Is it forbidden for women to wear trousers (pants) in Islam?

The Details of the Question
My sister is a nurse and she wears scrubs but my unle says woman are not allowed to ware pants. I need help with this.
The Answer

Dear Brother / Sister,

Those who look from different views may reach to different conclusions. So I will try to express my view and you can decide on that.

Today men and women’s clothing are not as clearly distinctive as in the past.
I am telling this for this reason.

Indeed for Muslim women’s clothing if the first issue is hijab (veiling), the second one is being different from men’s clothing.   

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) damns on – Men who wear women’s clothing and women who wear men’s clothing, thus looking like the opposite gender. The society needs this separation for the identity protection of genders.
But today men’s clothing is not definite as in the past. Trousers became also part of women’s clothing. As a matter of fact men wear skirt like clothing in Saudi Arabia. So there is no a fixed men’s clothing. Therefore today trousers should be examined not from the aspect of being a part of men’s clothing or not, but being tight or loose and exposing the body shape or not. If a woman wears a wide enough trousers hiding the shape of her body and covers her hips hanging down her upper clothing, then this should not be considered as a men’s clothing.

One day a woman falls down from her donkey on the path near to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). He immediately turns his head to another direction. Then his companions tell him that no private part of the woman was seen because she wore pants under her skirt. Upon this Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) prays for women wearing pants under their skirts and preventing their legs from being seen even if they fall down.  As Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) praised, wide/loose/baggy trousers can provide the needed covering when getting on a bus, going upstairs etc. So you may find my view correct or not, and you can decide on the subject knowing the facts. Your decision may be affected from your personal conditions and mood.

As you understand from the passage given above. Islam does not order a certain way of dressing and apparel. It does not force its followers to take a certain way of dressing. Additionally, something that Islam orders must not be forgotten. The main criterion on clothing of a woman is understood as:

§ Covering the private parts. (The private parts of a woman is the whole body except hands and face)

§ Not wearing transparent, short and tight clothes. (That is to say, the body and underclothes must not be seen.)

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Comments

pentanol
Who is the writer of this article ???
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Editor (editor)
This article has been prepared and written by Islamic scholars. It has also been supported by Hadiths.
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pentanol
Thanks a lot, but can you give me names of these islamic scolars, I am new in Turkey and I want to know names of Ulama of Turkey in this field.
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pentanol
I dont know but I want that you focus Tefsir Ibn-i Kesir for ayet 31 from nur suresi. It is clean and deep and it contains all explanations from sunah and life of the prophet . Thank you very much
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Editor (editor)
As far as we know, the name or picture of is worn is not important in Islam. The important one is its function. The function is whether dresses cover the whole body or not. If a dress is like that, namely, the scarf covers the whole hair on head, the overcoat covers the contours of the body fully, the thick socks cover all skin, and the necessary covering will do its function whatever you call it. This way of dressing is the result of Fatwa. It is obligatory. Furthermore if you also wear jilbab over this way of dressing, of course it is the result of Taqwa, it is highly appreciated. It is to hide oneself completely. It is not possible to force everybody to wear jilbab, because Taqwa is optional but fatwa is obligatory. Those who want or are interested in can prefer to wear it and those who do not want to wear it should not be insisted, because forcing oneself to wear according to Taqwa could cause not getting dressed according to Fatwa; some other negative results could also happen. Everybody can be interested in the way of wearing according to Fatwa; if we show the way of dressing according to Taqwa for those who cannot get dressed according to Fatwa, they will have difficulty and they can lose interest. It means that a wide headscarf, an overcoat or a topcoat that is wide and long enough to conceal the contours of the body, a thick pair of socks, a pair of shoes whose heel part is closed, will be enough for the way of covering according to Fatwa. Almost everybody can adopt and wear it. In addition to this, wearing jilbab is a high virtue because it is the result of Taqwa. However, it should not be as a result of insistence; it should be a result of preference and love. Striving for the best can sometimes prevent from performing the good one. At that point, a person can regret saying “I wish I would do just the good one firstly, the best later” Furthermore, today we need to make people love the way of Islamic dressing. Not everybody can wear jilbab, which is the summit of covering oneself. However, a beautiful overcoat or an elegant topcoat, a wide and an elegant headscarf, and a thick pair of socks attract almost every woman’s interest. Those who wear in this way will not be exposed to the pressure of the environment and covet those who see it. So, it would be a favorable way of Islamic dressing and it would prevent an unfavorable way. Those who have kismet to get dressed like that will see they are happy and at ease. After they find ease to get dressed according to Fatwa, they can think of getting dressed according to Taqwa. Then we would talk about advancement. It is a reality that there are many hesitant people who do not know how and like whom they will live. To be a model for them, to seem in a way that they will like, and to make them feel that they can perform the Islamic rules is a very important service and virtuous guidance. Namely, a woman with the Islamic way of dressing is a preacher and guide for those hesitant people. With their elegant way of dressing, they are a model, warning and advice for them. Those who have kismet will wear and be interested in this reasonable way of dressing. The whole duty is in the hands of our women with the Islamic way of dressing. They should be in a clean and an elegant way, far away from showing that kind of dressing bad and ugly. This criterion from the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah is very good warning and guidance for our covered women: “Women who get dressed properly and cause it spread will take its price. Those who do not get dressed properly and made it spread will take its penalty." It means that we should get dressed properly and take its price; and we should get away from getting dressed improperly. Will you please click on the links given below; http://www.questionsonislam.com/article/how-should-woman%E2%80%99s-outside-covering-be-what-extent-can-hands-and-feet-be-uncovered-how-shoul http://www.questionsonislam.com/question/what-kind-clothes-should-women-wear-tasattur http://www.questionsonislam.com/article/how-must-be-way-dressing-muslim-woman
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iammemz
Another great post..
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ameer hamza qaisrani
jizakallah
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