“Do not let your womenfolk wear them as under-garments.” A man said, “Commander of the Believers, I have already clothed my wife in one. She walked back and forth in the house and I saw nothing transparent.” ʿUmar replied, “Even if it is not transparent, it still outlines the body.”(1)
These two reports, taken together, indicate that the early Muslims considered any garment that is either transparent or form-fitting to be impermissible, and that transparency is worse than mere tightness. For that reason ʿAʾisha—may Allah be pleased with her—said, “The proper khimār is only that which conceals the complexion and the hair.”(2)
Authentic. Shamisah said, “I entered upon ʿAʾisha while she was wearing garments of this thick sayyid(3) material,(4) together with a long tunic …”
(1) Al-Bayhaqi records the report (2/234–235) and rules it mursal (the link between Abd Allah b. Abi Salama and Umar is missing), although all the transmitters are trustworthy. He further strengthens it by noting: “It was also narrated by Muslim al-Batin from Abu Salih, from Umar.”
(2) Al-Bayhaqi cites it in muʿallaq form (2/235): “We have transmitted from Aisha that she was asked about the khimar, and she replied …,” after which he gives the wording of the report.
(3) The cited source spells the word with sin, ya, then dal, but its meaning in this context is unclear. It is probably al-sirraʾ (pattern of ʿinabaʾ), a kind of striped mantle with yellow lines or interwoven with silk.
(4) Lisan al-Arab says: “A thawb safiq is thick and sturdy … A safiq or sfiq garment is tightly woven.” Al-Qamus adds: “A thawb safiq is the opposite of sakhif,” the latter describing cloth spun with few threads and therefore flimsy.