Um_qīṭān (Arabic: Um: mother, qīṭān: cords, synonyms: ‘Abā, ‘abāyah, ‘abāh, ‘abāt, daffah, Bisht or Mishlah), meaning adorned in cord. A traditional outer body cloak (Abayah) worn in public by most women of the Bedouin and Arab gulf region. Generally composed of silk, synthetic fabrics in varying densities, or light wool similar to the men’s (Bisht).