Question Summary:
i want toknow whether men could wear pant shirt to workplace because my husband is a very strong faith muslim and refused to wear pant shirt at his workplace. Many companies today are making a

Question Detail:

ASAK well i want toknow whether men could wear pant shirt to workplace because my husband is a very strong faith muslim and refused to wear pant shirt at his workplace.  Many companies today are making a big issue about his dresscode because he wears a turban and salwar kameez....  I am asking this question because we are under financial crisis with overdue payments and no money.  I know very well sustainence come from Allah SWT but i want to if he could wear pant shirt with intention to work and not to copy the mushrik.  I have been asking my husband lately to wear pant shirt loose and modest only at work but he denies.  Well our financial situation is very critical since we have so many overdue payments from bills, tuitions fees, utility fees, to home loan payment.  All the payments are overdue.  I am forcing my husband to wear only and only at work since its is required for him as he is an IT professional. I want to know whether i am doing any gunah by forcing him to wear pant/shirt at work.  I have four kids and i am doing this only for my kids so that they may have  a good islamic education in islamic schools only.  Please help me in this regard whether he could wear pant / shirt at workplace?  please be clear in YES OR NO becaue some ulamas confuses us with hadith but no clear answer in yes or no.  May Allah Swt guide the ummah of Prophet Muhammad SAW onto the right path and keep us all in Jannah together Ameen........

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
 
Undoubtedly, your husband’s love for and desire to follow the sunnah are highly admirable, especially in this day and age when so many people distance themselves from the sunnah.  At the same time, it is an obligation on your husband to provide for his family. 
 
Regarding your husband’s refusal to wear a pant and shirt to work, he might have a misunderstanding that wearing such clothing would constitute resembling and imitating the disbelievers, and, thus, fall under the following hadīth:
 
حدثنا عثمان بن أبى شيبة حدثنا أبو النضر حدثنا عبد الرحمن بن ثابت حدثنا حسان بن عطية عن أبى منيب الجرشى عن ابن عمر قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من تشبه بقوم فهو منهم
(سنن أبي داود، كتاب اللباس، باب في لبس الشهرة: 4/78؛ العربي)
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “Whoever resembles a nation, he is amongst them” (Abū Dāwūd)
 
However, this hadīth will only apply if a person imitates a nation with the intention to imitate them or if he resembles them in their shi’ār (salient features specific to that nation).  Pants and shirts are not the salient features of any religion or nation.  Rather, they are worn worldwide across all different races and religions.
 
This fact, along with your husband’s intention to wear it only for work purposes, will not constitute imitating any nation nor entail any dislike (karāhah).  It is permissible (mubāh) to wear a pant and shirt as long as they fit loosely and properly cover his ‘awrah (satr). 
 
Due to your husband’s dislike for wearing such clothing, he may wear it only for work purposes and change into sunnah attire as soon as he leaves work.  He could wear long shirts and loose pants that do not fall below his ankles.  At the same time, you husband should also make sincere du’ā to Allāh, while actively searching, for another job that meets his financial needs and allows him to dress according to the sunnah. 
 
عن ابن عمر رضي الله تعالى عنهما (قال قال رسول الله من تشبه بقوم) أي من شبه نفسه بالكفار مثلا في اللباس وغيره أو بالفساق أو الفجار أو بأهل التصوف والصلحاء الأبرار (فهو منهم) أي في الإثم والخير قال الطيبي هذا عام في الخلق والخلق والشعار ولما كان الشعار أظهر في الشبه ذكر في هذا الباب قلت بل الشعار هو المراد بالتشبه لا غير فإن الخلق الصوري لا يتصور فيه التشبه والخلق المعنوي لا يقال فيه التشبه بل هو التخلق هذا
(مرقاة المفاتيح، كتاب اللباس، الفصل الثاني: 8/255؛ إمدادية)
 
And Allah knows best
Wassalaamu `alaykum
Ml. Abrar Mirza,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah