Is it forbidden for a woman to wear tight clothing in front of women, and likewise in front of her mahrams? And what is the prescribed dress in front of mahrams?
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The questioner : Is it forbidden for a woman to wear tight, short clothing in front of women? And in front of mahrams? And what is the prescribed dress, O honorable Shaykh, in front of mahrams? May you be rewarded.
The Shaykh : The prescribed dress for a woman is to wear any garment that keeps her away from fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) and from falling into the description in the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 2128 Therefore, tight clothes that cling to the body are undoubtedly covering garments, meaning they cover the woman, but in reality they are nakedness that exposes her, exposing the woman, because they describe the exact size of her body. This type of clothing is not permissible, except in front of her husband if no one else is in the house.
As for clothing that is tight but not to this extent, I see that it should be prohibited and avoided, because it may cause fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), even if it is in front of male mahrams, or even in front of women, because women may be tempted by a woman if they see something of her body, meaning by describing its size, even if it is a woman. This is something observed. Therefore, I see that this type of clothing should be prohibited.
So the prescribed dress for a woman is to be wide, loose, and reaching down to her feet. As for the hands, the prescribed length is to the wrists. The Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned in his treatise on: "The 'Awrah of the Woman and Her Dress" that the sleeves of the garments of the women of the Companions reached the wrist, and their lower garments reached the ankle. This is if the woman is in her house. But if she goes out to the market, she wears gloves in order to cover the wrists, and lets the garment hang down a span or an arm's length in order to cover the feet.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : The prescribed dress for a woman is to wear any garment that keeps her away from fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) and from falling into the description in the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Two are the types of the denizens of Hell whom I did not see: people having flogs like the tails of the ox with them and they would be beating people, and the women who would be dressed but appear to be naked, who would be inclined (to evil) and make their husbands incline towards it. Their heads would be like the humps of the bukht camel inclined to one side. They will not enter Paradise and they would not smell its odour whereas its odour would be smelt from such and such distance.
صنفان من أهل النار لم أرهما بعد، قوم معهم سياط كأذناب البقر يضربون بها الناس ، ونساء كاسيات عاريات مميلات مائلات رؤوسهن كأسنمة البخت المائلة ، لا يدخلن الجنة ولا يجدن ريحها ، وإن ريحها ليوجد من مسيرة كذا وكذاAs for clothing that is tight but not to this extent, I see that it should be prohibited and avoided, because it may cause fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), even if it is in front of male mahrams, or even in front of women, because women may be tempted by a woman if they see something of her body, meaning by describing its size, even if it is a woman. This is something observed. Therefore, I see that this type of clothing should be prohibited.
So the prescribed dress for a woman is to be wide, loose, and reaching down to her feet. As for the hands, the prescribed length is to the wrists. The Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned in his treatise on: "The 'Awrah of the Woman and Her Dress" that the sleeves of the garments of the women of the Companions reached the wrist, and their lower garments reached the ankle. This is if the woman is in her house. But if she goes out to the market, she wears gloves in order to cover the wrists, and lets the garment hang down a span or an arm's length in order to cover the feet.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.