And if women are suppose to hide their bodies then what about men?
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
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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:
- Clothes
worn should not announce arrogance.
- The
‘satr’ of the person (man or woman) must be covered in the presence of
their non-mehrams.
- The
clothes worn must not be tight so as to display ones figure and
curves, and should not be
transparent.
- The
clothes worn must not be an imitation of the pagans or disbelievers.
- 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:
- When
in the presence of her ‘mehrams’.
- 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….
- 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)???
- 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
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
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
Wister