Question
Reference number: 296382 | Clothing and Accessories Legislations | Oct. 7, 2018
What is the ruling if a woman wears black clothes?
Answer
Praise Be to Allah and Peace Be Upon His Messenger.
A woman is allowed to wear black clothes as long as these clothes meet Islamic clothing conditions. For example, the clothes must be loose and not transparent. They must not be thin or tight. Some scholars do not like it when women intentionally wear black if a relative of them dies, or because they are sad. It is narrated that the wives of the prophet’s companions used to wear black clothes. It is narrated that Umm Salamah (one of the prophet’s wives) said: “When the verse “O prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils)” was revealed, the women of Ansar came out as if they had crows over their heads by wearing outer garments.” Sahih Al-Albani. (choosing crows in the hadith shows that they wore black.