Fatwa ID: 06261

Answered by: Mufti Muhammad Asadullah Anwar Adam

Question:

I am aware that men are forbidden from wearing anything which drags on the floor or goes below the ankles. Does this same rule apply to women? I.e. if a woman is afraid of her leg showing while walking outside, is it permissible for her to wear a garment which drags on the floor? And/or is it permissible for her to wear such a garment in salah, again because she is afraid of exposing herself above the ankle when going into ruku and such?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

The warning with regard to wearing clothes that come below the ankle in the case of men does not apply to women, because women and commanded to cover their feet, and it is permitted to them to lengthen their garments

Ibn Umar (RA) narrated: That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever arrogantly drags his garment, Allah will not look at him on the Day of Judgement.” So Umm Salamah said: “What should the women do with their hems?” He said: “Slacken them a handspan.” So she said: “Then their feet will be uncovered.” He said: “Then slacken them a forearm’s length and do not add to that.”

In the Hadith, there is a concession for women to drag their Izar because it covers them better.[1]

It is permissible for women to wear a garment that drags as long as it is not done out of pride

Only Allah knows best

Written by Mufti Muhammad Asadullah Anwar Adam

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

[1] Sunan Tirmidhi, hadith 1731

{قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏”‏ مَنْ جَرَّ ثَوْبَهُ خُيَلاَءَ لَمْ يَنْظُرِ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَتْ أُمُّ سَلَمَةَ فَكَيْفَ يَصْنَعْنَ النِّسَاءُ بِذُيُولِهِنَّ قَالَ ‏”‏ يُرْخِينَ شِبْرًا ‏”‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَتْ إِذًا تَنْكَشِفَ أَقْدَامُهُنَّ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏”‏ فَيُرْخِينَهُ ذِرَاعًا لاَ يَزِدْنَ عَلَيْهِ ‏”

و في الحديث رخصة في جر الإزار لانه يكون أستر لهن‏}