Prominent Islamic scholar and SeekersGuidance Executive Director Shaykh Faraz Rabbani has addressed widespread questions concerning personal style, contemporary fashion, and religious requirements for modest dress, reassuring believers that personal preferences for structured, practical clothing are entirely compatible with Islamic law.
In a recent advisory response answering a believer struggling with personal style choices and overthinking, Shaykh Rabbani outlined the parameters of modest attire for Muslim women, emphasizing that traditional garments such as skirts, long dresses, and bright colors are not mandatory requirements of the faith. Instead, the scholar explained that personal taste is a gift rather than a religious test, and that contemporary alternatives such as trousers, blazers, and jackets are fully permissible provided they meet foundational standards of modesty.
The inquiry had touched on a common modern dilemma faced by young Muslim women attempting to balance active lifestyles, personal aesthetic preferences, and religious obligations. The questioner specifically asked whether it was sinful to dislike traditional feminine tropes such as pink and red hues, makeup, shiny fabrics, skirts, and long dresses, while preferring a simpler, more structured wardrobe consisting of items like jackets, jumpsuits, hoodies, blazers, coat suits, loose trousers, and jeans. Further concerns were raised regarding the length of tops, the visibility of the knee’s shape when sitting or bending, and the incorporation of functional design elements such as collars, zippers, and pockets.
Addressing these concerns directly, Shaykh Rabbani confirmed that such clothing choices are entirely permissible, noting that individuals are not restricted to wearing skirts. Loose trousers paired with a top covering the hips, along with jackets, blazers, hoodies, collars, zippers, and pockets, are all acceptable as long as they remain loose-fitting, opaque, traditionally designed for women, and considered modest by decent community standards.
The scholar also addressed concerns regarding specific colors and the nature of modern apparel. Reassuring the questioner that a dislike for pink or long dresses does not constitute a sin, Shaykh Rabbani offered a note of caution regarding contemporary fashion trends. He pointed out that a significant portion of modern clothing for both men and women is specifically engineered to highlight, accentuate, and exhibit the body’s physical contours through tight cuts, particularly around private areas. Believers are advised to remain aware and wary of these design tendencies.
To determine whether an outfit meets religious standards, the scholar pointed to a practical benchmark: if clothing successfully conceals the body’s shape while standing, sitting, and moving, the requirements of the faith have been fulfilled. Minor outlines, such as a knee pressing through loose fabric while sitting, do not constitute improper exposure and should not be a source of undue anxiety.
The guidance also distinguished between public modesty standards and those permitted within the private family sphere. With mahrams—unmarriageable close relatives—and other women, the required area of coverage is more relaxed, traditionally spanning from the navel to the knee, with the addition of the back and stomach in the presence of male family members.
Beyond fulfilling baseline legal requirements, however, Shaykh Rabbani encouraged believers to embrace a higher standard of spiritual expression through their appearance. Citing verse 26 of Surah Al-A’raf from the Quran, which mentions both clothing that conceals shameful parts and finery alongside the garment of godfearingness, the scholar emphasized that attire can simultaneously serve as a practical covering and a reflection of elegance, dignity, and inner character.
Drawing upon prophetic traditions, the scholar reminded audiences that modesty is a core characteristic of Islamic identity and a source of continuous goodness. A young, confident, and active woman who maintains her modesty while pursuing sports and personal goals can serve as a positive example to her peers, embodying the principle that joy and dignity are deeply interconnected. Rather than seeking a rigid rule for every single garment, believers are encouraged to reflect on a simple guiding question when getting dressed: whether the outfit is loose and honors their modesty.
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani, the founder of SeekersGuidance, is a widely recognized specialist in Islamic sciences. Having spent a decade studying under prominent authorities such as the late Shaykh Adib al-Kallas and Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi in Damascus and Amman, he has dedicated his career to making reliable Islamic knowledge accessible globally. Since 2011, he has been listed among the 500 most influential Muslims by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center, maintaining an active role in global Islamic discourse through teaching, writing, and educational outreach.