Some people shorten their garments to above the ankle, but their trousers remain long. What is the ruling on that?
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The questioner : Some people shorten their garments to above the ankle, but their trousers remain long. What is the ruling on that? May you be rewarded.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets, the Imam of the Pious, and the Leader of the White-ankled Ones, and upon his family and his Companions, and those who follow them in excellence until the Day of Judgment. Before I answer this question, I would like to remind my Muslim brothers of Allah’s blessing upon us with what He has sent down to us of clothing. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-A'raf 7:26] The clothing that covers the private parts is the necessary clothing, and the adornment is the supplementary clothing. Allah has blessed us with both in this land, and to Allah belongs all praise and bounty. We ask Allah the Exalted to grant us the gratitude for this blessing so that it may continue and increase. Allah Mighty and Majestic said: [Al-A'raf 7:26] This is an indication that it is obligatory upon us to use this clothing that Allah has sent down to us in a way that results in the mindfulness of Allah Mighty and Majestic.
Among the things that follow from this is that we must avoid in our clothing what has been forbidden to us, which is letting the garment hang below the ankle, meaning the ankle of the man. Letting the garment hang below the ankle of the man is a major sin among the major sins, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) warned against it. If a man drags it out of arrogance, then Allah will not look at him on the Day of Resurrection, will not purify him, and for him is a painful punishment. And if it hangs below the ankle for other than arrogance, then what is below the two ankles is in the Fire. This is authentic from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). There is no difference in this between the thobe, the trousers, or the shalwar. Whatever is worn, it is not permissible for a man to let his thobe, trousers, or shalwar hang below the two ankles. This is for men.
As for women, they are commanded to let their garments hang down so that they cover their feet. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) granted a dispensation for a woman to let her garment hang down to the length of a forearm behind her in order to cover her feet from the gaze of onlookers.
Thus, the Islamic Shari'ah obligates the woman to let down of the clothing what it forbids for men. But unfortunately, the matter has been turned upside down. You find a boy and a girl walking in the market; the boy’s garment is to his ankle, and the girl’s garment is to above the knee. This means we have completely reversed the Islamic etiquettes. And this is something from which a punishment is feared to befall us. We do not say that it is not permissible for a small girl under seven to expose her leg, but we say that accustoming the girl to this short clothing removes her modesty and obligates her to become accustomed to this short clothing and for it to become her habit when she grows up.
You find that the civilization of some people is that the woman’s clothing is short and the man’s clothing is long. Is this not a reversal of Islamic realities? Is this not something that obligates fear for this Ummah that it will become accustomed to sins, especially the major sins in letting men’s garments hang below the two ankles, and then it will become accustomed to another sin, then another, then another, until it is feared that we will all fall into what Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Anfal 8:25].
And on this occasion, although it was not mentioned in the question, I would like to warn my Muslim sisters and their guardians against rushing and competing to adopt these types of clothing that come to us from abroad and that are found in foreign magazines, which have filled the tailoring shops. So when a woman stands at the shop, she is shown these styles that contradict her fitrah (innate natural disposition) and her religion, and that obligate her to imitate the enemies of Allah from whom these magazines came. They are called by women the "burdah." So I warn my Muslim sisters from looking at these magazines. And I say to those responsible for them: You are responsible for them before Allah, and it is not permissible for you to enable them to acquire these magazines or look at them. Then I say a second time: You are responsible for the money you spend on these women. Whenever a new fashion comes, it leaves the first fashion, even if she did not wear it, for the new fashion, and the money is wasted. Even if the money is from them, from the women, prevent them from this behavior, the least of what we say about it is that it is extravagance. And Allah Blessed and Exalted is He said:[Al-An'am 6:141].
I ask Allah the Sublime and Exalted to guide our Ummah.
The questioner : Amen.
The Shaykh : Its shepherds.
The questioner : Amen.
The Shaykh : And its flock.
The questioner : Amen.
The Shaykh : Its males and females, its young and its old.
The questioner : Amen.
The Shaykh : To what was the methodology of this Ummah in its righteous predecessors. Indeed, He is Capable of all things.
The questioner : O Allah, Amen. May Allah reward you, His Eminence Shaykh Muhammad. The listener, M.R. from Makkah al-Mukarramah, says.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets, the Imam of the Pious, and the Leader of the White-ankled Ones, and upon his family and his Companions, and those who follow them in excellence until the Day of Judgment. Before I answer this question, I would like to remind my Muslim brothers of Allah’s blessing upon us with what He has sent down to us of clothing. Allah the Exalted said:
O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment
يَا بَنِي ءادَمَ قَدْ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًا يُوَارِي سَوْءاتِكُمْ وَرِيشًاO children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment. But the clothing of righteousness - that is best
يَا بَنِي ءادَمَ قَدْ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًا يُوَارِي سَوْءاتِكُمْ وَرِيشًا وَلِبَاسُ التَّقْوَى ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌAmong the things that follow from this is that we must avoid in our clothing what has been forbidden to us, which is letting the garment hang below the ankle, meaning the ankle of the man. Letting the garment hang below the ankle of the man is a major sin among the major sins, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) warned against it. If a man drags it out of arrogance, then Allah will not look at him on the Day of Resurrection, will not purify him, and for him is a painful punishment. And if it hangs below the ankle for other than arrogance, then what is below the two ankles is in the Fire. This is authentic from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). There is no difference in this between the thobe, the trousers, or the shalwar. Whatever is worn, it is not permissible for a man to let his thobe, trousers, or shalwar hang below the two ankles. This is for men.
As for women, they are commanded to let their garments hang down so that they cover their feet. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) granted a dispensation for a woman to let her garment hang down to the length of a forearm behind her in order to cover her feet from the gaze of onlookers.
Thus, the Islamic Shari'ah obligates the woman to let down of the clothing what it forbids for men. But unfortunately, the matter has been turned upside down. You find a boy and a girl walking in the market; the boy’s garment is to his ankle, and the girl’s garment is to above the knee. This means we have completely reversed the Islamic etiquettes. And this is something from which a punishment is feared to befall us. We do not say that it is not permissible for a small girl under seven to expose her leg, but we say that accustoming the girl to this short clothing removes her modesty and obligates her to become accustomed to this short clothing and for it to become her habit when she grows up.
You find that the civilization of some people is that the woman’s clothing is short and the man’s clothing is long. Is this not a reversal of Islamic realities? Is this not something that obligates fear for this Ummah that it will become accustomed to sins, especially the major sins in letting men’s garments hang below the two ankles, and then it will become accustomed to another sin, then another, then another, until it is feared that we will all fall into what Allah the Exalted said:
And fear a trial which will not strike those who have wronged among you exclusively, and know that Allah is severe in penalty.
وَاتَّقُوا فِتْنَةً لا تُصِيبَنَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْكُمْ خَاصَّةً وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِAnd on this occasion, although it was not mentioned in the question, I would like to warn my Muslim sisters and their guardians against rushing and competing to adopt these types of clothing that come to us from abroad and that are found in foreign magazines, which have filled the tailoring shops. So when a woman stands at the shop, she is shown these styles that contradict her fitrah (innate natural disposition) and her religion, and that obligate her to imitate the enemies of Allah from whom these magazines came. They are called by women the "burdah." So I warn my Muslim sisters from looking at these magazines. And I say to those responsible for them: You are responsible for them before Allah, and it is not permissible for you to enable them to acquire these magazines or look at them. Then I say a second time: You are responsible for the money you spend on these women. Whenever a new fashion comes, it leaves the first fashion, even if she did not wear it, for the new fashion, and the money is wasted. Even if the money is from them, from the women, prevent them from this behavior, the least of what we say about it is that it is extravagance. And Allah Blessed and Exalted is He said:
And be not excessive. Indeed, He does not like those who commit excess.
وَلا تُسْرِفُوا إِنَّهُ لا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَI ask Allah the Sublime and Exalted to guide our Ummah.
The questioner : Amen.
The Shaykh : Its shepherds.
The questioner : Amen.
The Shaykh : And its flock.
The questioner : Amen.
The Shaykh : Its males and females, its young and its old.
The questioner : Amen.
The Shaykh : To what was the methodology of this Ummah in its righteous predecessors. Indeed, He is Capable of all things.
The questioner : O Allah, Amen. May Allah reward you, His Eminence Shaykh Muhammad. The listener, M.R. from Makkah al-Mukarramah, says.