In the name of Allah , the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Part of the fitrah (natural inclinations of mankind) is that men should preserve the masculinity which Allaah has created in them, and women should preserve the femininity which Allaah has created in them. Without this, decent human life becomes impossible. Men resembling women and vice versa is something which goes against man's innate nature (fitrah) and opens the door to corruption and widespread promiscuity. The ruling in sharee'ah is that when it is stated that the person who does a thing is cursed, that thing is haraam. Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah has cursed the men who make themselves look like women and the women who make themselves look like men." (Reported by al-Bukhaari; see al-Fath, 10/332). Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) also reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah has cursed effeminate men and masculine women." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see al-Fath, 3\10/333). The resemblance may be in the way they move, walk and speak.Similarly, the two sexes are not permitted to resemble one another in dress or by wearing anything that is specifically for the other sex. So a man is not permitted to wear necklaces, bracelets, anklets or earrings, etc., as is widespread among hippies and the like. Women are not permitted to wear things that are specifically for men, like the thawb (long garment worn by men in Arab countries), shirts, etc.; whatever she wears should be different in style, details and colour. The evidence that the two sexes should not resemble one another in dress is found in the hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him): "Allaah has cursed the man who wears women's clothes and the woman who wear men's clothes." (Reported by Abu Dawud, 4/355; see also Saheeh al-Jaami', 5071).
( MuharamatProhibitions That Are Taken Too LightlyEnglish TranslationBook by Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid )
