Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
Is abāya a must for Muslim girls? I am using salwār qamīs which covers my full body parts just like abāya.
Answer:
In the Name of God, Most Merciful, Most Kind
Jazāk Allāh Khayr/ Thank you for your question. Your concern regarding Islamic apparel is commendable.
Those Muslim sisters who would like to follow the requirements of Islamic dress code should know that wearing the abāya (lose long robe covering neck to toe) is not mandatory.
What is mandatory, is to cover the awrah (nudeness) which is generally, for females, the entire body with the exception of the face, hands and feet.
The traits of Islamic clothing for both male and female should entail the following:
- The garments must conceal the awrah (nudeness)
- The clothing must be loose
- It should be opaque – not transparent
- One should not boast or be arrogant regarding their attire
- The clothing should not resemble or denote disbelief
Hence if your salwār qamīs (traditional South Asian clothing) includes the above, it is perfectly fine to wear.
And Allāh Knows Best