Highlights, - Fashion - I

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Seeking to follow fashion is a serious social problem that faces Muslim societies in the shade of their economic and social deterioration. The human soul always longs for beauty and admires it. Beauty is a bounty from Allah The Almighty who Grants it to whom He Wishes. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, informed us that beauty is an attribute of Allah The Exalted as he said:"Allah is Beautiful and He Loves beauty"]Muslim[, with all the implicated meanings of the word beauty.
Allah The Almighty ordered His slaves to adorn and beautify themselves without extravagance while affirming that the clothing of righteousness is the true apparel of a person. Allah The Exalted Says )what means(:}O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment. But the clothing of righteousness - that is best. That is from the signs of Allah that perhaps they will remember.{]Quran 7:26[
Permissible Adornment:
A Muslim gives importance to his outer appearance according to his energy and capacity. This is permissible and no blame is cast for it as long as it does not transgress the restrictions of the Sharee'ah which ordained concealing the 'Awrah )parts of the body that must be covered( of men and women. Allah The Exalted Says )what means(:}Say, "Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has produced for His servants and the good ]lawful[ things of provision?"{]Quran 7:32[
Beautification with moderation and decency is favorable and praiseworthy. Nevertheless, extravagance and blind imitation of whatever is invented by the enemies of Islam, that is blameworthy, is not Loved by Allah The Exalted nor does He Accept it for His slaves. Unfortunately, we see some Muslim women who endeavor to follow fashion trends, as it is is referred to, and consider this to be civilized and advanced )behavior(.
The Source of Fashion:
First of all, we need to know that fashion is exported from the Western Crusaders to the Muslim lands. Fashion is a collection of misguiding tastes and desires imaged for the naïve as if it constitutes the essence of civilization. It is portrayed as if those who do not follow it are uncivilized and have not caught up to the modern age.
The Vicious Circle:
It is very strange that this fashion changes according to time, place, seasons, months, tallness, shortness, obesity, thinness and old and young age. This makes the follower of fashion revolve in a vicious circle that would not end until her ruin.
Before discussing fashion, a Muslim should take into account some Sharee'ah principles in order to understand how to deal with it. Allah The Exalted ordered the believers not to follow the desires of those who went astray as He Says )what means(:}do not follow the inclinations of a people who had gone astray before and misled many and have strayed from the soundness of the way{]Quran 5:77[. Furthermore, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, cursed the women who imitate the masculine traits of men and men who imitate the feminine traits of women. ]Al Bukhari[
Women's Fashion:
We see that women – in particular – in our Muslim communities have been swept in the flow of fashion. If the west orders that the dress should be long, the Muslim woman obeys and if it ordered that it should be short or that she should wear tight clothes, she is the first to hear and obey. She who follows fashion trends seems to be hollow inside; she cannot help but surrendering and obeying those who only follow their own desires. If the west orders her to wear trousers under the pretext that it facilitates her movements, helps her in sporting activities and going to work, she listens and obeys without any awareness or reflection on the matter.
The same applies to the choice of accessories and colors of makeup which must match the color of the dress or her complexion in addition to accurately choosing the appropriate haircut and style so as to follow the latest international hairstyles, and so on.
Men's Fashion:
In spite of the fact that fashion is more directed towards women, the enemies of Islam did not leave out men. The imitation of westerners and others from among the wicked of this ummah has appeared in the youth. Thus, they cut their hair in a certain way imitating a music artist or athlete. They wear gold chains on their necks and specific style clothing to imitate people who – because of their immorality – are not even equivalent to the wing of a mosquito in the sight of Allah The Exalted.
Those Who Benefit the Most:
Those who benefit the most from fashion are the companies that trade in the products serving these trends such as the companies that produce cosmetics as well as the media that promotes these products. It makes a person's greatest concern to follow fashion trends and to be up-to-date with everything published about it in the media. This is intended to distract him from the main purpose for which was created which is worshipping Allah The Almighty and building the universe with righteous deeds. Allah The Exalted Says )what means(:}And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.{]Quran 51:56[.
Dangerous Effects of Fashion:
- Unveiling the adornments of women in public triggers temptations which lead to corruption and immorality. This, in turn, leads to the fall of society and the disintegration of good ties and relationships between people.
- The spread of arrogance and pride between people; as men and women boast and brag about their clothing and care more about their elegance rather than society. Islam has forbidden wearing garments for fame.
- The media is very busy serving fashion as it is the most important means in spreading fashion trends and making the people aware of it, be it visual or audible media, or through pictures in books or immoral magazines. Media, in its pursuit of material gain, does not care to preserve moral values. Therefore, instead of being a means of spreading awareness, the media becomes a means to distract people from handling the affairs of the Islamic Ummah and serving the interests of Sharee'ah.
- The spread of many diseases especially dermatological disorders among women as a result of using some creams, shampoos and other cosmetics. In addition, various psychological stresses are spread among women such as envy, grudge and disappointment as some of them cannot find the means to keep up with fashion trends.
- A woman goes out to work seeking money to help achieve her goals by being able to purchase the latest fashions. She does this instead of assisting her husband with the living expenses that increase day after day. Rather, she spends what she earns only in order to satisfy her desires. This stirs up her husband's feelings against her which constitutes the beginning of the disintegration of the family. Moreover, because of the extravagant spending by his wife, the husband may begin committing dangerous practices such as stealing, bribery or embezzlement.
The Role of Islam:
In the face of these hazardous and devastating effects, Islam stands as a protector and defender of the Muslims so that they do not fall into the proverbial gutter. Islam ordained adornment and beautification but urged that this should be done justly and with moderation. Allah The Exalted Says )what means(:}O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid, and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.{]Quran 7:31[ Furthermore, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said:"Eat, drink, dress and donate without extravagance nor arrogance."]Al Bukhari and Ahmad[ Islam also prohibited arrogance as the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said:"While a man was walking, proud of himself, his garment and hair well-combed, suddenly the earth swallowed him up and he will continue to sink in it until the Day of Resurrection."]Al Bukhari and Muslim[
Islam safeguards women and set rules to preserve them from abuse and humiliation. The Muslim woman is being mentioned in particular because she is more prone to the threats of fashion according to the Hadeeth of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam:"There are two types of the denizens of Hell whom I did not see: )The first are( people having flogs like the tails of oxen with them with which they would beat the people. And )the latter are( the women who would be dressed but appear to be naked. They would be inclined )to evil( and make others incline towards it. Their heads would be like the humps of the bukht camel inclined to one side. They will not enter the Paradise nor would they even smell its scent even though its scent )is so great that it( would be smelt from such and such distance."]Muslim[
So which path is more worthy to be followed and which of them represents civilization and advancement? Truthful is Allah The Almighty who Says )what means(:}And, ]moreover[, this is My path, which is straight, so follow it; and do not follow ]other[ ways, for you will be separated from His way. This has He instructed you that you may become righteous.{]Quran 6:153[. Islam is keen on the Islamic identity of its followers and that they should have an independent character. This is so they do not follow every trend nor listen to every speaker as their religion preserves their character and distinction from all other nations.
Tabarruj and Hijab:
The disastrous phenomenon that has spread in many Islamic lands is clear to everyone. Many women expose their beauty, do not cover their faces nor veil themselves from men and display their adornments which Allah The Exalted Has Forbidden to be displayed. There is no doubt that all these practices are among the greatest evildoings and clearest of offenses that justify punishments and curses. They also lead to the emergence of indecency, the perpetration of crimes, lack of modesty and spread of corruption.
Tabarruj )impermissible exposure of women's beauty( is an act of disobedience that carries a very heavy weight in the scale of sins. Through Tabarruj, women fall into the hands of Satan to become devils apparent to all eyes and they surpass Satan himself and his followers in their corruption and their ability to corrupt.
What is Tabarruj?
Tabarruj signifies a woman's exposure, to non Mahram men, of her adornments and beauty which the Sharee'ah deems obligatory to be covered. Examples include displaying seductive parts of her body or tempting them with her walk, poses and seduction.
Tabarruj is not an individual sin rather, it is a social sin. Both the woman displaying her beauty and her guardian who allows her to do so without preventing her are partners in this sin. Moreover, members of society who choose not to advise her and deter this corruption take part in this sin. That is why she deserves to be cursed and deprived from entering paradise or even smelling its fragrance.
The Ruling on Tabarruj:
Tabarruj is forbidden by virtue of the Noble Quran, the Sunnah and the consensus of scholars of the ummah. Displaying beauty and adornment by the women of this age is nothing more than announcing disobedience of Allah The Exalted imitating the disbelieving women and stirring up temptations. Allah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as ]was[ the display of the former times of ignorance.{]Quran 33:33[. Besides, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said:"There are two the types of the denizens of Hell whom I did not see: )The first are( people having flogs like the tails of oxen with them with which they would beat the people. And )the latter are( the women who would be dressed but appear to be naked. They would be inclined )to evil( and make others incline towards it. Their heads would be like the humps of the bukht camel inclined to one side. They will not enter the Paradise nor would they even smell its scent even though its scent )is so great that it( would be smelt from such and such distance."]Muslim[
Reasons of Tabarruj:
There are many reasons for Tabarruj, including:
1. Weak faith in one's soul so that it prefers evil and dislikes good then it views good deeds as evil and evil deeds as good.
2. Refraining from performing the duty of enjoining good and forbidding evil.
3. The lack of knowledge, the spread of ignorance and the shortage of scholars who apply their knowledge to action and act as role models for their societies
4. Lack of proper discipline, instruction and education on the part of the parents as well as educational institutions.
5. The dangerous role played by the media in encouraging Tabarruj, sufoor )uncovering the face( and mingling between the sexes.
6. Imitating the Europeans and the Americans and considering them role models of civilization








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Dought & clear, - Woman travelling withthe driver in one car, and her mahram in another car, travelling with her

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There is a woman who wants to travel to Madinah in a car with the driver, and with her brother in another car; is that permissible?
Praise be to Allah
Firstly:
The basic principle is that it is not permissible for a woman to travel without a mahram, whether the journey is long or short, because of the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (1729) and Muslim (2391) from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “No woman should travel except with a mahram.”
See also the answer to question no. 110929
Secondly:
It is not permissible for a woman to travel with a driver who is not her mahram, if there is no one else with them, whether that is on a journey or otherwise, because this comes under the heading of khulwah (being alone with a member of the opposite sex), which is haraam. In the hadeeth it says: “No man should be alone with a woman without there being a mahram present.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5233); Muslim (1341).
See also the answer to question no. 10374
Thirdly:
If what the questioner means is that there are other women with her in the car, in such a way that there is no forbidden khulwah (i.e., they are adults, of sound mind and so on), and that her mahram is also present during the journey, but he is in another car because there is no room for her in the car in which her brother is, or the group is spread out in such a manner that the men are in one car and the women are in another car during the journey, then there is nothing wrong with that, if the two cars are travelling together.
Shakh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Undoubtedly if a person travels with his mahram, such as his wife or a female relative, in the same car, that is better and is more on the safe side. But if there is a group of cars travelling together and making stops together, then there is nothing wrong with putting the women in one car and the men in the other car. But it is essential that the driver of the (women’s) car should not get separated from the car in which the male mahrams are, so that the mahram can keep an eye on the car in which his female mahram is.
Fataawa al-‘Uthaymeen, 21/216
But if what is meant is that the woman will travel on her own in the car with the driver, that is not permissible, because of what we have mentioned above about forbidden khulwah.
And Allah knows best.







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Dought & clear, - Ruling on referring to Qur’anic verses whilst changing some of the words

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Recently on the Internet it has become common to see some Qur’anic verses that the youth use by way of proving a point. For example, when someone says, “Truly, We did offer Al-Amanah (the trust or moral responsibility or honesty and all the duties which Allah has ordained) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it (i.e. afraid of Allahs Torment). But the Brothers bore it” (cf. al-Ahzaab 33:72, where it says “But man bore it”; “Brothers” here refers to the Muslim Brotherhood); or another may say:”O secularists, I worship not that which you worship” (cf. Al-Kaafiroon 109:1-2, where it says “O kaafiroon (disbelievers)”. Is that permissible?
Praise be to Allah
In Arabic linguistics, this action is called iqtibaas (lit. borrowing); this means referring to a verse or hadeeth when speaking, without attributing it to its source, whether one alters a word sometimes or quotes it as it is. The basic principle concerning this is that any such quotations or references should be within a proper context and implying an appropriate meaning.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
No one has the right to use the wording of the Qur’an for any purpose other than that for which Allah revealed it. This is how the scholars interpreted the hadeeth, “The Book of Allah should not be quoted” i.e., the Qur’an should not be referred to inappropriately.
An example of that is if one says to someone who has come to discuss a need,“Then you came here according to the fixed term which I ordained (for you), O Moosa” (cf. Ta-Ha 20:40); or if a person says when arguing:“When will this promise be fulfilled?”(cf. Yaa-Seen 36:48), or “Allah bears witness that they are certainly liars”(cf. at-Tawbah 9:107).
Furthermore, if the person says that by way of belittling the Qur’an or making fun of it, this is tantamount to kufr (disbelief).
However, if he recites the verse to support a ruling for which this verse was revealed, or in the context of discussing some ruling, this is acceptable. That includes what the fuqaha’ concluded of rulings on the basis of analogy, and what shaykhs and preachers quote to support to what they say.
End quote fromMukhtasar al-Fataawa al-Misriyyah, 172
As-Suyooti wrote an essay on this topic entitledRaf‘ al-Baas wa Kashf al-Iltibaas fi Darab al-Mathal min al-Qur’an wa’l-Iqtibaas, in the bookal-Haawi li’l-Fataawa(1/305): on our website we have discussed this manner of speaking in detail; please see the following fatwas (in Arabic): 119673, 103923, 127745and 150303.
From these fatwas we may conclude that it is haraam to refer to texts in the scenarios mentioned above; that is based on the following points:
-1-
it seems, from the phrases quoted above, that they were referred to for the purpose of mocking and making fun of others; in this case the Holy Qur’an was used as a tool for mockery in one of the most abhorrent ways of dealing with this holy Book which Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, sent down as a book of light and guidance, the words of which showed the way for mankind to follow, in the light of its teachings, and formed the foundation for much historical, linguistic, geographical and scientific research, as well as cultural and moral theories. If we bear all of that and more in mind, there will be no hesitation in regarding as abhorrent the words of one who says “But the Brothers bore it” instead of“But man bore it”(cf. al-Ahzaab 33:72), making fun of a group of Muslims. Is there anything more disrespectful towards the words and meanings of the Qur’an than this?
-2-
we are very upset by much of what we have seen from some irresponsible media such as newspapers, magazines, satellite channels and so on, who take advantage of recent painful events in the Muslim world and use the Holy Qur’an in this manner, referring to its verses to address religious people and to mock some political Islamic groups and their predicament in some countries. It is as if the Holy Qur’an is not a Book for all Muslims, rather it is a book for some of them only. And it is as if the one who refers to it in this manner is trying to tell people, “We can come up with something like this Qur’an which you recite and venerate, in order to point out your faults!” For example, he may write “And those who were of the Brotherhood will be driven to Hell in groups” (cf.“And those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in groups” [az-Zumar 39:51]); this poor man does not realise that the Book of Allah, may He be exalted, is of a sublime status and is not to be touched by any but those who are purified; those who are not purified with regard to religious commitment and manners are only exposing the darkness that resides in their hearts and the foolishness of their minds. They lose in worldly terms, let alone in terms of the Hereafter, by using this kind of mocking language, telling lies about Allah, distorting the meaning of His Book and, in fact, blatantly distorting the wording thereof.
-3-
here we will quote the views of some scholars who forbade this kind of referring to the text if it is done in the context of mockery and disrespect.
As-Suyooti (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
One kind of reprehensible referral to texts is quoting a verse in the context of a joke – we seek refuge with Allah from that – such as saying (in verse):
“She conveyed a message to her lovers with her eyes, ‘Far, very far is that which you are promised’ [cf. al-Mu’minoon 23:36];
Seek physical intimacy with her – ‘For the like of this let all strive, who wish to strive’ [cf. as-Saaffaat 37:61].”
End quote fromal-Itqaan fi ‘Uloom al-Qur’an, 1/387; as-Suyooti quoted this categorization (of ways of quoting or referring to Qur’an, into those which are acceptable and those which are not) from one of the scholars, and approved of this categorization.
Then he (as-Suyooti – may Allah have mercy on him) said:
I do not know of any difference of opinion among the scholars that this is permissible to refer to the Qur’an, provided that the context is not one of approving of promiscuity, immorality, mockery on the part of evildoers, drinking alcohol, promoting homosexuality, and so on.
End quote fromTanweer al-Hawaalik Sharh Muwatta’ Maalik, 1/312
Ibn ‘Aqeel al-Hanbali (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Referencing the Qur’an in the context of improper speech is not permissible.
End quote from Ibn Muflih inal-Adaab ash-Shar‘iyyah, 2/289.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about some examples of referring to Qur’anic texts, such as when someone said, “Today we have seen Noon and what they know (noonwa ma ya ‘lamoon)”
(this is a rhyme which tries to sound like what is mentioned at the beginning of Soorat al-Qalam).
He replied:
As for the one who said that by way of mockery, this is a very serious matter; it may even be said that he has gone beyond the pale of Islam, because it is not permissible under any circumstances to quote the Qur’an by way of mockery, and the same applies to Islamic rulings. Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The hypocrites fear lest a Soorah (chapter of the Quran) should be revealed about them, showing them what is in their hearts. Say: ‘(Go ahead and) mock! But certainly Allah will bring to light all that you fear.’
If you ask them (about this), they declare: ‘We were only talking idly and joking.’ Say: ‘Was it at Allah, and His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and His Messenger (SAW) that you were mocking?
‘Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after you had believed. If We pardon some of you, We will punish others amongst you because they were Mujrimoon (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, criminals, etc.)’”
[at-Tawbah 9:64-66].
Hence the scholars (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Whoever utters a word of disbelief, even if that is jokingly, has become a disbeliever; he must repent and believe that he is repenting from apostasy, and he has to renew his Islam. The verses of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, and the words of His Messenger are too great to be taken as a joke.
However, in the case of one who quotes a verse in relation to some incident that occurs, there is nothing wrong with that. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) quoted verses in relation to incidents that occurred. He quoted the verse (interpretation of the meaning),“Your wealth and your children are only a trial”[at-Taghaabun 64:15], when [his grandsons] al-Hasan and al-Husayn came stumbling; he came down from the minbar and said: (interpretation of the meaning),“Your wealth and your children are only a trial”[at-Taghaabun 64:15]. So there is nothing wrong with quoting verses in relation to some incidents that occur. But to quote verses inappropriately, in ways that are not in accordance with that which was intended by Allah, especially if that is in the context of joking and mocking – this is a very serious matter.
End quote fromLiqa’ al-Baab al-Maftooh, 60/13
Anyone wishing to know more may refer to the bookal-Iqtibaas: Anwaa‘uhu wa Ahkaamuhu, by Dr. ‘Abd al-Muhsin ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azeez al-‘Askar.
And Allah knows best.










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