Modest Clothing for Muslim Men

While there are plenty of guides to female Islamic dress, there is generally not as much guidance available for men. There are actually fewer principles than many people imagine, and there's plenty of room for personal style. This guide to modest dress for Muslim men distills the views of scholars and identifies the common points of agreement and disagreement, and then demonstrates how this applies in the real world of daily life in the UK, both for those who wear the thobe every day and those who wear it only for Jumu’ah. 

What modesty requires of men

Cover the awrah.
Most scholars hold that a man’s awrah is the area between the navel and the knees. The four Sunni schools differ on whether the navel and the knee themselves are included, so many men simply cover both to be safe.

Wear clothing that is loose and opaque.
Garments should not outline the body or be see-through.

Avoid silk and gold.
A hadith in Sunan Abi Dawud records the Prophet ﷺ holding silk and gold and declaring both forbidden for the men of his ummah. A silver ring, however, is permitted.

Don’t imitate women’s clothing.
Men’s dress should remain distinct from garments worn by women.

Garment length: where scholars differ

There are several hadiths prohibiting a garment from being dragged down below the ankles. Some scholars consider any length that does not reach the ankle as not permissible for men. Others connect the warning directly with pride. To avoid the controversy, many men wear their hems at or just above the ankle. When in doubt, follow a trusted scholar. 

If you prefer embroidered patterns worn as a scarf, browse our Yemeni shemagh shop.

Thobe styles compared

Collared designs, which some shops list as Saudi kanduras, look closest to a dress shirt. That makes them the easiest style to wear in an office.

Modest clothing for Muslim men outside the thobe

You don’t need a thobe to dress modestly. Trousers with room in the seat and thigh, paired with a shirt long enough to stay tucked when you bend, meet the same standard.

A thobe has real advantages: one garment covers everything, and it’s comfortable for prayer. It also has limits. Long hems collect mud in British rain, and the thobe can feel out of place in some workplaces. Many men wear Western clothes during the week and keep a thobe for the masjid and Eid.

Also, check out the red-and-white ghutra keffiyeh, the classic Gulf style. 

The prayer test: a fit checklist

Try any new outfit in these positions before you commit to it:

1. Go into sujood. Your lower back should stay covered. Low-rise trousers often fail this test.

2. Sit on the floor. The fabric shouldn’t strain across the thighs, and your knees should stay covered.

3. Stand in daylight. Thin white or pale fabric can turn see-through in bright sun. Hold it up to a window to check.

4. Read the label. Satin-look polyester is fine, but blends containing real silk are not.

5. Check the hem. Look at where it falls when you’re standing, not when you’re sitting.

Headwear: optional, but popular

Covering the head isn’t an obligation for men, but many wear a kufi for prayer. If you want more structure, an Egyptian banded kufi sits firmly through a full prayer. For cooler months, a shemagh adds warmth.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Sizing by chest alone. For a thobe, length matters most. Measure from the top of your shoulder to your ankle and compare it with the size guide. Al-Haq also offers 14-day exchanges if the fit is off.

• Assuming any thobe is modest. A long garment in thin fabric can still fail the daylight test.

• Overlooking accessories. A gold watch or chain undoes an otherwise careful outfit.

The Bottom Line

Modest clothing for Muslim men is simple: cover from the navel to the knee, wear loose and opaque clothing, and avoid silk and gold. Beyond that is style and culture. Prayers test anything new, purchase by length, and prepare for the season. As the weather starts to cool down, a hooded winter djelleba provides full coverage and warmth when heading to Fajr.

This guide represents a summary of widely shared scholarly perspectives. If giving personal rulings, ask a qualified scholar.