In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Colored Clothing

A common question is whether Muslim women are required to wear only black. The answer is no. There is no specific color that women are restricted to; what Islam emphasizes is modesty, not a particular color. This article rests on two books: Shaykh al-Albani’s The Dress Code for the Muslim Woman in the Book and the Sunnah, and Shaikh ibn Jibreen’s answer on colored clothing in Islamic Fatawa Regarding Women, and Shaikh ibn Uthaymeen’s answer on wearing black in grief, in the same collection.

Evidence from the Sunnah

Authentic narrations indicate that women at the time of the Prophet ﷺ wore garments of various colors:

Shaykh al-Albani writes in The Dress Code for the Muslim Woman:

“It is not considered adornment for the garment in which a woman wraps herself to be of a colour other than black or white, as some religiously observant women erroneously believe.”

He gives two reasons. The first is the saying of the Prophet ﷺ: “Fragrance for women is that whose colour is visible and whose scent is hidden” (Mukhtasar al-Shama’il, no. 188). The second is the custom of the Companions’ wives, from the confirmed traditions narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah in Al-Musannaf (8/371-372):

It was reported on the authority of Ibrāhīm—who is Al-Nakhā’ī—: That he used to visit the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) with Al-Aswad and he would see them wearing red covers.
It was reported on the authority of Ibn Abī Mulaykah that he said: ‘I saw a chemise and a covering on Umm Salamah and they were both dyed with safflower [i.e. red].’
It was reported on the authority of Al-Qāsim—who is Ibn Muḥammad Ibn Abī Bakr Al-Ṣiddīq (radiyAllāhu ‘anhu): ‘That ‘Ā’ishah (radiyAllāhu ‘anhā) used to wear garments dyed with safflower when she was in a state of iḥrām.’
It was reported on the authority of Hishām, who reported on the authority of Fāṭimah Bint Al-Mundhir: ‘That Asmā’ (radiyAllāhu ‘anhā) used to wear clothes dyed with safflower when she was in a state of iḥrām.’
It was reported on the authority of Sa’īd Ibn Jubayr (radiyAllāhu ‘anhu): ‘That he saw one of the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) performing circumambulation of the House [of Allah] and she was wearing garments dyed with safflower.’

The same book brings a further report in its next chapter, narrated by Ibn Sa’d (8/70) with an authentic chain of narrators up to Shumaysah, as its footnote records:

“And Shumaysah said: ‘I visited ‘A’ishah (radiyAllāhu ‘anhā) and she was wearing garments from this thickseed and a shirt, khimār and naqabah that was coloured with safflower.’”

Her naqabah [a shawl-like garment] was coloured with safflower, on an ordinary visit at home, not in ihram [the sacred state of the pilgrim] or at tawaf. The word thickseed stands as the manuscript writes it; its meaning is not clear to the Shaykh, and it may be sayra’, a kind of garment with yellow stripes or mixed with silk.

Shaikh ibn Jibreen was asked about wearing light colored clothing, such as yellow, white or red, which covers the body, and he answered:

“It is allowed for a woman to wear whatever clothing is normal for the women to wear, as long as it is not something to be specifically recognized as that for men.”

(Islamic Fatawa Regarding Women, Question 263)

These narrations show that colored clothing was known and practiced among the women of the early generations.

Black Is Not Required in Grief Either

Shaikh ibn Uthaymeen was asked (Question 217) whether wearing black as a sign of grief for the deceased, especially her husband, is allowed:

“Wearing black at the time of affliction is a display which is wrong and has no basis.”

He said that in times of affliction one says what the Shariah has sanctioned: “We belong to Allah and to Allah we return. O Allah, reward me during my affliction and give me a replacement better than this,” and that whoever says this with faith, expecting reward, will be rewarded by Allah and given a better replacement.

“However, wearing a specific clothing, such as black clothing and so forth, is a baseless act. It is, therefore, wrong and blameworthy.”

Conditions of Proper Hijab

Islam does not restrict color, but it sets conditions for clothing. A woman’s dress should:

Cover the entire body, apart from what has been exempted
Not be an adornment in itself that attracts undue attention
Be thick and not transparent
Be loose and not form-fitting
Not be perfumed
Not resemble men’s clothing
Not resemble the distinctive dress of disbelieving women
Not be worn for fame or showing off

As long as these conditions are fulfilled, the color itself is permissible.

Each of these conditions is set out in full in The Conditions of the Muslim Woman’s Dress.

Consideration of Custom (ʿUrf)

This consideration is built into the scholars’ answers themselves: Shaikh ibn Jibreen’s ruling on colored clothing turns on “whatever clothing is normal for the women to wear” (Islamic Fatawa Regarding Women, Question 263).

Islamic rulings also consider custom (‘urf):

In some places, wearing colors is normal and modest
In other places, black is the norm and brighter colors may attract attention

The objective is to maintain modesty and avoid unnecessary attention according to one’s environment.

Opinions of the Four Madhhabs

The scholars of the four madhhabs permitted women to wear colored clothing, with the condition that it fulfills the requirements of modesty and avoids tabarruj [displaying one’s adornment].

Conclusion

There is no evidence in the Qur’an or authentic Sunnah that limits Muslim women to black clothing. Women may wear colors such as red or yellow, provided that their dress fulfills the conditions of proper hijab and does not attract inappropriate attention.

The principle in Islam is modesty, not restriction to a specific color.

References

The Dress Code for the Muslim Woman in the Book and the Sunnah, Imam Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani, Dar as-Sunnah Publishers: printed p. 23 (the conditions) and printed pp. 111-115 (the Second Condition) and printed p. 119 (the third condition, for the report of Shumaysah). My copy is an image scan; its quoted pages were read from the page images.

Shaykh al-Albani’s book prints the divine name “Allāh”; on this page it is written “Allah”, by the site’s spelling decision, the rest exactly as printed.

Islamic Fatawa Regarding Women, compiled by Muhammad bin Abdul-Aziz al-Musnad, Darussalam, First Edition 1996, translated by Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo, ISBN 9960-740-87-0: Question 263, Shaikh ibn Jibreen (printed p. 283); Question 217, Shaikh ibn Uthaymeen (printed p. 235).

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