Shaykh Nassir-uddeen al-Albani
Below, is an abridgement of the book "Muslim Women's Dress" by our Sheikh Nassir-uddeen al-Albani complied by Sheikh Mahmud Murad. Although the following provides the fiqh details of the dress of a Muslimah, the word "hijaab" itself needs to be understood. In Islam, a woman is commanded to cover her body and not show herself to strange men. Thus hijaab when applied to a Muslimah not o*!nly includes the physical dress, but also the manner of living in society (for example, staying at home, praying at home, not coming out of the house unless due to necessity etc.). So when we read these articles, it is to be kept in mind that the correct understanding of hijaab includes vieling of women by means of clothing as well as correct behaviour in society.
Introduction
The outer garment worn in public must cover all of the body except the face and hands.
The outer garment must not be decorative itself or a means of beautification.
The outer garment must be thick and opaque so as to conceal the clothes worn.
Muslim women should not wear perfume in public.
The clothes of Muslim women should not resemble men's clothes.
The clothes of Muslim women should not resemble those of the disbelievers.
The clothing of Muslim women should not be ostentatious.
Introduction
Praise be to Allaah and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger and upon his honourable Companions and those who have followed his example with piety.
This brochure has been prepared in response to a deterioration in the condition of Muslim women of this day and age, which is a consequence of the misconception that how a woman dresses is of little importance, as long as she performs her obligatory acts of worship. This misconception is not restricted to Muslim women in the West, but unfortunately is shared by many of their sisters in the East.
In the Glorious Qur'an, we are told:
"And let there arise out of you a nation inviting to what is good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. They are the o*!nes who are successful." (3:104)
Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri relates that he heard the Prophet say: "He of you who sees something wrong should correct it with his hand; if he is unable to do that, he should condemn it with his tongue; if he is unable to do that, he should at least resent it in his heart, and that is the lowest degree of faith." [Muslim]
It is clear that we must draw the attention of our Muslim sisters to the importance of wearing Islamic dress. This is not imposed upon us by the mere opinion of a scholar or a Sheikh. It is a Divine Command, and is necessarily in the best interest of the society of every age and place. In this we stand opposed to the opinion of some `modernists' who maintain that those living in a western society are justified in adapting to its norms and morals.
We believe that our religion is that which has been transmitted to us through the Prophet Muhammad , his Companions and our Pious Predecessors. A careful study of relevant Qur'anic ayah (verses) and ahaadeeth (Prophetic traditions), along with the works of our Pious Predecessors, will reveal a strict emphasis o*!n the need for women to observe modesty in their dress when they appear in the public by covering all their bodies and any ornaments or other means of beautification they might wear.
Allah the Exalted says in Surat an-Noor, ayah 31:
"And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts and not show of their adornment except o*!nly that which is apparent, and draw their veils over their (necks and) bosoms and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husband's sons, their brothers, or their brother's sons, or their sister's sons, or their women, or their slaves, or male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no knowledge of women's awarah (that which is covered). And let them not stamp their feet to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn you all to Allaah in repentance, O believers, that you may be successful."
And He says in Surah al-Ahzaab, ayah 59:
"O Prophet! tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their outer garments close around them. That will be better, that they may be known and so not to be bothered. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
From these two ayah of the Noble Qur'aan and from the authentic sources of guidance provided for us; we can derive the following principles of proper dress and adornment for Muslim women:
The outer garment worn in public must cover all of the body except the face and hands
Surat an-Noor, ayah 31 (quoted above) contains clear a command that a woman's natural beauty and her adornment are to be concealed from strangers, except that which might show unintentionally (ie. parts of the dress or ornaments) or which show as a matter of course because it is not prohibited that they be shown (ie. the face the hands).
Abu Dawood authentically narrated that 'Aaishah said:
"Asmaa came to see the Messenger of Allah. She was wearing a thin dress; the Prophet turned away from her and said to her: "O Asmaa! o*!nce a woman reaches the age of puberty no part of her body should be uncovered except her face and hands."
It should be noted that the Arabic word khumur (plural of khimaar) which has been translated above in the ayah from Surat an-Noor as veils, means head covers, not face veils as may mistakenly be supposed. It refers to a cloth which covers all of the hair. Furthermore, the word juyoob (plural of jaib), also found in the ayah of Surat an-Noor, refers not o*!nly to the bosom, as is commonly thought, but also to the neck.
Qurtubi, an eminent mufassir (Qur'anic commentator) stated:
"Women in those days used to cover their heads with the khimaar, throwing its ends o*!n their backs. This left the neck and the upper part of the chest bare, along with the ears, in the manner of the Christians. Then Allah commanded them to cover those parts with the khimaar."
"And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment."
Women at the time of the Prophet used to wear anklets, which they could employ to attract attention by stamping their feet, making the anklets tinkle together. This practice was now forbidden, but even more important for us, these words make it absolutely clear that the legs and ankles are to be covered.
Abdullah Ibn Umar narrated:
"The Prophet said: "On the Day of Judgement, Allah will not look upon o*!ne who trails his garment along out of pride." Umm Salamah then asked: "What should women do with their garments?" The Prophet said: "They may lower them a hand span." She said: "Their feet would still be uncovered." The Prophet said: "Then a forearm's length, but no more." (Tirmidhee)
The ayah from Surat an-Noor quoted above gives us specific and detailed information about what a Muslim woman should be sure to cover when she is in the company of strangers, and it gives a detailed list of those with whom she is permitted to be less inhibited. The ayah quoted from Surat al-Ahzab further directs Muslim women to put some outer garment over their clothes, and to draw it close around them.
Abu Dawood related that when this ayah was revealed, the women of the Ansaar appeared like crows (because of the black cloaks which they wore).
Some outer garment, whether a cloak or a coat, must be worn by a Muslim woman when she is in public, and even when she is in her own house or that of a close relative, if she is in the presence of strangers.
It was mentioned above that the face need not be covered. If, however, the woman is wearing make-up, she should cover her face, since the make-up is adornment beyond what is permitted. Similarly, she should cover her hands if she is wearing nail polish or some other decoration or ornament. Furthermore, although it is permissible to leave the face uncovered in the presence of strangers, it is praiseworthy to cover it, as that was the practice of the wives of the Prophet according to authentic ahaadeeth.
The outer garment must not be decorative itself or a means of beautification
When Allah commands women not to reveal their beauty, He means both the natural beauty, with which He has endowed them, and all means which they might employ to enhance that beauty. Clearly, the garment which is used to screen the woman's beauty and her adornment from public view should not itself be a thing of beauty.
Fudaalah ibn 'Ubaid reported that the Prophet said:
"There are three people that you should not concern yourself about: a man who parted from the Jamaa'ah and disobeyed his Imaam and died in that state; a slave who ran away from his master and died without returning; a woman whose husband departed from her after providing for her worldly needs and who then beautified (tabarrajat) herself in his absence. Do not worry about any of them." (Ahmad)
Below, is an abridgement of the book "Muslim Women's Dress" by our Sheikh Nassir-uddeen al-Albani complied by Sheikh Mahmud Murad. Although the following provides the fiqh details of the dress of a Muslimah, the word "hijaab" itself needs to be understood. In Islam, a woman is commanded to cover her body and not show herself to strange men. Thus hijaab when applied to a Muslimah not o*!nly includes the physical dress, but also the manner of living in society (for example, staying at home, praying at home, not coming out of the house unless due to necessity etc.). So when we read these articles, it is to be kept in mind that the correct understanding of hijaab includes vieling of women by means of clothing as well as correct behaviour in society.
Introduction
The outer garment worn in public must cover all of the body except the face and hands.
The outer garment must not be decorative itself or a means of beautification.
The outer garment must be thick and opaque so as to conceal the clothes worn.
Muslim women should not wear perfume in public.
The clothes of Muslim women should not resemble men's clothes.
The clothes of Muslim women should not resemble those of the disbelievers.
The clothing of Muslim women should not be ostentatious.
Introduction
Praise be to Allaah and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger and upon his honourable Companions and those who have followed his example with piety.
This brochure has been prepared in response to a deterioration in the condition of Muslim women of this day and age, which is a consequence of the misconception that how a woman dresses is of little importance, as long as she performs her obligatory acts of worship. This misconception is not restricted to Muslim women in the West, but unfortunately is shared by many of their sisters in the East.
In the Glorious Qur'an, we are told:
"And let there arise out of you a nation inviting to what is good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. They are the o*!nes who are successful." (3:104)
Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri relates that he heard the Prophet say: "He of you who sees something wrong should correct it with his hand; if he is unable to do that, he should condemn it with his tongue; if he is unable to do that, he should at least resent it in his heart, and that is the lowest degree of faith." [Muslim]
It is clear that we must draw the attention of our Muslim sisters to the importance of wearing Islamic dress. This is not imposed upon us by the mere opinion of a scholar or a Sheikh. It is a Divine Command, and is necessarily in the best interest of the society of every age and place. In this we stand opposed to the opinion of some `modernists' who maintain that those living in a western society are justified in adapting to its norms and morals.
We believe that our religion is that which has been transmitted to us through the Prophet Muhammad , his Companions and our Pious Predecessors. A careful study of relevant Qur'anic ayah (verses) and ahaadeeth (Prophetic traditions), along with the works of our Pious Predecessors, will reveal a strict emphasis o*!n the need for women to observe modesty in their dress when they appear in the public by covering all their bodies and any ornaments or other means of beautification they might wear.
Allah the Exalted says in Surat an-Noor, ayah 31:
"And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts and not show of their adornment except o*!nly that which is apparent, and draw their veils over their (necks and) bosoms and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husband's sons, their brothers, or their brother's sons, or their sister's sons, or their women, or their slaves, or male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no knowledge of women's awarah (that which is covered). And let them not stamp their feet to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn you all to Allaah in repentance, O believers, that you may be successful."
And He says in Surah al-Ahzaab, ayah 59:
"O Prophet! tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their outer garments close around them. That will be better, that they may be known and so not to be bothered. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
From these two ayah of the Noble Qur'aan and from the authentic sources of guidance provided for us; we can derive the following principles of proper dress and adornment for Muslim women:
The outer garment worn in public must cover all of the body except the face and hands
Surat an-Noor, ayah 31 (quoted above) contains clear a command that a woman's natural beauty and her adornment are to be concealed from strangers, except that which might show unintentionally (ie. parts of the dress or ornaments) or which show as a matter of course because it is not prohibited that they be shown (ie. the face the hands).
Abu Dawood authentically narrated that 'Aaishah said:
"Asmaa came to see the Messenger of Allah. She was wearing a thin dress; the Prophet turned away from her and said to her: "O Asmaa! o*!nce a woman reaches the age of puberty no part of her body should be uncovered except her face and hands."
It should be noted that the Arabic word khumur (plural of khimaar) which has been translated above in the ayah from Surat an-Noor as veils, means head covers, not face veils as may mistakenly be supposed. It refers to a cloth which covers all of the hair. Furthermore, the word juyoob (plural of jaib), also found in the ayah of Surat an-Noor, refers not o*!nly to the bosom, as is commonly thought, but also to the neck.
Qurtubi, an eminent mufassir (Qur'anic commentator) stated:
"Women in those days used to cover their heads with the khimaar, throwing its ends o*!n their backs. This left the neck and the upper part of the chest bare, along with the ears, in the manner of the Christians. Then Allah commanded them to cover those parts with the khimaar."
"And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment."
Women at the time of the Prophet used to wear anklets, which they could employ to attract attention by stamping their feet, making the anklets tinkle together. This practice was now forbidden, but even more important for us, these words make it absolutely clear that the legs and ankles are to be covered.
Abdullah Ibn Umar narrated:
"The Prophet said: "On the Day of Judgement, Allah will not look upon o*!ne who trails his garment along out of pride." Umm Salamah then asked: "What should women do with their garments?" The Prophet said: "They may lower them a hand span." She said: "Their feet would still be uncovered." The Prophet said: "Then a forearm's length, but no more." (Tirmidhee)
The ayah from Surat an-Noor quoted above gives us specific and detailed information about what a Muslim woman should be sure to cover when she is in the company of strangers, and it gives a detailed list of those with whom she is permitted to be less inhibited. The ayah quoted from Surat al-Ahzab further directs Muslim women to put some outer garment over their clothes, and to draw it close around them.
Abu Dawood related that when this ayah was revealed, the women of the Ansaar appeared like crows (because of the black cloaks which they wore).
Some outer garment, whether a cloak or a coat, must be worn by a Muslim woman when she is in public, and even when she is in her own house or that of a close relative, if she is in the presence of strangers.
It was mentioned above that the face need not be covered. If, however, the woman is wearing make-up, she should cover her face, since the make-up is adornment beyond what is permitted. Similarly, she should cover her hands if she is wearing nail polish or some other decoration or ornament. Furthermore, although it is permissible to leave the face uncovered in the presence of strangers, it is praiseworthy to cover it, as that was the practice of the wives of the Prophet according to authentic ahaadeeth.
The outer garment must not be decorative itself or a means of beautification
When Allah commands women not to reveal their beauty, He means both the natural beauty, with which He has endowed them, and all means which they might employ to enhance that beauty. Clearly, the garment which is used to screen the woman's beauty and her adornment from public view should not itself be a thing of beauty.
Fudaalah ibn 'Ubaid reported that the Prophet said:
"There are three people that you should not concern yourself about: a man who parted from the Jamaa'ah and disobeyed his Imaam and died in that state; a slave who ran away from his master and died without returning; a woman whose husband departed from her after providing for her worldly needs and who then beautified (tabarrajat) herself in his absence. Do not worry about any of them." (Ahmad)
