A fatwa issued by the Darul Uloom Deoband, barring Muslim women from wearing jeans is drawing howls of protests across the state’s colleges. The fatwa came in response to a question posted on the Darul Ifta website earlier this week by a student from Saharanpur. 

The question read: “Can ladies wear gents’ clothes? …is it permissible for ladies to wear jeans and t-shirts?”

In response Muftis Habib-ur-Rehman and Zafeer-ud-din said, “There are some Hadith that relate curse for such women who adopt the resemblance of men; therefore wearing clothes of men is not correct for women.” In the seminary’s records, this reads as Fatwa: 771/730=B.

Hadith are oral traditions believed to have been handed over by the Prophet Mohammed. These are regarded as important tools to determine questions on the Muslim way of life, by all traditional schools of jurisprudence. Mufti Ehasan Kazmi of the Darul-Uloom (Waqf) justifies the fatwa.

He told Deccan Herald over phone, “Islam lays great emphasis on the character of girls. Girls who wear clothes that titillate, might attract the wrong kind of attention from men. Hence parents and brothers should ensure that girls wear such clothes that do not corrupt their character.”

However the Maulana also clarifies that a fatwa is merely a piece of advice and it is upto people to follow it or not. “A fatwa is given in light of the Shariat. Times might have changed but the Shariat remains the same.”

Fariya Rais, a college student from Lucknow points out that since the directive has come from a respected seminary, it is bound to have some impact. “Jeans are quite comfortable and resilient. My friends and I often team them up with kurtas. It is wrong to say that the dress is obscene in any manner”.

Her friend Fauzia Alam is worried that hardliners might forcibly try to ensure that the advisory is carried out.