Pants?

[lightofnur]

Assalammualaikum all.

So I have a complicated question I need to ask, and it's pretty relevant to the Muslim community only because it's so widespread. I'm talking about the permissibility of women wearing pants/trousers in Islam. I was researching about this topic and I got two main answers: one is that it is permissible as long as one wears a long, wide something over it, and another is that it is not allowed for a number of reasons. The second opinion sounded more convincing and got more textual evidence than the first in my view, and the first opinion just said, "as long as it is this, as long as it is that." Now I've always worn my hijab, a long, loose shirt reaching the knees or just half an inch above it, and rather loose pants. But after hearing this, I've begun to wear a long skirt just to be on the safe side.

So here are my questions:

1)What do you all think about this? Do you have any reliable sources to back up your answers, and what would you do?

2)Being in a cramped place to live at the moment, I need exercise and fresh air. I can't do much exercise in the house and so I need to go up and down the stairs connecting the upper and lower levels of the building at most. But the other occupants on other levels of the house are non-Muslim women. Is it OK to let them see me wearing pants, if I go up and down the stairs (exercise or no)? Or if I visit them in their houses with pants and a hijab?

3)How do I exercise, do sports? I'll accept whatever it is, but does that mean I can't jog outside? My house is cramped and not suitable to move around. I guess I could walk outside in a skirt, but it's not practical that way, and for this very reason, when I go out, I wear the skirt and do no exercise. And my house is in a women's area, so exiting means non-Muslim and Muslim women would see me jogging. It gets pretty depressing when I keep rejecting offers to do things that require pants because a skirt would be unpractical for those things, but I'll accept whatever it is. Allah really knows best, right?

4)My father has finally begun to be religiously-inclined, but he still disallows me from wearing a skirt. Please don't suggest me to talk to him, because I have, and he thinks I shouldn't be too "extreme". Will I get any sin if he forces me to do something I don't? He gets angry whenever I wear the skirt.

I really don't want to cause distress by asking this question, but I really felt that it has to be asked because so many women wear pants nowadays. Lastly, may Allah heavily Bless whoever who takes the time to answer or even gives attention to this post. Thank you very much.

 

[a_stranger]

Assalamu alaikim wa rahmatu Allah wa barakatuh , :ma: dear sister I am very happy to hear that someone in this time is seeking the pleasure of Allah sincerely . I believe that loose skirts is better than pants . And jilbab is better than skirts. But in your case since your father is rejecting skirts I suggest and may Allah forgive me if I say any wrong , try to wear very loose , unrevealing , clothes ....do your best . May Allah help you to wear the exact higab.

 

[sementa.38]

I always wear pants with tunics. But I dont know, is this suitable?

 

[a_stranger]

http://islamqa.info/en/ref/6991

 

[Hajjerr]

Salam aleikum

If the pants are not tight, decorated, transparent and they are covered with a long shirt, what is wrong with them ?
For sure Allah knows our intentions.

:salam2:

 

[najbc]

what do you call a pants with long shirt that comes to knees? This has being an issue or rather discussion that has been going on for so long in our Muslims communities, i have seen sheikhs said that opposites but i do not know. my thing is whatever this person wear is between them and Allah. I have seen/known sisters with pants that are more religious, better Muslims than that myself and sisters that cover from top to bottom. Islam is base on your action, it is what in ur heart, Allah know best. But Wallahi it infuriates me to see sister being diss, looked at bad because of her pants.

 

[a_stranger]

Assalmu alaikim wa rahmatu Allah wa barakatuh , brothers and sisters the following is tafseer the verses of higab from Ibn kathir:I hope it will make things more clear with respect to higab:


The Rulings of Hijab

This is a command from Allah to the believing women, and jealousy on His part over the wives of His believing servants. It is also to distinguish the believing women from the women of the Jahiliyyah and the deeds of the pagan women. The reason for the revelation of this Ayah was mentioned by Muqatil bin Hayyan, when he said: "We heard -- and Allah knows best -- that Jabir bin `Abdullah Al-Ansari narrated that Asma' bint Murshidah was in a house of hers in Bani Harithah, and the women started coming in to her without lower garments so that the anklets on their feet could be seen, along with their chests and forelocks. Asma' said: `How ugly this is!' Then Allah revealed:

﴿وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَـتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَـرِهِنَّ﴾

(And tell the believing women to lower their gaze...)'' And Allah says:

﴿وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَـتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَـرِهِنَّ﴾

(And tell the believing women to lower their gaze) meaning, from that which Allah has forbidden them to look at, apart from their husbands. ﴿Some﴾ scholars said that it is permissible for women to look at non-Mahram men without desire, as it was recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah was watching the Ethiopians playing with spears in the Masjid on the day of `Id, and `A'ishah the Mother of the believers was watching them from behind him and he was concealing her from them, until she got bored and went away.

﴿وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ﴾

(and protect their private parts). Sa`id bin Jubayr said: "From immoral actions.'' Abu Al-`Aliyah said: "Every Ayah of the Qur'an in which protecting the private parts is mentioned means protecting them from Zina, except for this Ayah --

﴿وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ﴾

(and protect their private parts), which means protecting them from being seen by anybody.''

﴿وَلاَ يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلاَّ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا﴾

(and not to show off their adornment except that which is apparent,) means, they should not show anything of their adornment to non-Mahram men except for whatever it is impossible to hide. Ibn Mas`ud said: "Such as clothes and outer garments,'' Meaning what the Arab women used to wear of the veil which covered their clothes and whatever showed from underneath the outer garment. There is no blame on her for this, because this is something that she cannot conceal. Similar to that is what appears of her lower garment and what she cannot conceal. Al-Hasan, Ibn Sirin, Abu Al-Jawza', Ibrahim An-Nakha`i and others also had the same view as Ibn Mas`ud.

﴿وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَى جُيُوبِهِنَّ﴾

(and to draw their veils all over their Juyub) means that they should wear the outer garment in such a way as to cover their chests and ribs, so that they will be different from the women of the Jahiliyyah, who did not do that but would pass in front of men with their chests completely uncovered, and with their necks, forelocks, hair and earrings uncovered. So Allah commanded the believing women to cover themselves, as He says:

﴿يأَيُّهَا النَّبِىُّ قُل لاًّزْوَجِكَ وَبَنَـتِكَ وَنِسَآءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَـبِيبِهِنَّ ذلِكَ أَدْنَى أَن يُعْرَفْنَ فَلاَ يُؤْذَيْنَ﴾

(O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks all over their bodies. That will be better, that they should be known, so as not to be annoyed) ﴿33:59﴾ And in this noble Ayah He said:

﴿وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَى جُيُوبِهِنَّ﴾

(and to draw their (Khumur) veils all over their Juyub) Khumur (veils) is the plural of Khimar, which means something that covers, and is what is used to cover the head. This is what is known among the people as a veil. Sa`id bin Jubayr said:

﴿وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ﴾

(and to draw) means to pull it around and tie it securely.

﴿بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَى جُيُوبِهِنَّ﴾

(their veils all over their Juyub) means, over their necks and chests so that nothing can be seen of them. Al-Bukhari recorded that `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: "May Allah have mercy on the women of the early emigrants. When Allah revealed the Ayah:

﴿وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَى جُيُوبِهِنَّ﴾

(and to draw their veils all over their Juyub), they tore their aprons and Akhtamar themselves with them.'' He also narrated from Safiyyah bint Shaybah that `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, used to say: "When this Ayah:

﴿وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَى جُيُوبِهِنَّ﴾

(and to draw their veils all over their Juyub) was revealed, they took their Izars (waistsheets) and tore them at the edges, and Akhtamar themselves with them.''

﴿وَلاَ يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلاَّ لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِى إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِى أَخَوَتِهِنَّ﴾

(and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband's fathers, or their sons, or their husband's sons, or their brothers or their brother's sons, or their sister's sons,) All of these are a woman's close relatives whom she can never marry (Mahram) and it is permissible for her to show her adornments to them, but without making a wanton display of herself. Ibn Al-Mundhir recorded that `Ikrimah commented on this Ayah,

﴿وَلاَ يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلاَّ لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ﴾

(and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband's fathers...), "The paternal uncle and maternal uncle are not mentioned here, because they may describe a woman to their sons, so a woman should not remove her Khimar in front of her paternal or maternal uncle.''With regard to the husband, all of this is for his sake, so she should try her best when adorning herself for him, unlike the way she should appear in front of others.

﴿أَوْ نِسَآئِهِنَّ﴾

(or their women,) this means that she may also wear her adornment in front of other Muslim women, but not in front of the women of Ahl Adh-Dhimmah (Jewish and Christian women), lest they describe her to their husbands. This is prohibited for all women, but more so in the case of the women of Ahl Adh-Dhimmah, because there is nothing to prevent them from doing that, but Muslim women know that it is unlawful and so, would be deterred from doing it. The Messenger of Allah said:

«لَا تُبَاشِرِ الْمَرْأَةُ الْمَرْأَةَ فَتَنْعَتَهَا لِزَوْجِهَا كَأَنَّهُ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهَا»

(No woman should describe another woman to her husband so that it is as if he is looking at her.) It was recorded in the Two Sahihs from Ibn Mas`ud.

﴿أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـنُهُنَّ﴾

(or their right hand possessions. ) Ibn Jarir said, "This means from among the women of the idolators. It is permissible for a Muslim woman to reveal her adornment before such a woman, even if she is an idolatress, because she is her slave-girl.'' This was also the view of Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib. Allah says;

﴿أَوِ التَّـبِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُوْلِى الإِرْبَةِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ﴾

(Tabi`in among men who do not have desire,) such as hired servants and followers who are not at the same level as the woman and are feeble-minded and have no interest in or desire for women. Ibn `Abbas said, "This is the kind of person who has no desire.'' `Ikrimah said, "This is the hermaphrodite, who does not experience erections.'' This was also the view of others among the Salaf. It was narrated in the Sahih from `A'ishah that a hermaphrodite, used to enter upon the family of the Messenger of Allah and they used to consider him as one of those who do not have desire, but then the Messenger of Allah came in when he was describing a woman with four rolls of fat in front and eight behind. The Messenger of Allah said,

«أَلَا أَرَى هَذَا يَعْلَمُ مَا هَهُنَا لَا يَدْخُلَنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ»

(Lo! I think this person knows what is they are; he should never enter upon you.) He expelled him, and he stayed in Al-Bayda' and only came on Fridays to get food.

﴿أَوِ الطِّفْلِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُواْ عَلَى عَوْرَتِ النِّسَآءِ﴾

(or children who are not aware of the nakedness of women. ) Because they are so young they do not understand anything about women or their `Awrah or their soft speech or their enticing ways of walking and moving. If a child is small and does not understand that, there is nothing wrong with him entering upon women, but if he is an adolescent or approaching adolescence, so that he knows and understands these things, and can make a distinction between who is beautiful and who is not, then he should not enter upon women. It was recorded in the Two Sahihs that the Messenger of Allah said:

«إِيَّاكُمْ وَالدُّخُولَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ»

(Avoid entering upon women.) It was said, "O Messenger of Allah, what do you think about the male in-laws'' He said:

«الْحَمْوُ: الْمَوْتُ»

(The male in-law is death.)

*!

 

[a_stranger]

Continuation of tafseer verses of higab :

The Etiquette of Women walking in the Street

Allah's saying:

﴿وَلاَ يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ﴾

(And let them not stamp their feet...) During Jahiliyyah, when women walked in the street wearing anklets and no one could hear them, they would stamp their feet so that men could hear their anklets ringing. Allah forbade the believing women to do this. By the same token, if there is any other kind of adornment that is hidden, women are forbidden to make any movements that would reveal what is hidden, because Allah says:

﴿وَلاَ يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ﴾

(And let them not stamp their feet...) to the end of it. From that, women are also prohibited from wearing scent and perfume when they are going outside the home, lest men should smell their perfume. Abu `Isa At-Tirmidhi recorded that Abu Musa, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet said:

«كُلُّ عَيْنٍ زَانِيَةٌ، وَالْمَرْأَةُ إِذَا اسْتَعْطَرَتْ فَمَرَّتْ بِالْمَجْلِسِ فَهِيَ كَذَا وَكَذَا»

(Every eye commits fornication and adultery, and when a woman puts on perfume and passes through a gathering, she is such and such) -- meaning an adulteress. He said, "And there is a similar report from Abu Hurayrah, and this is Hasan Sahih.'' It was also recorded by Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i. By the same token, women are also forbidden to walk in the middle of the street, because of what this involves of wanton display. Abu Dawud recorded that Abu Usayd Al-Ansari said that he heard the Messenger of Allah , as he was coming out of the Masjid and men and women were mixing in the street, telling the women:

«اسْتَأْخِرْنَ فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَكُنَّ أَنْ تَحْقُقْنَ الطَّرِيقَ، عَلَيْكُنَّ بِحَافَّاتِ الطَّرِيقِ»

(Keep back, for you have no right to walk in the middle of the street. You should keep to the sides of the road.) The women used to cling to the walls so much that their clothes would catch on the walls.

﴿وَتُوبُواْ إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعاً أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ﴾

(And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful.) means, practice what you are commanded in these beautiful manners and praiseworthy characteristics, and give up the evil ways of the people of Jahiliyyah, for the greatest success is to be found in doing what Allah and His Messenger command and avoiding what He forbids. And Allah is the source of strength.

 

[lightofnur]

Wa'alaikumussalam all.

Assalamu alaikim wa rahmatu Allah wa barakatuh , :ma: dear sister I am very happy to hear that someone in this time is seeking the pleasure of Allah sincerely . I believe that loose skirts is better than pants . And jilbab is better than skirts. But in your case since your father is rejecting skirts I suggest and may Allah forgive me if I say any wrong , try to wear very loose , unrevealing , clothes ....do your best . May Allah help you to wear the exact higab.

Sis, thank you so much for the praise and du'a! I really appreciate it! I indeed do my best, but the horrible part is that eating, guilty feeling you get when you go out in clothes you personally don't believe in wearing (and fear wearing). What's also scary is that since I'll be forced into wearing this type of attire every time I'm out with him (because I wear otherwise when I'm not), I'm scared the shame of wearing clothes that may be against the Islamic attire might slowly disappear with the gradual frequency of me wearing such clothes. Or, it might be a more depressing case, such as me always feeling a never-ending, crawling guilt that I may be wearing clothes against the proper Islamic attire (even though I'm being forced) . . . and my whole mood will be spoilt, because I'll always be anxious and afraid. Am I sinning?

Thank you so much for providing the information you have! May Allah bless you always. But it's missing out on the specific issue of the the permissibility of wearing pants . . .

Salam aleikum

If the pants are not tight, decorated, transparent and they are covered with a long shirt, what is wrong with them ?
For sure Allah knows our intentions.

:salam2:

I used to believe this too, until I did further research and came to a conclusion as I elaborated in the first post.

what do you call a pants with long shirt that comes to knees? This has being an issue or rather discussion that has been going on for so long in our Muslims communities, i have seen sheikhs said that opposites but i do not know. my thing is whatever this person wear is between them and Allah. I have seen/known sisters with pants that are more religious, better Muslims than that myself and sisters that cover from top to bottom. Islam is base on your action, it is what in ur heart, Allah know best. But Wallahi it infuriates me to see sister being diss, looked at bad because of her pants.

Sis, I don't disagree with what you say. I myself have seen the same you have said, and it is not in my hands to judge someone. I was only questioning on the permissibility of wearing pants itself, because a great many religious sisters don't even know that this issue of pants is being raised at all. I had no idea that there were differing opinions (and in my case, finding the other opinion being sound).

Any other replies please? What is everyone's opinions on the other points I raised (question 2 & 3?)