Guideline Of Muslim Dress Code

[ummtaalib]

 

Qur'an and Sunnah have provided ample guidance on the subject which can be summarized in four essential principles. There is no prescribed particular dress style. However, these principles can be used to accommodate our needs, circumstances and tastes.

 

1. Our dress must cover our body adequately.

Men - it is the middle part of the body from navel to knee.

Women - It is the entire body except hands and face. These parts must never be exposed to any other person (except in case of genuine need e.g. medical treatment). In addition, the cloth must be neither see-through nor tight fitting.

 

2. Dress should provide adornment. It should provide for decent appearance. Our appearance should not be an eyesore for decent human beings.

Men - This extends the coverage requirements to include most of the body.

Women - The essential requirement is that their dress should identify them as respectable ladies who would be honoured not harassed. Additionally, hijab rules aim at protecting them from the gaze of other men. She should also try not to wear clothing that attracts attention according to the culture of the area where she lives. For example, bright colours are perfectly normal in some parts of Africa, whereas they would turn heads in some parts of Canada.

 

3. Dress ought to establish some sort of Islamic identity. At the least it should not identify us as followers of another religion.

It can be stated that “Prohibition of Imitation” of the non-Muslims comes into effect in one of two ways:

· Either through one’s directing oneself in imitating them, of his own accord, with the intention of being like them, or

· Through imitation of something religiously or otherwise unique to them, in a way that would allow an onlooker to consider one as “one of them”.

 

4. The design of the dress must avoid three deadly sins: show off, arrogance, and self indulgence. Our garments provide an easy opportunity to nurture them. Hence the need to be extra cautious. One Hadith states "Eat what you feel like and wear what you feel like. But avoid two things: extravagance and arrogance." [bukhari]. At the risk of stating the obvious one should be reminded that this Hadith establishes an overriding concern that limits our choices within the realm of what is considered halal. It does not do away with the distinction between halal and haram.

 

Simply, wearing the everyday clothes most of us wear is perfectly fine. One should, though, try to avoid modern day fashion brands that are signs of the corrupt - as wearing such clothes does have spiritually negative effects regardless of whether we “feel” it or not.

However, one should equally strive to emulate the prophetic sunna . It is highly recommended to follow the sunnas of dress, which are general principles one should follow not limited to any specific type of clothing. The prophetic message was for all mankind and not merely a specific group. Thus, we see in the sunna these general principles that are applicable everywhere.

 

In addition to the above, the following sunna actions of dress are:

For men wearing white (sign of purity) and black (sign of majesty), keeping the trouser above the ankles folded neately, to cover the head (scalpcap, turban, e.t.c).

One should be mindful of all sunna especially when one is at the mosque and at the time of worships.

 

Disliked and Prohibition

The Prophet (PUBH) prohibited men from the wearing of red coloured cloth.

 

It is reported in the hadith collection of Imam Muslim that that Propphet (PUBH) disliked yellow as it is associated with women.

 

Conclusion* Clothes should be considered a great bounty of Allah Taa'la and one should wear them and express thanks. Undoubtedly if all clothes are worn whilst taking heed of the divine laws of Allah, it will assume a degree if Ibadah and lean to the nearness of Allah Taa'la.

 

The Prophet (PUBH) said:

“Whomsoever utters the following supplication after wearing clothes, all his past sins will be forgiven- All praises are due to Allah who clothed me with this and which He bestowed upon me without any toil and effort on my part.”

 

Jewellery

Men - It is impermissible for a man to wear a necklace, pendant or any other type of jewellery except for a silver ring. A man may wear his ring on either his right or left hand, since some scholars preferred the former whist others the latter.

 

However, it is Sunna and preferable for men to wear their silver rings on the little finger of either their right or left hands. To wear it on the middle and index fingers is somewhat disliked, but not forbidden.

 

Women - Women are without doubt allowed to wear rings made from gold and silver. However, to wear rings made from other substances such as metal, wood, etc is impermissible. If the rings are plated with gold or silver, then there is nothing wrong in women wearing them. They may wear their rings on any finger of their right or left hands.

 

It would be permitted for her to wear a pendant with a Qur’anic verse or Allah’s name inscribed on it. However, two points must be taken into consideration:

 

· If the pendant has a Qur’anic verse inscribed on it, then she should not wear it during her menstruation, for wearing a pendant entails direct contact with a verse of the Qur’an.

· It must be removed before entering into the toilet/bathroom.

 

Perfume

Men – It is permissible for men to wear scented perfume The alcohol used in perfumes or deodorants is normally a synthetic alcohol, which is not impure (Najis) according to the prevailing view of Imam Abu Hanifa and his followers. Therefore, the external use of this type of alcohol is not Haram. However, its oral intake is still impermissible except in the cases of necessary medication.

 

Women- It is impermissible for women to wear scented perfume except for beautification for their husband.

Article extracted from Albalagh, Sunnipath & Darul Iftaa weblink