Assalamualikum Brother Haq!
To a certain extent,I agree with what you said.But which scholar told you that you can’t wear western clothing.I think that you haven’t come across scholars such as Adv. Faiz Syyed of Islamic Research Centre (IRC) .True scholars of hadith only forbid wearing of those western attires which are against the principle of loose clothing such as pencil jeans fitting trousers and body hugging tee-shirts.Women can also wear any simple and loose clothing with a proper hijab.But the fact that remains a fact is that you can’t “intentionally” prefer any other clothing over the white qamis that Prophet Muhammad(Peace Be Upon Him) often wore.
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Wear your white clothes, for they are the best of your clothes, and shroud your dead in them.’” (Reported by Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Ahkaam al-Janaa’iz *p. 82*)
There are certain other sahihhadiths regarding clothing which I shall be pleased to provide if you wish to know them.

Jazaakallahukhair!!!

IF it is western dress, but meets the Islamic requirements is what is meant, I believe. I frequently wear lose white jeans & a extra long nheavy white ntee shirt. I’m distinct, but dressed Islamically – as opposed to wearing a thobe & turban, etc.
Allah knows best.

Last night, it was an amazing talk in keighley. We are planning to organise an event in Leeds for non muslims oon 19th October 2008 and we would like to invite you as a speaker. Can you please confirm whether you are available on that day or not.

Wasalam

Mashallah, this has been, and I hope will be, a very healthy discussion.

Many thanks for everyone’s comments

SDW

Jews still wear talaisim. They are smaller than they used to be many years back, but they do still wear them.

I, being of Jewish lineage and one who stills follows the commands in the Tawrah, still wear them. Would this be thus haram?

Brother Abideen, I definitely agree with you. I don’t think Muslims should strive to become inconspisuous in the West because that’s not what Allah asks of us, indeed the Prophet (saw) has said that Islam began as something strange and will return as something strange. (aw kama qaal alaihi salatu was salam) Instead we should work individually to maintain a balance between wearing proper modest attire and living amongst all people in our societies. It is not the easiest thing in the world as challenges always arise and we will always question how well we’re doing both, but in the end I think that if we have a sincere intention for the sake of Allah, then He will make this balance possible for us to achieve.

First off, regarding Sunnah clothing for men, there are various viewpoints from scholars that advocate different approaches, true, my point in bringing up the Ahnaf or Imam Nawawi was to show that there are forms of dress considered more virtuous by many of the Ulama by the merit of Sayyidina Rasulullah Sal-Allahu Alayhi Was Salam wearing them on a regular basis and even stating his preference as such. The arguments surrounding the question of how we are to interact with the Sunnah of the Prophet Sal-Allahu Alayhi Was Salam is a drawn out topic that I think many are weary of discussing; great scholars of our own time have given it a lot of thought and writing. Perhaps I am at fault for bringing that up, but I intended to mention it mainly in relation my question about women, which is a pragmatic question for our community to consider with respect to how we should integrate the Deen into Western society.

The fact remains that the most “modern woman” – in terms of dress – who puts on a scarf will automatically be identified as a Muslim. We can only look forward to Hijab becoming an acceptable and mainstream aspect of Western culture. Although male converts don’t have to change their appearance, female converts will inevitably be expected to change their dress, this is the reality of our community. By consistently emphasizing the option for men to assimilate, we make women stand out even more. I’ve taken classes on Modern Middle Eastern history and one question that has always come up in a sort of heated way is “why do the women have to go around wearing a tent and the men don’t?” (I myself did not take part in those discussions, but I listened to their concerns) The increased identifiability of Muslim women in our culture is seen as unfair by some converts, non-Muslims, and even some Ulama. That the Deen requires Hijab but not the thobe, for example, is understood, but when leaders encourage men to assimilate and (in effect) tell women not to, it is seen by some as being unfair. By responding, for example, that a Muslim man should then dress nicely, in a suit and tie, or even a short beard, it does not result in consequences equal to wearing the scarf, it does not inevitably identify one as a Muslim.

I agree with Br. Abideen on the point that it is not expedient for Muslims to blend in where there is no serious threat. From my own experience, most brothers will assimilate when given the option by scholars, they don’t even consider virtues of the Sunnah or the impact on the community.

Women don’t have the option of blending in. If men take up the Sunnah they can hope to make that an acceptable part of Western life just like the Hijab. Its a long-term vision and isn’t that what we want, considering that the whole purpose of not standing out is to protect life, honor, and avoid alienation – not mere inconvenience? Otherwise, how are things going to change? (yes I am assuming that outward Sunnahs are worth it despite the disagreement among scholars. In any case, it is a popular, scholarly interpretation (that I leave for scholars to defend), and one that the Muslims in the West should find ways to include in the vision for the future.)

Jazakum Allahu khayr
Was Salam