Women dress in Islam
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:
ASSALAM O ALAIKUM MR.
BURHAN
THANX FOR
BU STILL I AM VERY
CONFUSED......... HOW CAN A WOMAN WEAR A DRESS COVERING HER BODY FROM HER CHEST
TO HER KNEES IN FRONT OF HER FATHER, BROTHER, PATERNAL & MATERNAL UNCLES
AND GRAND FATHERS...... WHICH ARE HER MEHRAMS (as well as those Mehrams explained in the Aayat 31
of Surah-e-Noor except for her Husband) ACCORDING TO
SHARIAH....... IT CANNOT BE APPLICABLE AS TO SOME
EXTENT SHE IS HAVING A WESTERN OUTFIT.......
I KNOW ALLAH CANNOT BE OUR MEHRAM BUT SINCE HE IS THE ONE WHO HAS COMMANDED
WOMEN TO LOWER THEIR GAZE AND DO NOT EXPOSE THEIR BEAUTIES ON STRANGE MEN (aayat # 31 Soor-e-Noor) THEN DO U
THINK IT IS PERMISSIBLE TO WANDER AROUND UR MEHRAMS IN SUCH AWKWARD DRESS
(Covering yourself from Shoulders to Knees)
I HAVE BEEN TOLD OF A HADITH WHICH SAYS: AURAT KA SAR NANGA HONA QAYAMAT KEE NISHANEE
HAI (Women uncovering their Heads is a sign of Qiyamat).....
I HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD OF AN INCIDENT WHEREBY HAZRAT KHADIJA ASKED PROPHET
MOHAMMED PBUH TO INFORM HT THE NEXT TIME GABRIELLE VISITS HIM AS SHE WANTED TO
OFFER HER SALUTATIONS TO HIM......... WHEN GABRIELLE CAME SHE ASKED THE PROPHET
TO CONVEY HER SALAAM TO HIM....... THE PROPHET DID SO....... THEN HAZRAT
KHADIJA WENT ON TO SAT NEAR THE LEFT SIDE OF THE PROPHET i.e. very near to
him......... AND ASKED THE PROPHET IF GABRIELLE WS STILL AROUND THEM...... THE
PROPHET SAID YES HE IS HERE........ THEN SHE SAT NEAR THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE
PROPHET......... AND ASKED THE PROPHET IF GABRIELLE WS STILL AROUND THEM......
THE PROPHET SAID YES HE IS HERE..... THEN SHE
HER
SALAAM TO HIM....... THE PROPHET DID SO....... THEN HAZRAT KHADIJA WENT ON TO
SAT NEAR THE LEFT SIDE OF THE PROPHET i.e. very near to him......... AND ASKED
THE PROPHET IF GABRIELLE WS STILL AROUND THEM...... THE PROPHET SAID YES HE IS
HERE........ THEN SHE SAT NEAR THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PROPHET......... AND ASKED
THE PROPHET IF GABRIELLE WS STILL AROUND THEM...... THE PROPHET SAID YES HE IS
HERE..... THEN SHE UNCOVERED HER HAIR AND ASKED THE MESSENGER IF THE HOLY GHOST
WAS STILL WITH THEM......... AND HE SAID........ NO HE HAS LEFT
US..............
THE
POINT IS THE HOUSE WHERE THE WOMEN DO NOT COVER THEIR HEADS IS NOT VISITED BY
THE ANGELS OF ALLAH..........
COULD YOU PLS. CLARIFY THE ABOVE......
PLS. REPLY T THE FOLLOWING ADDRESSES:
(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:
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 no one (no idol, no
person, no grave, no prophet, no imam,
no dai,
nobody!) 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: HOW CAN A WOMAN
WEAR A DRESS COVERING HER BODY FROM HER CHEST TO HER KNEES IN FRONT OF HER
FATHER, BROTHER, PATERNAL & MATERNAL UNCLES AND GRAND FATHERS...... WHICH
ARE HER MEHRAMS ACCORDING TO SHARIAH....... IT CANNOT
BE APPLICABLE AS TO SOME EXTENT SHE IS HAVING A WESTERN OUTFIT.......
In Shariah terms, the ‘satr’
of the woman is from her chest to her knees inclusive; which she is not
permitted to display in front of anyone except her husband. The believing woman would be well within the
boundaries of Allah Subhanah if she chooses to wear
what is known today as a ‘western’ outfit (jeans, pants, skirts, tshirts, tops, etc.) in front of her mehram
relatives; even if her hair is not covered.
To cover
the ‘satr’ of the woman is the absolute basic
requirement; and it would obviously not be appropriate if the woman took to
this basics of extreme, and always wore clothing that just covered her body
from her chest to her knees at all times in front of her mehrams
and elders. It would be righteousness on
her part to be dressed appropriately in front of her mehrams
and elders; but if she chose not to cover her hair in front of her mehram relatives, she would be well within the boundaries
of Allah Subhanah.
Your Question: I HAVE BEEN TOLD OF
A HADITH WHICH SAYS: AURAT KA SAR NANGA HONA QAYAMAT KEE NISHANEE HAI (Women
uncovering their Heads is a sign of Qiyamat).....
Beloved sister in Islam, to the best of our knowledge we have not come across a
saying of the Prophet (saws) with the above words. We humbly request you to give us the
reference number of the hadith you have quoted above
to increase our knowledge in the deen.
But the
Messenger of Allah (saws) did make a mention of the women who would come in
time, who he (saws) said would be naked even though she would be dressed, and
she would reveal her hair to seduce others to the wrong path.
Sahih Muslim Hadith 6840 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah
The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “There are two types, amongst
the denizens of Hell, I have yet not seen them. 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
In the
above hadith, it is evident that the Messenger of
Allah (saws) is talking about woman who would wear revealing or tight clothes
in public, or do not follow the command of the veil when in the presence of
non-mehram men.
It is
absolutely permissible for a believing woman to not wear the veil or hijaab in front of her mehram
male relatives, if she does not wish to do so.
Ref: The hadith
your quoted: I HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD OF AN INCIDENT WHEREBY HAZRAT KHADIJA ASKED
PROPHET MOHAMMED PBUH TO INFORM HT THE NEXT TIME GABRIELLE VISITS HIM AS SHE
WANTED TO OFFER HER SALUTATIONS TO HIM.........
Firstly,
the command of the veil for the believing woman in Surah
Ahzaab was only revealed after the
Thus,
logically, the incident which you have quoted regarding Hadrat
Khadijah (r.a.), the veil, and Hadrat Jibrael (a.s.) could not possibly have happened; because the command of the veil was revealed
eight years after the death of Hadrat Khadijah (r.a.), and thus the
veiling of the believing woman would not be applicable before its revelation in
the Quran!
Your Statement: THE POINT IS THE
HOUSE WHERE THE WOMEN DO NOT COVER THEIR HEADS IS NOT VISITED BY THE ANGELS OF
ALLAH..........
Beloved sister in Islam, from the verses of the Quran
in Surah Ahzaab verse 59, Surah Nur verse 31, and from the
authentic traditions of the Messenger of Allah (saws) and the practice of his
chaste wives, it is absolutely permissible for a believing woman to not cover
her hair when she is not in the presence of non-mehram
males.
There is
absolutely no Aayah in the Quran
or any authentic hadith which declares that the
Angels of Allah do not enter a house where the woman does not cover her
head!
There are
several authentic hadiths where the Messenger of
Allah (saws) warned us when the Angels of Allah do the enter the houses, but
Angels not entering houses where the women do not practice purdah
in front of their mehrams is not one of them!
Sahih Muslim Hadith 5246 Narrated by Aisha
Gabriel (saws) made a promise with Allah's Messenger (saws) to
come at a definite hour; that hour came but he did not visit him. And there was
in his hand (in the hand of Allah's Apostle) a staff. He threw it from his hand
and said: “Never has Allah or His messengers (Angels) ever broken their
promise.” Then he cast a glance (and by chance) found a puppy under his cot and
said: “Aisha, when did this dog enter here?” She said: “By Allah, I don't know.” He then
commanded and it was turned out. Then Gabriel came and Allah's Messenger (saws)
said to him: “You promised me and I waited for you, but you did not come”,
whereupon he said: “It was the dog in your house which prevented me (to come),
for we (Angels) do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture.”
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 4.448 Narrated
by Abu Talha
I heard Allah's Messenger (saws) saying; "Angels (of Mercy)
do not enter a house wherein there is a dog, or a picture of a living creature
(a human being or an animal)."
Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 227 Narrated
by Ali ibn AbuTalib
The Prophet (saws) said: “Angels do not enter the house where
there is a picture, or a dog, or a person who is sexually defiled.”
Sahih Muslim Hadith 5277 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah
Allah's Messenger (saws) said: “Angels do not accompany the travellers who have with them a dog and a bell.”
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 3.318 Narrated
by Aisha
I bought a cushion with pictures on it. When Allah's Messenger (saws) saw it, he kept
standing at the door and did not enter the house. I noticed the sign of disgust
on his face, so I said, "O Allah's Messenger (saws)! I repent to Allah and
His Messenger . (Please let me know) what sin I have
done." Allah's Messenger (saws)
said, "What about this cushion?" I replied, "I bought it for you
to sit and recline on." The Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "The
painters (i.e. owners) of these pictures will be punished on the Day of
Resurrection. It will be said to them, 'Put life in what you have created (i.e.
painted).' " The Prophet (saws) added, "The
Angels do not enter a house where there are pictures."
Sahih Muslim Hadith 5276 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah
Allah's Messenger (saws) said: “Angels do not enter the house in
which there are portrayals or pictures.”
Whatever
written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance,
and whatever of error is of me. Allah
Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.
Your Brother in Islam,
Wister