The ruling on a student of knowledge deviating from a specific dress code
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh:
No. As for these matters. Yes.
The questioner:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, if students of knowledge have a specific dress code in some countries, is it permissible for a student of knowledge to deviate from this dress code so that he does not stand out from the rest of the Muslims?
The Shaykh:
Yes, rather, it is obligatory for him to deviate from this dress code. Scholars and students of knowledge do not have a specific dress code; they wear whatever is available from what Allah the Exalted has made permissible. They do not have a specific dress code, and this may also fall under showing off (riya'). If they adopt a specific dress code, it falls under showing off. A person should not hide himself, nor should he display himself, and he should not hide his deeds. Yes.
The presenter:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success.
The Shaykh:
The one who did not know the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) would come while he was sitting among his Companions and say, "Which of you is Muhammad?" until they would point to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). He did not distinguish himself from his Companions in any way. Yes.
No. As for these matters. Yes.
The questioner:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, if students of knowledge have a specific dress code in some countries, is it permissible for a student of knowledge to deviate from this dress code so that he does not stand out from the rest of the Muslims?
The Shaykh:
Yes, rather, it is obligatory for him to deviate from this dress code. Scholars and students of knowledge do not have a specific dress code; they wear whatever is available from what Allah the Exalted has made permissible. They do not have a specific dress code, and this may also fall under showing off (riya'). If they adopt a specific dress code, it falls under showing off. A person should not hide himself, nor should he display himself, and he should not hide his deeds. Yes.
The presenter:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success.
The Shaykh:
The one who did not know the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) would come while he was sitting among his Companions and say, "Which of you is Muhammad?" until they would point to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). He did not distinguish himself from his Companions in any way. Yes.
Source
شرح إغاثة اللهفان من مصائد الشيطان لابن القيم، فصل ومن كيده : أنه يُحسّن إلى أرباب التخلي والزهد والرياضة العمل بها — islamhouse.com (1:03:27)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.