16 October 2011

Oh brother, cover up.

I am growing a little weary of our Muslim male counterparts and their declining modesty. I would just like to say that Muslim men, just like us, have a duty to adhere to their own hijab, but I fear that the concept of "the male hijab" is quickly fading. Although I doubt that many males are avid readers of 'Stylish Muslimah', I have decided to make a post about what the male hijab actually consists of and if it makes even one 'brother' think twice about purchasing a top three sizes too small, I shall be content.

I will try to make this as short and painless as possible.

Although Islam dictates that men should cover from the belly button down to, and including, the knees, this is the BARE minimum and is not acceptable attire in a mixed environment when there are clothes available to cover up the top half of the body.

This is illustrated in many ahadith, including:

1. The Prophet (S) said: The best shroud is a lower garment and one which covers the whole body, and the best sacrifice is a horned ram.

Hadith - Sahih Bukhari 1.357, Narrated Said bin Al Harith


2. I asked Jabir bin 'Abdullah about praying in a single garment. He said, "I traveled with the Prophet during some of his journeys, and I came to him at night for some purpose and I found him praying. At that time, I was wearing a single garment with which I covered my shoulders and prayed by his side. When he finished the prayer, he asked, 'O Jabir! What has brought you here?' I told him what I wanted. When I finished, he asked, 'O Jabir! What is this garment which I have seen and with which you covered your shoulders?' I replied, 'It is a (tight) garment.' He said, 'If the garment is large enough, wrap it round the body (covering the shoulders) and if it is tight then use it as an Izar (tie it around your waist only.)' "
Hadith - Sahih Al-Bukhari 7.693, Narrated Uqba bin Amir

The above ahadith illustrate an important message about appropriate attire for Muslim men:

Covering the whole body in loose clothing is better than only covering the bottom half, but covering the whole body in tight clothing is worse than just covering the bottom half in loose clothing. In short, tight clothing that reveals the figure is not acceptable attire for a Muslim man. If he has gone out of his way to wear tight clothing for the purposes of attracting women, he is disobeying the commands of Allah (SWT).

Male attire should also be plain and simple:

1. The Prophet (S) once prayed wearing a garment having marks. He looked at its marks. When he saluted, he said: Take this garment of mine to AbuJahm, for it turned my attention just now in my prayer, and bring a simple garment without marks.

2. Narrated by Ibn ‘Umar (R.A): The Prophet (S) said: “Whoever wears a garment of fame and vanity, Allaah will dress him in a garment like it on the Day of Resurrection.” According to another version, “…then set it ablaze.” And according to a third version, “will dress him in a garment of humiliation.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4029
You may be surprised to find that there are generally six main critera for hijab, five of which apply to both men and women. The only one that differs is the extent to which each sex has to cover.

Clothing for both males and females should be:

1. Loose enough to cover the figure
2. Thick enough so that it is not transparent
3. Simple and not purposfully attractive to the opposite sex
4. Not resembing clothing of the opposite sex
5. Not resembling clothing of people of other religions e.g. having religious symbols etc 
(6. Worn by a humble Muslim who lowers their gaze and does not strut around hoping that they are the best thing since sliced bread.)

“Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: And Allah is well acquainted with all that they do.” - [Quran 24:30]

23 comments:

beingFab said...

I really, really hope that some brothers read this post. I have seen many Muslim couples out on the street, where the wife is covered head to toe in a black abaya, and the husband is wearing this ridiculously tight T shirt and jeans. I don't know what's running through his head then, "I won't let anyone look at my wife and appreciate her beauty, but everyone's welcome to ogle at my muscles". Honestly, all Islamic educators need to drill that Quranic verse about modesty into boys right from a young age.

Ceci said...

Thank you for this post! I've been thinking about this myself too...

In my (muslim) country, the girls are mostly covered up even if not wearing hijab, but guys are walking around in skinny jeans and wife-beaters! When the praying time comes and on Fridays, they change to these longer praying clothes, but that's about it. So wrong.

I myself actually LIKE the clothes in that photo you posted. I love Sahara / bedouin clothing. It looks GOOD on men and women. I don't know why, but lately I've found myself thinking that those guys wearing a tagelmust look HANDSOME.

Once again, thank you for the post.

Anonymous said...

Salaam and thank you for sharing.

-Imran

The Muslimah Corner said...

Very interesting post =] ! Actually it is very true. It's not only the women that wear the Hijab, it's the men that should too...

Asiya said...

TOTALLY with you on this one. Masha Allah, lots of sisters have started to cover up thanks to all the fashionable options available to do so, but it seems like the fashion conscious brothers are losing sight of the fact that modesty is part of their attire too.

A lot of the current trends for guys are uncomfortably borderline feminine (shades of pink, purple, skinny jeans) and Muslim guys have taken them on without thinking about whether or not they are islamic.

Anonymous said...

Have you seen our hijab page sis?
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hijab-latest-in-style/217232441670698

StylishMuslimah said...

Ceci: I agree about the Bedouin clothes actually, they look better and are respectable. Also ewww to the wifeys.. They are sick.

Asiya: "uncomfortably borderline feminine" LOL that cracked me up xD

Salam x

Anonymous said...

Nice post

ireminisces said...

Asalamu alaikum

Thank you for sharing, keep up the bloglets.

JazakAllah for following my blog, stay blessed. Feel free to email for investing advice or give me Islam advice or feedback for my blog inshAllah.

Latifah La'mees said...

LOVE !!! I debate with brothers SO much about this topic! I hope they read this & get a better understanding of what I've been trying to tell them! x

Umn said...

Thank you for rising this topic amongst us, sister =)
You have said very well and oh it would be so great if our muslim men started wearing proper covered clothes too and not scratch their private parts in public. It disgusts me to no ends!
Definitely sharing this everywhere for people to see!

StylishMuslimah said...

Muslimah: I was on the train when I read your comment and I craaacked up at the scratching LOL :D

Salam x

romzi said...

woww,that nice...im your muslim brother here...who is the moderator in this blog...??All the hadith that you quote good sound hadith, the quotation is correct...Btw:Do you know what is the differences between sunnah and obligation?

romzi said...

you know what sisters,your blog sounds bias with man..i think its not fair for you to describe man like that..we are not feminist, we are not liberal islam..we are ahlul sunnah..we follow al-quran and hadith..women needs man, and man needs women..we need each others not to compete..allah create adam and eve..not adam and steve...women and man are different..same goes to awrah, allah has describe strictly the way we should dress, the awrah of a man refers to the part of the body between the navel and the knees which must be covered when in public and also during prayer. According to the Maliki it is disliked but not prohibited to show the thighs.
For example ihram when we went to hajj..for women her awrah is entire her body except her face and hands.

it known in islam...

StylishMuslimah said...

Romzi: I don't see what your point is? The navel to the knee thing is a BARE minimum and in a mixed environment men should cover more than that.

Anyway, the Adam and Steve thing made me laugh :D

Salam.

romzi said...

Just like what i said in my previous post...do you know what is the differences between sunnah and obligation?..Yeahhh you love adam and steve haaa....heheheh.

romzi said...

sorry dear.i have a debate with liberal islam in other pages,thats why my argumentation is mixed.Yes you are right... believing man should cover themself properly..i agree with that..but its not necessary..however if we muslim brother follow the way of prophet muhammad,then it should be great...but polygamy is the most famous one...hehehhehe..im joking..

StylishMuslimah said...

Romzi: Yes I do actually, sunnah is a recommendation according to what the Prophet (S) used to do whereas obligation is, well.. an obligation :D

Salam

romzi said...

dont mix sunnah and obligation..obligation is obligation.sunnah is sunnah..if you follow sunnah allah give you a reward but if not then its not sin.If you follow both then its much more better..obligation is priority..the common one is daily prayers 5 times a day.this is not new in islam and it well known..about the awrah, for men between navel and the kneel..and for women her awrah is entire body(include hair) except her face and hands..its very easy to understand...its not big issues actually, but yeahh i do understand women psychology..thats why i dont want have a debate with women because she's always want to win..as a man i dont have any problem with that,you can win..Allah create women like that..thats why i love women so much...

StylishMuslimah said...

Romzi: I am not mixing them I am simply saying that men should cover more than just half of their legs. Anyway, I am not having a debate and as a female I do not want to win arguments, I want to get to the truth. You shouldn't make sweeping generalisations about women.

Salam

romzi said...

your statements seems like you're satisfied .You should make it clear with hikmah

Men should cover more than usual but its not necessary but if a men follow this, it must be great..

Use physcology..men is like that...6 advice 4 praise...for women 4 advice 6 praise...

romzi said...

"You shouldn't make sweeping generalisations about women"

Same goes to you, you shouldnt make sweeping generalizations about men.

Anonymous said...

@Romzi it is true that covering more than the minimum is sunnah. But skinny jeans don''t really cover the obligation part. As the argument men usually tell women. Hijab shouldn't be your second skin. How come that doesn't apply to men. So at least if they think covering the top part of the body is sunnah, does that mean that they can wear the tightest possible from belly button to knees?