However, to classify the matter as merely recommended clashes with the plain wording of the command, for—as noted earlier—the command denotes obligation. Imam al-Shāfiʿī (d. 204 AH) expresses a view in al-Umm that is close to what we have argued; he states (1/78):
“If someone prays in a shirt through which the skin is visible, his prayer is invalid … If he prays in a single shirt that outlines the body but is not transparent, I dislike it for him, yet it is not evident that he must repeat the prayer … A woman is in a stricter position than a man in this regard: if she prays in a dirʿ and a khimār and the dirʿ outlines her form, I prefer that she not pray except with a jilbāb on top of that, holding it away from her body so the dirʿ does not cling to her.”
ʿĀʾishah (Allah be pleased with her) said, “A woman must have three garments in which she prays: a dirʿ, a jilbāb, and a khimār,”
following the example of the earliest female emigrants (the first Muhajir women). When the command to cast the khimar (head-veil) was revealed, those women tore their outer cloaks and used them to veil themselves. We are not asking today’s women to tear any of their garments; we ask only that they lengthen and broaden them so that the clothing flows over everything Allah has ordered them to cover.
Yet we have seen many young women—misled by some who claim to be female preachers—make it their hallmark to shorten their skirts to mid-calf, wear stockings that cling to the legs, and place nothing more than a small khimar (an isharb) on their heads, without a jilbab (outer cloak) over the khimar as the Qur’an explicitly commands, as explained earlier. By doing so, they do not realise that they put themselves among those whom Allah describes: “while they think they are doing good.”
To the sincere among them I offer this counsel: do not prefer imitation of a party or a shaykh—much less a shaykha—over adherence to the Book and the Sunnah. Allah says: “Follow what has been sent down to you from your Lord and do not follow, apart from Him, any patrons; little is it that you remember” (al-A‘raf 7:3).