Why it is Not Haram For a Girl to Wear a Suit
C.J Ahmed-01.05.2023
A suit is an outer garment which consists usually of a jacket and shirt and a matching pair of trousers often made out of thick durable fabrics. A suit is subjective and both men and women wear suits these days and it is not at all haram for a Muslim girl or woman to ear a suit. The general dislike stemming among conservative Muslims with regards to women wearing suits is that by doing so, you are imitating men.
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.
Actions are According to Intentions
“Ibn ‘Umar said: “The Messenger of Allaah (Sal) said:
‘Whoever imitates a people is one of them."
(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
For us to understand the above hadith based on the right context, we need to understand the other hadiths on this subject as well. What needs to be understood is that it is your intention that matters and the prophet (sal) said,
. "Actions are according to what was intended"
(Bukhari)
Nowadays men and women wear the same dress in parts of the world. Take for an example in Cambodia and Indonesia, men and women both wear the traditional sarong and when it comes to wearing jewellery, both men and women wear rings and even watches The word “imitating” is subjective and trying to put one’s own opinion is dangerous when there is clear evidence from the Sunnah to prove that it is halal. There is no doubt that wearing makeup is not haram for men and not all men put on makeup to resemble women and trying to prohibit something based on a scholar’s personal opinion cannot be accepted.
It is clear that we should only stick to the Quran and the authentic hadiths and blind following a scholar even after it is evident that the scholar's opinion has no clear evidence from the Quran and the Sunnah should not be accepted. It is lear that a Muslim girl or woman can wear a suit and it is not haram.
A suit is an outer garment which consists usually of a jacket and shirt and a matching pair of trousers often made out of thick durable fabrics. A suit is subjective and both men and women wear suits these days and it is not at all haram for a Muslim girl or woman to ear a suit. The general dislike stemming among conservative Muslims with regards to women wearing suits is that by doing so, you are imitating men.
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.
Actions are According to Intentions
“Ibn ‘Umar said: “The Messenger of Allaah (Sal) said:
‘Whoever imitates a people is one of them."
(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
For us to understand the above hadith based on the right context, we need to understand the other hadiths on this subject as well. What needs to be understood is that it is your intention that matters and the prophet (sal) said,
. "Actions are according to what was intended"
(Bukhari)
Nowadays men and women wear the same dress in parts of the world. Take for an example in Cambodia and Indonesia, men and women both wear the traditional sarong and when it comes to wearing jewellery, both men and women wear rings and even watches The word “imitating” is subjective and trying to put one’s own opinion is dangerous when there is clear evidence from the Sunnah to prove that it is halal. There is no doubt that wearing makeup is not haram for men and not all men put on makeup to resemble women and trying to prohibit something based on a scholar’s personal opinion cannot be accepted.
It is clear that we should only stick to the Quran and the authentic hadiths and blind following a scholar even after it is evident that the scholar's opinion has no clear evidence from the Quran and the Sunnah should not be accepted. It is lear that a Muslim girl or woman can wear a suit and it is not haram.