Charity in Islam: Guidelines for Donating Used Clothes

Is It Permissible to Donate Used Clothes in Islam? Washing and Charity Considerations

Question: Can we give our used clothes to someone in need, and if so, is it necessary to wash them before giving, especially when the clothes worn for events are fancy and difficult to wash?

Answer: For a Muslim woman, it is considered wasteful to buy an excessively expensive dress that is difficult to wash and may need to be discarded or given away after being worn a few times without washing. Wearing such flashy and attention-grabbing clothes is also not permissible for a Muslim woman as it attracts the attention of others.

Secondly, if someone has extra or used clothes and wishes to give them to someone in need, they may absolutely do so, as this is an act of charity. However, the worn clothes should be washed before giving. It is inappropriate to give clothes to someone without washing them, regardless of the type of clothes. If a piece of clothing cannot be washed, the person should use it themselves until they can, but they should not give it to someone else without washing it. Additionally, one should avoid buying such wasteful, expensive, and flashy clothing in the future. Remember, every penny will be accounted for in the sight of Allah.

Respondent: Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi Hafizahullah 

Jeddah Dawah Center, Saudi Arabia  

Interpreter: Hasan Fuzail