Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Hi There,

I was told that this was a usefull link for getting the right answers to islamic questions.

What i want to know is that what does Islam say about the dress code of a women and man? Is it necessary for a women to cover her hair or is it more necessary for her to cover her body. And is it a sin if some of her hair are showing even though she is wearing a scarf? Or is it a sin if she doesn't cover her hair at all but her body is covered up? Perhaps she wears a cap and a scarf around her to cover herself that way? Is that ok?

Because from all the literature i've read from the Quran and Hadith it talks about covering the body and there's nothing mentioned about the hair.

And if women are suppose to hide their bodies then what about men?

I believe that different cultures have given their own interpretation of what the actual law is. And as far as i was once told by a Muslim friend it is what the intention in your heart that is counted. If your heart is pure from evil thoughts, and you are somewhat modest in your dress code (i.e. not walk around with only your eyes being seen) but you are modestly covered up then you are doing nothing wrong.

It makes me very confused about this religion and many of its topic but this one by far is the most confusing and i hope you can perhaps clear things up?

Appreciate your response!

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Veil quran as per the sunnah

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: What i want to know is that what does Islam say about the dress code of a women and man?

Allah and His Messenger (saws) have neither specified nor limited the believers to a particular Islamic dress, but rather gave some conditions which the dress one adorns himself/herself with must be fulfilled:

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verse 26:

26 O ye children of Adam! We have bestowed clothing upon you to cover your shame as well as to be an adornment to you; but the clothing of ‘taqwa’ (piety, righteousness, etc.) that is the best. Such are among the Signs of Allah that they may receive admonition!

Provided that the below five conditions of apparel are not violated, there is absolutely no restriction on the type or color of clothing the believers are allowed to wear in Islam:

1. Clothes worn should not announce arrogance.
2. The ‘satr’ of the person (man or woman) must be covered in the presence of their non-mehrams.
3. The clothes worn must not be tight so as to display ones figure and curves, and should not be transparent.
4. The clothes worn must not be an imitation of the pagans or disbelievers.
5. Men should not imitate women in their clothing; nor should women imitate men in their clothing.

Thus regardless of what type of outfit one chooses to wear, if it does not violate any of the above restrictions, then it would be deemed appropriate clothing in Islam.

The believing woman is guided to basic sets of dress-codes:

1. When in the presence of her ‘mehrams’.
2. When in the presence of her ‘non-mehrams’.

Ref: Dress code of the believing women when in the presence of non-mehram members of the opposite sex:

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 59:

O Prophet, enjoin your wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons. It is expected that they will thus be recognized, and not molested. Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah Noor verse 31:

31 And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except that which is displayed of itself; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves, whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! Turn ye all together towards Allah that ye may attain Bliss.

There are two opinions amongst the scholars in Islam as to what does the phrase ‘except that which is displayed of itself’ mean and include. One opinion is that it means the face and the hands may be left uncovered, and the other opinion is that the face also has to be covered, and only the hands may be left uncovered.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4092 Narrated by Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin

Asma, daughter of AbuBakr, entered upon the Messenger of Allah (saws) wearing thin clothes. The Messenger of Allah (saws) turned his attention from her and said: ‘O Asma, when a woman reaches the age of menstruation, it does not suit her that she displays her parts of body except this and this’, and he (saws) pointed to her face and hands.

The most accepted opinion is that if the women covers everything except her face and her hands, she would be following the Command of Allah; and if she chooses to cover her face, then it would be considered purest and closest to the Command of Allah Subhanah.

The difference between the covering and leaving uncovered the face of a believing woman in ‘hijaab’ is not one between right and wrong, but rather between what is best and what is good. If the believing woman covers her whole body and chooses to leave her face uncovered, it is good, acceptable and in accordance with the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah; but if she covers her whole body including her face with a ‘niqaab’, it would be best and closest to the Command of her Lord.

Ref: Dress code of the believing women when in the presence of her mehrams:

There is absolutely no ‘satr’ or ‘hijaab’ between a husband and a wife united in the sacred bond of marriage in Islam; and there is absolutely no restriction in Shariah regarding which parts of her body she may expose in the presence of her husband.

If the believing woman is in a gathering of only womenfolk or her other mehram relatives, they should still maintain and obey the Command of their Lord to guard their modesty. The absolute minimum ‘satr’ of a believing woman when in the company of her mehrams (except her husband) is that all her body parts from the beginning of her breasts to her knees inclusive should be absolutely covered.

One should not take the absolute minimum ‘satr’ guidance as a license to dress inappropriately when in the company of mehrams (except her husband), but they should fear their Lord and still maintain and obey His Command to guard their modesty and dress and behave appropriately.

Your Question: Is it necessary for a women to cover her hair or is it more necessary for her to cover her body.

When in the presence of her ‘mehrams’, it is not necessary for the believing woman to cover her hair; but when in the presence of ‘non-mehrams’, the believing woman is commanded to and it is absolutely obligatory for her to cover her full body (including her hair), except her face and her hands.

Your Question: And is it a sin if some of her hair are showing even though she is wearing a scarf?

If the sister wears a scarf in such a way that some of her hair are displayed or visible when she is in the presence of non-mehrams, indeed she would be in violation of the clear Commands and Guidance of her Lord Who Created.

Your Question: Or is it a sin if she doesn't cover her hair at all but her body is covered up? Perhaps she wears a cap and a scarf around her to cover herself that way? Is that ok?

If the sister is in the presence of non-mehrams and she chooses to leave her hair completely or partially uncovered, she would indeed be in manifest transgression of the clear Commands of her Lord Who Created.

Your Statements: …And as far as i was once told by a Muslim friend it is what the intention in your heart that is counted. If your heart is pure from evil thoughts, and you are somewhat modest in your dress code (i.e. not walk around with only your eyes being seen) but you are modestly covered up then you are doing nothing wrong.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 53:

53 O ye who Believe! ….. when ye (the companions of the Prophet (saws)) ask (the wives of the Prophet (saws)) for anything ye want, ask them from before a screen: that makes for greater purity for your hearts and for theirs. Nor is it right for you that ye should annoy Allah's Messenger or that ye should marry his widows after him at any time. Truly such a thing is in Allah's Sight an enormity.

Allah Subhanah Commands some of the best and most pious men who ever graced this earth (ie. the noble companions of the Holy Prophet (saws)) that if perchance they wish to ask something from the chaste wives of the Prophet (saws) (who incidentally were amongst the best, most pious, and most chaste women who ever graced this earth!)…..they should do so from behind a screen or a veil as that would make for greater purity for their hearts!

Now sister, ask yourself….

1. After the appointed Prophets of Allah Subhanah, could there be any men in the annuls of history who loved or feared Allah more, or whose intentions or hearts were purer than the noble companions of the Holy Prophet (saws)???
2. In the annuls of history, could there be women who loved or feared Allah more, or whose chastity, or intentions, or hearts were purer than the noble and chaste wives of the Holy Prophet (saws)???

The All-Knowing, All-Wise Lord Commands some amongst the absolute best amongst the men and some amongst the absolute best amongst the womenfolk that if they ask anything from each other, they should do so from behind a veil!

If your friend who told you that it is the intention of one’s heart which counts, or that if the intentions of one’s hearts are pure from ‘evil’ thoughts there is nothing wrong if a believing woman is dressed ‘somewhat’ modestly when in the presence of non-mehram….if your friend who told you this had read and truly understood the implications of the above quoted verse 53 of Surah Ahzaab and feared Allah Subhanah, never would he have uttered such an enormity in defiance of the clear Laws and Commands of the Lord Most Majestic, Most Supreme!!!

Your Question: ….It makes me very confused about this religion and many of its topic but this one by far is the most confusing and i hope you can perhaps clear things up?

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 185:

Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was sent down: this Book is a Perfect Guidance for mankind and consists of clear Teachings which show the Right Way, and are a Criterion of the Truth and falsehood.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 16 Surah Nahl verse 89:

We have sent down to you this Book, which makes everything plain, and is a guidance, blessing and good news to those who have surrendered themselves entirely.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 18 Surah Kahf verse 1-3:

All praise is for Allah Alone, Who has sent down this Book to His Servant (Mohamed (saws), and assigned nothing crooked to it. This Book says everything directly, so that he may warn the people of the severe chastisement of Allah and give good news to the believers, who do righteous deeds, that they will have an excellent reward.

Respected sister in Islam, if one sincerely intends to unconditionally submit their will unto the Will of their Lord Creator in return for His Promised Gardens of Paradise….Allah is our witness sister, no sooner is a Command or a Guidance of Allah and His Messenger (saws) made clear to them that they immediately bring it into practice.

But if one intends to hold on to one’s wills and one desires; is constantly trying to evade, or circumvent, or find loop-holes in the Laws and the Boundaries laid down by Allah and His Messenger (saws); accept the Commands which suit them or their lifestyles, and doubt or deny the Commands which do not suit them or their lifestyles…..it should only be expected that the Shaytaan would succeed in putting doubts and confusion in their hearts regarding the deen.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 175-176:

175 They are the ones who buy error in place of Guidance and torment in place of forgiveness. Ah! What boldness (they show) for the Fire!

176 (Their doom is) because Allah sent down the Book in Truth, but those who seek causes of dispute in the Book are in a schism, far (from the Truth!).

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan