Is It Permissible to Wear Elegant, Colour-Coordinated Loose Clothing?
Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad
Question
I would like to know if it’s permissible to wear colored or patterned clothing that is loose-fitting (light pink, green, beige, maroon, floral) as some women do in my country. Is having a sense of style sinful? I feel happy to wear colorful and color-coordinated garments. Is that okay? I feel a sense of pride when I’m among non-Muslims because I feel modest clothing is more elegant and classy than most of what they wear.
There’s also a misconception among them that Muslim women are restricted to wearing only black and I don’t want to contribute to that narrative. People don’t usually stare at me. Am I sinful for this?
Answer
Thank you for your question. Ma sha Allah, may Allah reward you for being modest and elegant at the same time, and may He reward you for combining Islamic law with beauty and style.
Style
What you describe is perfectly fine. Most ladies want to be color-coordinated, and it makes it easier to dress modestly when one doesn’t feel ugly. This is especially important for our young girls who become tempted to take off their hijabs and imitate what they see in the media. Dressing well, with the right intention, is also a way to call people to Islam. People tend to think better of Islam when they see that simplicity, modesty and elegance can co-exist with religious life.
Overdoing It
Every girl knows when she is over-doing it. Extra bling, extra frills or extra anything is not always called for. Every girl should look in the mirror, ask herself about the extras, and err on the side of simplicity when she has doubts.
Wabisa b. Ma’bad reported Allah’s Messenger, (Allah bless him and give him peace) saying, “Have you come to ask about righteousness and sin, Wabisa?” When he replied that he had, he joined his fingers and striking his breast with them said, “Ask yourself for a decision, ask your heart for a decision (saying it three times). Righteousness is that with which the soul is tranquil and the heart is tranquil, but sin is that which rouses suspicion in the soul and is perplexing in the breast, even if people give you a decision in its favor.” [Ahmad; Darimi]
Please see more details here:
Is Wearing a Jilbab Obligatory?
How Does the Qur’an Tell Women To Cover and What Does Jilbab Mean?
Is It Obligatory That One’s Hijab Covers the Chest Even if One’s Shirt Is Loose?
May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria for two years where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Masters in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.
