Can a woman wear shoes which give off a sound when walking in front of a Ghair Mahram?

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Allah Ta’ala says in the Quran:

وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِنْ زِينَتِهِنَّ

Translation: “And let them not stomp their feet to make known their adornment which has been concealed” (Surah Noor Verse 31)

It is clear from the above verse that it is prohibited for a woman to wear high heel shoes or any footware that make a sound and attract attention of males. The issue is not the footware. It is the sound that draws the attraction of males to her.

In today’s time, the high heels are designed to give out a unique sound that draws men to the one wearing the high heels.

But this increased desirability comes at significant cost. High heels are uncomfortable and substantially increase risk of foot soreness, blisters, bunions, falls, ankle sprains, plantar fasciitis, ingrown toenails, nerve damage in the feet and legs, and knee and back pain.[1]

Also, high heels make the body more noticeable and the false illusion of height that high heels give is a form of deception.[2]  [3]

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mohamed Ebrahim bin Ismail Abdullah 

Student - Darul Iftaa 

Pietermaritzburg, South Africa 

Checked and Approved by, 

Mufti Ebrahim Desai. 

01-03-1441| 30-10-2019 

______

[1] https://www.moneycrashers.com/dangers-wearing-high-heels-tips/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/201612/the-uncanny-psychology-high-heels

[2]

صحيح مسلم (1/ 99)

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَنْ حَمَلَ عَلَيْنَا السِّلَاحَ فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا، وَمَنْ غَشَّنَا فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا»

[3]

بيان القران ج 2 ص 570

فتاوى محمودية ج 19 ص 314

امداد الفتاوى ج 4 ص 137

كفاية المفتي ج 9 ص 182