What is the ruling on letting a woman’s hijab or abaya hang down, and is it true that it is not permissible?

Question:
I heard from some of my friends that letting the garment hang down is not permissible for women. That is what they say: that if the hijab or the abaya becomes very long, meaning it covers the legs to the end, it is considered among those about whom the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said that Allah does not purify them, does not look at them, and for them is a painful punishment. Is this correct?

Answer:
This is a great error, for the prohibition of letting the garment hang down applies only to men. As for women, they are required to let their garments hang down over their foreheads, feet, and heels. Therefore, a woman is permitted to let her garment hang down behind her by the length of her chest or the length of her forearm, as needed, in order to cover her heels. This is not considered letting the garment hang down in the prohibited sense, because the prohibited letting of the garment hang down is a characteristic of men. But unfortunately, in societies that do not adhere to the ruling on letting the garment hang down, but rather claim it falsely—leave aside the societies of disbelievers—the situation has been reversed. Men now let their garments hang down and drag them on the ground, while women buy their shaytan or ifha and expose their makkal, so the situation has been reversed. Men now imitate women, and women expose their shaytan and their arms, and so on. For Shaytan wants this for the sake of fitnah; he wants this for the sake of fitnah and to lead the children of Adam astray, except those whom Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has shown mercy.