- 30 Oct 2006, 03:02
#7451
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim
I begin in His name - Allah, the Most Powerful, the Most Gracious. It is He whom we all ask for mercy; it is surely He whom we all repent. I pray to Him, to guide as to the Straight Path, the Path of those on whom He has bestowed His Grace.
As Salaamu ‘aleykum
Masha’Allah, this topic is now getting very interesting. However, the main topic is not on how we should dress up, the aim here is to discuss and to understand what the purpose of going to the Masjid is, and with what intention. However, the current argument is also worth discussing. Therefore, let us solve this misunderstanding before we continue with our main topic.
1. Mobile Phones – I think this has an influence on both, men and women. It will be very unfair of me to point at men only.
2. Cars – I agree that our young brothers cruise around with expensive cars, but I don’t see any of their faults! This is a family issue on how they spend their money on automobiles. Tell me, where would a 15, 16, 17 year old boy get $50,000 on the first place? He wouldn’t have access to any of his father’s bank account number. It is the parent who is investing a lot of money into cars, and the sons enjoy the ride. And if we study a girl’s mind, it is very natural that she would be focusing on something useful and constructive, and that’s how we hardly find our sisters fighting with our parents on getting a “driving license” like we do by the age of “10”.
3. Women can wear anything inside their Masjid, and nobody has the right to object as far as they have a clear intention. (Women purchasing expensive clothes every Khush Ya Ali, should be reminded of their misuse and asked to avoid such act.)
Allah says in the Holy Qur’an: “You are the best of nations raised up for [the benefit of] men; you enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong and believe in Allah.” (3:110)
One should take an example of Bibi Fatima (The Gracious)
4. Sister says, “Just for the sake of argument: if women don’t wear pretty clothes in the ladies mosque and "show off", where would they do it? (In moderation off course)”
My first question would be; why do you need to show off when you are visiting a holy place as a guest of Allah?
Second question, are you sure there will be a self-control over the show-off ness?
Let us see what Allah has to say on this,
“Then your hearts hardened after that, so that they were like rocks.” (2:74)
“Every time a man commits a wrong action, a black spot appears on his heart. If he turns away and desists from wrong action and then seeks forgiveness, then this heart becomes cleansed of it; but if he persists in it, then this is the rust which Allah refers to in His Book, “Nay! Rather, what they used to do has become like rust upon their hearts.” (83:14) – Mishkat
Imam Ali says it so beautifully, “Take care not to follow the desires of the self, for surely its desires are its ruin, and to abstain from them is its cure.” – Mishkat
Allah says, “I will turn away from My Revelations those who are unjustly proud in the earth.” (7:146)
“… [Those] who disbelieved and called the meeting of the Hereafter a lie, and whom We had given plenty to enjoy in this world’s life.” (23:33)
“Whoever desires this world’s life and its finery, We will pay them in full their deeds therein, and they shall not be made to suffer loss in respect of them. These are they for whom there is nothing but fire in the Hereafter, and what they wrought in it shall go for nothing, and vain is what they used to do.” (11:15-16)
5. Married or not, women should keep themselves clean, good looking and pure, but they should also not forget that Hijab is wajib on them and there shall be no excuses to avoid covering themselves.
Let us use some resources:
108 – Rule: It is wajib for women to cover their entire body from non-mahram Men; with the exception of their face and hands, as long as the following conditions are met:
1. Their face and hands must not have any kind of beautification (zinat) on them.
2. One will not look at their face or hands with the intention of lust.
Q. According to the laws of Islam, is it allowed to expose the sole, top, malleolus and the heel of the foot, in front of non-mahram men?
A. According to: Ayatullah Araki, Ayatullah Behjat, Ayatullah Gulpaygani, Ayatullah Khumayni, Ayatullah Lankarani, Ayatullah Shirazi, Ayatullah Seestani and Ayatullah Tabrizi
It is not allowed.
Ayatullah Seestani says, “One must also refrain from that clothing which draws the attention of non-mahram men”.
Now let us focus on Beautification (Zinat)
Q. What is meant by beautification (Zinat)?
Ans. everything that the general public regards as beautification and people refer to it as such.
The following are some examples of beautification on the hands and that must be covered from non-mahram men:
• Bangle
• Bracelet
• Ring (even if it is one’s wedding ring)
• Long finger nails
• Nail polish
• Henna
• Certain types of watches which are worn as a means of beautification
• Certain types of gloves which are worn as a means of beautification
The following are considered as beautification for the face:
• Applying surma
• Shaping of the eyebrows
• Applying artificial eyebrows
• Using any kind of makeup
• Having a nose-ring
• Earrings
Other than these, anything else that the general population (of that particular area) considers as beautification is also included and these must all be covered while in the presence of non-mahram men.
Notorious Clothing – According to Ihtiyat Wajib, it is not allowed.
Q. What is meant by Notorious Clothing?
Ans. That clothing that has certain qualities or characteristics that attract the attention of the general public, causing one to stand out in a crowd.
162 – Rule: It is Haraam for a woman or a man to wear any type of clothing that the common people would consider as arousing or stimulating, or one that attracts the attention of non-mahram.
According to the Islamic etiquette, all actions that a person commits for showing-off are discouraged and are not recommended to be performed. Thus the Ulamaa of Akhlaq have forbidden these acts, but if these acts are done with the intention of having others commit a Haraam act, then without doubt, they are Haraam. However, if showing off is not with the aim of wanting others to fall into sin, then it is not Haraam.
Mind you, all these rules apply to Men as well. Usi fikiri ume bachigyo!
Let us understand, Islam requires its followers to wear clothes that are not only clean and tidy, but also decent and respectable to look at. One should stay decently clothed, keeping his social status in mind. If one is fortunate enough to have a moderate or ample income, he can spend proportionately on food, clothing etc, but at the same time not forgetting the needs of his less fortunate brothers. In other words our wealth should not make us blind to other people’s wants. We should not let an affluent income increase our desire for obtaining new clothes to the extent that it becomes an obsession, and distracts our attention even during prayers.
Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) stating that Allah is happy and pleased with those people who are thankful to Him for His blessings, and who manifest His bounty in a ‘relevant’ manner. On the other hand, those who are uncontested and dissatisfied even after being blessed by Him, and are forever complaining would incur Allah’s wrath and be included among His enemies.
He says, “Decency and Cleanliness is our manner of dressing greatly pleases Allah.
I hope I have covered everything on this topic.
Please let me know if there are any mistakes, and feel free to share with us your ideas.
Thank you.
Muntazir Al Mahdi
as-Salaamu 'aleykum warahmatullah
Watch 'The Mukhtar Narrative / Mukhtar Nama' on Ask - a series narrating Mukhtar al-Thaqafi's revenge for Karbala.
Thats being extravagent...
- By BatoolM
