Ruling on wearing a robe in the graduation ceremony

Many faculties, schools, and institutions obligate its graduates to wear a special uniform. Many brothers mentioned that this robe is the uniform of priests and monks in churches when they baptise. How true is this?.

Praise be to Allaah.

It is haraam for a Muslim is to imitate the disbelievers in their clothing which is uniquely theirs, whether the disbelievers are Jews, Christians, or anyone else, because of the general meaning of the evidence in the Qur’aan and Sunnah which prohibits imitation of them. That includes the hadeeth of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) in which he said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” (Narrated by Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawood and others). And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) said, when he saw ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr wearing two garments that had been dyed with safflower: “These are the garments of the disbelievers, so do not wear them.” Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh. And it is proven in Saheeh Muslim that ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) wrote a letter to his worker in Azerbaijan, ‘Utbah ibn Farqad (may Allaah be pleased with him) saying: Beware of luxury and the clothing of the people of shirk and silk garments. 

Based on that, it is not permissible to wear the so-called robe when graduating from a school, institute or college, because it is one of the garments of the Christians. The Muslim should be proud of his religion and of his following his Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him), and he should not pay attention to the customs of those with whom Allaah is angry and who have gone astray, such as the Jews, Christians and others. 

And Allaah is a source of strength will stop may Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. 

Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas.