Islamic Dress and Conduct Guidelines for Women Attending the Mosque

Etiquettes for Women Attending the Mosque​

This excerpt is taken from Muhammad Ayyub Supra’s book Khawateen ka Masjid Namaz Mein Ba-Jamaat Parhne ka Mas’alah.

Islamic Guidelines for Women Going to the Mosque​

Islam has explained the proper way of performing all religious and social duties. While unnecessary outings for women are discouraged, there are occasions when leaving the house becomes necessary. In such cases, the manner of going out and the etiquettes to be observed have been explained in various ahadith.


Similarly, attending the mosque has its own rules of respect and decorum, which are derived from the Qur’an and Sunnah. Below are key guidelines:

Dress Etiquette​

❀ Qur’anic Command:
خذوا زينتكم عند كل مسجد


“Take your adornment at every mosque.”
(Al-Aʿrāf: 31)

• When coming to the mosque for prayer, a woman’s clothing must cover her entire body (satr) according to Islamic law.
• She must observe proper ḥijāb and avoid wearing flashy or decorative clothing that attracts attention.

❀ Head Cover Requirement:
ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:


“Allah does not accept the prayer of a mature woman without a head covering.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd)


❀ Prohibition of Transparent Clothing:

• Wearing thin or see-through garments that reveal the skin is not permissible unless another layer of clothing underneath covers the body completely.
• The Prophet (ﷺ) warned:

“There will be women who are clothed yet naked, inclining [to temptation] and making others incline. Their heads will be like the humps of Bactrian camels. They will not enter Paradise nor smell its fragrance, though its fragrance can be smelled from a great distance.”
(Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn)


❀ Prohibition of Imitating Men:
Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:


“A woman wearing clothing that is a distinctive feature of men is forbidden at all times — in prayer and otherwise — because the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) cursed men who imitate women and women who imitate men.”

• Therefore, a woman wearing men’s clothing, such as pants, faces two issues:
  
  1. Imitating disbelievers.
  2. Inadequate coverage, especially during sujūd.

❀ Prohibition of Fame-Seeking Clothing:
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
من لبس ثوب شهرة فى الدنيا ألبسه الله ثوب مذلة يوم القيامة


“Whoever wears a garment for fame in this world, Allah will clothe him with a garment of humiliation on the Day of Judgment.”
(Abū Dāwūd, Ibn Mājah, Aḥmad)


❀ Prohibition of Wearing Perfume to the Mosque:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:


“When any of you women goes to the mosque, she should not go wearing perfume.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

Conclusion​

A woman attending the mosque must dress in modest, non-revealing, non-flashy clothing, observe ḥijāb, avoid imitating men’s dress, and never wear perfume that could attract attention.


These guidelines not only preserve the sanctity of the mosque but also protect the dignity and honor of Muslim women, fulfilling the Qur’anic command to attend the mosque in a state of adornment that aligns with Islamic modesty.