Modesty is defined in two ways in Merriam-Webster’s dictionary.
- “the quality of not being too proud or confident about yourself or your abilities”
And more, relevant to today’s post…
- “propriety [i.e. appropriateness or socially acceptable] in dress, speech, or conduct.”
I believe that the modest dress code for Muslim women is widely known. But not so much for Muslim men.
Before continuing to read on, take some time to reflect: what is your understanding of the MINIMUM dress code for a Muslim man? And do you see that followed?
I feel that there are some individuals in the ‘ummah who think that, since the rules for modesty for Muslim men are less strict, modesty is not very important for men. I used to be ignorant, too, wearing shorts in my early teenage years.
However, I believe this widespread lack of modesty among men is more than just due to a lack of care. I believe other factors are at play, too:
- Lack of knowledge about what Islam says about men’s modesty.
- Lack of available modest pant options: many of the available shorts/pants are designed without considering Islamic principles and therefore are almost always too revealing or too tight, even for males.
My Modesty Wake-Up Call
One day, I was praying at university, when I looked at my pants and thought to myself: Are these too tight? I then realized I did not know what was considered too tight for a Muslim man. So, I did some research to delve deep into understanding what Islam says about modesty for men.
What is Modesty (الحياء) in Islam?
Modesty can be a feeling of shame that prevents us from committing sinful acts (Sunan Ibn Majah 4183 [Sahih by Darussalam/Al-Albani]).
Modesty can also be a means, by Allah’s Will, to control our sinful desires through our behavior (like lowering one’s gaze) and the way we dress (24:30-31, Sahih Muslim 338a/768).
This does not mean we cannot wear nice clothes. In fact, quite the opposite; we should wear fine clothes and shoes as Allah is Beautiful and loves beauty. Arrogance is not necessarily the act of wearing nice clothes but the act of rejecting the truth and looking down upon others (Sahih Muslim 91a/265).
Importance of Modesty
1. Modesty is a part of a Muslim’s faith/belief (Sunan Ibn Majah 4184 [Sahih by Darussalam/Al-Albani]).
2. Modesty is a characteristic that improves something, while obscenity is a characteristic that ruins something (Sunan Ibn Majah 4185 [Sahih by Darussalam/Al-Albani]).
3. Allah loves forbearance and modesty (Sunan Ibn Majah 4188 [Sahih by Darussalam/Al-Albani]).
Islamic Dress Code for Men
1. Cover the thighs as it is considered part of the ‘awrah (private part) (Sunan Abi Dawud 4014 [Sahih by Al-Albani]).
2. The lower garment should end ideally halfway down one’s shin, but at the very most just until the ankle (and not further down). On the Day of Judgement, Allah will not look at those who arrogantly keep the lower garment lower than the ankles (Sunan Abi Dawud 4084, 4093, 4094 [Sahih by Al-Albani]).
3. Copying others makes you part of that group (Sunan Abi Dawud 4031 [Hasan-Sahih by Al-Albani]).
- Does this apply to copying the way someone dresses? After all, this hadith is in the Book of Clothing of Sunan Abi Dawud.
4. Silk and gold are prohibited from being worn by Muslim men (Sunan Abi Dawud 4057 [Sahih by Al-Albani]).
- Be mindful that certain clothes have silk, such as ties, dress shirts, and others.
5. No using the skins of beasts of prey (Sunan Abi Dawud 4132 [Sahih by Al-Albani]).
- This hadith is in the Book of Clothing of Sunan Abi Dawud.
- Though not very common, I do see clothing with, for example, leopard print.
6. Avoid the use of images (تَمَاثِيلُ); images of trees are fine (Sunan Abi Dawud 4158 [Sahih by Al-Albani]).
- From my limited understanding, “images” refers to depictions of a human or animal.
- This is common in clothing, for example, in logos.
7. Men should not dress like women (Sunan Abi Dawud 4097 [Sahih by Al-Albani]).
How to Wear Clothes
1. Without arrogance (Sunan Abi Dawud 4085 [Sahih by Al-Albani]).
- “The ˹true˺ servants of the Most Compassionate are those who walk on the earth humbly, and when the foolish address them ˹improperly˺, they only respond with peace” (25:63 [Translation of Dr. Mustapha Khattab]).
- “‘And do not turn your nose up to people, nor walk pridefully upon the earth. Surely Allah does not like whoever is arrogant, boastful. Be moderate in your pace. And lower your voice, for the ugliest of all voices is certainly the braying of donkeys.’” (31:18-19 [Translation of Dr. Mustapha Khattab]).
2. When putting on clothing, start from the right (Sunan Abi Dawud 4141 [Sahih by Al-Albani]).
Clothing with Allah and in Prayer
1. Dress modestly, even alone, as Allah is most deserving of your modest dress (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 2769 [Hasan by Darussalam]).
2. Dress properly when worshipping Allah, which includes covering one’s shoulders (7:31, Sahih Muslim 516/1151).
Men’s Modesty Implemented at Modst Fashn
Many people wear pants because of their free movement, especially compared to the thobe. However, many of the pants on the market are too tight (revealing the shape of the thighs) and too long (going past the ankles). I consistently noticed that American Muslims (and Muslims in general) often wear these kinds of pants and even pray in them. In their defense, there is a widespread scarcity of pants that meet Islamic guidelines.
For a long time, I reflected on a possible solution, one that offered the mobility that people look for in pants but also the modesty associated with the thobe.
After brainstorming, I believe I have a solution, inshā’ Allah:
- Increase the front rise so the crotch point extends near the knees, reducing thigh visibility, inshā’ Allah.
- Taper the pants below the knee; this reduces excess fabric and improves mobility, inshā’ Allah.
Many modest pant options keep the leg diameter consistent from the thighs to the ankles. This is problematic, in my experience, because it does not reflect the natural shape of the leg (which narrows from thigh to ankle) and because this requires more fabric, causing the pants to be heavier and harder to run in.
- Shorten the inseam so the pants remain above the ankles, inshā’ Allah.
Conclusion
Modesty is a virtue for Muslim men, not just for Muslim women. However, from my experience, I see a lack of implementation by not only Muslims in Colorado, but also in Muslim countries around the world. This may be due to a lack of care, but may also be due to a lack of understanding and a lack of available modest alternatives. I hope Modst Fashn can fix this, inshā’ Allah.
The point of this post was to organize the Islamic dress code for men. Through it, I hope to increase awareness of this dress code, inshā’ Allah.
May Allah keep us steadfast on the right path and forgive us for our sins.
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