You would think this is a trick question but it’s not. If you thought jeans are haram then there’s a handful of Muslims who would agree. Well, they are far from the majority.
So what in the world do you do? Based on my personal experience, here is an easy-to-read post on whether jeans are indeed forbidden to wear or not.
Is wearing jeans haram for Muslim women?
No, wearing jeans is not haram for Muslim women so long the Jeans they wear are loose, modest, and do not draw attention to themselves.
However, they become haram if one doesn’t follow certain rules or principles set out by syarak. These principles or guidelines ought to be followed, and not violated.
Examples of the guidelines set out are:
- Clothing worn should not accentuate the shapes of your body in a provocative way. If this is the case, then tight jeans are ruled out. Although, there are loose jeans that are incredibly beautiful.
- Women should do well not to imitate men’s clothing; men should not also imitate women’s clothing. This won’t be a problem since there are jeans specifically made for men and women.
Examples of specific TYPES of jeans that are considered haram
A typical Islamic dressing is influenced by both the Quran and the hadith.
It may not have been specifically written to not wear a particular type of clothing, but as mentioned above, there are guidelines to follow.
Just like some Western fashion don’t follow these guidelines, some jeans do as well. When this is the case, they are considered to be haram.
Typical examples are:
Tight jeans are considered haram
It is permissible to wear jeans but it’s totally frowned upon when these jeans seem tight, for both men and women.
The reason this is for women is, tight jeans tend to highlight the body’s curves and shapes. This is believed to cause men–Even unmarried ones– to look lustfully at the women that put on such types of jeans.
To avoid cases of Marital affairs or even worse, rape. It is best to avoid such clothing or for the women, you can wear them under your Abaya or long veil.
Short jeans (Bum Short) are considered haram
Islamic dressing is pro-decency. Hence, anything above the ankle is considered haram. As such, anything above the knee will be very harmful.
Bum Shorts or any short-length jeans are not just short, but mostly tight too. This is considered indecent and likely to cause temptation.
Ripped jeans are considered haram
Jeans torn at the thigh, knee, even bum are very much against the Islamic rule of descent dressing. There’s a specific rule that says not to show any skin. Especially from the waist below and above the knees.
Light jeans
Some jeans can be too light and thus transparent enough to reveal the awrah – the intimate parts of the body which is very unlawful.
Both men and women and instructed by the Quaran – the religious text of Islam which is believed to have been revealed by Allah – to cover their bodies.
Jeans meant for the opposite gender: This is seen as trying to imitate the opposite sex and is considered as haram.
Therefore, when a girl should put on “Boyfriend Jeans”, she may be perceived to be trying to dress like the man.
Also, when the man wears jeans meant for women, he Is thought to be dressing to be like the woman. This shows a lack of order which is unlawful in the eyes of Allah.
Jeans that draw too much attention
It is believed that clothing should be as modest as it can be. When one dresses to draw attention to themselves, he or she is not dressing modestly.
What kind of Pants are considered haram?
Muslims are allowed to wear whatever they want as long as it follows certain rules. Some pants are considered to be haram if they violate those rules. Examples of such Pants are;
Leggings/ Pantyhose/ Tight
Clothes that are thin, and tight on the body are considered to be indecent. Leggings fall under that category.
It is only permissible when it is worn under a loose long gown that hides it from public view. That is to say, you can wear this in the comfort of your home.
Wide Leg Trousers
Palazzo became popular in the ’70s. It is loose and very comfortable to wear. It can be considered haram if these pants are made of transparent cotton, which reveals the legs and bum.
Is it permissible for Muslim men to wear tight jeans?
No! men wearing tight jeans is not permitted under Islamic law.
According to Jarir Bin Abdullah, “The man who wears clothes that outline and define his Awrah is as good as naked.” {Related by Tabarani in Al-Mu’jam Al-Kabeer, V.2:292}.
All clothes are permissible except when they become impermissible. That is to say, there are no strict rules on what you should wear only if they violate the law of Allah.
Tight jeans are what they are. Tight. If a man wears tight jeans, it will show his shape, awrah (His intimate part).
We live in a hypersexualized world. Wearing such jeans will cause temptation regardless of gender or religion.
Islamic scholars around the world have stated that it is permissible to wear jeans that are loose, thick, non-defining, and below the knee. So, going against the rule will mean violating the law.
Also, it is noted that wearing skinny or tight jeans reveals a certain bad taste. Most people are quick to judge the outlook of a person – Dress the way you want to be addressed.
Is it permissible for Muslim men to wear tights or slack when Jogging or working out in a gym?
My Muslim friend Hamza recently decided to join the gym after several words of advice from his girlfriend and mother.
He kept giving excuses of what to wear and this brought my attention. I asked a few questions concerning the Islamic law of dress code for men.
I was only aware of that for women (I didn’t realize men too had restrictions at the time), then I took to doing my research and discovered that it is haram to wear tight clothing that outlines the legs, thighs or basically the part considered intimate (Awrah).
When you’re working out in a gym, it is preferable to wear something that is comfortable and can easily convey sweat from the body to the outer surface.
Choosing a material that gives freedom of movement and suits your aesthetic appeal is a go-to outfit for workout. Any tight outfit is not permitted under Islamic law.
But these outfits are considered haram when they expose your body part or outline them. But there are good workout options that aren’t so tightly fitted but are very comfortable to jog or workout with.
Covering of awrah is not just restricted to just women, men are also instructed to conceal their awrah as well.
Therefore, when choosing a workout outfit, tight-fitting clothes are out of the list and so is slack.
Tracksuits are worn for Jogging, running. Virtually any form of workout. They are a bit loose and comfortable to wear.
However, it is overlooked when these tight clothes are worn strictly for workout purposes.
As a Muslim, choosing what to wear for any occasion is not a tough choice to make.
It boils down to whether these clothings follow the Sharia rules (This may also be the law of Allah in the holy book of Quran).
It is safer to abide by these rules and avoid the scrutiny eyes of the public who are quick to judge and make you feel ashamed of your choice of outfit and in the end, you become uncomfortable.
Society will make certain to remind you of these instructions in case you had forgotten.
Conclusion
I think Muslims should use their common sense and be flexible in their interpretation of Islam, as long as they don’t go against the core principles.
It is therefore important to be aware of how people perceive you when you dress a certain way because you should want to be respected by people and not degraded, disrespected, or looked down upon.
If people look at you with lust when you dress a certain way or wear certain types of pants then wearing those Jeans may just not be appropriate for you.
Here are a few takeaways though: Your Jeans must be above the ankle. The hem or cuffs of jeans and trouser legs must not be closer than a hand span to the ground, according to Islamic law.
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