Shopping
Advice
Whether or not you're
new to Islamic and modest clothing, we would like to offer some
advice on factors you may want to consider when purchasing clothing.
Good
Intentions
Cultural
Concerns
Modesty
Style
Practical
Considerations
Internet Purchasing
Good
Intentions
Let's admit it, most of
us like to look good. And in fact there's nothing wrong with that. A
man once spoke to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)
regarding his concerns that his preference for nice clothes and
sandals might be arrogant. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him
peace) told the man, "Allah is beautiful and loves beauty in His
servants." (Muslim)
There are many routine
acts we do everyday that can, with the right intention, be made into
acts of worship. For example, when we go to sleep for a good eight
hours, we intend to give our body its right to rest and to strengthen
it for worship. With these intentions, this time is not passed in
vain. Similarly, if we buy clothing to give our body its right to
warmth and protection and to fulfill the obligation of covering our
awra (nakedness), this becomes an act pleasing to Allah.
Then, we can improve on
this by intending many additional things: to look beautiful for the
sake of Allah; to follow the blessed Prophet of Allah (Allah bless
him and give him peace) by wearing clothes that it is reported he
wore; to please our family and spouses; to show non-Muslims the
modesty, dignity and beauty of the Muslim man or woman; and to
provide the person we are buying from with their means of livelihood.
Once we receive our new
clothing items, we can read the dua' or supplication which is
recommended to say upon first wearing a new outfit. Thereafter, for
every day in our lives whenever we get dressed in the morning or at
other times, we can bring to mind the above-mentioned intentions.
Cultural
Concerns
SHUKR’s ultimate
aim is to design a line of clothing which is reflective of, and
relevant to the needs of a new generation of Western Muslims. We want
Muslims to be able to express their Islamic identity while taking
into account how they will be received by those around them –
colleagues, strangers on the street, people at college, and
neighbors. SHUKR's philosophy is one of being proud of our Muslim
identity and being recognized as Muslims.
You need to take into
consideration where you will be wearing a given garment: work,
school, the mosque, home, special occasions, or everyday errand
running. What is appropriate for you to wear at different places will
depend upon your individual circumstances. Your employer may
appreciate you wearing a SHUKR button down top and trousers, but may
not look so favorably upon a galabiyya. On the other hand, you might
want to reference Islamic cultures and history by wearing a sharp
tailored jubba to ‘Eid prayers.
Modesty
Muslims, especially in
today's times, often differentiate themselves from others with their
concern for modest clothing. After all, the Lord of all the Worlds
has enjoined upon us that we should cover our 'awra (nakedness) with
clothing which meets certain criteria, most notably that it be loose
and not transparent.
The requirements of
modesty apply to men as well as women, and it is sometimes sad to see
Muslim men who are apparently unaware of this, such as when they tuck
their shirts in to a tight-fitting pair of pants, leaving very little
to the imagination. Seeing this phenomenon was the inspiration for
our range of long men’s shirts which protect the modesty of the
Muslim man by allowing him to leave the shirt untucked without
looking sloppy or unfinished.
Almost all of SHUKR's
clothing has been designed to fulfill Islamic clothing criteria, and
so it can be worn outdoors without any problems. However, sisters in
particular need to be aware that the odd SHUKR garment shouldn't be
worn outdoors unless covered by a looser over-garment. What is
appropriate to be worn outdoors depends not just upon the particular
clothing item, but also on factors like the body shape and the way
the hijab is worn.
Style
Apart from making sure
that our clothes fulfill the requirements of modesty which we abide
by, we also need to make sure that the clothes look good on us. This
depends on four main factors – the choice of garment, the
choice of colour, the choice of size, and the choice of matching
items:
i). Which garment?
Firstly, we need to
choose a style of clothing that suits us. Although most of SHUKR's
clothes can be worn by almost anybody, regardless of their ethnic
background, body shape, or size, some garments will look better on
you than they would on someone else. For example, a man’s top
with a low neckline will look better on brothers with broad chests
which are not too hairy. From your own personal experience, you
should know what type of garments flatter your particular body shape
and size.
ii). Which colour?
Secondly, after
choosing a particular style, we need to choose the colour. All of us
have our favourite colours and ideas about which colours suit us best.
We need to consider our skin tone, hair colour and eye colour.
Generally speaking SHUKR's colour choices are based on colours found
in nature, although we also have clothing in rich jewel tones.
iii). Which size?
Sizing is extremely
important. We may have chosen a garment which will look great on us,
in a colour which really suits us, but then we go and ruin it by
choosing a size which is either too large or small for us. SHUKR has
prepared sizing charts and measuring guides to help you in this
matter. Because Islamic clothing is generally quite loose-fitting,
there is quite a bit of room for flexibility. The most important
measurements you will normally need to consider are your height as
well as the length of the garment. Consulting the size guide and
choosing the right size helps prevent the disappointment of receiving
your garments only to find that they do not fit.
Practical
Considerations
Having settled issues
of modesty and style, there are other less interesting but
nevertheless practical considerations which we might want to take
into account:
i) Fiber content
What are the garments
we are purchasing made of? The fiber composition of each garment is
listed under the detailed description of each garment. For some
people, the material is not an important consideration whereas for
others it is. Refer to our Fabric
Guide to understand a little bit about the fibers that your
garments are made from.
ii) Care instructions
Some garments are
machine wash, some hand wash and others dry clean only. If you have
particular preferences regarding the care of your garments, make sure
you choose items that can be cared for in such a manner. For general
advice on caring for your clothes, please see our Caring
for Your Clothes section.
iii) Cost
It goes without saying,
but the cost of the garments you are going to buy is obviously one of
the most important considerations. We have tried to price our
garments so that all people – students as well as professionals
- can afford at least something from our line of clothing. To make
things easier for you, SHUKR has prepared a table of shipping costs
which depend upon your order value, so you can easily calculate the
total cost of your order. Please refer to our Shipping
and Returns chart for more information.
Internet
Purchasing
Purchasing over the
internet is still a relatively new phenomenon and many of us may not
have purchased clothes, or indeed anything, via the internet before.
However, the sheer practicality and ease of home shopping is quickly
changing this.
Clothes present a
slightly more complex scenario than other consumer items. When you
buy a new computer part over the internet, you know exactly what you
are getting. Clothes, however, are normally touched, examined from
different angles, and tried on. SHUKR, like other clothing companies,
is aware of this and we have tried to make it as easy as possible for
our customers to have as much information as possible about the
garments they want to buy.
We have taken very
clear photos and shown them in a large format on the screen so that
the details and 'feel' of the garments can be grasped. If there are
any noteworthy elements of the garments, like embroidery, we have
provided an alternative close-up of these details in an accompanying
photo. We have also provided very detailed descriptions of all our
garments, pointing out features like pockets, buttons, slits, cuffs
etc. We also have sizing guides so that you can measure yourself at
home and find your SHUKR size. Finally, we have a simple,
no-questions asked returns policy. We recognize that, despite all our
efforts to inform you about our garments and to make sure that they
fit you, you may not be 100% satisfied with your clothes when you
receive them and try them on. No problems. Simply return them to us
so that we receive them within 20 days of the order date, and we will
give you a full refund.