Is It OK for Women To Dress in Thin Dresses at Home?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

I have been practicing Islam for six months and learning new things. My question is about the dress code of a woman in front of family members. My female family members sometimes especially in the summer wear T-shirts or dresses which makes the shapes of the nipples visible due to thinness. Even though my family members are okay with this, is it permissible in Islam?

Answer

Thank you for your question. What you mention is not impermissible, but rather it is from Islamic culture and decorum to be more modest.

Nakedness

Please see this link below about what is and isn’t permissible to show to a family member. In our school, a woman may expose anything except what is between the navel and knee, ensuring that this area is covered, loosely with thick enough material.
A Detailed Exposition of the Fiqh of Covering One’s Nakedness (awra)
What Is the Male Dress Code According to the Shafi’i School?

Modesty

Beyond this, it is praiseworthy and in line with fitra (innate disposition) that one be modest at all times, even when alone. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), himself, was shyer than a veiled virgin girl. [Bukhari] Dress modestly at home yourself and you will find that they will notice.

Advising

You should consider whether telling your family members about their T-shirts will be effective or not, especially since it is not haram. It may be better to focus them on obligatory acts, or gaining knowledge, and bond with them so that they trust you, be inspired by you, and listen to you more. When you reach that point, you can tell them anything, and they will listen, by the grace of Allah.

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.