Should I Allow My Wife Extravagant Clothing at Special Events?


Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

What did the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) wear at his marriage? What colour was it? 

What did the wives of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) wear in their marriage? And the female companions? 

Should I allow my wife to wear extravagant clothes on Eid, maybe? Can women wear stylish clothes at their wedding?

Answer

Thank you for your question. May Allah reward you for striving to do what is right and uphold Islamic standards in your home.

Clothing

Although I cannot tell you specifically about the Prophet’s clothing (Allah bless him and give him peace), he did prefer the colour green, and modesty was the essence of his clothing and that of his wives. The point of a Muslim’s clothing is this: Allah Most High told us, “Children of Adam, We have given you garments to cover your nakedness and as adornment for you; the garment of God-consciousness is the best of all garments- this is one of God’s signs, so that people may take heed.” [Quran, 7:26]

Please see these links as well:

The Green Turban and the Prophet’s (Peace Be Upon Him) Favorite Color

Fiqh of Clothing Colour

What did the Mothers Of The Believers Wear To Their Weddings?

Dressing up

It is permissible to allow your wife to dress up within the parameters of Islam. She must not show other than her face and hands to the public, not wear make-up or show lavish jewelry, and make sure that her outfit is opaque, loose, and long. A woman’s clothing in public must not be extravagant, but she can save those outfits for when she is with her immediate family. There is much truth in the following hadith. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “There is never any obscenity in a thing, but it mars it, and there is never any modesty in a thing, but it adorns it.” [Ibn Majah]

Please see these links as well: 

Successful Marriage: Keys from the Prophet Muhammad’s Sunnah ﷺ, by Habib Hussein as-Saqqaf

Women wearing fancy clothes

Female Islamic Dress-Code

Is it permissible to wear a “walimah / wedding” dress?

Can I Wear Beautiful Clothing for a Wedding Celebration? (Shafi’i)

May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.

[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad 
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied Aqidah, Fiqh, Tajweed, Tafseer, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Master’s in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied Fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She recently moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.