Is it Halal For a Muslim Girl to Wear Ripped Jeans?
C.J Ahmed-14.06.2023
Wearing any kind of jeans be it ripped or non ripped is halal for a Muslim girl or woman. The problem in wearing ripped jeans is not in the dress itself, it is in he attitude of society that is a problem.
When it comes to going out by wearing ripped jeans, the often quoted hadith to forbid women has nothing to do with wearing jeans. The hadith is as follows,
Narrated by Abu Hurayrah (rali), The prophet(sal) 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, They will seduce men and be inclined towards them. 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.
(Sahih Muslim)
The hadith above has nothing to do with wearing jeans and only mentions women who intentionally wear revealing cloths to seduce men. Wearing jeans actually covers woman and there are several aspects of the Awrah between men and women and it differs according to the situation and person. Below re the three proofs outlining the awrah of a woman,
Only the Private Parts is the Awrah for a Woman in Front of Another Woman
A girl who has Attained puberty need not cover any other area apart from the private parts. The evidence for this is in the below hadiths.
Narrated AbuSa'id al-Khudri:
The Prophet (sal) said: A man should not look at the private parts of another man, and a woman should not look at the private parts of another woman. A man should not lie with another man without wearing lower garment under one cover; and a woman should not be lie with another woman without wearing lower garment under one cover.
(Abu Dawud-authenticated by Albani)
Abd al-Rahman, the son of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, reported from his father:
The Messenger of Allah (sal) said: A man should not see the private parts of another man, and a woman should not see the private parts of another woman, and a man should not lie with another man under one covering, and a woman should not lie with another woman under one covering.
( Sahih Muslim)
Some scholars say by using the above hadiths that the awrah of a women is between the naval and the knee but this is not what is mentioned in these hadiths. It’s only the private parts that are mentioned. Sheikh Salih Al Uthaymin said:
"With regard to her mahrams what she may uncover is the same as that which she may uncover in front of other women, so she may uncover her head, neck, feet, hands, forearms and calves, etc. But she should not make her clothes short".
(Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 12/276, 277)
The above fatwa of Imam Uthaymin is only his opinion and there is no evidence from the Quran and the Sunnah to prove that a woman cannot wear a short dress in front of other women. Based on the above hadiths it is clear that a Muslim woman can wear shorts in front of another woman, be it a Muslim or non-Muslim woman because the shorts should only cover the genitals and the awrah for a woman in front of another woman is her genitalia.
Women can Wear Shorts in Front of Mahram Men
A Muslim woman can wear shorts in front of mahram males such as her father, brothers etc.
As for what need to be shown for a women among the mahram men such as her father,brothers etc, Allah says n the Quran
'and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent , and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women”
(24:31).
based on the above verse a women can show her adornment to her mahram men. the word Juyubihinna in the above verse means to cover the bossoms.
There is debate on upto which part she can show her body to her mahram. But there is a hadith which clarifies this below.
Narrated by Muawiah ibn Haydah,
" I said : Apostle of Allah, from whom should we conceal our private parts and to whom can we show? He replied : conceal your private parts except from your wife and from whom your right hand possesses (concubines). I then asked: Apostle of Allah, (what should we do), if the people are assembled together? He replied: If it is within your power then no one will look at it, then you should try that no one can look it. I then asked: Apostle of Allah, if one of us is alone? He replied: Allah is more entitled than people that bashfulness should be shown to him (feel shy more to Allah than to people)."
(Abu Dawud and Tirmidihi and others and authenticated by Albani)
Based on the above hadith it is clear that the awrah for a women or man in front of the mahram is the private parts. Some scholars are of the view that a women may show her neck ,hands, head to this category as mentioned in the verse mentioned above and not anything else but there is no sound evidence from the sunnah of our messenger (sal) stating such a thing and what is evident from the authentic hadith is that her private parts is what she should conceal. Another important thing that needs to be mentioned is that slave women need not cover their heads because hijab is only for the free believing women.
Anas (rali) reported: ‘Umar (rali) once saw a slave-girl that belonged to us (to Anas) wearing a scarf, so Umar poked her and told her: ‘Don’t assume the manners of free woman.”
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah-Graded Sahih by Albani in irwa al ghaleel)
Anas (rali) narrated:
“The slaves of `Umar (rali) used to serve us with their hair uncovered and hitting their breasts.”
(Baihaqi Sunan wal Kubra-authenticated by Albani in al irwa)
Apart from this a women can be naked in front of a blind man or a child who is not mature enough to know about nudity. Allah (Swt) says:
"And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their khimār over their breasts and not display their beauty except to their husband, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex"
( 24:31)
The prophet (sal) told Fathima bint Qays(rali) to observe her iddah in Ummu Makthoum (rali)'s house by saying:
"for he is a blind man and you can take off your garment.”
(Sahih Muslim and others)
Islam is an easy religion and trying to restrict oneself and others when it comes to what you wear a form of extremism and craziness. The awrah for a woman who has attained puberty in front of another woman or women is only her private part which is her vagina. A woman can expose her entire body in front of others irrespective of the person being a male or a female under necessity because necessity dictates exceptions. A Muslim Woman can also wear shorts in public when there are non-mahram men because the prophet (sal) said,
“If it is within your power then no one will look at it, then you should try that no one can look it”
(Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi- Graded Sahih by Albani)
Wearing any kind of jeans be it ripped or non ripped is halal for a Muslim girl or woman. The problem in wearing ripped jeans is not in the dress itself, it is in he attitude of society that is a problem.
When it comes to going out by wearing ripped jeans, the often quoted hadith to forbid women has nothing to do with wearing jeans. The hadith is as follows,
Narrated by Abu Hurayrah (rali), The prophet(sal) 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, They will seduce men and be inclined towards them. 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.
(Sahih Muslim)
The hadith above has nothing to do with wearing jeans and only mentions women who intentionally wear revealing cloths to seduce men. Wearing jeans actually covers woman and there are several aspects of the Awrah between men and women and it differs according to the situation and person. Below re the three proofs outlining the awrah of a woman,
Only the Private Parts is the Awrah for a Woman in Front of Another Woman
A girl who has Attained puberty need not cover any other area apart from the private parts. The evidence for this is in the below hadiths.
Narrated AbuSa'id al-Khudri:
The Prophet (sal) said: A man should not look at the private parts of another man, and a woman should not look at the private parts of another woman. A man should not lie with another man without wearing lower garment under one cover; and a woman should not be lie with another woman without wearing lower garment under one cover.
(Abu Dawud-authenticated by Albani)
Abd al-Rahman, the son of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, reported from his father:
The Messenger of Allah (sal) said: A man should not see the private parts of another man, and a woman should not see the private parts of another woman, and a man should not lie with another man under one covering, and a woman should not lie with another woman under one covering.
( Sahih Muslim)
Some scholars say by using the above hadiths that the awrah of a women is between the naval and the knee but this is not what is mentioned in these hadiths. It’s only the private parts that are mentioned. Sheikh Salih Al Uthaymin said:
"With regard to her mahrams what she may uncover is the same as that which she may uncover in front of other women, so she may uncover her head, neck, feet, hands, forearms and calves, etc. But she should not make her clothes short".
(Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 12/276, 277)
The above fatwa of Imam Uthaymin is only his opinion and there is no evidence from the Quran and the Sunnah to prove that a woman cannot wear a short dress in front of other women. Based on the above hadiths it is clear that a Muslim woman can wear shorts in front of another woman, be it a Muslim or non-Muslim woman because the shorts should only cover the genitals and the awrah for a woman in front of another woman is her genitalia.
Women can Wear Shorts in Front of Mahram Men
A Muslim woman can wear shorts in front of mahram males such as her father, brothers etc.
As for what need to be shown for a women among the mahram men such as her father,brothers etc, Allah says n the Quran
'and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent , and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women”
(24:31).
based on the above verse a women can show her adornment to her mahram men. the word Juyubihinna in the above verse means to cover the bossoms.
There is debate on upto which part she can show her body to her mahram. But there is a hadith which clarifies this below.
Narrated by Muawiah ibn Haydah,
" I said : Apostle of Allah, from whom should we conceal our private parts and to whom can we show? He replied : conceal your private parts except from your wife and from whom your right hand possesses (concubines). I then asked: Apostle of Allah, (what should we do), if the people are assembled together? He replied: If it is within your power then no one will look at it, then you should try that no one can look it. I then asked: Apostle of Allah, if one of us is alone? He replied: Allah is more entitled than people that bashfulness should be shown to him (feel shy more to Allah than to people)."
(Abu Dawud and Tirmidihi and others and authenticated by Albani)
Based on the above hadith it is clear that the awrah for a women or man in front of the mahram is the private parts. Some scholars are of the view that a women may show her neck ,hands, head to this category as mentioned in the verse mentioned above and not anything else but there is no sound evidence from the sunnah of our messenger (sal) stating such a thing and what is evident from the authentic hadith is that her private parts is what she should conceal. Another important thing that needs to be mentioned is that slave women need not cover their heads because hijab is only for the free believing women.
Anas (rali) reported: ‘Umar (rali) once saw a slave-girl that belonged to us (to Anas) wearing a scarf, so Umar poked her and told her: ‘Don’t assume the manners of free woman.”
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah-Graded Sahih by Albani in irwa al ghaleel)
Anas (rali) narrated:
“The slaves of `Umar (rali) used to serve us with their hair uncovered and hitting their breasts.”
(Baihaqi Sunan wal Kubra-authenticated by Albani in al irwa)
Apart from this a women can be naked in front of a blind man or a child who is not mature enough to know about nudity. Allah (Swt) says:
"And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their khimār over their breasts and not display their beauty except to their husband, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex"
( 24:31)
The prophet (sal) told Fathima bint Qays(rali) to observe her iddah in Ummu Makthoum (rali)'s house by saying:
"for he is a blind man and you can take off your garment.”
(Sahih Muslim and others)
Islam is an easy religion and trying to restrict oneself and others when it comes to what you wear a form of extremism and craziness. The awrah for a woman who has attained puberty in front of another woman or women is only her private part which is her vagina. A woman can expose her entire body in front of others irrespective of the person being a male or a female under necessity because necessity dictates exceptions. A Muslim Woman can also wear shorts in public when there are non-mahram men because the prophet (sal) said,
“If it is within your power then no one will look at it, then you should try that no one can look it”
(Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi- Graded Sahih by Albani)