Manners of Adornment and Hadith

Human is a social creature who loves beauty. It is no wonder for us to look for the element of beauty in our daily lives. And one of those is our appearance. There is almost no one who wants to have a bad look or appearance, everyone is racing to fix and improve their look and appearance. 

For women or what the holy or what the holy Quran called us as An-nisa, we are no stranger to the word makeup. The everyday activity that we do to beautify ourselves, when we are going to our workplace, attending an invitation or simply hanging out with friends. Adornment, putting on makeup and dressing up is a thing we can’t live without.

As a Muslim, it is only decent for us to understand the manners of adornment in Islam. The manners of adorment in Islam is applied to both men and women. The existence of these etiquettes not only allows us to harvest goodness for those who apply it but also to show our character or one of the signs of our faith to Allah SWT.

1. Don’t exaggerate on adornment

Dressing up and putting on makeup is indeed allowed, however never exaggerate. Do dress up naturally, such as one of the Qur’an verse explained:

 Allah SWT commandment:

بَنِي آدَمَ خُذُوا زِينَتَكُمْ عِنْدَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا وَلا تُسْرِفُوا إِنَّهُ لا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ

“O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid, and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.” (QS. Al-A’raaf, 7:31)

2. Tabarruj

Islam prohibits its followers to do tabarruj. Tabarruj in Islam is derived from the word al-burj which means star, something that is bright and seen. In other words, exaggerating on showing your jewelry and beauty, like makeup that is too thick, showing the line of your neck, chest or any crook of your body.

Imam Ash-Shawkani said, “At-Tabarruj is when a woman exposes her adornment, body features and all that is obligated to cover which invites the desires of men.” (Fathul Qadiir, by Ash-Shawkani)

Allah Ta’ala commandment:

وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الأولَى

“And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance…” (Al-Ahzab (33:33))

Syaikh ‘Abdur Rahman as-Sa’di narrated his tafseer of the ayah:

“Do you (O women) are often out of the house with ornate or wear fragrance, as was the custom of women who formerly Ignorance, they do not have knowledge (of religion) and faith. All this to prevent deterioration (for women) and their causes.” (Shayk ‘Abdur Rahman as-Sa’di on his tafseer book Taiisirul Kariimir Rahmaan)

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3. Proper Clothing

As the common knowledge of proper clothing (covering awrah) both to women and men in Islam explained: awrah is part of your body that covering is obligatory, for it is shown it arises shame and denote the act of disgrace if shown.

The shame itself is a part of Akhlaq in Islam. Such how Ibn Majah narrated a Hadith of Anas, The Prophet Sallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam commandment:

إِنَّ لِكُلِّ دِينٍ خُلُقًا، وَخُلُقُ الْإِسْلَامِ الْحَيَاءُ

“Every religion has its distinct characteristic, and the distinct characteristic of Islam is modesty.” (Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith)

Indeed, woman is the awrah of Islam, and it is of importance for a woman to take care and protect themselves anywhen, anywhere. Included on the matter of adornment. For the cause is explained in the verse below:

لْمَرْأَةُ عَوْرَةٌ، فَإِذَا خَرَجَتِ اسْتَشْرَفَهَا الشَّيْطَانُ

“Woman is ‘awrah, and if she goes out, the shaytaan raises his hopes (of misguiding her)” (Al-albani in silsilah of Hadith)

The Prophet Muhammad SAW commandment:

لاَ يَنْظُرُ الرَّجُلُ إِلَى عَوْرَةِ الرَّجُلِ وَلاَ الْمَرْأَةُ إِلَى عَوْرَةِ الْمَرْأَةِ

“No man should look at the ‘awrah of another man, and no woman should look at the ‘awrah of another woman.” [Muslim, hadith no. 338]

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Syaikh al-Albani narrated: “While Muslim women in the presence of in the presence of another Muslim woman, then their body is awrah except the parts where normally adorned with adornment. Namely head, ears, neck, upper part of chest which normally decorated with necklace, a little bit part of the upper up adorned with decorations, their sole, and the lower part of leg normally decorated by anklet.

While the other body part is awrah, it is forbidden for a Muslim woman or their mahram to see the parts of her body, and forbidden for her to let it be seen.

Those are some of the manners of adornment manners in Islam that you should know of. May this article bring merit to all our readers. Aamin.