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(1976).5. Sabiq, Sayyid, Fiqhus-Sunnah, 2nd Printing,Darul-Kitab- il- Arabi, Beirut, Lebanon, 1392A.H. (1973).For Muslim men and women, - For believing men andwomen, For true men and women, For men and womenwhoarePatient and constant, for men And women who humblethemselves, For men and women who give In charity,for men and women Who fast (and deny themselves),For men and women who Guard their chastity, and Formen and women who Engage much in God's praise,For them has God prepared Forgiveness and greatreward. Quran, Al-Ahzab 33:35In the Name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most MercifulWOMEN & MENDRESS IN ISLAMCOMPILED BYDR. JAMAL BADAWIBooklets SeriesNo. 6A free gift from:The Islamic Education & Services Institutehttp://www.2discoverislam.comPrinted with permission from Dr. Jamal BadawaiWomen & Men Dress in Islam12Islamic Education & Services InstituteWomen & Men Dress in Islam1Islamic Education & Services Institute
In addition to the above limitations on the Muslimman's clothes, men are not allowed to wear silk andgold. This does not apply to women.Table Of ContentsTable Of Contents .2INTRODUCTION .3REQUIREMENTS OF WOMEN'S DRESS.41- THE FIRST REQUIREMENT: Extent ofCovering.42- THE SECOND REQUIREMENT: LOOSENESS .63- THE THIRD REQUIREMENT: THICKNESS .74- THE FOURTH REQUIREMENT: OverallAppearance.85- ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS .8REQUIREMENTS OF MUSLIM MEN'S CLOTHING .9CONCLUSION.11MAJOR REFERENCES .11CONCLUSIONThere are surely many other issues pertaining to thesubjects that are not covered in this paper Its main focusis on the documented injunctions of Allah (subhanahuwat'ala) as derived from His word (the Quran) and asexplained by the chosen Messenger, Muhammad (peacebe upon him). These injunctions are to be compliedwith by all Muslim men and women; and in case oftransgression, they will be held accountable in thehereafter. Truly husbands, fathers, and mothers do havean obligation to remind, exhort and help each otherachieve the pleasure of Allah and to avoid His wrath. Inthe final analysis, however, it is not coercion or forcewhich is likely to bring about obedience to Allah. It isbut, the love of Allah, the acceptance of His guidanceas the supreme Truth even if contrary to one's personalopinions, that will bring about the change.MAJOR REFERENCESThis paper is based on Muhammad Nasiruddin AI-Albani'sHijabul-Marat-il-Muslimah Fil Kitab Wassunnah, 3rd Printing,AI-Maktab-uI-Islami, Beirut, Lebanon 1389 A.H. (1969).Other sources checked include "tafsir" of the Quran includingthose by Ibn-Kathir, Yusuf Ali, and Sayyid Qutb; authoritiesin Fiqh including Sayyid Sabiq's Fiqh-us-sunnah and YusufAI-Qaradawi's AI-Halal Walharam Fil-Islam, and a referenceon Hadith from Mishkat -ul-Masabeeh.Women & Men Dress in Islam2Islamic Education & Services Institute1. Al-Quran, Translation of meanings by A. YusufAli and M. M Pickthal.2. Al-Hadith, as cited.3. Al-Albani, Muhammad N. Hijabul Mar'at-ilMuslimah Fil-Kttab Wassunah, 3rd Printing, AlMaktab-ul- lslami, Beirut, Lebanon, 1389 A.H.(1969).4. Al-Qaradawi, Yusuf, Al'Halal Walharam Fillslam, Maktabat Wahbah, Cairo, 1396 A.H.Women & Men Dress in Islam11Islamic Education & Services Institute
also a condition for the validity of prayers for both menand women.It has been agreed among jurists on the basis of theQuran and Sunnah that 'awrah for the woman is definedas the whole body except for the face and hands. Forthe man, the 'awrah is defined as the area between thenavel and the knees.Within the definition of 'awrah for men and women, allthe four basic requirements discussed in this paper areessentially the same:1. Man should fully cover his 'awrah.2. Men's clothes should be loose enough so as notto describe what he is covering (his 'awrah).3. They should be thick enough so as not todescribe the color of the skin or the partsrequired to be covered.4. They should not be designed in a way to attractattention. The basic rule of modesty andavoiding "show off" applies to all believers’men and women.The three other additional requirements discussed underthe Muslim woman's code of dress apply to men'sclothes as well:1. They should not be similar to what is known asthe female dress.2. They should not be similar to what could beidentified as the dress of unbelievers.3. They should not be clothes of fame, pride, andvanity.Women & Men Dress in Islam10Islamic Education & Services InstituteINTRODUCTIONTo some as a subject the Muslim women's dress andMuslim men's clothing may sound trivial. The shari'ah,however, assigns it moral, social, and legal dimensions.One basic requirement to be a true believer according tothe Quran is to make one's opinions, feelings, andinclinations subservient to whatever Allah and hisMessenger have decided:It is not fitting for a believer, man or woman, when amatter has been decided by Allah and His Apostle, tohave any option about their decision: if any onedisobeys Allah and His Apostle, he is indeed on aclearly wrong path. Surat-ul-Ahzab (33) 36Placing, therefore, one's personal opinions, feelings, orinclinations above or at the same level as thecommandments of Allah is the ultimate of human prideand vanity. This means, in effect, that a mortal isresponding to Allah's guidance saying: '0 my creator!Your Law is Your Own opinion. I have my ownopinion, and I know best what is good for me." Thisattitude is befitting for unbelievers and hypocrites, butnot for a believer no matter how imperfect (all are!) onemay be in implementing Islam in one's life.2The exposition of truth in an honest and straightforward way may thus cause some unease even to goodand sincere Muslims. If may seem safer and diplomaticto avoid the issue altogether, or to present it in a dilutedand vague way. It is even safer and more 'diplomatic' toexplicitly or implicitly condone each others' infractions,Women & Men Dress in Islam3Islamic Education & Services Institute
to help each other find excuses and to rationalize ourdisobedience to Allah subhanahu wata'ala. This attitudeis neither new nor is it without consequences. As theQuran presents it:Curses were pronounced on those among the childrenof Israel who rejected faith, by the tongue of Dawood(David) and of Esa (Jesus) the son of Mary: becausethey disobeyed and persisted in excesses. Nor did they(usually) forbid one another the iniquities which theycommitted: evil indeed were the deeds which they did.Surat-ul-Ma'idah (5) 81-82.REQUIREMENTS OF WOMEN'SDRESS1- THE FIRST REQUIREMENT: Extent ofCoveringThe dress must cover the whole body except for theareas specifically exempted. The Quran states:Say to the believing men that they should lower theirgaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greaterpurity for them: And Allah is well acquainted with allthat they do.And say to the believing women that they should lowertheir gaze and guard their modesty; that they shouldnot display their beauty and ornaments except what(must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should drawtheir veils over their bosoms and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands, their fathers, theirhusbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, theirWomen & Men Dress in Islam4Islamic Education & Services Institutecostume of unbelievers. This requirement isderived from the general rule of Shari'ah thatMuslims should have their distinct personalityand should differentiate their practices andappearance from unbelievers.3. The dress should not be similar to what isknown as a male costume. lbn 'Abbas narratedthat "The Prophet cursed the men who act likewomen and the women who act like men.4. It should not be a dress of fame, pride andvanity. Such fame may be sought by wearing anexcessively fancy dress as a status symbol or anexcessively ragged dress to gain others'admiration of one's selflessness. Both motivesare improper by Islamic standards. The Prophet(pbuh) says:"Whoever wears a dress of fame in this world;Allah will clothe him with a dress of humiliation inthe day of resurrection, then set it afire."Tile inscribed with Hadith: "The Prophet said:The intention is the Act. Conferences call for integrity,security for discretion. ."REQUIREMENTS OF MUSLIMMEN'S CLOTHINGIt should be noted that the basic requirements of theMuslim woman's dress apply as well to the Muslimman's clothing with the difference being mainly indegree. This can best be understood by looking intowhat Islam defines as 'awrah which refers to the part ofthe body that should be covered at all times unless thereis an expressed exception. The covering of 'awrah isWomen & Men Dress in Islam9Islamic Education & Services Institute
visiting her sister 'A'ishah, wife of the Prophet. Whenhe noted that Asma's dress was not thick enough heturned his face away in anger and said, "If the womanreaches the age of puberty, no part of her body shouldbe seen, but this, and he pointed to his face and hishands."brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons,or their women, or the slaves whom their right handspossess, or male servants free of physical needs, orsmall children who have no sense of the shame of sex;and that they should not strike their feet in order todraw attention to their hidden ornaments. And 0 youbelievers! Turn all toward Allah that you may attainbliss. (24) 30-314- THE FOURTH REQUIREMENT: OverallAppearanceThese 'ayahs contain, among other things, two maininjunctions:The dress should not be such that it attracts men’sattention to the woman’s beauty. The Quran clearlyprescribes the requirements of the woman’s dress forthe purpose of concealing zeenah (adornment). Howcould such zeenah be concealed if the dress is designedin a way that it attracts men’s eyes to the woman?1. A Muslim woman should not display her beautyand adornment (zeenah) except for "that whichmust ordinarily appear of it" (ma dhaharaminha), or "that which is apparent."This is why the Quran addressing the Prophet’s wivesas the examples for Muslim women says:The word zeenah lends itself to two relatedmeanings:“Bedizen not yourselves with the bedizenment of theTime of Ignorance.”a. Natural or bodily beauty,b. Acquired adornment such as rings,bracelets, and clothes.5- ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTSIn addition to the above four main and clearly spelledout requirements, there are other requirements whosespecific applications may vary with time and location.These include:1. The dress should not be similar to what isknown as a male costume. lbn 'Abbas narratedthat "The Prophet cursed the men who act likewomen and the women who act like men.2. It should not be similar to what is known as theWomen & Men Dress in Islam8Islamic Education & Services InstituteThe part of zeenah, exempted from the aboveinjunction, was interpreted in two ways:a.The face and the hands. This is the interpretation ofthe majority of the jurists, past and present. Thisinterpretation is confirmed by ijma' (consensus)that a Muslim woman is allowed by Islam touncover her face and hands during pilgrimage andeven during the prayers, while the rest of her bodyis regarded as 'awrah (that which should becovered). This interpretation is based on theWomen & Men Dress in Islam5Islamic Education & Services Institute
b.authority of Prophet Muhammad (Allah's blessingbe upon him), especially the Hadith in which hesays: ". . . If the woman reaches the age ofpuberty. No part of her body) should be seen butthis - and he pointed to his face and hands."Whatever appears of the woman's body owing touncontrollable factors such as the blowing of thewind, or out of necessity such as the bracelets oreven the outer clothes themselves.The head covers (knumur) should be drawn over theneck slits (joyoob). Khumur is the plural of theArabic word "khimar" which means a head cover.Juyoob is the plural of the Arabic word "jaiyb" (aderivative of jawb or cutting) refers to the neckslit (of the dress). This means that the head covershould be drawn so as to cover not only the hair,but it could also be drawn over the neck and to beextended so as to cover the bosom.2.2- THE SECOND REQUIREMENT:LOOSENESSThe dress must be loose enough so as not to describethe shape of a woman's body. This is consistent with theintent of the 'ayahs cited above (24: 30-31) and is surelya crucial aspect of hiding zeenah. Even moderatelytight clothes which cover the whole body do describethe shape of such attractive parts of the woman's bodyas the bustline, the waist, the buttocks, the back and thethighs. If these are not part of the natural beauty orzeenah what else is?Prophet Muhammad (pubh) once received a thickgarment as a gift. He gave it to Osamah b Zayd, who inturn gave it to his wife. When asked by the Prophet whyWomen & Men Dress in Islam6Islamic Education & Services Institutehe did not wear it, Osamah indicated that he gave it tohis wife. The Prophet then said to Osamah "ask her touse a gholalah under it (the garment) for I fear that it(the garment) may describe the size of her bones." Theword gholalah in Arabic means a thick fabric wornunder the dress to prevent it from describing the shapeof the body.A highly desirable way of concealing the shape of thebody is to wear a cloak over the garment. The Prophet(pubh), however, indicated that if the women's dressmeets the Islamic standards it suffices (without a cloak)even for the validity of prayers.3- THE THIRD REQUIREMENT:THICKNESSThe dress should be thick enough so as not to show thecolor of the skin it covers, or the shape of the bodywhich it is supposed to hide.The purpose of 'ayah (24:31) is to hide the Muslimwomen's body except ma dhahara minha (the face andhands). It is obvious that this purpose cannot be servedif the dress is thin enough so as to reveal the color ofthe skin or the shape or beauty of the body. This iseloquently explained by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh):"In later (generations) of my urnmah there will bewomen who will be dressed but naked. On top of theirheads (what looks) like camel humps. Curse them forthey are truly cursed." In another version he added thatthey "will not enter into paradise or (even) get a smellof it."At one occasion Asma' (daughter of Abu-Bakr) wasWomen & Men Dress in Islam7Islamic Education & Services Institute
3. The dress should not be similar to what is known as a male costume. lbn 'Abbas narrated that "The Prophet cursed the men who act like women and the women who act like men. 4. It should not be a dress of fame, pride and vanity. Such fame may be sought by wearing an excessively fancy dress as a status symbol or an
