The Ruling on Clothing of Distinction
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The Shaykh : Now, if a person wears clothing that differs from the custom, but it is not forbidden by the Shari'ah, should he be rebuked? Wearing clothing that differs from the custom but is not forbidden by the Shari'ah.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Stand up, is it not to be rebuked? Meaning, do you permit yourself to come to us tomorrow without these clothes?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : That which contradicts the Shari'ah, meaning it is not, for example, a silk garment, nor a garment that falls below the ankles, and it is a covering garment?
The student: There is no harm.
The Shaykh : There is no harm? We will wait, if Allah wills. Rest.
The scholars say: One should not wear clothing that differs from the custom of people, because if he does so, it becomes clothing of distinction (shuhrah). Clothing of distinction is that by which a person becomes known, so it is said: This garment is like the garment of so-and-so, this is like the garment of so-and-so. Clothing of distinction may be in the lower or the higher, meaning it is not necessary that it be a garment of distinction because it is lower, nor because it is higher. Some scholars even said: If a poor man wore the clothes of the rich, it would become a garment of distinction in his case, and if a rich man wore the clothes of the poor, his garment would become a garment of distinction. Rather, each person should wear what suits his condition. Why? Because, for example, if a rich man wore the clothes of a poor man, people would talk and say: By Allah, this is like the garment of so-and-so the rich man, and he wore nothing but the clothes of the poor.
And you must not imagine the matter to be as it is today, and praise be to Allah. Today, the clothing of the poor among us and the rich is the same or similar. But in a past era, the poor man would come with his garment patched with several patches, he would come with his garment dirty, and he would come with his garment torn, while the rich man was the opposite. You would find a great difference between the clothing of the rich and the clothing of the poor in the past. But now, praise be to Allah, you hardly find a difference between the clothing of the rich and the clothing of the poor.
Now, the important thing in any case, may Allah bless you, we know that this hadith is the measure for deeds, what? For the apparent deeds.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Stand up, is it not to be rebuked? Meaning, do you permit yourself to come to us tomorrow without these clothes?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : That which contradicts the Shari'ah, meaning it is not, for example, a silk garment, nor a garment that falls below the ankles, and it is a covering garment?
The student: There is no harm.
The Shaykh : There is no harm? We will wait, if Allah wills. Rest.
The scholars say: One should not wear clothing that differs from the custom of people, because if he does so, it becomes clothing of distinction (shuhrah). Clothing of distinction is that by which a person becomes known, so it is said: This garment is like the garment of so-and-so, this is like the garment of so-and-so. Clothing of distinction may be in the lower or the higher, meaning it is not necessary that it be a garment of distinction because it is lower, nor because it is higher. Some scholars even said: If a poor man wore the clothes of the rich, it would become a garment of distinction in his case, and if a rich man wore the clothes of the poor, his garment would become a garment of distinction. Rather, each person should wear what suits his condition. Why? Because, for example, if a rich man wore the clothes of a poor man, people would talk and say: By Allah, this is like the garment of so-and-so the rich man, and he wore nothing but the clothes of the poor.
And you must not imagine the matter to be as it is today, and praise be to Allah. Today, the clothing of the poor among us and the rich is the same or similar. But in a past era, the poor man would come with his garment patched with several patches, he would come with his garment dirty, and he would come with his garment torn, while the rich man was the opposite. You would find a great difference between the clothing of the rich and the clothing of the poor in the past. But now, praise be to Allah, you hardly find a difference between the clothing of the rich and the clothing of the poor.
Now, the important thing in any case, may Allah bless you, we know that this hadith is the measure for deeds, what? For the apparent deeds.