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Is it permissible for a Muslim woman to lift her 'isdal', 'milhafa', or 'abaya' if she is not wearing trousers underneath, due to circumstances such as a dirty road or the presence of water, or due to habit, or hot weather, or to facilitate her movement? And what is the ruling on lifting it with the intention of showing the beauty of her legs?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

There is no harm for a Muslim woman in wearing an isdal, milhafah, abaya, or similar garments, provided they fulfill the conditions of the Shar'i hijab. Among these conditions is that the garment itself should not be an adornment. A woman is obligated to cover her feet and whatever is above them from her shins. If she is wearing trousers or socks that cover her shins and feet, she may lift her jilbab out of necessity, such as to avoid dirt or water. However, this is not an excuse to uncover her feet. It is not permissible to uncover one's legs so that people may appreciate their beauty, as Allah Almighty says: "And let them not strike their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment."

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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