Are women allowed to wear dresses or abayas that drag and have a long trail in the back?

As salaamu ’alaykum,

I have a question regarding the dragging of a women’s garment. To what extent is this permissible? Are women allowed to wear dresses (indoors) or abayas (outdoors) that drag and have a long trail in the back?

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما

In reference to your question, a woman’s garment can be as long as one cubit (three and a half feet) from the ankle. Consider the following hadith:

 Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked the Prophet ﷺ how low women should leave the lower end of their garments. The Prophet ﷺ replied that they may leave them one hand span. Upon this, Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, “In that case the feet will become exposed.” Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺ said, “Then they may leave them one cubit (lower than the ankle), but no longer than that.”

(Tirmizi)

والله اعلم

And Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala knows best.

Ilyas Husain

Approved by Mufti Husain Ahmad Madani