Question Summary:
Can women wear dresses as abayahs? And, as an abayah is supposed to be a loose article piece over a woman’s clothes, can be it fancy?

Question Detail:

Assalamwalaikum,
1. When do question sessions open up, because I've been trying this for 2 years and this is the first time it has opened for me? 
2. Can women wear dresses as abayahs? And, as an abayah is supposed to be a loose article piece over a woman's clothes, can be it fancy? Colored? Are there certain rulings regarding this?

Answer :

Assalāmu `alaikum Warahmatullāhi Wabrakatuh,
1. The session opens at 9:00 AM in the morning and remains open until the daily quota of questions has been submitted.
2. When a woman comes out of her home her entire self should be covered in such a way that the form and shape of the body should be concealed. The covering should also not attract any attention. If the dress is loose enough and serves the objective, it will suffice. The dress being fancy will attract attention and defeat the purpose of concealing oneself.
And Allah Ta'ala Knows Best,
Muftī Ebrahim Desai
Daruliftaa
35 Candella Rd, Durban, South Africa
T : 031-207-5772 F: 086-692-7275
www.daruliftaa.net