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Brothers' Appearance

Whilst the Islamic laws governing women's clothing and appearance are very obvious, Muslim men also have to abide to certain rules.

Covering The Body

With regards to covering, it is forbidden for a man to expose the area between his navel and his knees. It is also much disliked to leave any of the shoulders uncovered, especially during prayer.

Forbidden Materials

Men are forbidden to wear anything made from gold (including white gold) or silk, as these luxuries are reserved exclusively for women. Some people claim that wearing a silk tie or a gold fob / chain watch is okay as they are hung from other items of clothing and don't actually touch the skin. As far as I'm aware, this is not true and should be avoided.

The Beard

One area that seems to cause confusion is the beard. The prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) would encourage (but NOT force) his followers to grow a beard and shave their moustaches, partially in order to distinguish them from the pagans, Christians and Jews who also lived in Arabia at the time, and partially because it is natural. This tradition has continued since then. Lately however, more extreme groups have been punishing innocent men for not having a beard - for example, the Taliban would sometimes beat men to death for this 'crime'. To reiterate, it is NOT obligatory to wear a beard, but it is a highly recommended and commonly observed practice.

Printed Images

Another grey area concerns pictures on clothing, especially pictures of people or other living creatures. Many people view this as being haram, but there is a hadith which would suggest that this isn't necessarily true. Of course, a bit of moderation would be advisable - pictures of things that could be considered haram, such as scantily-clad women, or depictions of things such as cigarettes, drugs and alcohol should be avoided, especially if you plan on going to a mosque.

Attending A Mosque

As I mentioned on another page, you should dress in smart clean clothes to attend a mosque. Try to avoid wearing bright clothes, as this may distract your fellow worshipers during their prayers. If you choose to wear long flowing Arab-style clothing such as a dishdasha or juba, then make sure it's not too long as it could trip you up whilst you're praying!

Return to Top - © Amir Brooks - 2006 / 1427

  1. (prohibition on uncovering the shoulders during prayer): Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 8, Hadith 355 - The Prophet (SAW) said: "None of you should offer prayer in a single garment that does not cover the shoulders" (reported by Abu Huraira (RA). (return to 'covering the shoulders' reference)
  2. (prohibition on wearing gold and silk): Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 27, Hadith 4046 - Narrated by Ali ibn Abu Talib: The Prophet of Allah (SAW) took silk and held it in his right hand, and took gold and held it in his left hand and said: "both of these are prohibited to the males of my community" (return to 'prohibition on gold and silk' reference)
  3. (doing the opposite of what the pagans do): Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 72, Hadith 780 - Ibn Umar said: The Prophet (SAW) said "Do the opposite of what the pagans do - keep the beard and cut the moustache short." (return to 'beard' reference #1)
  4. (growing the beard): Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 1, Hadith 52 - Narrated by Aisha RA, Umm al-Mu'minun: The Apostle of Allah (SAW) said "Ten are the acts according to fitrah (nature): clipping the moustache, letting the beard grow, using the tooth-stick (siwak), cutting the nails, washing the finger joints, plucking the hair under the armpits, shaving the pubic hair, and cleansing one's private parts..." (return to 'beard' reference #2)
  5. Haram: Forbidden or prohibited according to Islamic law. (return to reference to 'haram')
  6. (pictures on garments): Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 72, Hadith 841 - Narrated Abu Talha: Allah's Apostle said "Angels (of mercy) do not enter a house where there are pictures". The sub-narrator Busr added: Then Zaid fell ill and we paid him a visit. Behold! There was, hanging at his door, a curtain decorated with a picture. I said to 'Ubaidullah Al-Khaulani, the step son of Maimuna, the wife of the Prophet, "Didn't Zaid tell us about the picture the day before yesterday?" 'Ubaidullah said, "Didn't you hear him saying: 'except a design in a garment?'" (return to 'pictures on garments' reference)