What Is the Meaning of “Clothed Yet Naked” in the Prophetic Tradition?
Answered by Shaykh Abdul Sami‘ al-Yakti
Question
What is the agreed-upon meaning among scholars in explaining the phrase “كَاسِيَاتٌ عَارِيَاتٌ” (clothed yet naked) as mentioned in the prophetic tradition? Since this description is one of the signs of the Hour, has it appeared in our time?
Answer
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Blessings and peace be upon the Master of the Messengers, his Family, and all his Companions.
Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“There are two types of the people of Hell whom I have not seen: people with whips like the tails of oxen, with which they strike the people, and women who are clothed yet naked, inclining (to evil) and making others incline. Their heads are like the swaying humps of Bactrian camels leaning to one side. They will not enter Paradise, nor will they smell its fragrance, even though its fragrance can be detected from such-and-such a distance.” [Muslim]
Interpretation of This Hadith by Some Scholars
Imam Nawawi explains the meaning of “clothed yet naked” in several ways:
- They are clothed with the blessings of Allah (Most High) but naked in showing gratitude for them.
- They are clothed with garments but naked in doing good deeds, caring for their afterlife, or paying attention to acts of obedience.
- They expose parts of their bodies to display their beauty, thus they are clothed yet naked.
- They wear thin clothing that reveals what is underneath, making them clothed yet naked in essence. [Nawawi, Sharh Muslim, Riyad al-Salihin]
Baghawi adds: “Clothed yet naked refers to women who wear thin garments that reveal what is beneath them. They appear clothed but are, in fact, naked. Some said it refers to those who let their headscarves hang down behind them, leaving their chests uncovered, making them clothed yet like the naked since their garments do not fully cover their bodies. Others said it means they are clothed with the blessings of Allah (Most High) but naked in gratitude. The first interpretation is the most accurate.” [Baghawi, Sharh al-Sunna]
Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr says: “The meaning of clothed yet naked refers to women who wear light clothing that shows rather than conceals. They are clothed in name but naked in reality.” [Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, al-Tamhid]
Qadi Abu Bakr Ibn al-‘Arabi, in his commentary on the Muwatta, says: “The meaning is that they are clothed in name but naked in reality because their clothes do not cover them.” [Qadi Abu Bakr, al-Masalik fi Sharh Muwatta Malik]
After reviewing these explanations, it becomes clear that the agreed-upon meaning, which most scholars consider the most accurate, is that these women wear light, transparent garments that reveal what is beneath them. Therefore, they are clothed in name but naked in reality.
Has It Appeared in Our Time?
As for the second part of the question—since this description is one of the signs of the Hour, has it appeared in our time?
There is no doubt that it has appeared and spread long ago. Imam Nawawi, in his commentary on this hadith, states: “This hadith is one of the miracles of prophecy, for what the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) foretold has indeed come to pass.” [Nawawi, Sharh Muslim]
In fact, in our time, something even more tempting has emerged, including very tight clothing that reveals every detail of a woman’s body, and other such things—may Allah protect us. We ask Allah for pardon, well-being, and safety in our religion and our worldly affairs. There is no power nor might except through Allah.
And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Abdul Sami‘ al-Yakti
Shaykh Abdul Sami‘ al-Yaqti is a Syrian scholar born in Aleppo in 1977. He obtained his degree in Shari‘a from the Shari‘a Faculty of Damascus University, a Diploma in Educational Qualification from the Faculty of Education at Aleppo University, and a Diploma in Shari‘a and a Master’s in Shari‘a from the Faculty of Sharia, and Law at Omdurman University in Sudan. He is currently writing his doctoral thesis.
He studied under esteemed scholars such as Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri, Shaykh Mustafa al-Turkmani, and Shaykh Dr. Nur al-Din Itr, among others. Shaykh al-Yakti has worked in teaching and cultural guidance in orphanages and high schools in Aleppo. He served as an Imam, Khatib, and reciter at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi and as a certified trainer for Khatibs in Abu Dhabi’s Khatib Qualification Program.
He is involved in developing and teaching a youth education program at Seekers Arabic for Islamic Sciences.
Among Shaykh al-Yaqti’s significant works are “Imam al-Haramayn al-Juwayni: Bayna Ilm al-Kalam Wa Usul al-Fiqh” and the program “The Messenger of Allah Among Us (Allah bless him and give him peace).”
