[Kimaamighed]

Is it obligatory for a woman to wear a jilbaab (outer garment) which conceals the clothes she is wearing underneath? The issue of covering the face is a separate one, so please only discuss the relevant issue.

I have found 2 fatwas on this issue:

Allah Most High says:

“O Prophet! Tell your wives and daughters and believing women that they should cast their outer garments (jalabib) over their persons. That is most convenient that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful.” (Surah al-Ahzab, 59)

The above verse is clear in determining that it is obligatory (fard) upon a woman to cover herself with a jilbab. This leaves us with the question, what is a jilbab?

It is stated in Lisan al-Arab:

“Jilbab, plural of Jalabib: an outer garment or a cloak with which a woman covers her head and chest. And it is said: It is a long cloak that covers a woman completely.” (Ibn Manzur, Lisan al-Arab, 2/317)

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) states:

“Jilbab is long cloak that covers a woman from her head to her feet.” (Ruh al-Ma’ani, 22/88)

The above and other interpretations of Jilbab are clear that a jilbab is the outer garment that women must wear when emerging in front of strangers. This garment must be wide, loose, and modest and covers the body completely.

After the revelation of this verse, many female Companions (Allah be pleased with them all) used to emerge outside their homes with complete reticence as though birds were sitting on their heads. They used to cover themselves with long black cloaks. (See: Ruh al-Ma’ani, 22/89)

Therefore, a woman must cover herself with a loose and modest cloak when emerging in front of strangers. This may be a tradition veil (burqa) or some other garment.
And Allah Knows Best

Status of Wearing a Jilbab
http://www.daruliftaa.com/question?t...nID=q-05564782 It is still a bit unclear what exactly an "outer garment" entails. Is it an abaya? Is a loose dress also considered a "cloack?"

The fatwa below explicitly negates the jilbaab as a necessary requirement for the hijaab:

Once a woman reaches the age of puberty (and a little before it, too), she must in front of marriageable men:

a) cover her body with clothing that is
1) loose; tight-fitting clothes are unlawful
2) thick enough such that the color of the skin does not show through
3) and long enough to cover the body;

She should also try not to wear clothing that attracts attention according to the culture of the area where she lives. For example, bright colors are perfectly normal in some parts of Africa, whereas they would turn heads in some parts of Canada.

As long as she fulfills these conditions, she is not obliged to wear the Arab style jilbab or abaya. http://spa.qibla.com/issue_view.asp?...=6517&CATE=377

Lets say you are wearing a big chador down the hips, with shalwar kameez underneath. The shalwar below can still be seen, and even though it is still very loose, would this not considered a 'jilbaab'? Can the two fatwas be brought in harmony, since in lisan al-arab it is stated: "which a woman covers her head and chest." Now if you have a big scarf covering the head and chest and harms, would this be considered a "jilbaab"?