Ruling on Asbaal for Women.

Q; Can I please ask you a Question, what about the lady with her abayas can they touch the floor or is this haram aswell?

A; Wa Alakum As-Salam-
Praise be to Allaah,
The warning with regard to isbaal (wearing clothes that come below the ankle) in the case of men does not apply to women, because women and commanded to cover their feet, and it is permitted to them to lengthen their garments by a cubit.

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever allows his garment to drag out of pride, Allaah will not look at him on the Day of Resurrection.” Umm Salamah said: “What should women do with their hems?” He said: “Lower it a handspan.” She said: “Then their feet will show.” He said: “Let them lower it a cubit, but no more than that.”

Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1731; al-Nasaa’i, 5336; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.

“And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment”

[al-Noor 24:31]

Ibn Hazm said:

This text applies to the feet and calves, which are hidden; it is not permissible to show them.

Al-Muhalla, 3/216

Al-Qaadi ‘Iyaad said:

The scholars are unanimously agreed that this is forbidden to men, not to women.

Tarh al-Tathreeb, 8/173

Al-Nawawi said:

The scholars are unanimously agreed that it is permissible for women to let their garments hang below their ankles (isbaal). Clear permission has been narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) for them to lower their hems by a cubit.

Sharh Muslim, 14/62.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz said:

The point is that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained all that is good and called us to all that is good, and he warned us against all that is evil. He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whatever of the lower garment hangs down below the ankles is in the Fire.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari in his Saheeh. The izar (lower garment), trousers, thobe (dishdasha) and abaya (cloak) should not come down below the ankles; whatever comes below the ankles is subject to the warning mentioned in the hadeeth, with regard to men. With regard to women, they have to make their clothes long enough to cover their feet, because the feet are ‘awrah. It is not permissible for a man to imitate women by dragging his garment or in any other way.

Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 5/28.

And he said:

There are many similar ahaadeeth, which indicate that isbaal is forbidden in general terms, even if the one who does it claims that he is not doing it for the sake of pride and showing off, because that is a means that leads to pride, and because it is a kind of extravagance and exposing clothing to dirt and impurities. But if a person does that with the intention of pride then the matter is more serious and the sin is greater, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever allows his garment to drag out of pride, Allaah will not look at him on the Day of Resurrection.” The defining point here is the ankles. The Muslim male is not allowed to let his garments come down below the ankles, because of the ahaadeeth mentioned.

But in the case of females, they may make their clothes longer so as to cover the feet.

Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 5/380

And Allaah knows best.

Reference: (Islam Q&A Fatwa: 48953)