Dajjal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuB9TfgkT0c

Black Flags from Khorasan

INTRODUCTION

1) Black Flags :

There are two types of flags in Islam.

The first is called Al-Liwaa and serves as the sign for the leader of the Muslim army. It is also the flag of the Islamic State. The Liwaa of the Messenger (Peace Be Upon Him) was a piece of white cloth with the words لآ اِلهَ اِلَّا اللّهُ مُحَمَّدُ رَّسُوْلُ اللّهِ written across it .

The other is termed as Ar-Raya and is used by the Muslim army. The Raya of the Messenger (Peace Be Upon Him) was a piece of black wool with the words لآ اِلهَ اِلَّا اللّهُ مُحَمَّدُ رَّسُوْلُ اللّهِ  written on it.

Therefore, the Liwaa is a white flag with black inscription and the Raya is a black flag with white inscription .

  

2) Khorasan :

Khorasan in the time of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) included the whole of Afghanistan, Northern parts of Pakistan including Malakand Division, Central Asian States, part of Iran. Still a province in the North East of the Iran is named as Khorasan. Details

Approximate Map

PURPOSE

The basic purpose of this page is to create awareness among our Muslim youth about the army that will rise from the area of Khurasan holding Black Flags of Islam . This army will conquer many occupied lands of Muslims till it reaches to Jerusalem . Then it will pledge its allegiance to Imam al Mahdi (A.S) .


HADITHS


Narrated Anas:
The Prophet had informed the people of the martyrdom of Zaid, Ja'far and Ibn Rawaha before the news of their death reached. The Prophet said, "Zaid took the flag (as the commander of the army) and was martyred, then Ja'far took it and was martyred, and then Ibn Rawaha took it (Ar Raya) and was martyred." At that time the Prophet's eyes were shedding tears. He added, "Then the flag was taken by a Sword amongst the Swords of Allah (i.e. Khalid) and Allah made them (i.e. the Muslims) victorious."
Military Expeditions led by the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) - (Al-Maghaazi) - Bukhari : Book 5 : Volume 59 : Hadith 561

Al-Barra’a Ibnu Azeb (ra) was asked about the Messenger’s (Peace Be Upon Him) Raya. He said: “It was black, had four corners and was made of wool.”

These and other ahadith clearly prove that Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) had designated a flag for his Ummah. 

The Messenger (Peace Be Upon Him) of Allah  conquered and entered Makkah with a Liwaa (white flag)

Black Flags / Black banners From East i.e Khurasan (Afghanistan)

Abu Abdullah Nuaim Ibn Hammad on a chain of transmission on the authority of Al Zuhari who said " The black flags will come from the East, led by mighty men, with long hair and beards, their surnames are taken from the names of their home towns (i.e. Khosti or from Khost etc.) and their first names are from a "Kunya"
(Asmal Masalik Lieyyam Mahdiyy Maliki Li Kull-id Dunya Biemrillah-il Malik, Qalda bin Zayd)

Hadhrat Buraidah (R.A.) says that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "There will be many armies after me. You must join that army which will come from Khurasaan."
(Ibn Adi)

On the authority of Thawbaan (May Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah said:
"If you see the Black Banners coming from Khurasan go to them immediately, even if you must crawl over ice, because indeed amongst them is the Caliph, Al Mahdi."
[Narrated on authority of Ibn Majah, Al-Hakim, Ahmad]


Narrated by Abdur Rehman Al-Jarshi that I heard companion of Dear Prophet(salallaho alayhay wa sallam), Hazrat Amr Bin Marra Al-jamli(R.A) that Dear Prophet(salallaho alayhay wa sallam) said: Surely Black Flag will appear from the Khorasan until the people(under the leadership of this flag) will tie their horses with the Olive Trees between Bait-e-Lahya and Harasta. We asked are there any Olive trees between these places. He said,”If there isn’t then soon it will grow so that those people(of Khorasan) will come and tie their horses there.”
[Ref: Kitab-al-Fitan Page 215. Also at Page 108 in the book “Islam main Imam Mahdi ka Tasawer” by Maulana Professor Muhammad Yousaf Khan,Jamia Ashrafia Lahore,Pakistan.]

Harasta (Arabic: حرستا , transliteration: Ḥarastā) , also known as Harasta al-Basal, is a Syrian city administratively belonging to Rif Dimashq. Harasta has an altitude of 702 meters. It has a population of 38,184 as of 2007, making it the 43rd largest city per geographical entity in Syria.

Beit Lahia (Arabic: بيت لاهيا or بيت لاهية) is a town under Palestinian Authority of about 40,000 people in the northern Gaza Strip. It is located north of Jabalia, near Beit Hanoun and the border with Israel. Hamas, an Islamic party, took control of it during the 2005 municipal elections.

The word “Lahia” is Syriac and means “desolate” or “tiresome”. It is surrounded by sand dunes, some rise to 55m above sea level. The area is renowned for its many large Sycamore trees. The Israeli settlements of Nisanit, Elei Sinai, and Dugit that were in close proximity to Beit Lahia were evacuated during August 2005.Beit Lahia بيت لاهي Beit Lahiya Bayt Lahiya

Google Maps

Thawban said, "The Prophet said: 'Three men will be killed at the place where your treasure is.  Each of them will be the son of a Khalifah, and none of  them will get hold of the treasure.  Then black banners will come out of the east...' If you see him, go and give him your allegiance, even if you have to  crawl over ice, because he is the Khalifah of Allah, the Mahdi.'"
Ref : This hadith is reported in Sunan Ibn Majah vol 3 number 4084  in  'Kitab al-Fitan, Baab Kharuj al-Mahdi' and 'Mustadrak' al-Hakim. Hakim classified it as saheeh on the conditions set by al-Bukhari and Muslim and al-Dhahabi agreed. Ibn Kathir wrote about it in his 'al-Nihaya (al-Fitan wa al-Malahim)' that its isnaad is 'qawii' (strong). al-Albani considers some of the chains as unacceptable, but writes the hadith is correct in meaning without the addition, 'he is the Khalifah of Allah, the Mahdi.' He rates the isnaad of Ibn Majah from 'Alqama from Ibn Mas'ud as hasan which does not have the words, 'khalifa-tullah.' He then goes on to discuss why this addition is not acceptable. ('Silsilah al-Ahadeeth al-Da'eefah wa al-Maudu'a', vol 1, p. 195-198, Hadith #85)

You’ll join hands with a Christian group and war with another. You’ll gain victoryAt that time, you will be present in a plain of great mountains with plenty of trees. In the meantime, the Christians will raise the crucifix and refer the victory to it. At this, a Muslim will become angry, and will pull the crucifix down, at which, the Christians will unite breaking all treaties with the Muslims.The Christians will demand their wanted people, to which the Muslims will answer:"By Allah! They are our brothers. We will never hand them over. This will start the war. One-third Muslims will run away. Their ‘Tawbah’ (Repentance) will never be accepted.. One-third will be killed.They will be the best 'Shaheed' (martyrs) near Allah The remaining one-third will gain victory
(6708,6709  Ibn Hibban)

At the time, when the Muslim Ummah will have abundance of wealth, gold and silver, the Muslims will be extremely belittled, weak and helpless. The enemy nations will invite each other to pounce upon them as hungry people invite one another for food. The Sahabah (R.A) asked with utter worry, "O Prophet of Allah! Would we be very few in number?" Prophet Muhammad (S) replied: "No! You’d be as great in quantity as the foam of the sea is, seen wherever the eye can reach. But you’ll be overtaken by ‘wahn’." The Sahabah (R.A) asked, "O Prophet of Allah! What is ‘wahn’?" He (S) replied: "Love of this world and fear of death!" You’ll join hands with a Christian group and war with another. You’ll gain victory.  At that time, you will be present in a plain of great mountains with plenty of trees. In the meantime, the Christians will raise the crucifix and refer the victory to it. At this, a Muslim will become angry, and will pull the crucifix down, at which, the Christians will unite breaking all treaties with the Muslims.The Christians will demand their wanted people, to which the Muslims will answer:"By Allah! They are our brothers. We will never hand them over." This will start the war. One-third Muslims will run away. Their ‘Tawbah’ (Repentance) will never be accepted. One-third will be killed. They will be the best 'Shaheed' (martyrs) near Allah. The remaining one-third will gain victory, until, under the leadership of Imam Mehdi, they will fight against Kufr  (non-believers)..
(Ibn Majah)


Reported on a chain of transmission on the authority of Kaab "The sign of the Mahdi's appearance will be war banners coming from the west, lead by a man with a disability from "Kinda"
(Nuaym son of Hammad, Al-Fitan page 205)

*Note: Genreral Richard Meyers, commander of the US Joint chiefs of staff decalared the war on Afghanistan in October 2001 on crutches.


There is a Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) about the symbols of the Judgment day that people with the Black Flag will rise up from the land of Khurasaan to fight against Kuffar Alliances in the Final War of Armageddon.
  

Geographically, Syria is a land of great diversity that includes coastline, mountainous areas, steppe, and desert.

Geographically, Syria can be divided into four regions. A narrow fertile coastal plain runs along the Mediterranean border and extends inland to a narrow range of mountains and hills. The coastal climate is moderate with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters; the average annual rainfall is this area is between 30 and 40 inches. The mountainous region runs from north to south, parallel to the Mediterranean Sea. The interior semiarid plains region is found to the east of the mountains. Much of the southeastern part of Syria is desert region that extends to the borders of Jordan and Iraq; most of the desert is a rock and gravel plateau that receives less than four inches of rain annually and is extremely hot.



You will make a firm truce with the Christians (al-Rum) until you and they wage a campaign against an enemy that is attacking them. You will be granted victory and great spoils. Then you will alight in a plain surrounded by hills. There, someone among the Christians shall say: 'The Cross has overcome!' whereupon someone among the Muslims shall say: 'Nay, Allah has overcome!' and shall go and break the cross.
The Christians shall kill him, then the Muslims shall take up their arms and the two sides shall fall upon each other.
Allah shall grant martyrdom to that group of Muslims. After that the Christians shall say to their leader: 'We shall relieve you of the Arabs,' and they shall gather up for the great battle (al-malhama). They shall come to you under eighty flags, each flag gathering 12,000 troops." [approx. 1 million]
Narrated with sound chains from Dhu Mikhbar al-Najashi by Abu Dawud, Ahmad, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban, and al-Hakim who declared it sahih and al-Dhahabi concurred. See Shaykh Shu`ayb Arna'ut's documentation of this hadith in his edition of Sahih Ibn Hibban (15:101-103 #6708-6709).


Narrated Abu Hurayrah: Allah's Apostle (peace_be_upon_him) said: The Last Hour will not come until the Romans land at al-A'maq or in Dabiq [north of Aleppo( a city in northen syria).]A n army consisting of the best (soldiers) of the people on Earth at that time will come from Medina (to oppose them). When they arrange themselves in ranks, the Romans will say: Do not stand between us and those (Muslims) who took prisoners from among us. Let us fight them. The Muslims will say: Nay, by Allah, we shall never turn aside from you and from our brethren so that you may fight them.
They will then fight and a third (part) of the army, whom Allah will never forgive, will run away. A third (part of the army), which will be constituted of excellent martyrs in Allah's eyes, would be killed. The third who will never be put on trial will win and they will be the conquerors of Constantinople. (and/or Rome)
As they are busy in distributing the spoils of war (amongst themselves) after hanging their swords by the olive trees, Satan will cry: The Dajjal has taken your place among your families. They will then come out, but it will be of no avail. When they reach Syria, he will come out while they are still preparing themselves for battle, drawing up the ranks. Certainly, the time of prayer will come and then ‘Eessa (peace_be_upon_him), son of Maryam, descends and will lead them in prayer. When the enemy of Allah sees him, it will (disappear) just as salt dissolves in water and if he (‘Eessa) were not to confront them at all, even then it would dissolve completely. Allah would kill them by his hand and he would show them their blood on his lance.
(Muslim Book No: 40 No: 6924)

*Note: This is the part of the victorious army from Afghanistan-Taliban war facing similar fate in three categories,here connecting the old victorios army's fate with the current victorious army.Hence the victoriours army never lost continuty in its entirety.

Why not April fool???

Origin of April fool's Day and why Muslims
should not celebrate it !
Some of the kuffaar (infidels) call this day All
Fools' Day, as it is known to the English.
That is because of the lies that they tell so
that those who hear them might believe
them and thus become a victim for those
who are making fun of him.
Many of us celebrate what is known as April
fool or, if it is translated literally, the "trick
of April". But how much do we know of the
bitter secret behind this day?
When the Muslims ruled Spain,
approximately one thousand years ago, they
were a force that could not be destroyed.
The western Christians wished that they
could wipe Islam from the face of the earth,
and they succeeded to some extent.
They tried to limit the spread of Islam in
Spain and to put an end to it, but they did
not succeed. They tried numerous times and
never succeeded.
After that, the kuffaar sent their spies to
Spain to study and find out the secret of the
Muslims' strength which could not be
defeated. They discovered that adhering to
taqwa (piety or consciousness of Allah) was
the reason.
When the Christians discovered the secret of
the Muslims' strength, they started to think
of strategies to break this strength. On this
basis they began to send wine and cigars to
Spain for free.
This tactic on the part of the west produced
results, and the faith of the Muslims began
to weaken, especially among the young
generation in Spain. The result of that was
that the western Catholic Christians
subdued the whole of Spain and put an end
to the Muslim rule of that land which had
lasted for more than eight hundred years.
The last stronghold of the Muslims, in
Grenada, fell on April 1st, hence they
considered this to be the "trick of April."
From that year until the present, they
celebrate this day and consider the Muslims
to be fools. They do not regard only the
army at Granada to be fools who are easily
deceived, rather they apply that to the
entire Muslim ummah. It is ignorant of us to
join in these celebrations, and when we
imitate them blindly in implementing this
evil idea, this is a kind of blind imitation
which confirms the foolishness of some of
us in following them. Once we know the
reason for this celebration, how can we
celebrate our defeat?
After knowing this reality, let us make a
promise to ourselves never to celebrate this
day. We have to learn from the Spanish and
adhere to the reality of Islam and never
allow our faith to be weakened again.
I say: it does not matter what the origins of
April fool are. What matters more is knowing
the ruling on lying on this day, which we are
sure did not exist during the first and best
generations of Islam. It did not come from
the Muslims, but rather from their enemies.

Does your HEART HURT?

Does your HEART HURT? Do you feel PAIN and desperately want to get out of it?
The CURE is to give your heart to the One Who Created it because only He knows how to handle it. He will never rip it apart unlike this world. After all, He is the One Who made it.

Your heart wasn't created to be given to this world. That's why when you do so, you get only pain in return. 
It's bound to happen because when your heart is in the wrong place, it will definitely be messed up.
Place it in the hands of its Creator and you will find the peace and comfort you have been looking for.

Instead of blaming others for stomping on our hearts, we should questions ourselves why we let them do that in the first place and have any control over it?

A BROKEN HEART is the result of following one's own DESIRES.

OBEY ALLAH alone , be His slave instead of becoming a slave of this world and the peace and happiness of your life will be restored.

DUA: ''O Allah! Controller of the hearts, direct our hearts to Your obedience" AMEEN

Essential Du'as / Supplications

As salamu alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
Translation: May the peace of Allah descend upon you and His Mercy and Blessings.

When salaam is conveyed (when some conveys salam to you on another's behalf).

Alayka wa alay-his salaamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
Translation: Upon you and upon him be the peace of Allah, His mercy and blessings.

Before a meal

Bismillahi wa 'ala baraka-tillah.
Translation: With Allah's name and uon the blessings granted by Allah (do we eat).

After having a meal

Alham do lillah hilla-thee At Amana wa saquana waja 'alana minal Muslimeen.
Translation: All praise is due to Allah who gave us food and drink and who made us Muslims.

Dua for ZamZam (Holy Water)

Allah humma Innee As alooka 'ilman naa fee-ow wa Rizq-ow waa See-ow wa Shee-faa amm min Kooll-lee daa-een.
Translation:  O Allah, I ask You to grant me beneficial knowledge, abundant sustenance and cure from all diseases.

Before wudhu (ablution)

Allahumma-gh fir-lee dhan-bee wawass si'lee fi dari wa bariklee fi rizq.
Translation: O Allah Forgive my sins, make my home accommodating and grant me abundance in my livelihood.

After wudhu

Allahummaj 'al-ni minat-tow-wa beena waj-alni minal muta-tah-hireen.
Translation: I testify that there is no deity except Allah; He is One and has no partner.  And I testify that Muhammad (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) is His servant and apostle.

When entering the masjid (mosque)

A'uthu bil-Lahil 'atheemi wa biwajhi-hil kareemi wasultaani-hil qadeemi minash-shaytaanir rajeem.
Translation: I seek protection from Allah, The Sublime, and I seek the protection of His Merciful Self and of His Eternal Kingdom against the accursed devil.

After sneezing

Alhamdulillah! (right graphic) / Alhamdu lillahi 'ala kull-lee ha-leen (left graphic).
Translation: Thanks and all praise be to Allah (or) Thanks and all praise be to Allah under all conditions.

Reply to someone who sneezes

Yar Hamoo kall Lah.
Translation: May Allah have mercy on you.

When a Non-Muslim sneezes

Yahdee Kumullahu wa Yaslih Ba Lakoom.
Translation: May Allah give you guidance and make your children pious.

When someone is critically illWhen someone is so critically ill that there is no hope for his recovery, under no circumstances should he (or she) pray for his (or her) death.  But if one must, then one should recite the following dua:

Allah-humma ah-yini ma kaanatil hayaatu khairall-lee wa tawaff-fani i-dha kaanatil wa faato khai-rall-lee.
Translation: O Allah, keep me alive so long as it is in my best interest and give me death when it is in my best interest.

When visiting the sick

La ba'sa tahoorun inshaa-Allah. La ba'sa tahoorun inshaa-Allah.
Translation: No need to worry.  It (this sickness) is a means of cleansing from sins.  No need to worry. It (this sickness) is a means of cleansing from sins.

Dua taught to a new muslim

Allahummagh fir-lee warr hamnee wah-dini warr zuq-ni.
Translation: O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, guide me aright and grant me sustenance.

When entering the toilet

Allahumma in-nee a'oothu bika minal khubu-thee wal khabaa ith.

When leaving the toilet, recite

Ghuf-raa naka

followed by

Alhamdulillah-hilla-thee ath-haba ann-nil athaa wa 'afaani.

Reaching the top of an incline

Allahumma lakash-sharafu 'ala kull-lee shara-few walakal hamdu 'ala kull-li haalin.
Translation: O Allah, all sublimity is for You at every incline and all praise is for You at all times under all conditions.  

Repentance duaWhenever a person commits any sin, he/she should immediately offer repentance to Allah, saying the following dua.  

Allahumma In-nee a-toobu ilayka minha la ar-ji-u ilayhaa abada.
Translation: O Allah, I repent before You for all my sins and I promise never to return to the same (again).

Upon awakening

Alhamdulillah-hillathee ah-yana ba'da ma ama tana wa ilayhi nushoor.
Translation: Many thanks to Allah who gave us life after having given us death and (our) final return (on the Day of Qiyaamah (Judgement)) is to Him.

When undertaking a journey

Subhanalla-thee sakh-khara-lana haatha wa-ma kun-na lahoo muqrineena wa inna ila Rabbina la-mun-qali-boon.
Translation: Glory be to Him (Allah) who has brought this (vehicle) under our control though we were unable to control it.  Sure, we are to return to our Lord.

Istikhara for nikah (marriage)When intending to marry someone then even before proposing or expressing one's intention to propose, one should perform Wudhu in the best of manner and then offer as many Nafl Salaahs as possible.  Thereafter one should praise and glorify Allah in the best manner and recite the following Dua:

Translation:  O Allah, You have power and I have none.  You know all and I know not.  You are The Knower of all that is hidden.  If, in Your knowledge (mention name of person here) be good for me in my faith and in my temporal and religious life, then ordain her (or him) for me.  And if anyone other than her (or him) be good for me in my faith and religious life, then ordain her (or him) for me.

Dua-e-Qunoot (read in Witr)

Translation: O Allah! We beg help from You alone; ask forgiveness from You alone, and turn towards You and praise You for all the good things and are grateful to You and are not ungrateful to You and we part and break off with all those who are disobedient to you. O Allah! You alone do we worship and pray exclusively to You and bow before You alone and we hasten eagerly towards You and we fear Your severe punishment and hope for Your Mercy as your severe punishment is surely to be meted out to the unbelievers.

The Question of Hijab: Suppression Or Liberation?

"Why do Muslim women have to cover their heads?" This question is one which is asked by Muslim and non-Muslim alike. For many women it is the truest test of being a Muslim.

The answer to the question is very simple - Muslim women observe HIJAB (covering the head and the body) because Allah has told them to do so.

"O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments around them (when they go out or are among men). That is better in order that they may be known (to be Muslims) and not annoyed..." [Noble Quran 33:59]

Other secondary reasons include the requirement for modesty in both men and women. Both will then be evaluated for intelligence and skills instead of looks and sexuality. An Iranian school girl is quoted as saying, "We want to stop men from treating us like sex objects, as they have always done. We want them to ignore our appearance and to be attentive to our personalities and mind. We want them to take us seriously and treat us as equals and not just chase us around for our bodies and physical looks." A Muslim woman who covers her head is making a statement about her identity. Anyone who sees her will know that she is a Muslim and has a good moral character. Many Muslim women who cover are filled with dignity and self esteem; they are pleased to be identified as a Muslim woman. As a chaste, modest, pure woman, she does not want her sexuality to enter into interactions with men in the smallest degree. A woman who covers herself is concealing her sexuality but allowing her femininity to be brought out.

The question of Hijab for Muslim women has been a controversy for centuries and will probably continue for many more. Some learned people do not consider the subject open to discussion and consider that covering the face is required, while a majority are of the opinion that it is not required. A middle line position is taken by some who claim that the instructions are vague and open to individual discretion depending on the situation. The wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) were required to cover their faces so that men would not think of them in sexual terms since they were the "Mothers of the Believers," but this requirement was not extended to other women.

The word "Hijab" comes from the Arabic word "hajaba" meaning to hide from view or conceal. In the present time, the context of Hijab is the modest covering of a Muslim woman. The question now is what is the extent of the covering? The Quran says:

"Say to the believing man that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that will make for greater purity for them; and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands..." [Noble Quran 24:30-31]

These verses from the Quran contain two main injunctions:

A woman should not show her beauty or adornments except what appears by uncontrolled factors such as the wind blowing her clothes, and

the head covers should be drawn so as to cover the hair, the neck and the bosom.

Islam has no fixed standard as to the style of dress or type of clothing that Muslims must wear. However, some requirements must be met. The first of these requirements is the parts of the body which must be covered. Islam has two sources for guidance and rulings: first, the Quran, the revealed word of Allah and secondly, the Hadith or the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) who was chosen by Allah to be the role model for mankind. The following is a Tradition of the Prophet:

"Ayshah reported that Asma' the daughter of Abu Bakr came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) while wearing thin clothing. He approached her and said: 'O Asma'! When a girl reaches the menstrual age, it is not properthat anything should remain exposed except this and this. He pointed to theface and hands." [Abu Dawud]

The second requirement is looseness. The clothing must be loose enough so as not to describe the shape of the woman's body. One desirable way to hide the shape of the body is to wear a cloak over other clothes. However, if the clothing is loose enough, an outer garment is not necessary. Thickness is the third requirement. The clothing must be thick enough so as not to show the color of the skin it covers or the shape of the body. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) stated that in later generations of his Ummah there would be

"women who would be dressed but naked and on top of their heads (what looks like) camel humps. Curse them for they are truly cursed." [Muslim]

Another requirement is an over-all dignified appearance. The clothing should not attract men's attention to the woman. It should not be shiny and flashy so that everyone notices the dress and the woman. In addition there are other requirements:

Women must not dress so as to appear as men.

"Ibn Abbas narrated: 'The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the men who appear like women and the women who appear like men.'" [Bukhari]

Women should not dress in a way similar to the unbelievers.

The clothing should be modest, not excessively fancy and also not excessively ragged to gain others admiration or sympathy.

Often forgotten is the fact that modern Western dress is a new invention. Looking at the clothing of women as recently as seventy years ago, we see clothing similar to Hijab. These active and hard-working women of the West were not inhibited by their clothing which consisted of long, full dresses and various types of head covering. Muslim women who wear Hijab do not find it impractical or interfering with their activities in all levels and walks of life. Hijab is not merely a covering dress but more importantly, it is behavior, manners, speech and appearance in public. Dress is only one facet of the total being. The basic requirement of the Muslim woman's dress apply to the Muslim man's clothing with the difference being mainly in degree. Modesty requires that the area between the navel and the knee be covered in front of all people except the wife. The clothing of men should not be like the dress of women, nor should it be tight or provocative. A Muslim should dress to show his identity as a Muslim. Men are not allowed to wear gold or silk. However, both are allowed for women.

For both men and women, clothing requirements are not meant to be a restriction but rather a way in which society will function in a proper, Islamic manner.

III&E Brochure Series
(Published by The Institute of Islamic Information and Education (III&E) and reproduced in electronic form by Islamic Academy for Scientific Research with permission)