Modesty, humility and decency
Dressing in the manner that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did.
Remembrance of Allah and thanking Him for the clothes He has given us.
Covering those parts of the body that Allah has commanded us to cover. That is, from the naval to the knee for men (preferably the chest, arms and upper calves also), and all but the hands and face for women (although it is preferable to cover the face and hands also).
Putting on clothes starting with the right side of the body, and removing clothes starting with the left side
Avoiding clothing which is forbidden. e.g. men are not permitted to wear clothing that is entirely red, gold or silk, and neither gender is permitted to imitate the non-believers or the opposite sex
Allah says in the Qur'an:
"O children of Adam! We have bestowed raimentupon you to cover your private parts, and as an adornment, and the raiment of righteousness, that is better.Such are among the Ayah of Allah, that they may remember.(ie leave falsehood and follow the truth)" (Qur'an 7:26)
What to say before getting undressed:
Before getting undressed a person should say:
بِسْمِ اللهِ (In the Name of Allah)
What to say before getting dressed:
Before getting dressed a person should say:
لْحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِي كَسَانِي هَذَا
الثَّوبَ) وَرَزَقَنِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي وَلَا قُوَّةٍ )
(Praise be to Allah Who has clothed me with this (garment) and provided it for me, though I was powerless myself and incapable)
What to say when putting on new clothes:
When a person puts on new clothes for the first time they should say:
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ كَسَوْتَنِيهِ، أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِهِ وَخَيْرِ مَا صُنِعَ لَهُ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّهِ وَشَرِّ مَا صُنِعَ لَهُ
(Oh Allah, praise is to You. You have clothed me. I ask You for the goodness of what has been done for it, and seek Your protection from the evil of it, and the evil of what has been done for it).
What to say to someone who has put on new clothes:
If a person sees someone wearing new clothes they can say one of the following dua'a (supplications):
تُي وَيُخْلِفُ اللهُ تَعَالَىبْلِ
(May Allah replace it when it is threadbare) or
الْبَسْ جَدِيداً، وَعِشْ حَمِيداً، وَمُتْ شَهِيداً
(Put on new clothes, live a praise-worthy life and die a martyr's death)
How to get dressed:
When getting dressed is it preferable to:
Sit down when putting on socks or shoes
Start with the right side when putting on clothes. For example, put the right sock on before the left sock, the right shoe before the left shoe, the right sleeve before the left sleeve, the right leg before the left leg and so on. It is narrated that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) used his right hand in all (good/clean) actions, such as performing his ablutions, combing his hairs and for putting on his shoes and that he said:
"When you put on your clothes or make ablutions, begin with the right side"
and "When any of you puts on his shoes, he should begin from the right side (i.e. with the right foot); so that the right foot should be the first to put on and the last from which the shoe is taken off"
How to get undressed:
When getting undressed a person should:
Say the dua'a for getting undressed (see above)
Start with the left side when removing clothes. For example, take the left sock off before the right sock, the left show off before the right show, and so on. In other words, the opposite order (left before right) to how the clothes were put on (right before left).
What to wear:
The following clothes and manner of dress are recommended:
White clothes (providing the cloth is not so pale/thin that it reveals the body). The Prophet (PBUH) said:
"Wear white clothes because they are the purest and cleanest, and also shroud your dead in white cloth".
Clothes of any other colours are also permissible for both males and females except for clothes which are entirely red / saffron in colour, which are not permissible for males to wear: see "What not to wear" below.
Men should cover the head with a turban or cap (preferable) and cover at least from the naval to the knee, but preferably more, such as the shoulders, arms, and part of the calves as well. It is narrated that:
"The sleeves of the shirt of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) reached until his wrists"
And "Of all the dresses, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) liked a shirt (or tunic) best"
This establishes the preference of a long shirt or tunic for a man as it covers the main parts of the human body and the wearer looks decently dressed.
Women must cover as a minimum the entire body except for the face and hands, but it is better to cover the face and hands as well.
Any type of cloth or material is permissible (as long as it meets the above guidelines) except a man is not allowed to wear silk - see "What not to wear"
There is great reward in not dressing extravagantly, dressing in a humble manner, yet dressing with a degree of moderation since Islam promotes following a middle-course in one's life. It is narrated that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) said:
"A person who, in spite of having the means to wear decent garments, abstains from wearing them out of a sense of humility for the sake of Allah, will be called by Allah on the Day of Judgement in preference to all the human beings and will be given the option to choose whichever of the mantles of faith s/he likes"
What not to wear:
It is not permissible for a man to wear entirely red clothes (clothes the have red and another colour are permissible), silk or gold (none of these restrictions apply to women). The Prophet (PBUH) said:
"Wearing of silk and gold has been made unlawful for the males of my Ummah (people) and lawful for their females"
It is not permissible for a person's clothes to drag along the ground due to pride (as a show of wealth and high status). This means clothing that falls below the ankle, whether it be pants, a loin cloth or whatever, if it is worn in such a way because of pride. It is related that the Prophet (PBUH) said:
"On the Dooms Day Allah will not look towards a person who lets down his garments like loin cloth, pyjama (pants), shirt or turban by way or arrogance".
Note: Women, on the other hand, are required to wear their dresses below the ankle since covering the body take precedence.
It is not permissible to wear certain clothing for purposes of fame or vanity. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) is quoted as saying:
"Whoever wears a garment of fame and vanity, on the Day of Resurrection Allah will clothe him in a garment of humiliation".
It is not permissible to wear any clothing that is so tight or transparent that the colour of the skin or the shape of the body is apparent. Thus, the clothes should be loose and reasonably thick.
It is not permissible for a man to wear clothes resembling those of women, nor women to wear clothes resembling those of men
It is not permissible for women to display their adornments (such as jewellery), wear perfume or other such items designed to make her attractive and emphasise her beauty (such as makeup) in the presence of men who are lawful for her to marry (i.e. all men except for her husband, sons, father, brothers, step-father, maternal and paternal uncles etc)
It is not permissible for a person to wear (or sit on) the skins of wild animals, such as leopards, tigers and so on
It is not permissible to wear clothes with pictures of animals or people on them, because this prevents the (protecting) angels entering the house. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
"The angels do not enter a house in which there are images."
It is not permissible for a Muslim to wear clothes that resemble those of the Non-Muslims with the intention of wanting to look like the Non-Muslims For example, wearing black clothes in the case of bereavement (if one does it specifically because it is a funeral or they are grieving) because this is a practice of the Christians and there is no basis for it in Islam. The Prophet (PBUH) said:
"Whoever imitates a people is one of them”.
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