Wife Who Wears Immodest Clothing

6-9-2025 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalamu alaykum,I’ve been married for a year. My wife prays, fasts, is respectful, has good principles and gets along well with my family. However, she doesn’t wear hijab and often wears clothes that show her arms and lower legs (below the knee), and swims in a one-piece swimsuit. I advised her many times, but she says she’s not ready and doesn’t want to make false promises. Because I thought she would change, I was patient, but it’s starting to hurt me. What should I do?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Your wife - may Allah guide her - is in great danger, for she is persisting in a major sin; Tabarruj (which is openly displaying her beauty in an immodest way). This is a grave matter in Islam, and severe warnings have been issued in the Shariah against it.

If she truly loves Allah and seeks His pleasure, she must hasten to sincere repentance. Similarly, you should remind her that by doing so (Tabarruj), she is angering Allah the Exalted.

Lastly, if she insists on continuing, then you should discipline her by distancing yourself from her until she repents and rectifies her behaviour. However, if she persists in this shameful act, then separation from her is better than remaining with her.

Allah knows best.