Giving Used Clothes to Those in Need: A Muslim Perspective

Charity and Modesty: The Importance of Washing Used Clothes Before Donating

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

Answer: For a Muslim woman, buying such expensive clothes that cannot be washed and need to be discarded or given away after being worn a few times without washing falls under extravagance. Wearing flashy and attractive clothes that draw attention is also not permissible for a Muslim woman.

Secondly, if someone has extra clothes or used clothes that they want to give to someone in need, they can certainly give them to a poor or needy person. This is a form of cooperation. However, the worn clothes should be washed before giving them away. It is not appropriate to give any clothes without washing them, regardless of the type of clothes. If the clothes cannot be washed, the person should use them as long as they can but should not give them away without washing. In the future, they should avoid buying such extravagant and flashy clothes. Remember, every penny will be accounted for in the sight of Allah.

✍️ Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi حفظه الله / Jeddah Dawah Center