Eid al fitr is the most awaited moment, right? After a month of fasting, we can finally celebrate the day of victory! Well, one tradition that is never missed is wearing new eid al fitr clothes. But, is it true that we always have to buy new clothes for Eid al fitr? Or is this just a habit? Let’s discuss it casually here!
Sunnah of Wearing Nice Clothes on eid al fitr
In Islam, we are indeed encouraged to appear neat and wear the best clothes on eid al fitr. This is not just a style, but there is a sunnah from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that we can emulate.
From Jabir bin Abdullah radhiyallahu ‘anhu, he said:
“The Prophet ﷺ had a special robe that was worn for two eid al fitr days and Friday.”
(Narrated by Ibn Khuzaimah in his Sahih, no. 1765)
So, from this hadith it is clear that wearing nice eid al fitr clothes is recommended. But that doesn’t mean it has to be new, the important thing is that it’s clean, neat, and suitable to wear.
There is also a story from Umar bin Khattab radhiyallahu ‘anhu. One day, he saw a silk robe in the market and said to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:
“O Messenger of Allah, buy this robe so that it can be used to decorate yourself on eid al fitr and when receiving guests.”
But the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ replied:
“This is clothing for people who do not get a share in the afterlife.”
(HR. Bukhari, no. 948, Muslim, no. 2068)
Well, from here we understand that wearing nice clothes on eid al fitr is allowed, but it must still be in accordance with sharia rules. For example, for men, they are not allowed to wear silk because it is prohibited in Islam.
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Dress Etiquette in Islam
In addition to wearing eid al fitr clothes, there are several dress etiquettes in Islam that we need to pay attention to:
- Cover your body according to sharia – don’t just do it for style.
- Choose something clean and neat – it doesn’t have to be expensive, the important thing is that it’s appropriate.
- Don’t show off or be over the top – so that it doesn’t become a show-off.
- Don’t resemble the clothes of the opposite sex or other religions.
- Avoid anything tight or transparent – comfortable to look at, comfortable to wear.
Allah ﷻ says:
يَا بَنِي آدَمَ خُذُوا زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا وَلَا تُسْرِفُوا إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ المسرفين
“O children of Adam, wear your best clothes every time you go to the mosque, eat and drink, but do not be excessive. Indeed, Allah does not like those who are excessive.” (QS. Al-A’raf: 31)
So, it’s okay to wear cool eid al fitr clothes, but keep it in moderation!
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The Clothes of Piety, More Important Than Just New Clothes
Apart from physical clothing, there is something more important! Namely the clothes of piety. Allah ﷻ says,
يَا بَنِي آَدَمَ قَدْ أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًا يُوَارِي سَوْآَتِكُمْ وَرِيشًا وَلِبَاسُ التَّقْوَى ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ ذَلِكَ مِنْ آَيَاتِ اللَّهِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ
“O son of Adam, indeed We have sent down to you clothing to cover your nakedness and beautiful clothing to adorn. And pious clothing is the best. This is part of the signs of Allah’s power, hopefully they will always remember.” (QS. Al-A’raf: 26)
What does pious clothing mean? Imam Ibnu Kathir Rahimullah said that what is meant is pious deeds, shame towards Allah, and a clean heart. So, even if we wear the coolest eid al fitr clothes, if our hearts are still full of envy, jealousy, and don’t want to apologize to others, it’s useless.
Eid al fitr Isn’t Just About New Clothes
Many people focus too much on new clothes during Eid al fitr, until they forget that there are things that are much more important. For example, strengthening relationships, apologizing to family and friends, and increasing worship.
Sometimes we are willing to go around the mall or scroll through the marketplace for hours to find the right eid al fitr clothes, but we forget that eid al fitr is not just about appearance. Instead of wasting money on clothes, it’s better to use the money for charity or to help people in need. They also want to feel happiness on Eid al fitr, right? The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever makes things easy for someone in difficulty, Allah will make things easy for him in this world and the hereafter.” (HR. Ibn Majah)
In addition, don’t let the matter of new clothes make us forget to pay the obligatory zakat fitrah. So, let’s use eid al fitr to improve ourselves, share goodness, and get closer to Allah ﷻ.
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Khatimah: eid al fitr Clothes Are Sunnah, but the Heart is More Important!
The point is, wearing good and neat eid al fitr clothes is indeed recommended in Islam. But that doesn’t mean it has to be new or expensive. What is more important is the intention, how to dress according to sharia, and the most important thing is pious clothes, namely a clean heart and good deeds.
Rather than focusing on finding new clothes until we forget to pay zakat or apologize to others, it is better for us to use eid al fitr for self-introspection. Because eid al fitr is not really about new clothes, but a new and better heart.
So, do you still think new clothes are mandatory for Eid al fitr?
Also read: The Sources of Income of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
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References:
Al Quran Al Karim. Accessed from https://tafsirweb.com/
HR. Ibn Khuzaimah in his Sahih, no. 1765. Accessed from https://rumaysho.com/36553-khutbah-jumat-nabi-berpakaian-saat-lebaran-dan-adab-berpakaian.html
Hadith Sahih Al-Bukhari No. 896. Accessed from https://www.hadits.id/hadits/bukhari/896
Hadith Sunan Ibn Majah No. 2408. Accessed from https://www.hadits.id/hadits/majah/2408
