Dress & Attire

Wearing a soccer shirt with a cross symbol

Q: Please can you advise on the permissibility of wearing the England football shirt? Unfortunately many brothers have taken to not only wearing this, but also displaying the England flag on their houses during football matches. They also do this with the Union Jack flag during the Olympics/for celebration of the queens milestones (e.g. jubilee celebration).

The arguments put forth by these individuals are that the cross symbol is no longer solely representative of the Christian faith and identity as it is used more widely nowadays to represent other things and doesn’t just signify one is a Christian. As an example, they say that just because isis used the seal of the prophet Muhammad ﷺ does that mean everyone who uses the seal of the Prophet ﷺ follows isis? They also say that as wearing a necktie was once associated with the cross but no longer is today, in the same vein, wearing the St. George’s Cross of England flag no longer represents Christianity.

Please can you provide us with a clear cut answer as the brothers are unsure how to respond to some of these shubuhat.

Tucking one's pants inside one's socks that will go below one's ankles

Q: If a person has long socks due to extreme cold weather conditions and then he tucks his pants inside them in such a way that they cover the ankles, will this be permissible?

This is seen to be done by some people as it somehow brings a sense of comfort in extremes cold conditions. Outwardly, the trouser will not be seen to be below the ankle, however it is below, but covered by the warm socks that he wears.