In a world where fashion is driven by sexual liberation and challenges to traditional norms, Muslim men face a unique problem: finding clothing that aligns with Islamic values and their identity. While the hijab market for women has flourished, options for muslim men remain limited to traditional Arab attire or mainstream non-muslim brands that don’t always align with Islam. SALIHEEN aims to bridge this gap, offering a fresh look on the muslim men’s segment – prioritizing global fashion and keeping the Islamic principles at the core.
But what exactly are the Islamic values? And does the world really need another clothing brand? Khaleej Journal delve into these questions with Ilyas Assainov, founder of SALIHEEN and a recent revert to Islam.
What is SALIHEEN and why should we be interested?
SALIHEEN is a clothing lifestyle brand for muslim men. We as muslims dedicate our entire life to worshiping Allah SWT – we perform salah, we fast, we follow the Qur’an and Sunnah. Yet, when it comes to clothing – this aspect is often overlooked, leading to missed opportunities for pleasing Allah SWT and even unintentional sinning. SALIHEEN is here to change that.
We all sin unintentionally, don’t we?
Exactly. We all slip up sometimes. But when it comes to your choice of clothing, that’s one of the easiest ways to earn the pleasure of Allah, especially for men. And doing that consistently turns it into an effortless act of worship.
There are 4 key aspects to achieving this, and SALIHEEN aims to address them all.
1. Islamic Guidelines and Modesty
How many times have you seen people praying in a mosque, only to expose their lower back or something worse?
Not only is this disrespectful to others, but it can also invalidate their prayer if the private area is open continuously.
That’s why Islam has rules about covering our ‘awrah (private parts), avoiding images of living beings, and not imitating certain groups by wearing clothes with inappropriate symbols. At SALIHEEN, we not only educate our audience about these rules on social media but also ensure that every garment is automatically compliant. Our clothes are plain and modest, so you can go to a mosque anytime without feeling inappropriate.
2. Comfort in Salah
Imagine You dedicate so much time and effort to your daily prayers, hoping to attain the rewards and mercy of Allah on the Day of Judgement. Even a slight 5% difference in your prayer quality throughout your life can have a profound impact on the final outcome.
The clothes we wear during prayer can either hinder or enhance our spiritual focus. Tight-fitting, uncomfortable clothes can become a distraction, taking our attention away from what truly matters.
If it’s that important, why don’t Muslims just wear a thobe?
That’s a great point. There’s a growing trend of Muslims wearing thobes to mosques, even in Western countries. But in everyday life or at work, Muslims often wear clothes that are appropriate to their local context – shirts, t-shirts, and pants. Moreover, the thobe isn’t considered cultural attire in some Muslim countries, like those in Central Asia. Even here in the UAE, depending on the area, around half of Muslims wear global clothing on Jummah.
Back to the topic of comfort…
When we pray, we should always strive to enter a state of Khushu’. Khushu’ is a state of humility, presence, seriousness, and unwavering attentiveness during prayer.
Allah emphasizes this in the Quran, stating: “Certainly will the believers have succeeded: They who are during their prayer humbly submissive [khashi’un].”
(Al-Muminun 23:1-2)
Achieving khushu’ is a task that requires dedication and mindfulness.
3. Supporting the Ummah
Islam encourages all Muslims to show respect and kindness to others. A key act of kindness is giving from one’s wealth, putting our beliefs into practice.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “Whoever relieves the hardship of a believer in this world, Allah will relieve his hardship on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever helps ease one in difficulty, Allah will make it easy for him in this world and the Hereafter.” [Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2699]
At SALIHEEN, our core principle is to give back to the Ummah. At the moment, we contribute AED 15 to the people of Gaza with every product purchase.
That’s commendable. But many brands claim to donate, yet fail to do so. How do you ensure transparency?
We don’t rely on profits; we donate for every item sold. 1 purchase equals 1 donation.
Also, we focus on what we are good at – providing the best clothes possible for muslims, and we rely heavily on trusted Islamic charities to handle the heavy-lifting of charity work.
However, we do ensure they have a real impact on the ground.
Aren’t provisions blocked at the border? How do you make sure donations reach Gaza?
While some aid is blocked, some does get through. We work with Muslims Around the World (MATW), reportedly the only organization actively providing aid within Gaza.
They often livestream their efforts on social media. The situation changes daily, so it’s best to check with them directly for the latest information.
We fundraise with MATW on behalf of each customer and provide a traceable donation certificate. Customers can then check directly with MATW on the status of the donation.
Before we go any further, maybe going off on a tangent: How did you come up with such an idea?
It was a personal challenge I faced. After embracing Islam about 1.5 years ago, I realized my wardrobe was no longer suitable. I couldn’t go to the mosque or pray in my old clothes – with all the images, writing, and tight fit, I had to set them aside and look for new ones. Surprisingly, it was difficult to find clothes that were comfortable for prayer, free of logos depicting living beings, not associated with brands indirectly supporting injustice, and wouldn’t shrink after a few washes.
At the time, I was also seeking to leave my job. I prayed to Allah to grant me a job or business that would positively impact the ummah. With SALIHEEN, I hope, in shaa Allah, we can demonstrate the spirit of conducting halaal business. As muslims, our ultimate goal is to worship Allah alone, and I believe there’s more the ummah can do in the realm of entrepreneurship – and Allah knows best.
And last but not least…
4. Bringing you the best product
Even with the best intentions, if the product or its production process is flawed—whether it involves unfair labor practices, environmental harm, or even indirectly supporting oppressive regimes—our efforts are wasted and misaligned with Islamic teachings. That’s why we prioritize offering the highest possible quality at a fair price.
What are your plans for the future?
We are looking into growing our catalog of products to cater to different tastes and seasons. We also want to expand to other audiences – for example bring something for our youth.
Any final thoughts?
We see a lack of brands truly embodying the spirit of Islam in the men’s clothing space. There’s always something that’s missing – be it quality, modesty, comfort or morality. By the grace of Allah, we want to show that it is through Islam that we can achieve excellence in whatever we do.