“O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal what should be concealed, and as a fine adornment — and the garment of righteousness, that is best.” (Al-A’rāf 7:26)
In Islam, Allah (SWT) created clothing to dignify and beatify humanity in an honorable way. To do so, we are ordained clothing that allows us to maintain modesty by covering our bodies and concealing our awrah (the parts of our bodies that should not be revealed in public).
In the Quran, Allah (SWT) decrees that both Muslim men and women have their own dress codes they have to follow. But while most of us are familiar with the hijab and types of clothing Muslim women wear for the sake of the deen, not as many of us know of a “hijab” for Muslim men.
That’s why, for this article, we’ll be putting the spotlight on men in this guide on what Islamic fashion rules men follow to dress pleasingly according to the deen.
What is the Islamic Dress Code for Men?
“(O Prophet), enjoin believing men to cast down their looks and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Surely Allah is well aware of all what they do.” (Surah An-Nur, 24:30)
In this verse of the Quran, Muslim men are told to keep their hearts pure by lowering their gaze (which means to guard and refrain from acting on their sexual desires unjustly) and covering their awrah.
Awrah for Muslim men constitutes the area from the navel to the knee, meaning that clothing for men must conceal this area, nor can the material of this clothing be tight or see-through. Clothing should also be bought with honest earnings and worn without vain intentions – that is, to show off wealth or to want to be famous for it – which is a ruling also given to Muslim women, as it is disliked in Islam to be excessive.
Men can also cover up more of their bodies for modesty, so long as they keep their garment length above the ankles and are not imitating clothing unique to Muslim women or non-Muslims.
Such clothing includes those made of silk or gold, as “Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “These two [gold and silk] are forbidden for the males of my ummah and permissible for the females” (Ibn Majah). Neither can Muslim men wear clothing dyed in saffron, as the Prophet (PBUH) also said, after seeing ‘Ali wearing two garments dyed with safflower, “These are garments of the unbelievers; do not wear them” (Muslim).
Otherwise, any other type of material (such as wool, cotton, or polyester) and cultural clothing are permissible to wear for Muslim men so long as they adhere to Islamic guidelines.
Are There Specific Types of Clothing Muslim men wear?
While there are no specific clothing items attributed to men in Islam, it is common to see Muslim men follow the dress of the Prophet (PBUH), who, in Hadith, was reported to wear, on several occasions, a kurta (thobe) and topi/kufi (cap).
A thobe (also spelt tobe or thawb and, in other countries, also called dishdasha or kandourah) is a long robe tailored like a men’s shirt but is ankle-length and loose. It was an article of clothing most beloved by the Prophet (PBUH) due to its adherence to modesty, both in appearance and cost.
A topi or kufi is a short, rounded cap. Several ahadith report of the Prophet (PBUH) often wearing this head covering by itself or with a turban.
As such, Muslim men often wear these articles of clothing as it is mustahabb (recommended, favoured or virtuous) for us to follow the Sunnah (character and appearance) of the Prophet (PBUH).
What Other Practices Do Muslim Men Follow When Getting Dressed?
Another mustahabb, one that is also permitted for Muslim women, is wearing white. While it is permissible to wear clothing in many other colours (so long as they are not dyed with saffron), in Hadith, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “The best of your clothes are the white ones. So let your living wear it, and shroud your dead in it.” (Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi)
It is also Sunnah for any Muslim, male or female, to keep one's appearance and clothes clean, so long as they are not arrogant or exaggerating about that. In fact, getting new and beautiful clothing should be a joyous occasion where we are thankful to Allah (SWT), which we can do so by making dua and saying:
Allahumma laka al-hamd anta kasawtanihi asaluka khayrahu wa khayra ma suni’a lah wa a’udhu bika min sharrihi wa sharri ma suni’a lah
اللّهُـمَّ لَـكَ الحَـمْـدُ أنْـتَ كَسَـوْتَنيهِ، أََسْأََلُـكَ مِـنْ خَـيرِهِ وَخَـيْرِ مَا صُنِعَ لَـه، وَأَعوذُ بِكَ مِـنْ شَـرِّهِ وَشَـرِّ مـا صُنِعَ لَـهُ
O Allah, to You be all praise. You have clothed me with it. I ask You for the good of it and the good for which it was made, and I seek refuge with You from the evil of it and the evil for which it was made. (Hisnul Muslim)
As such, has a significant role within Islam, for both men and women, in how it protects us and preserves our modesty and beauty. For more about clothing that adheres to the Islamic dress code, especially for men, view the range on our website or contact Darussalam today!