A Condition of Hijab

A Condition of Hijab: It Should Not be an Adornment in Itself
By Sheikh Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani
[Taken from the book Jilbab ul Mar-ah Muslimah fi Kitab wa Sunnah]

According to the statement of The Exalted in the verse of Surat Nur:
"...and not to reveal their adornment..." [Noble Quran 24:31]

It also includes the outer clothing (covering), if this clothing is an adornment which attracts men to look at her. And this is further proven in the statement of The Exalted:
"...And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance," [Noble Quran 33:33]

And the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
"Do not ask about three people [meaning they are destroyed]: a man who disobeyed his ruler and left the Muslim Jama'ah (unity); and died upon this state, and a male or female slave who ran away; and died upon this state, and a woman who's husband is away; and he left everything she needs for her -of the worldly provisions- yet even after this: she openly displays her beauty [to strangers]. So do not ask about these kinds of people."
[Narrated by al-Hakim and Imam Ahmad; and its chain is Sahih (authentic). And al-Hakim said: "It is upon their agreed with conditions (meaning Bukhari and Muslim). And I don't see any defect in that," and Ad-Dthahabi agreed with him as well.]

Tabarruj:

It is when a woman displays (shows) that which will cause [or stir the] desire of the men. It can be from her beauty, or her cosmetics, and all what she is supposed to cover." And the purpose of the commandment for wearing the Jilbab; is to cover the beauty of a woman. So it is not sensible that the Jilbab itself should be attractive. Thus on this Imam ad-Dthahabi said in 'Kitab al-Kaba'ir' [The Book of Major sins] page 131:

"And from the actions which cause a woman to be cursed are :
1) Displaying her beauty, or her gold and pearls that she is wearing, or
2) Leaving her house while having perfumed herself with perfume or musk, or
3) Her wearing of very attractive colors, and
4) Outer garments (Jilbabs) that are shorter than the dress she is wearing inside.

All of these are actions which cause Allah to be angry upon her, and it causes the one who do so; to incur anger and detestation in this world and the Hereafter.

This act of Tabarruj (wanton display) is strongly warned against in Islam; to the point that it has been attached and mentioned together with Shirk (associating partners with Allah), and Zina (illegal sexual intercourse), and stealing, and other than these from the actions which are all Haram.

Abdullah ibn 'Umar said: "Umaimah bint Raqiqah came to the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to take an oath of allegiance with him in Islam. So he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I take your pledge that: you do not to associate anything with Allah (Shirk), not to steal, not to commit adultery, not to kill your children, nor to produce any lie that you have devised between your hands and feet, and not to wail [scream] when someone dies, and not to commit Tabarruj like the Tabarruj of Jahiliyyah (not to display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance.)" [Narrated by Imam Ahmad with a Hasan Isnad (a good chain of narration]

So clothing made of silk textile from different colors with designs of gold and silver; which amaze and draw the attention of the eyes are considered "wanton display".

It is not considered as an adornment if the cover of a woman is of other colors, and not white or black. This is something that is unclear to some of the Muslim women who are sticking to and practicing the religion. [They think that wearing a cover of other colors is not permissible].

And to prove this, there are the actions of the female companions regarding this issue which are narrated by al-Hafidth ibn Abi Shaybah in his book 'al-Mussanaf':

From Ibrahim, "That he together with Alqamah and al-Aswad; used to enter upon the wives of the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and they used to see them dressed in red outer coverings."

From Ibn Abi Mulaykah, who said: "I saw Umm Salamah dressed in clothing, and a covering dyed with saffron." (Saffron produces either red or yellow).

From al-Qasim, the son of Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr as-Siddiq - "That 'Ayshah used to wear yellow clothing; and she was in a state of Ihram."

And from a narration from al-Qasim: "That 'Ayshah used to wear clothing dyed with saffron; and she was in a state of Ihram."

From Hisham, from Fatima bint Mundhir: "That Asma used to dress in clothing dyed with saffron; and she was in Ihram."

From Sa'id ibn Jubayr that he saw "some of the wives of the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), making Tawaf in the house [Masjid al-Haram in Makkah] ; and they were dressed in (cover) clothing which were dyed with saffron."