Is it permissible for woman to wear saree (traditional Asian dress)? What if she fully covers her body with it?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Maulana Yusuf Ludhyanawi (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) writes:
If saree is worn in such a way that the entire body is covered, then there is nothing wrong with this. However, these days hardly one out of a thousand women wears saree in this manner, covering her entire body. As it is not possible to observe Shar’i pardah (hijaab) wearing saree, it will not be permissible for a woman to leave her home wearing just saree. (Aap Ke Masaa’il aur Un Ka Hal: 7/143) (Also see: Kitab al-Fatawa: 6/91)
And Allah knows best.
Mufti Faizal Riza
14/6/2012