Question
Here is a question that needs your immediate attention.
We know that to wear Silk Clothes is not allowed for a Muslim. The question is this:
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Is polyester or polyester mixed cotton clothing allowed?
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Are silk mixed cotton clothes also allowed?
We need immediate answer to the above question. I will be obliged if answers are sent today.
Thanks.
Answer
If all the narratives ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh) regarding his dislike concerning men’s wearing silk are gathered, they provide us some interesting information. For instance:
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There is an interesting narrative of an event when the Prophet (pbuh) was presented a piece of silk clothing. The Prophet (pbuh) wore it and offered his prayers wearing it. Immediately after the prayers he took these clothes off, as if he disliked them, and said, “This cloth is not suitable for the God fearing”. (Bukhari, Kitaab al-Libaas)
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The dislike regarding men’s wearing silk has been combined in a few narratives with using utensils made of gold and silver etc. (Bukhari, Kitaab al-At`imah)
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The Prophet (pbuh) allowed Abd al-Rahman ibn al-`auf and Zubair to wear silk because of some skin problem that they suffered from. (Bukhari, Kitaab al-Jihaad wal-Siyar)
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The Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said that any piece of clothing made of pure silk is prohibited for men. But there is no harm in wearing any piece of cloth in which there is a lining of silk or in which a silk thread is used. (Abu Dawood, Kitaab al-Libaas)
Keeping in view the above narratives ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh), it obviously seems that wearing of silk for a man does not fall under the category of a permanent and independent prohibition. On the contrary, it seems that initially the Prophet (pbuh) himself wore a dress of silk and then due to reasons that can be derived from other narratives ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh), expressed his dislike regarding a man’s wearing silk clothes. The reason for this dislike of the Prophet (pbuh) may be derived from the second narrative cited above. In this narrative, the Prophet (pbuh) has mentioned his dislike toward men’s wearing silk with that of using utensils of gold and silver. This narrative clearly points out that wearing silk, like using utensils of gold and silver comes under the category of Israf (extravagance). Narrative numbers three and four further substantiate this reason. In these narratives, the Prophet (pbuh) has allowed wearing of silk in case of a problem (like a skin disease) and also has allowed wearing of a cloth in which silk has been mixed in a minute quantity.
As we know that Israf has been clearly prohibited by the Qur’an. The Qur’an, in Al-Isra 17:27 has called the extravagant, “brothers of satan”. The reason for this is also quite obvious. A person is normally driven toward extravagance with the motive of showing off his wealth in the society and to look wealthier than his fellow brethren. This attitude is not only a result of but it also strengthens the spirit of arrogance (takabbur) and thinking highly of one’s own self. And we know that takabbur, according to the Qur’an is an unforgivable sin for man.
From the above explanation, it should be clear that wearing silk clothes or using utensils made of gold and silver etc. were disallowed by the Prophet (pbuh) because of their being symbols of Israf (extravagance) and Takabbur (arrogance). It logically follows that in our days, if anything else has also attained the position of a status symbol or if anything else has attained the position of being a symbol of Israf and Takabbur, then the use of such items should also be avoided.
In view of the above explanation, you may correctly derive that if polyester or polyester mixed clothing or silk mixed cotton clothing (or any other clothing) is considered to be Israf (extravagance) or a symbol of Takabbur (arrogance) in any given society, then a God fearing person, in that society, should avoid wearing such clothes.
12th May1999