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:

Assalamu alaikum,

I read a sahih hadith that said the women who immitate kafir women in dress are cursed by Allah, but Im really in doubt as to what is the kafir women`s clothes. Can you please clarify, is shirt and pant, skirts and blouses, and saris will they be considered the clothing of kafir women? Also what can a Muslim revert do, she will want to wear her own traditional clothes, for example if she is american she will wear a skirt. Please clarify this ASAP jazakalah khair. May Allah reward you for helping us. 

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Answer:

Imitate pagan clothes dress sari

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: I read a sahih hadith that said the women who immitate kafir women in dress are cursed by Allah,

To the best of our limited knowledge, we have not come across a specific command in the Quran or Sunnah whereby it is declared that ‘women who imitate kafir women in dress are cursed by Allah’. The guidance given to the believers regarding the prohibition of the imitation of pagans is general, which includes apparel and dress but is not exclusive to it. We humbly ask you that if you could kindly give us the reference details of where you found this ‘hadith’, we would be able to study it and give you our opinion regarding its authenticity and contents, Insha allah.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 4649 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "He does not belong to us who imitates other people!”

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4020 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar

The Prophet (saws) said: ‘He who copies any people is one of them!’

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 7.774 Narrated by Ibn Abbas

The Prophet (saws) invoked the curse of Allah on the effeminate men (those men who are in the similitude (or assume the manners, dress, etc. of women), and those women who assume the similitude (or manners, dress, etc. of men).

Your Question: Can you please clarify, is shirt and pant, skirts and blouses, and saris will they be considered the clothing of kafir women? Also what can a Muslim revert do, she will want to wear her own traditional clothes, for example if she is american she will wear a skirt.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) himself, his chaste and noble family, and his noble companions themselves wore the dresses which were worn by their people of the times. Allah and His Messenger (saws) 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 if the culture or tradition of the people where one resides is shirts and pants, skirts or blouses, saris, or whatever else; there is absolutely no harm if a believer adorns himself with his/her prevalent cultural clothes, as long as none of the above conditions of Islam are violated.

Your Question: saris will they be considered the clothing of kafir women?

The ‘sari’ is an accepted dress of the people of the nation of India, and is not specific to the pagans or disbelievers. Thus it is absolutely permissible for a believing woman to wear a sari, provided that her outer garment covers her full ‘satr’ in the presence of her non-mehrams.

The nature of the dress ‘sari’ is such that the midriff of the women is exposed in the dress, thus it would violate the ‘satr’ command; but if a believing woman wears a ‘sari’ and when in public or in the presence of her non-mehrams wears an outer garment which completely covers her ‘satr’, there is absolutely no harm in her wearing the ‘sari’.

Your Question: Also what can a Muslim revert do, she will want to wear her own traditional clothes, for example if she is american she will wear a skirt.

If a believing woman wishes to wear a skirt, provided her ‘satr’ is completely covered, and it is not tight or transparent so as to display or highlight her natural figure and body curves, there is absolutely no harm and no restriction if she chooses to wear a skirt.

Just to give you an idea of what would today specify as being a dress specific to the pagans or disbelievers would be the exact adornment of the ‘safron’ sari or robes worn by the religious Hindu and Buddhist priests, or the exact attire of a Christian nun, or the long-coat and hat worn by the Jewish Rabbis, etc. If a believer wore such clothes, which are absolutely specific to a pagan religion, then it would be in violation of the command of prohibition of imitation of the pagan! But if one wishes to wear the normal and accepted dress which is prevalent in the nation one resides in, there is absolutely no harm.

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