Why a Muslim Woman Can Wear Short Sleeves with Hadith Proofs
C.J Ahmed-10.04.2023
Shorts sleeves are clothes that uncover or expose the arms or the shoulders and there is nothing haram in wearing short sleeves for a Muslim woman. Some argue that a woman should only show her face and hands to non-mahram men and they quote the following hadith,
Narrated by al-Waleed from Sa’eed Ibn Basheer from Qataadah from Khalid Ibn Durayk from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), that Asma’ bint Abi Bakr entered upon the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wearing a thin dress. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) turned away from her and said,
“O Asma’, when a woman reaches the age of puberty, nothing should be seen of her except this and this” – and he pointed to his face and hands. (Abu Dawud-authenticated by Albani using collaborating reports)
It is true that a woman should uncover oly her face and hand in front of non-mahram men but even in such a scenario, uncovering her other parts of the body is allowed in Islam under necessity and necessity could mean many things. Narrated Anas (Rali):
The Prophet (sal) allowed `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf and Az-Zubair bin Al-`Awwam to wear silk because they were suffering from an itch" .
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
In this hadith, the prophet(Sal) allowed Abdur Rahman bin auf and Zubair bin Awwam to wear silk because they had an itch. Generally wearing silk is haram for men except for embroidary but the prophet (Sal) allowed silk for the two sahabi due to necessity.
1-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. Its 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.
2-A Woman Can Uncover in Front of Mahram Men
A Muslim woman can wear short sleeves 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)
It is totally halal for Muslim women to wear short sleeves.
Shorts sleeves are clothes that uncover or expose the arms or the shoulders and there is nothing haram in wearing short sleeves for a Muslim woman. Some argue that a woman should only show her face and hands to non-mahram men and they quote the following hadith,
Narrated by al-Waleed from Sa’eed Ibn Basheer from Qataadah from Khalid Ibn Durayk from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), that Asma’ bint Abi Bakr entered upon the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wearing a thin dress. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) turned away from her and said,
“O Asma’, when a woman reaches the age of puberty, nothing should be seen of her except this and this” – and he pointed to his face and hands. (Abu Dawud-authenticated by Albani using collaborating reports)
It is true that a woman should uncover oly her face and hand in front of non-mahram men but even in such a scenario, uncovering her other parts of the body is allowed in Islam under necessity and necessity could mean many things. Narrated Anas (Rali):
The Prophet (sal) allowed `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf and Az-Zubair bin Al-`Awwam to wear silk because they were suffering from an itch" .
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
In this hadith, the prophet(Sal) allowed Abdur Rahman bin auf and Zubair bin Awwam to wear silk because they had an itch. Generally wearing silk is haram for men except for embroidary but the prophet (Sal) allowed silk for the two sahabi due to necessity.
1-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. Its 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.
2-A Woman Can Uncover in Front of Mahram Men
A Muslim woman can wear short sleeves 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)
It is totally halal for Muslim women to wear short sleeves.