Question:
Assalamualaikum ustaz. I want to ask your opinion on clothing. I watched a religious lecture that states that it is haram to wear jeans and women who wear jeans will go bankrupt in the hereafter. Why are jeans or all other types of trousers or pants prohibited? Are trousers or pants a type of clothing that does not cover the awrah? Thank you.
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Awrah is parts of the body which are haram to be exposed or showcased, either men or women. In other words, awrah is parts of the body that is wajib to be covered and hidden from being seen by the non-Mahram. The commandment is as the saying of Allah in the Quran:
يَا بَنِي آدَمَ قَدْ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًا يُوَارِي سَوْآتِكُمْ وَرِيشًا ۖ وَلِبَاسُ التَّقْوَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ
O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment. But the clothing of righteousness - that is best.
Surah al-A’raf (26)
Covering awrah is one of the fitrah of human creation. Therefore, the first prophet, Adam AS and Hawa when their awrah is exposed due to eating khuldi fruits prohibited by Allah SWT beforehand, then they both quickly cover their awrah using the leaves of the Paradise. This story is recorded by Allah SWT in the Quran:
فَأَكَلَا مِنْهَا فَبَدَتْ لَهُمَا سَوْآتُهُمَا وَطَفِقَا يَخْصِفَانِ عَلَيْهِمَا مِن وَرَقِ الْجَنَّةِ ۚ وَعَصَىٰ آدَمُ رَبَّهُ فَغَوَىٰ
“And Adam and his wife ate of it, and their private parts became apparent to them, and they began to fasten over themselves from the leaves of Paradise. And Adam disobeyed his Lord and erred.”
Surah Taha (121)
Basically, humans will be embarrassed when certain parts of their body are exposed in front of others. Due to that, covering awrah is a portrayal of one’s character. In fact, it is closely related to the dignity of a person. This is because, when one’s dignity is spoiled, then one’s value is lost.
Referring back to the question asked, is it haram for a woman to wear jeans or other types of trousers?
To answer this question, it is best for us to look back to the origin and simple background of this issue. According to some brief historical fact, trousers are clothing worn by women warriors, a complete set of war clothing and trousers. In fact, there were two pair of trousers found buried together in the cemetery of both men and women horse riders in Tarim Basin, China which is believed to be buried since 1200 to 900 before century. [1]
If we consider this, trousers have existed long before today through the facts presented. At the same time, it has been present during the time of the Prophet PBUH and trousers are also something discussed as mentioned in the Fiqh books. As an example, a hadith of the Prophet PBUH in which he was once involved in selling and buying trousers with a Companion:
عَنْ سِمَاكِ بْنِ حَرْبٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مَالِكًا أَبَا صَفْوَانَ بْنَ عُمَيْرَةَ، قَالَ بِعْتُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ رِجْلَ سَرَاوِيلَ قَبْلَ الْهِجْرَةِ فَوَزَنَ لِي فَأَرْجَحَ لِي
It was narrated that Simak bin Harb said: "I heard Malik Abu Safwan bin 'Umairah, say: 'I bought a pair of trousers from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) before the Hijrah, and he weighed it for me and allowed more."'
Sunan Ibn Majah (2221) and Musnad Ahmad
The same is stated in a hadith regarding a Companion during the performance of Hajj/umrah:
مَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ إِزَارًا فَلْيَلْبَسْ سَرَاوِيلَ
"Whoever cannot get an Izar, can wear trousers
Sahih al-Bukhari (5804)
For denim trousers (jeans), the main history of the production of trousers using jeans is specified to be used by the workers of gold mines when they are doing heavy works. When numerous gold mines start their operation in California, United States of America, this occurrence has caught the interest of many youngsters to go search for the gold. However, they face a difficulty in which trousers usually worn by them are torn due to the work. Due to this, denim trousers are invented by Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis on 1873. Jeans material is a thick cloth and is really suitable to be used for making clothes for heavy and tough work. Then, denim trousers became popular and acceptable in society both men and women. [2]
Are Denim Trousers Haram for Women?
Denim trousers are not haram and are permissible to be worn, but, they may become haram if one does not follow certain guidelines and rules set by syarak for men and women. For example, for both men and women, it is haram to wear denim trousers which are torn at the thigh, calves or other parts needed for a Muslim to cover as they are awrah.
The same is for Egypt’s fatwa institution, Egypt’s Dal al-Ifta’ which states that the ruling of women wearing trousers is:
جواز لُبْسه للمرأة، بشرط أن تتحقق فيه شروط الستر المطلوبة شرعًا
“It is permissible for women to wear trousers, on the condition that it covers the awrah as commanded by syarak”.
Second, not to wear tight or fitted jeans that are said to be as if a person “wears clothing, yet naked”. The Prophet PBUH said, there are two categories of the dwellers of the Hellfire of whom the Prophet PBUH has never seen. Among them is:
وَنِسَاءٌ كَاسِيَاتٌ عَارِيَاتٌ مُمِيلاَتٌ مَائِلاَتٌ
“And the women who would be dressed but appear to be naked, who would be inclined (to evil) and make their husbands incline towards it,”
Sahih Muslim (2128)
Islam prohibits women from wearing tight clothing which made visible their body shape or thin clothing which made visible everything underneath it, especially at some parts which may cause fitnah to the non-Mahram men.
Third, according to an Islamic legal maxim:
اذا زال المانع عاد الممنوع
When the cause of prohibition disappears, all of the prohibited matters is referred back to the original rule (permissibility)
It is permissible to wear clothing originated from the non-Muslims which are not specified for them after some time has passed as the prohibition is long gone. Still, actions included under this maxim is only for those related to customary practices, while acts of worship are forever specified for a particular religion in whatever form it is and is haram for Muslims to wear. Due to this reason, it is permissible for any individual to wear denim trousers because it is not an eminence or resemblance of the disbelievers anymore. If we see today, denim trousers are trousers worn by people all around the world including in Muslim countries for both men or women.
The conclusion of this research is, we are of the opinion that it is permissible for a woman to wear denim trousers as mentioned above. Still, it must fulfil the condition that it does not lead to fitnah. Also, by not showing or showcasing parts of the body like one’s hips which may attract the attention of others.
Also, we advise to wear a long and loose shirt or jubah together with it that cover down to one’s knee as a protection of maslahah of the wearer and those who meet them.
Here, we include some links for the articles related to the issue as additional information and understanding:
Walahua’lam.
[1] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266969197_Who_Invented_Trousers
[2] Elizabeth Austin, The Story of Jeans (https://www.sps186.org/downloads/basic/599356/The%20Story%20of%20Jean