Can Muslim Women Wear Coloured Abaya and Hijab? Islamic Ruling

Learn whether Muslim women can wear coloured abayas and hijabs. Discover the Islamic guidelines on hijab colors, modesty, black abayas, and which colors are permissible according to the Qur'an and Sunnah.

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

Summary: A Muslim woman is not required to wear only black abayas and hijabs. She may wear other colors as long as the clothing fulfills the conditions of the Islamic hijab. The outer garment must not be an adornment in itself or attract the attention of non-mahram men. Subdued and conservative colors such as dark blue, dark green, brown, and gray are permissible, whereas bright and eye-catching colors that draw attention should be avoided.

1. Does Islam require women to wear only black?

No. Neither the Qur'an nor the authentic Sunnah restrict Muslim women to wearing only black clothing. A woman may wear any color provided that her clothing fulfills the conditions of the Islamic hijab.

The hijab should:

Cover the entire 'awrah.
Be loose and not reveal the shape of the body.
Be thick enough that it is not see-through.
Not resemble men's clothing.
Not resemble the distinctive dress of disbelieving women.
Not be worn for fame or showing off.
Not be an adornment in itself that attracts attention.

2. The outer garment should not be an adornment

Allah ﷻ commanded believing women not to display their adornment before non-mahram men.

"...and not to display their adornment except what ordinarily appears thereof..."

Qur'an, Surah An-Nur 24:31

If an abaya or hijab is decorated, embroidered, sparkling, or brightly colored in a manner that attracts attention, then it contradicts the purpose of the hijab, even if it technically covers the body.

Likewise, the Prophet ﷺ instructed women not to go out wearing perfume because it attracts the attention of men. The same principle applies to clothing that is intentionally eye-catching.

3. Which colors are permissible?

Any modest, subdued color is permissible if it does not draw attention.

Examples include:

Black
Dark blue
Dark green
Gray
Brown
Dark beige
Other muted, conservative colors

Bright, flashy, or attention-grabbing colors—such as vivid red, bright pink, neon shades, glittering fabrics, or garments designed to stand out—should be avoided because they oppose the objective of hijab.

4. Why do many Muslim women wear black?

Black is not obligatory, but it is considered one of the most modest choices because it generally attracts the least attention and is furthest removed from being an adornment.

There is also historical precedent for black garments among the female Companions of the Prophet ﷺ.

Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنها) narrated that after the verses of hijab were revealed, the women of the Ansar came out wearing black garments, "as if there were crows upon their heads."

Sunan Abu Dawud, 4101 (authentic)

Likewise, 'Aishah (رضي الله عنها) narrated that the believing women attended the Fajr prayer wrapped in their garments and would return home unrecognized because of the darkness.

Sahih al-Bukhari, 372; Sahih Muslim, 645

5. Is wearing only black a religious obligation or a cultural practice?

The belief that women must wear only black is primarily a cultural practice rather than an Islamic obligation.

In some countries, such as Saudi Arabia, black abayas became the traditional norm. In many other Muslim countries—including Egypt, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and others—women commonly wear modest abayas in various subdued colors without any objection from scholars.

The important issue is not the color itself, but whether the clothing fulfills the conditions of Islamic hijab and avoids attracting unnecessary attention.

Conclusion

A Muslim woman is not obligated to wear only black abayas or hijabs. She may wear any modest color that fulfills the conditions of hijab and does not become an adornment that attracts the attention of non-mahram men. Black remains an excellent and highly modest choice, but it is not the only permissible color in Islam.

And Allah knows best.