Explanation of Riyad al-Salihin-86b
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The reciter: He said, may Allah have mercy on him, the Exalted: "Chapter on the prohibition of men imitating women
and women imitating men
It was narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) that he said:Riyad as-Salihin 1631 Al-Bukhari narrated it
And it was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said:Sunan Abi Dawud 4098Sahih (Al-Albani) Abu Dawud narrated it with a sound chain
And it was narrated from him that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 2128 Muslim narrated it "
The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The author, al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him), said in his book *Riyad al-Salihin*: Chapter on the prohibition of men imitating women and women imitating men
This is because Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) created males and females and gave each of them a distinct characteristic. Men differ from women in their physical form, character, strength, religion, and other matters. Women likewise differ from men. Whoever attempts to make men like women or women like men has opposed Allah in His creation and His legislation, and has deviated from Allah in His creation and His legislation, for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has wisdom in what He created and what He legislated.
For this reason, the texts came with severe warnings, including cursing, expulsion, and distancing from the mercy of Allah, for a man imitating a woman or a woman imitating a man. Whoever imitates women is cursed by the tongue of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and whoever imitates men is cursed by the tongue of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), as in the hadith of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)Riyad as-Salihin 1631 These are the effeminate men in this hadith, meaning the women who imitate men. And cursing is expulsion and distancing from the mercy of Allah.
If a man imitates a woman in his clothing, especially if it is forbidden clothing such as silk and gold, or if he imitates a woman in his speech and corrupts his tongue in speaking until it is as if a woman is speaking, or if he imitates a woman in his gait or in other matters specific to women, then he is cursed by the tongue of the most noble of creation. And we curse whoever the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed. So the man who imitates women is cursed.
Likewise, if a woman imitates men, she is cursed. If she starts speaking as a man speaks, or if she puts on a turban as a man wears, or if she makes her clothes like a man's clothes, including the trousers. For the wearing of trousers is specific to men. Women are required to wear covering garments. And trousers, as we all know, expose the woman; her thighs and her legs, meaning her shins, and the like become visible. For this reason, we say it is not permissible for a woman to wear trousers, even in front of her husband, because the operative cause is not the 'awrah or covering it; the operative cause is imitation. So if a woman imitates men, she is cursed by the tongue of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). For this reason, the author (may Allah have mercy on him) followed his hadith of Ibn Abbas with the hadith of Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 2128 The scholars said that these are the tyrants who beat people without right, carrying whips like the tails of cattle, meaning a long whip with a lash, with which they beat people without right. If it is with right, then the aggressor is beaten. [An-Nur 24:2] Do not show mercy to them; beat them thoroughly. But whoever beats people without right is among the categories of the people of the Fire, may Allah protect us. The second is: Sahih Muslim 2128 These are also the women who are clothed yet naked. It was said that they are clothed in their garments with physical covering, but naked from taqwa (mindfulness of Allah), because Allah said: And on this basis, this hadith includes every open sinner and licentious woman, even if she is wearing loose clothes, because the intended meaning of "clothed" is the apparent covering, the covering of clothes, and "naked" means naked from taqwa, for the one who is naked from taqwa is undoubtedly naked, as the Exalted said: It was also said that "clothed yet naked" means they have physical covering, but it does not conceal, either because it is tight, or because it is light, being thin and not concealing, or because it is short. All of this is said of the woman who wears such clothing: she is clothed and naked.
"Swaying and causing others to sway." "Swaying" means she tilts her hairstyle, as some explained it as the tilted hairstyle that causes walking to the side. So this is among the swaying, for they are swaying with their hairstyles. Especially since this tilt that came to us was inherited from the women of the disbelievers. And this, may Allah protect us, is a trial that befell some women, so she started to... the head, meaning she parts or separates the hair from one side, so this is swaying, meaning she has tilted her hairstyle. It was also said that "swaying" means they are seductive to others because of what they put on of tabarruj (display of adornment) and perfume, and the like. So they are swaying to others. And perhaps the meaning, and perhaps the wording, includes both meanings, because the rule is that if a text can be understood in two ways and there is no preference for one over the other, it is applied to both. And here there is no preference and no contradiction in combining the two meanings, so it includes this and that.
And as for his saying: It means deviating from the truth and from what is required of them in terms of modesty and decency. You find her in the market walking with the gait of a man, with strength and boldness, until some men cannot walk with this gait, but she walks as if she were a soldier, because of the intensity of her gait and her striking the ground and her lack of concern. Likewise, she laughs at her companion with her, laughing and raising her voice in a manner that incites fitnah (trial or temptation). And she stands at the shopkeeper's, flirting with him in buying and selling, laughing at him and with him, and perhaps extending her hand to him for him to put a wristwatch on it, and the like of these seductions and trials. These are those who cause others to sway; there is no doubt that they are deviating from the truth. We ask Allah for safety.
Sahih Muslim 2128 The "bukhat" is a type of camel with a long hump that slopes to the right or left. This woman raises her hair so that it slopes to the right or left, like the sloping hump of the bukhat camel. And some scholars said that rather, this woman puts a turban on her head like a man's turban, so the khimar (head covering) rises and becomes like the hump of a camel from the bukhat. In any case, she adorns her head with an adornment that incites temptation.
Muwatta Malik 48:8 We seek refuge in Allah, meaning they will not enter Paradise and will not approach it.
Sahih Muslim 2128 From a distance of seventy years or more, and yet this woman does not approach Paradise, may Allah protect us, because she has deviated from the straight path. So she is clothed and naked, swaying and causing others to sway, with something on her head that invites to fitnah and adornment.
And in this is evidence for the prohibition of this type of clothing, because it is threatened with being deprived of Paradise. And this indicates that it is among the major sins. Likewise, the women who imitate men; their imitation is among the major sins. And likewise, the men who imitate women; their imitation is among the major sins.
And here is an issue that confuses some women and some people as well. A person does what... involves imitation and says, "I did not intend it; I did not intend imitation." It is said that imitation is an apparent image; whenever it is found, imitation occurs, whether with intention or without intention. So whenever it appears that this is imitation, and it imitates the disbelieving women or the licentious and harlot women, or imitates men from a woman, or a woman from a man, whenever the imitation appears, it is forbidden, whether it is with intent or without intent. But if it is with intent, it is more severe. And if it is without intent, we say to him: it is obligatory for you to change what you imitated so that you turn to moving away from imitation.
And as for the last hadith, the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, Abu Dawud narrated it with a good chain, that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: This supports what we said previously that imitation occurs through clothing, appearance, gait, speech, and other things. We ask Allah for safety for us and for you, and that He protect our males and females from what contains fitnah and anger.
and women imitating men
It was narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) that he said:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) cursed those men who are effeminate, and women who imitate men. Another narration is: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) cursed men who copy women and cursed women who copy men.
لعن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم المخنثين من الرجال، والمترجلات من النساء وفي روايةٍ لعن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم المتشبهين من الرجال بالنساء، والمتشبهات من النساء بالرجالAnd it was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) cursed the man who dressed like a woman and the woman who dressed like a man.
لعن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم الرجل يلبسُ لبسةَ المرأة، والمرأة تلبسُ لبسةَ الرجلAnd it was narrated from him that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
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 قومٌ معهم سياطٌ كأذناب البقر يضربون بها الناس، ونساءٌ كاسياتٌ عارياتٌ مميلاتٌ مائلاتٌ، رؤوسهن كأسنمة البُخت المائلة لا يدخلن الجنة، ولا يجدن ريحها، وإن ريحها ليوجد من مسيرة كذا وكذاThe Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The author, al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him), said in his book *Riyad al-Salihin*: Chapter on the prohibition of men imitating women and women imitating men
This is because Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) created males and females and gave each of them a distinct characteristic. Men differ from women in their physical form, character, strength, religion, and other matters. Women likewise differ from men. Whoever attempts to make men like women or women like men has opposed Allah in His creation and His legislation, and has deviated from Allah in His creation and His legislation, for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has wisdom in what He created and what He legislated.
For this reason, the texts came with severe warnings, including cursing, expulsion, and distancing from the mercy of Allah, for a man imitating a woman or a woman imitating a man. Whoever imitates women is cursed by the tongue of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and whoever imitates men is cursed by the tongue of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), as in the hadith of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
cursed those men who are effeminate, and women who imitate men. Another narration is: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) cursed men who copy women
لعن المخنثين من الرجال وفي لفظ المتشبهين من الرجال بالنساءAnd He cursed the women who imitate men.
ولعن المترجلات من النساءIf a man imitates a woman in his clothing, especially if it is forbidden clothing such as silk and gold, or if he imitates a woman in his speech and corrupts his tongue in speaking until it is as if a woman is speaking, or if he imitates a woman in his gait or in other matters specific to women, then he is cursed by the tongue of the most noble of creation. And we curse whoever the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed. So the man who imitates women is cursed.
Likewise, if a woman imitates men, she is cursed. If she starts speaking as a man speaks, or if she puts on a turban as a man wears, or if she makes her clothes like a man's clothes, including the trousers. For the wearing of trousers is specific to men. Women are required to wear covering garments. And trousers, as we all know, expose the woman; her thighs and her legs, meaning her shins, and the like become visible. For this reason, we say it is not permissible for a woman to wear trousers, even in front of her husband, because the operative cause is not the 'awrah or covering it; the operative cause is imitation. So if a woman imitates men, she is cursed by the tongue of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). For this reason, the author (may Allah have mercy on him) followed his hadith of Ibn Abbas with the hadith of Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
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
صنفان من أهل النار لم أرهما قومٌ معهم سياطٌ كأذناب البقر يضربون بها الناسThe [unmarried] woman or [unmarried] man found guilty of sexual intercourse - lash each one of them with a hundred lashes, and do not be taken by pity for them in the religion of Allah
الزانية والزاني فاجلدوا كل واحد منهما مئة جلدة ولا تأخذكم بهما رأفة في دين اللهand 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.
نساءٌ كاسياتٌ عارياتٌ مميلاتٌ مائلاتٌ رؤوسهن كأسنمة البُخت المائلة لا يدخلن الجنة، ولا يجدن ريحها وإن ريحها ليوجد من مسيرة كذا وكذاThe garment of piety; that is better.
لباس التقوى ذلك خيرand the garment of righteousness, that is best
ولباس التقوى ذلك خير"Swaying and causing others to sway." "Swaying" means she tilts her hairstyle, as some explained it as the tilted hairstyle that causes walking to the side. So this is among the swaying, for they are swaying with their hairstyles. Especially since this tilt that came to us was inherited from the women of the disbelievers. And this, may Allah protect us, is a trial that befell some women, so she started to... the head, meaning she parts or separates the hair from one side, so this is swaying, meaning she has tilted her hairstyle. It was also said that "swaying" means they are seductive to others because of what they put on of tabarruj (display of adornment) and perfume, and the like. So they are swaying to others. And perhaps the meaning, and perhaps the wording, includes both meanings, because the rule is that if a text can be understood in two ways and there is no preference for one over the other, it is applied to both. And here there is no preference and no contradiction in combining the two meanings, so it includes this and that.
And as for his saying:
those who sway
مائلاتTheir heads would be like the humps of the bukht camel inclined to one side
رؤوسهن كأسنمة البخت المائلةthey will not enter the Garden and they will not find its scent
لا يدخلن الجنة ولا يجدن ريحهاwhereas its odour would be smelt from such and such distance.
وإن ريحها ليوجد من مسيرة كذا وكذاAnd in this is evidence for the prohibition of this type of clothing, because it is threatened with being deprived of Paradise. And this indicates that it is among the major sins. Likewise, the women who imitate men; their imitation is among the major sins. And likewise, the men who imitate women; their imitation is among the major sins.
And here is an issue that confuses some women and some people as well. A person does what... involves imitation and says, "I did not intend it; I did not intend imitation." It is said that imitation is an apparent image; whenever it is found, imitation occurs, whether with intention or without intention. So whenever it appears that this is imitation, and it imitates the disbelieving women or the licentious and harlot women, or imitates men from a woman, or a woman from a man, whenever the imitation appears, it is forbidden, whether it is with intent or without intent. But if it is with intent, it is more severe. And if it is without intent, we say to him: it is obligatory for you to change what you imitated so that you turn to moving away from imitation.
And as for the last hadith, the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, Abu Dawud narrated it with a good chain, that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: