What Type of Party Clothing, Make-Up and Jewelry Is Permissible?


Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

What types of festive clothes, jewelry, and makeup are permissible for women, considering the clothes are modest, loose, and cover the body except for the face, hands, and feet?

Answer

Thank you for your question. There is no black-and-white answer, but in general, you should err on the side of caution and use the Quran, the Sunna, and the clothing of religious women in your area as your guides.

General Guide

A Muslim woman’s decision on how to dress herself must be aligned with the pleasure of her Lord and hope for success in the hereafter. This would include: concealing what is obligatory with loose, opaque clothing, not displaying that which is otherwise apparent, not using make-up in public, choosing conservative jewelry or none at all, not imitating non-Muslim dress, and not imitating men’s clothing. Modest would underpin the whole affair.

Islam is a religion of modesty. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Every religion has its distinct characteristic, and the distinct characteristic of Islam is modesty.” [Ibn Maja]

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) passed by a man who was admonishing his brother regarding shyness and was saying, “You are very shy, and I am afraid that might harm you.” On that, Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, ‘Leave him, for shyness (modesty) is (a part) of Faith.’” [Bukhari]

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May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick

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