fiqh of clothing & beautification in islam

Fiqh of Clothing

Clothing in Islam

• O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment. But the clothing of righteousness – that is best. That is from the signs of Allah that perhaps they will remember.(Surat al-A'raf 7:26)

• The Dress code ordained by Allah for men and women is not simply to conceal parts of the body that shouldn’t be exposed publicly, this is not the intention of clothing in Islam, this outward covering should also manifest itself in the way a Muslim interacts with others, in fact: the clothing of righteousness – this is best’

Clothing Influences Behaviour

• No man or woman should be flirtatious when they speak to each other. The Purpose behind clothing in general is to plant the seeds of faith in the heart, for what is in the heart will show on the body.

• There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent example for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.(Surat Al-Ahzab, 33:21)

General Guidelines for Clothing

• The goals and principles of shariah that govern this area: • Prohibition and permissibility are sole rights of Allah swt.

• 16;116 “and do not say about what your tongues assert of untruth, “this is lawful and this is unlawful,” to invent falsehood about Allah. Indeed, those who invent falsehood about Allah will not succeed.

• The realm of halal is vast and options are plenty. There is no need to delve into the haram and doubtful matters

• Matters are by their objectives and intentions• The default ruling regarding clothing and beautification is that all is permissible except

that which is prohibited in the shariah• One of the goals of shari’ah is to cover awrah and one of the goals of shaytan is to

expose them• Allah swt said the shaytan inspired adam and eve and tried to get them to expose

themselves 7;20


• One of the goals of shariah is to establish modestly and morality in society• The shariah rules are intended to help a person control his/her desires and channel

them in the right directions, not to be controlled by them– Beautification is a desire

• Of the goals of shari’ah is beauty for Allah swt is beautiful and love beauty– It doesn't want you to look ugly and dirty. Modesty doesn’t equal ugly– Allah is beautiful and love beauty. Iron your clothes for example

• The presences of difficulty requires that allowance be made to effect ease• One must not imitate non-believers or evildoers-fasiq- in what is known to be

specific to them. Imitation on the other exterior level often affects the interior• A women must not imitate what is specific to a male and vice versa

– What will define this is for man not women? The culture


• Common culture is a reference as long as it is within the guidelines of the shari’ah• The shariah came with rulings to block the means to haraam. Sadd’I-dharaa’I,

closing the door against the possibility of committing illegal things. Sometimes a permissible act may be forbidden by the law because it leads or may most probably lead to illegal actions

– People take to an extreme level though • Extravagance and wasting money are prohibited in the shari’ah

– “o children of Adam, take your adornment at every Masjid, and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, he likes not those who commit excess” 7;31

– SAW said “eat and drink and dress and give in charity without excessiveness or arrogance” al-nasa’i

• Wasting time is prohibited in the shari’ah


• Modesty: The prophet(saw) said: Modesty and Iman are tied together, if one is lost, the other will also be lost!(Al Adab al Mufrid,986)

• Avoid waste and extravagance: Ibn Abbas(ra) said: Eat what you will, wear what you want, but avoid two things: Waste and extravagance

• Wear that which is pure and bought from pure wealth: The prophet(saw) mentioned the man whose dua was rejected, and one of the reason was that he was clothed from haram “…But his food was from unlawful sources, his drink was unlawful, his clothing was unlawful and he was fed/nourished with what was unlawful, so how can Allah respond to his supplication? (Muslim,1015)

Clothing Originating from Animals

• Animals that are lawful for Muslims to eat: The skins of animal that are lawful for us to consume can be used. The prophet(saw) saw a dead sheep and he said: “Will you not benefit from its skin!’ the companions said, “it is dead” then he said: Only eating its flesh is unlawful(Al Bukhari)The prophet(saw) also said: if the ihab* has been tanned, it becomes pure

• Animals that are unlawful for Muslims: If an animal is najis(filthy/impure) it can not be utilized, and its skin remains filthy even if it is tanned. This is the case with pig-skin: ..the flesh of swine – for indeed, it is impure(Surat Al-An’am 6:145)

Clothing Originating from Animals

• Summary: • If an animal is slaughtered Islamically, its skin is pure, even

without tanning. • If an animal that is lawful for us to consume dies, and then its

skin is tanned, it too becomes lawful for us to use• As for the skin of an animal that is impure, such as a pig, it

would not become pure, even if tanned• Carnivorous animals: In Relation to the skinks of carnivorous

animals, it is mentioned in the authentic hadith: The prophet(saw) forbade one to sit on the skins of carnivorous animals(al Tirmidhi, 1771)

Guidelines for Men

1. Not Specific to non-Muslims: The prophet(saw) said: Grow your beards, trim the moustaches, and change the colour of your white hair; do not imitate the Jews and Chirstians(sahih al-Jami)

2. Length: The garment/pants must not go below the ankles. “ What is below the ankles is in the fire” (Sahih Al Jami’)

The garment of a believer is to the mid portion of his calves, till his ankle. What is below ankle of the garment is in the Fire(Sahih Al Targhib)

Whoever drags their garment out of arrogance Allah will not look at them on the day of resurrection. Abu Bakr(ra) said: O Messenger of Allah! Part of my garments goes below my ankle, but I try to keep I above my ankles. The Messenger of Allah(saw) responded: You are not among those who drag their garments out of arrogance.(Al Bukhari)

Guidelines for Men

3. One’s garment must not induce arrogance, pride or boasting: The Prophet(saw) said: No one shall enter Jannah in whose hear there is an ants weight of arrogance. A man said: One of us loves to wear good garments and sandals!’ The prophet(saw) then said: Indeed Allah is beautiful and loves beauty, arrogance is to reject the truth and belittle people.

4. The garment should not appear as a woman’s garment: The messenger of Allah(saw) cursed men who imitate woman and woman imitate men.(Al Bukhari)

Guidelines for Men

5. The garment should not accentuate or display the awra’h: Certain fabrics accentuate the body by hugging it so that in fact it is almost as if the person is not clothed. O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment. But the clothing of righteousness - that is best. That is from the signs of Allah that perhaps they will remember.(Surah Al A'raf:26)

6. The garment should not be made from silk: The prophet (saw) said: Silk has been forbidden upon the men of my Ummah and is lawful for the women(At Tirmidhi) • Do not wear silk, for the one who wears silk in this Dunya will not wear it in the next life(Muslim)• The prophet(saw) a person wearing a garment with a pocket or collar made of silk, and he said: a

collar of fire on the day of resurrection(Majma Al Zawa’id)• It is inappropriate for a man to use silk bedsheets as Hudhayfah said: The prohphet(saw) forbade

that we wear silk or sit on it.(Bukhari)

Guidelines for Men

7. The garment must not be a deep red in colour: It is reported that prophet(saw) said disliked it. Ali(ra) said: The Messenger of Allah(saw) forbade me from wearing gold rings, silk garments, reciting the quran in ruku or in sujud and that I wear garments that are red in colour, that is dyed in saffron(Muslim) A man passed by the Prophet(saw) said and he was wearing two red garments and he gave salam to the prophet(saw) and the prophet(saw) did not respond to him(al Tirmidhi) Qatadah b Da’amah said that Umar(ra) said: Umar(ra) saw a man wearing a red garment and he said, let the women wear these garments(Muhalla)

Rulings Regarding Women’s Clothing

Hijab was made obligatory upon believing women once they reach the age of puberty. O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful (Al’Ahzab: 59)And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance (Al’Ahzab: 33)

•Make sure your garments cover you. •In the beginning, hijab wasn’t mandatory, then dressing modestly was obligated, so the awrah of a woman is not be displayed. Her hands, legs, and neck, where her jewelry would be showing, is not allowed to be seen. After that, the above verse was revealed commanding them to bring the khimar around their necks so that they would be covered. •Allah also made it obligatory on the prophet’s (saw) wives to cover their faces. This is an area of debate as to whether the command was only for the wives of the Prophet (saw) or for all women.

• The wives of the Prophet (saw) had to have a partition when talking to non-mahram male, as well but this did not occur for every case because there are plenty of times they spoke to people without it.


The scholars have mentioned the following conditions regarding hijab:

•The garment itself must be intrinsically lawful. •It must cover the body, with a difference of opinion among the scholars regarding the face and hands

• Abu hanifah and one narration of Malik adds the feet. • Abu Yusuf also added the lower arm.

•It should not be transparent or tight so that it details any part of the body. •It cannot be particularly eye-catching. •It should not resemble clothing that is specific to non-Muslims, evildoers (fasiq), or men. •It should not be perfumed. •It should not be a dress of shuhrah (something that makes a person ostensible). The Prophet (saw) said, “He who wears a garment of shuhrah, Allah will dress him in a garment of humiliation and Fire” (Abu Dawud).


Al’tabarruj is to display the beauty that Allah commanded be covered in public, and this act is a sin in Islam. When Umaymah bint Ruqayqah pledged allegiance to the Prophet (saw) in Islam, he said, “I will take your pledge that you will not commit shirk, that you will not steal, that you will not commit adultery, that you will not kill your child, that you will not make a false claim, that you will not wail (in mourning), and that you will not display your beauty as was the display of the former times of ignorance” (Ahmad). •Tabarruj is to dress immodestly for the purpose of seduction/attention

• The one who goes outside and displays her beauty will be in the darkness of hell.• Hijab is not just a piece of cloth around your head; it is also your attitude.

The Prophet (saw) said, “Of the people of Hell, there are two types whom I have never seen: The one possessing whips like the tail of an ox and they flog people with them. The second one, the women who would be naked in spite of their being dressed, who are seduced to wrong paths and seduce others with their hair high like humps. These women would not get into Paradise and they would not perceive its odor, although its fragrance can be perceived from such and such distance” (Muslim). He (saw) also said, “The example of the one who flaunts her beauty to other than her family, she will be in complete darkness with no light on the Day of Resurrection” (Al’Tirmidhi).

Guidelines for Women

1. The entire body must be covered except for that which the Shariah permits to be exposed: And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, their brothers' sons, their sisters' sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed. (Surat Al Nur, 24:31)

O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.(Surat Al Ahzab 33:59)


2. The Women’s Attire must not be attractive in itself: … and not expose their adorment..(Surah al-Nur, 24:31)

And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as (was) the display of the former times of ignorance..(Surah al-ahzab, 33:33)

Imam Al-Dhabi said: ’displaying yourselves’ indicates a women’s beauty that provokes a man’s desires.1. Is the abaya required in the shariah by way of obligation ?

2. Does the Sharia legislate a particular colour ?

3. Are the feet of a female awrah ?

2. The Women’s Attire must not be translucent: The prophet(saw) said: There are two categories of people, who are from hell, that I have not yet seen; a people who carry wih them whips the shape of cow’s tails, with which they beat people and women, who are dressed but undressed. They walk seductively and their heads appear to be like the humps of Bactrian camels. They will not enter Jannah and its scent can be found at a distance of such and such distance(Muslim)

Imam ibn Abd al-Barr(R) said: What is meant by these women are those who wear very thin(translucent) clothing, such that they appear clothed but yet are unclothed in reality


4. The Women’s Attire must be lose fitting: The prophet(saw) said: There are two categories of people, who are from hell, that I have not yet seen; a people who carry wih them whips the shape of cow’s tails, with which they beat people and women, who are dressed but undressed. They walk seductively and their heads appear to be like the humps of Bactrian camels. They will not enter Jannah and its scent can be found at a distance of such and such distance(Muslim)

Another hadith that indicates this meaning is in the story of Usamah bin Zayd: The messenger of Allah(saw) gave me a thick garment to wear, which was given to him as a gift from Dihya al-kalbi. I gave it to my wife. The prophet(saw) then asked me: why have you not worn the garment? I told him, ‘ I gave it to my wife’. He then said: command her to wear under it another garment; for I fear it may be describe her body’(Majma’al-Zawa’id)

Garment for Prayer: Aishah(ra) said: A women must pray in three garments; a dir, jilbab and khimar.

Dir: Imam Ahmed said: It is a garment that covers her body to her feet

Jilbab: An outer covering that covers the entire body

Khimar: It is a garment that covers the head


5. The Muslim Women’s may not wear perfume in public: The prophet(saw) said: Any women who wears perfume and passes by some people who smell her perfume is like one who commits fornication.(al Nasai,5141)

In the hadith of Zaynab al thaqafiyyah the prophet(saw) said: If one of you leaves for the masjid, let them not touch any perfume

6. The Muslim Women’s clothing must not ressemble men’s clothing: The Messenger of Allah(saw) cursed men who imitate women and women to imitate man(Al Bukhari)

The Prophet(saw) said: The one who imitates women is not of us and women who imitates men is not from one of us.(Ahmad)

The prophet(saw) said: Three people will not enter Jannah, and Allah will not look at them on the day of Judgement, the one who is disobedient to his parents, the women who imitates men and al-dayyuth **(Ahmed)

7. The Muslim Women’s clothing must not ressemble non-mulims clothing: The Messenger of Allah(saw) cursed men who imitate women and women to imitate man(Al Bukhari)


8. The cloths of Muslim Women’s should not be ressemble those of the disbelievers:

Has not the time arrived for the Believers that their hearts in all humility should engage in the remembrance of Allah and of the Truth which has been revealed (to them), and that they should not become like those to whom was given Revelation aforetime, but long ages passed over them and their hearts grew hard? For many among them are rebellious transgressors. (57:16)

When the prophet(saw) went to khaybar, they passed by a tree used by polytheist called dhat anwat: the polytheists hung their weapons on it. The muslims then said to prophet(saw): O Messenger of Allah(saw), give us dha Anwat as they have one: The prophet(saw) said: Subhan Allah! This is what the people of musa(as) said to him, give us an idol as they have an idol, By the one in whose hands is my life, you shall follow in the footsteps of those before you(At Tirmidhi)

9. The cloths of Muslim Women’s should not be worn for pretentious show and boasting:

The prophet(saw) said: the one who dresses pretentiously for the sake of boasting and showing off in this world. Allah will give that person a clothing of humiliation on the day of requital and it will be set on the fire(Abu Dawud 4029)

Beautification

The Prophet (saw) said, “Allah is Beautiful and He Loves beauty” (Muslim).

The Prophet (saw) said, “Ten things are part of the fitrah: Cutting the moustache, letting the beard grow, using siwak (tooth-stick), snuffing up water into the nose, cutting the nails, washing the finger-joints, plucking the armpit hairs, shaving the pubes and washing the private parts after relieving oneself.” “Mus'ab said, ‘I have forgotten the tenth but I think it was rinsing the mouth’” (Muslim).

The Prophet (saw) said, “Whoever grows his hair should take good care of it” (Abu Dawud).

Alqamah related that ‘Abdullah said, “Allah curses women who tattoo and are tattooed, women who pluck their eyebrows, and women who file their teeth to make gaps for beauty, altering Allah’s creation! Why should I not curse those whom the Prophet(saw), cursed when that is in the Book of Allah: ‘So take what the Messenger assigns you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you.’ (59:7)” (Al’Bukhari and Muslim)

Hisham ibn Urwah related from his wife Fatimah that Asma bint Abi Bakr said, “The Messenger of Allah (saw) cursed the woman who joins on hair and the one who has it joined on” (Al’Bukhari)

The wives of the Prophet (saw) used to cut their hair short so that it came just past their ears (Muslim).Aishah (ra) said that a woman handed the Prophet (saw) a “book” from behind a curtain. The Prophet (saw) did not take it right away and looked confused. The woman said, “Oh, Messenger of Allah (saw), why did you not take it?” He asked, “I did not know if this is the hand of a woman or a man.” She said, “A woman.” He said, “If it is, why did you not color your nails with henna?” (Al’Nasai)

Means of Beautification

The Beard:

Ruling on shaving the beard off : This is prohibited; as in the hadith: Trim the moustache and grow the beard(Muslim 259)

Trimming the beard: In relation to the hairs that grow oddly, they can be removed, Anything beyond this has disagreement:

a.The beard may be trimmed as one like, so long as it does not appear shaved

b.The beard should be grown definitely

c. The beard may not be allowed to grown beyond one fist


General Rule: What is affirmed for men, is also affirmed for women unless a restrictive text indicates that it is specific to men or women.

Threading: Ruling : Prohibition

Proof: … and I(shaytan) will command them so they will change the creation of Allah(4:119)

This verse is clarified through the words of our prophet(saw): Allah has cursed those who are tattoed and those who tatto others. He has cursed those who thread for others and those who thread their eyebrows, and those who beatify their teeth for the sake of beauty, they change the appearance of the creation of Allah(Muslim, 2125)

Hair Pieces/Wigs: Ruling : Prohibition

Proof: The prophet(saw) said: Allah has cursed the one who adds a hair piece to another’s hair and the one who wears it. He has cursed the one who tattoos others and the one who is tattooed(Sahih Al Jami, 5105)


Kohl: Ruling : Recommended for both Genders

Proof: The prophet(saw) said: use the kohl taken from ithmid, for it is the best form of kohl. It clears one’s sight and grows the hair(al-tirmidhi, 1757)

Piercing: Ruling : There is no prohibit in relation to this

Long Nails: Ruling : It is not lawful for a woman to beautify herself by growing her nails long. The prophet(saw) specified cutting the nails from he acts of fitrah.

Proof: Ten are the practices of fitrah: Clipping the moustache, using the tooth-stick, cleaning the nasal passages by sniffing water up the nose, cutting the nails, washing the hands, plucking the hair under the armpits, shaving the pubic hairs and cleaning one’s private parts with water. The narrator said: I have forgotten the tenth, but it may have been rinsing the mouth(muslim, 261)

Hair Transplants: ???


Black Hair-Dye:

Lawful: If a women colours her hair with a black hair dye and she is young but her hair has prematurely begun to whiten, she may use black hair dye in order to achieve uniformity. This is based on the fatwa of ibn Baz. He mentioned that there is no trickery or deception involved if she dyes her hair black.

Prohibited: The opinion of the majority of scholars is that it is unlawful for one to change the colour of their hair with black hair dye.

FAQs

1. What is the ‘awrah of a woman in front of another woman?2. What is the ‘awrah in front of male relatives?3. Do I have to wear a jilbab or ‘abayah? Is it okay to wear a skirt or pants with a long shirt or jacket? Is

dressing in shalwar kamiz sufficient?4. Does hijab have to be black or a dark color?5. One of the conditions of hijab is that the clothing is not an attraction in and of itself. What is

considered inherent beauty or attraction? Is it okay if it is glittery? Is it okay if it all matches in color and style?

6. Can I remove my hijab in front of a non-Muslim?7. Can I dress according to the latest fashion?8. Can I wear makeup in public? What about kohl or henna ?9. Can I wear clothing made of animal leather or furs?10. What is the ruling regarding going out in high heels?11. What is the ruling regarding wearing clothing that has image or crosses ?12. Am I allowed to buy clothes that I don’t need ?13. What is the ruling regarding wearing unisex clothing ?14. Is it permissible to dress in a way specific to evildoers in front of my husband only?15. What is the ruling regarding wearing simple jewelry that can be seen, such as a ring or necklace over

my abayah?

FAQs

16. Is it allow to wear a nose ring or get a navel piercing or piercings in other areas in the body? Can I wear more than one earring?

17. What is the ruling on colored eye lenses?18. Is it permissible to bleach my eyebrows?19. Can I remove the hair above my nose that connects my eyebrows?20. What is the ruling regarding fake eyelashes or fake nails?21. What is ruling regarding using food for external skin care?22. What is the ruling regarding cosmetic surgery and cosmetic dentistry?

FAQs

21. Is it allowed to get a tattoo? What if is it removable?22. If I have a tattoo from before Islam, what I should do?23. Is it permissible to use the products from the Dead Sea?24. Can I cut my hair short?25. Can I cut my hair according to trend or get a haircut that a celebrity has?26. What is the ruling regarding wearing wigs? What if it’s for my husband? Because of illness?27. Are there any restrictions regarding dyeing the hair?28. What is the ruling on hair extensions?29. Can I pluck my eyebrows if this pleases my husband?30. What is the ruling regarding removing hair on arms and legs?31. What is ruling on laser hair removal?32. Is there a specific way that underarm or pubic hair must be removed?33. Can I work as a beautician? Hair stylist?34. Can I have someone else help me remove hair from my body?35. Can we have community fashion shows?

fiqh of clothing & beautification in islam

Spiritual

goals of shariah

themessenger of allah

intention of clothing

clothing ofrighteousness

fiqh of clothing

shariah rules

principles of shariah

clothing common culture