The Etiquettes of Clothing.
6th April 2007
Allah swt says: ‘O Children of Adam! We have bestowed rainment upon you to cover yourselves (screen your private parts) and as an adornment, that is better. Such are among the Ayat of Allah, that they may remember.’ (Al A’raf, 26)
A Muslim should endeavour to wear those clothes which express modesty, cover the body adequately and at the same time they should be suitable in respect of temperature and climate. The clothing should be simple to the extent that one should not be a walking billboard. Today we have in line with ‘fashion’, clothing saying ‘touch me…etc’. This is not appropriate.
When one wears a garment, the very act of clothing oneself is a blessing of Allah (swt) which he bestowed on mankind alone, all other creation is deprived of this blessing For men white clothing is preferred: RasulAllah (saw) said: ‘Wear white clothing, this is the best cloth, verily white clothes are worn in the world and in white cloth are the dead buried’. (Tirmidi)
• It is narrated in Bukhari: ‘RasulAllah (saw) would wear white clothing’.
Meaning RasulAllah (saw) himself wore white clothing and advised the men of the Ummah to do the same.
• Umme Salma (ra) narrates: ‘RasulAllah (saw) preferred a long shirt to all other garments.’ (Shama’il Tirmidi)
This is because in this garment the body is well covered and concealed, modesty and humbleness are established and
It is also attractive. Ibn Abbas (ra) states: ‘The shirt of RasulAllah (saw) was above the ankle’. Allamah Shami (ra) has written that the shirt should reach half way up the shin/calf.
• For men to keep the trouser above the ankle: RasulAllah (saw) said: ‘3 types of people are such that on the Day of Qiyamah, Allah will not look at them nor have mercy on them.’ Abu Dhar Gafari (ra) asked: ‘Who will these unfortunate people be?!’ RasulAllah (saw) said: 1. He who allows his trousers to hang below the ankle. 2. He who boasts of his favours to others. 3. He who takes a false oath.’ RasulAllah (saw) said: ‘The portion of the ankle which is covered below the ankle will be in Jahannam’. (Bukhari/Muslim)
Note: As a matter of routine, it is important that men do not wear clothing which Shariah has advised against. Men should at least try to adopt Islamic clothing when coming to the masjid.
• The clothing of men and women should not resemble one another: RasulAllah (saw) said:
‘Allah (swt) has cursed the men who resemble women and those women who resemble men’. (Bukhari)
• Women should not wear thin garments: RasulAllah (saw) said: ‘Those women are inhabitants of the Hell fire, who even after wearing clothes are naked’.(Riyadus-Saliheen) It states in another place: ‘Those women who wear thin clothing and clothing which causes desire to arise in the hearts of men… (refers to those women who beautify themselves and walk about without hijab/purdah)…They will not enter Jannah nor will they smell its fragrance’. (Muslim)
How to Adopt the Headscarf ? Allah (swt) says: ‘tell the believing women…to draw their veils over their bodies…’(meaning to cover from the head to the breast). (An-Nur, 31)
This is due to the fact that the breast of women is apparent beauty in form. The women of jahiliyyah would position the cloth on the head and hang the sides to the back exposing the breast area, beautifying themselves in front of strange males. The Qur’an orders the Muslim women to be strict in this observance of modesty and piety and adopt clothing which covers the hair of the head, the ears, the neck and at the same time cover the breast adequately in front of ghayr-mahram males. (Tafsiri Usmani)
We pray that Allah (swt) guides our men and women to adopt clothing according to the Shariah and Sunnah in our daily lives and grants us honour and status through this action, Aameen.
Al Kauthar.
Mufti Yusuf Danka (CMIC)
