a similar robe was worn in the days of Jesus by the people of the Levant.
Thebisht is a flowing outer cloak worn over athawb.
A bisht is usually worn for prestige on special occasions such as weddings, or festivals such asEid, or forṢalāt al-Jumuʿah orSalat al-Janazah. It is usually worn by secular officials or clergy,[1] including tribal chiefs, kings, and imams over athawb,kanzu or tunic. It is a status garment, associated with royalty, religious position, wealth, and ceremonial occasions such as weddings, like theblack-tie tuxedo[3] in the West.[1][4]
The triliteral root of the wordbisht is widely used inSemitic languages, includingArabic, and is related to theAkkadianbishtu, meaning 'nobility' or 'dignity'.[5]
The alternate name ofʿabāʾ (Arabic:عَبَاء) is from the Arabictriliteral rootʿAyn-Bāʾ-Wāw, which relates to 'filling out'.
It is usually black, brown, beige, cream or grey in colour. However, there are Bishts which are made in colours like magenta, blue, cyan, and others.[1]
Bisht is made from camel's hair and goat wool that is spun and wove into a breathable fabric. Some bisht garments include a trim, known as "zari", made out of silk and metals such as gold and silver.[6]
The fabric has a soft yarn for the summer and the coarse-haired for winter.
In the2022 FIFA World Cup final, Qatari EmirTamim bin Hamad Al Thani placed a bisht on the Argentine captainLionel Messi before the 35-year-old was handed thetrophy.