Is it permissible for a woman to wear a loose abaya and a khimar that covers the arms to the elbow, with the rest of the arm remaining covered by the abaya, or must the khimar cover the arms completely, or must the abaya’s sleeve be tight to the body to prevent the arms from being outlined? And is she sinful if the loose abaya reveals her body’s details due to wind, movement, or sitting? And what is the required limit for the wideness of Islamic dress? And when ascending stairs, is it sufficient to wear thick, long socks or tight trousers that do not reveal skin color under the abaya when part of the legs become visible, or must one wear wide trousers? And is informing others about having worn trousers previously considered a public disclosure of sin, and how can one answer without lying, and is it permissible to disclose this with the intention of encouraging other women to adhere to the Islamic hijab?
It is not a condition for a woman's hijab that her khimar (head covering) completely cover her arms, nor that the sleeve of her abaya (cloak) be tight against her body. Rather, what is required for her khimar is that it cover the neck and chest, as in the Almighty's saying: "and to draw their khumur over their juyub (bosoms)" (An-Nur: 31). Therefore, there is no harm in wearing a wide abaya and a khimar that covers the arms approximately to the elbow. As for trousers, a woman is prohibited from wearing them because they describe the body and reveal the size of the parts of her body that must be covered.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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