What is the ruling on imitating the clothing of the Jews and Christians, such as the hat and others?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh. Many young people in the city and elsewhere imitate the Jews and Christians in their clothing, including wearing what is called the *burniyyah*. Do you have any advice?
The Shaykh : What is the *burniyyah*?
The student: A hat.
The Shaykh : A hat that has a brim.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, very well. I say that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Abi Dawud 4031Hasan Sahih (Al-Albani) This hadith has a good chain of narration; at the very least, its ruling is prohibition. Although its apparent meaning indicates that whoever imitates them is a disbeliever, we say: It is forbidden to imitate the disbelievers in clothing by wearing something that is specific to them and not worn by others. If a person imitates the disbelievers in clothing, we tell him: This is forbidden for you, and it is feared that his imitation of them will be a cause for loving them, and consequently for resembling them in creed and action. May Allah protect us and you from that.
As for the *burniyyah*, which is the *kufiyyah* with a brim, they say it is suitable for workers because they work in the sun and their eyes are affected by it. A non-worker has no need to wear it. It is also harmful in terms of vision, so that the eye does not remain unable to resist the sun and does not develop immunity, thereby affecting sight. Therefore, we advise our brothers and sons not to wear it, and we say: Leave it alone; there is no good in it for you. O Glorious and Great is Allah! Is there a defect in the clothing that people wear now? There is no defect; it is among the best of clothing. So why do we turn to this clothing that exposes a person to a lack of immunity and an inability to resist the sun's rays? Moreover, there is a suspicion of imitating the disbelievers in it. Yes.
The questioner : They wear it even at night.
The Shaykh : Yes, that is correct, even at night. I asked one man who was wearing it at night. I asked you about the *burniyyah* because I know it, but so that people would hear what it is; otherwise, I have known it for a long time. I found him wearing a *burniyyah* at night, and he was a young man. I said: Come, come, what is this? He said: It is for the sun. I said: There is no sun today, so what is it for the sun? The problem is that it is merely imitation. Yes. And some people told me that some of them have names written on them. Yes, it is not desirable, whether it is the name of a disbeliever, the name of an open sinner, or something similar. Yes.
The Shaykh : What is the *burniyyah*?
The student: A hat.
The Shaykh : A hat that has a brim.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, very well. I say that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
He who copies any people is one of them.
من تشبه بقوم فهو منهمAs for the *burniyyah*, which is the *kufiyyah* with a brim, they say it is suitable for workers because they work in the sun and their eyes are affected by it. A non-worker has no need to wear it. It is also harmful in terms of vision, so that the eye does not remain unable to resist the sun and does not develop immunity, thereby affecting sight. Therefore, we advise our brothers and sons not to wear it, and we say: Leave it alone; there is no good in it for you. O Glorious and Great is Allah! Is there a defect in the clothing that people wear now? There is no defect; it is among the best of clothing. So why do we turn to this clothing that exposes a person to a lack of immunity and an inability to resist the sun's rays? Moreover, there is a suspicion of imitating the disbelievers in it. Yes.
The questioner : They wear it even at night.
The Shaykh : Yes, that is correct, even at night. I asked one man who was wearing it at night. I asked you about the *burniyyah* because I know it, but so that people would hear what it is; otherwise, I have known it for a long time. I found him wearing a *burniyyah* at night, and he was a young man. I said: Come, come, what is this? He said: It is for the sun. I said: There is no sun today, so what is it for the sun? The problem is that it is merely imitation. Yes. And some people told me that some of them have names written on them. Yes, it is not desirable, whether it is the name of a disbeliever, the name of an open sinner, or something similar. Yes.