The Ruling on Abayas with Tight or Transparent Sleeves
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Recently, women have been wearing abayas with tight sleeves, and there is embroidery or something similar around this sleeve. Also, the end of the sleeve on some abayas is transparent. What is your guidance regarding these things?
We say: We have an important rule, which is that the original ruling regarding clothing, food, drink, and transactions is that they are permissible, and that they are lawful. It is not permissible for anyone to prohibit them except for what the text indicates is prohibited. So, if we know this rule, which is a rule indicated by the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him),Allah the Exalted said: [al-Baqarah: 29] And He said: [al-A'raf: 32] And He said: [al-Baqarah: 275] .
So, everything that Allah has not prohibited from these matters is lawful. This is the original ruling, unless the Shari'ah comes with its prohibition, such as the prohibition of gold for men, and the prohibition of silk for men, except for what is excluded from that, and the prohibition of letting the lower garment, trousers, shirt, or abaya hang below the ankles for men, and what is similar to that. If we apply this issue that has occurred recently, which is the new abayas, to this rule, we say: The original ruling is that they are lawful, unless there is something in them that attracts attention or causes fitnah, because they are embroidered in a way that attracts attention. In that case, we prohibit them, not because of their essence, but because of the fitnah that results from them. Likewise, if it were assumed that women made abayas in the shape of men's abayas, they would be prohibited from doing so; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the women who imitate men and the men who imitate women.So, regarding these abayas, we say: The original ruling regarding them is permissibility, unless we know a cause for fitnah or attracting attention, in which case they are prohibited.
The questioner: Your Eminence! Is it permissible for the school to prevent the girls from wearing such abayas?The Shaykh: We must know whether this is haram or halal. If it is haram, then it is obligatory that the education director or at least the school principal be informed so that the matter is general; because perhaps this school prohibits it, and the other school does not prohibit it, and then a dispute occurs.
Therefore, I advise all the brothers that in shared matters, it is not befitting for one person among these shared parties to rule alone. Rather, it is better that it be brought from the source, and the matter be from the top. For this reason, sometimes some of the brothers from the military or others ask us about things that are prohibited and we have no doubt about them, but we fear that if we give them a written, formal fatwa, it will be a cause of dispute among them;Because a person may come and say: This is not haram, or someone asks a person who has no knowledge or is lenient, and he gives him a fatwa that there is no harm in it, and then a dispute occurs in this. So, in such matters, one must be alert, and the matter must be from the one who has authority over this group. If any of these students are lenient in clothing or bring prohibited clothing, then it is recommended to contact the school principal. If the principal has the say in this, she speaks, and if not, the matter is presented to the education administration.
We say: We have an important rule, which is that the original ruling regarding clothing, food, drink, and transactions is that they are permissible, and that they are lawful. It is not permissible for anyone to prohibit them except for what the text indicates is prohibited. So, if we know this rule, which is a rule indicated by the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him),Allah the Exalted said:
It is He who created for you all of that which is on the earth
هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ لَكُمْ مَا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعاًSay, "Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has produced for His servants and the good [lawful] things of provision?"
قُلْ مَنْ حَرَّمَ زِينَةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي أَخْرَجَ لِعِبَادِهِ وَالطَّيِّبَاتِ مِنَ الرِّزْقِBut Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden interest
وَأَحَلَّ اللَّهُ الْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّباSo, everything that Allah has not prohibited from these matters is lawful. This is the original ruling, unless the Shari'ah comes with its prohibition, such as the prohibition of gold for men, and the prohibition of silk for men, except for what is excluded from that, and the prohibition of letting the lower garment, trousers, shirt, or abaya hang below the ankles for men, and what is similar to that. If we apply this issue that has occurred recently, which is the new abayas, to this rule, we say: The original ruling is that they are lawful, unless there is something in them that attracts attention or causes fitnah, because they are embroidered in a way that attracts attention. In that case, we prohibit them, not because of their essence, but because of the fitnah that results from them. Likewise, if it were assumed that women made abayas in the shape of men's abayas, they would be prohibited from doing so; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the women who imitate men and the men who imitate women.So, regarding these abayas, we say: The original ruling regarding them is permissibility, unless we know a cause for fitnah or attracting attention, in which case they are prohibited.
The questioner: Your Eminence! Is it permissible for the school to prevent the girls from wearing such abayas?The Shaykh: We must know whether this is haram or halal. If it is haram, then it is obligatory that the education director or at least the school principal be informed so that the matter is general; because perhaps this school prohibits it, and the other school does not prohibit it, and then a dispute occurs.
Therefore, I advise all the brothers that in shared matters, it is not befitting for one person among these shared parties to rule alone. Rather, it is better that it be brought from the source, and the matter be from the top. For this reason, sometimes some of the brothers from the military or others ask us about things that are prohibited and we have no doubt about them, but we fear that if we give them a written, formal fatwa, it will be a cause of dispute among them;Because a person may come and say: This is not haram, or someone asks a person who has no knowledge or is lenient, and he gives him a fatwa that there is no harm in it, and then a dispute occurs in this. So, in such matters, one must be alert, and the matter must be from the one who has authority over this group. If any of these students are lenient in clothing or bring prohibited clothing, then it is recommended to contact the school principal. If the principal has the say in this, she speaks, and if not, the matter is presented to the education administration.