The Koran instructs Muslims to act with modesty and humility. For devout Muslim women, this requires dressing modestly to avoid drawing attention to oneself. Many of the women of Essaouira dress in haik, the most concealing of traditional Moroccan dress. Haik consists of a large woolen or cotton sheet wrapped in such a way as to completely cover the head and body, leaving open only a narrow slit for the eyes.