Since Hadhrat Adam A.S. human clothes have taken different patterns and shapes according to the changing climate and civilization. Even there is a mention of needle in the saying of Hadhrat Isa A.S., the type of needle with an eye normally used for sewing. The Holy Qur’an has also mentioned clothes at several places, would Huzoor most kindly advise us the difference between Islamic clothes and non-Islamic clothes?
First of all tell me whether you are wearing Islamic clothes or non-Islamic clothes? According to my thinking I am wearing Islamic clothes Huzoor. So what is the difference then? The difference Huzoor, we are living in a western society and we see so many sorts of clothes which are worn. I mean the British also wear the same clothes, do they wear Islamic clothes? Not all British wear the same clothes Huzoor. No? No. Most of them do Huzoor. So most of them wear Islamic clothes? If they are like this, all the hidden parts and all this.
Alright, I have got your question, I will answer that. You see Islam does not describe any special design of clothing or any special item of clothing to be declared as Islamic clothes. Islamic clothing has already been discussed in the Holy Qur’an and the Holy Qur’an has answered it in principle, wa libasu taqwa zalika khair, this is the verdict of the Holy Qur’an for all times to come. The Qur’an knows only one cloth and one clothing and that is taqwa, so every dress belonging to every nation, if it has the element of taqwa about it and if it has no satanic attribute or any satanic intention with which the clothing is prepared, then that clothing or that dress I should say, not clothes, that dress should be declared as Islamic and Bashir-e-Aqsa well understood the meaning I think, he only posed this question for the sake of enlightenment of the youth here because when I asked him if the dress he was wearing was Islamic, he nodded in affirmative and said yes, it is Islamic.
That means he fully understood the meaning of Islamic concept of clothing, that is if your cloth, your dress covers you up in a manner that you do not expose yourself shamelessly in any way or to unduly attract attention which may lead to crime or sinful things, sinful thinking, that dress is Islamic. Sometimes even that dress is un-Islamic which is worn especially to show off, not the parts of the body but the dress itself. So any dress which is against humility, that also becomes un-Islamic.
So sometimes the dress is worn to show off in excess of the needed dress, so there is no question of exposing any of your parts, yet that dress becomes un-Islamic. For instance, Hazrat Rasul-e-Akram strongly disapproved of those Arabs who used to wear too long shirt which or under dress which was dragged behind them. So Hazrat Rasul-e-Akram disproved of that and that is why some Mullahs who do not understand the essence of this teaching, whenever they find somebody with shalwar or pants etc which cover their ankles, they show very strong reaction against it and they call this un-Islamic.
So what is un-Islamic is exhibitionism, you know show of grandeur and your greatness. In those days to wear longer dresses in a poor country like Arabia was in those days was a show of wealth and grandeur and greatness. So that becomes un-Islamic. So any feature of clothing or any style of clothing which is against the principle Islamic teaching becomes un-Islamic. So there is so much to it that it cannot be all described in one single address. Thank you. This is Akhil Aziz.
