SRINAGAR (Dispatches) -- Clothing is one of the most fundamental needs in life, and it has been practised since ancient times when humans used to wrap themselves with grass, leaves, and animal skin, among other things. As the globe changes, so do fashion trends and developments in this area. The purpose of clothing is not only to provide us with the cover but also to appease and project one’s social image to others. Islam offers direction in all facets of life, including ethics and morality. Islam has also stressed the need for modesty and the requirement for clothes, which some Muslims have neglected. Islam does not have a rigid requirement for the sort or style of clothes that Muslims must wear, but there are some minimal standards that must be met. Islam places equal value on wearing clean, spotless clothing and pursuing the goal of concealing private areas.
Islam makes it haram for women to wear clothes which fail to cover the body and which are transparent, revealing what is underneath. It is likewise haram to wear tight-fitting clothes which delineate the parts of the body, especially those parts which are sexually attractive; for example, leggings which have become common among ladies.
Islam not only accepts but also demands beauty and elegance, and it generally opposes any attempts to forbid them. Say: Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has brought forth for His servants and the good things of His providing? (Qur’an 7:32).
Clothes in which men look like women and vice versa are also not allowed in Islam. It is haram for women to imitate men and men to imitate women in the way they dress.