Mishkat al-Masabih

Anas told that when the Prophet was ill he came out leaning on Usama, wearing a striped garment with an end over his left shoulder, and led them in the prayer. It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

‘A’isha said ; The Prophet wore two coarse striped garments, and when he sat and sweated he felt them heavy. A certain Jew received a consignment of cloth from Syria, so I suggested he should send to him and buy two garments from him to be paid when circumstances were easier. He did so, and when the man replied, “I know what you want; all you want is to go off with my property,” God’s messenger said, “He has lied; he knows I am one of the most pious of them and most accustomed to pay what is given on trust.” Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it.

God’s messenger saw me wearing a garment dyed with a reddish yellow dye and asked what this was, so as I recognised what he disliked I went away and burned it. He asked me what I had done with my garment, and when I told him I had burned it he said, “Why did you not give it to one of your family to wear, for there is no harm in it for women ?” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Hilal b. ‘Amir quoted his father as saying he saw the Prophet in Mina on a she-mule giving an address, wearing a red cloak, with ‘Ali in front of him repeating what he said. (This was because the crowd was too large for all to hear the Prophet. ‘AIi was repeating his words for the benefit of those too far away to bear the address) Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘A’isha said a black cloak was made for the Prophet and he put it on, but when he sweated in it and noticed the odour of the wool, he threw it away. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Jabir said ; When I came to the Prophet he was sitting with his hands round his knees wearing a cloak the fringe of which was over his feet. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

When the Prophet was brought some pieces of fine Egyptian linen he gave me one and said, “Divide it into two; cut one of the pieces into a shirt and give the other to your wife for a veil.” Then when he turned away he said, “And order your wife to wear a garment below it and not show her figure.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Umm Salama said the Prophet came to visit her when she was veiled and said, “Use one fold, not two.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Part of my lower garment was hanging down when I passed by God’s messenger, so he said, “Raise your lower garment, ‘Abdallah.” I did so and he told mo to raise it higher. I did so, and as I was still trying to find the best place one of the people asked where it should reach and he replied, “Halfway up the legs.” Muslim transmitted it.

He reported the Prophet as saying, “On the day of resurrection God will not look at him who trails his garment arrogantly.” Abu Bakr then said, “Messenger of God, my lower garment hangs down unless I keep paying attention to it,” to which God’s messenger replied, “You are not one of those who do it arrogantly.” Bukhari transmitted it.

‘Ikrima told that when he saw Ibn ‘Abbas putting on a lower garment, letting the hem in front fall on the top of his foot and raising it behind, he asked why he did it that way and he replied that that was how he had seen God’s messenger do it. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Ubada reported God’s messenger as saying, “Keep to turbans, for they are the mark of the angels, and let hang down behind your backs.” Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman.

A’isha told that when Asma’ daughter of Abu Bakr came in to visit God's messenger wearing thin clothes he turned away from her and said, “When a woman is old enough to menstruate, Asma’, it is not right that any part of her should be seen but this and this,” pointing to his face and his hands. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Matar told that ‘Ali bought a garment for three dirhams, and when he put it on he said, “Praise be to God who has provided me with fine clothes with which to adorn myself among men and cover my nakedness.” He then said, “Thus did I hear God's messenger say.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Abu Umama told that ‘Umar b. al-Khattab put on a new garment and said, “Praise be to God who has clothed me with something with which to cover my nakedness and adorn myself in my lifetime.” He then told that he had heard God's messenger say that if anyone who puts on a new garment says, “Praise be to God who has clothed me with something with which to cover my nakedness and adorn myself in my lifetime,” then takes the old garment and gives it as sadaqa, he will be in God’s protection, guardianship and shelter both when alive and when dead. Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a gharib tradition.

‘Alqama b. Abu ‘Alqama quoted his mother as saying that when Hafsa daughter of ‘Abd ar-Rahman visited ‘A’isha wearing a thin veil, ‘A’isha tore it and put a thick veil on her. Malik transmitted it.

I went in to visit ‘A’isha, and she was wearing a Qitri (A coarse kind of material. The name is said to be connected with a place, but there is a difference of opinion as to whether it was in Egypt or in the neighbourhood of al-Bahrain) shift which had cost five dirhams. She said, “Lift up your eyes to my slavegirl and look at her, for she is too proud to wear it in the house, yet I had a shift of this type in the time of God’s messenger, and there was not a woman in Medina who was being adorned who did not send to me to borrow it.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Jabir told that one day God’s messenger put on a sleeved gown of brocade which had been presented to him, but quickly took it off and sent it to ‘Umar., When remarks were made about the speed with which he had taken it off he replied, “Gabriel forbade it to me." ‘Umar then came weeping and said, “Messenger of God, you disliked something and gave it to me. ‘Now what is the matter with me ?" He replied, “I did not give it to you to wear it, but I gave it to you simply that you might sell it." He then sold it for two thousand dirhams. Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said it was only a garment wholly made of silk which God’s messenger forbade, but there was no harm in the ornamented border and the warp. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Imran b. Husain came out to us wearing a robe of silk ware with ornamented borders and declared that God's messenger had said, “If God shows favour to anyone, He likes the mark of His favour to be seen on His servant." Ahmad transmitted it.

Eat what you like and wear what you like as long as two things miss you : prodigality and pride. Bukhari transmitted it in a chapter heading.

‘Amr b. Shu'aib, on his father’s authority, told that his grandfather reported God’s messenger as saying, “Eat, drink, give sadaqa and wear clothes so long as neither prodigality nor pride is mixed up with it." Ahmad, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abud Darda’ reported God’s messenger as saying, “The best thing in which to visit God in your graves and in your mosques is white." Ibn Majah transmitted it.

says he put it on his right hand, then threw it away and took one of silver on which he engraved, “Muhammad God’s messenger,” saying, “No one must engrave anything in the manner of this signet-ring of mine.” When he wore it he put the stone next the palm of his hand. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Ali said God's messenger forbade wearing Qassi material and anything dyed with saffron, using a gold ring, and reciting the Qur'an when making the bow. Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Abbas told that when God’s messenger saw a gold signet-ring on a man’s hand he pulled it off and threw it away saying, “One of you is making for a coal from hell and putting it on his hand.” After God’s messenger had departed someone said to the man, “Take your signet-ring and get some good from it,” but he replied, “No, I swear by God that I shall never take it when God’s messenger has thrown it away.” Muslim transmitted it.

Anas said that when the Prophet wanted to write to the Persian Emperor, the Byzantine Emperor and the Negus he was told that they would not accept a letter without a seal; so God’s messenger fashioned a seal in the form of a silver ring on which he engraved “Muhammad God’s messenger.” Muslim transmitted it. A version by Bukhari says the engraving on the seal was in three lines, “Muhammad” being one, “messenger” another, and “of God” another.

He said the Prophet’s signet-ring was of silver as was also its stone. Bukhari transmitted it.

He said God’s messenger wore on his right hand a silver signet-ring with an Abyssinian stone, and put its stone next the palm of his hand. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He said, pointing to the little finger of his left hand, “The Prophet’s signet-ring was on this.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘Ali, pointing to the middle finger and the one next it, said, “God’s messenger forbade me to wear a signet-ring on this finger of mine or on this.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Ja'far said the Prophet used to wear a signet-ring on his right hand. Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it on ‘Ali’s authority.

Ibn ‘Umar said the Prophet used to wear a signet-ring on his left hand. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Ali told that the Prophet, taking some silk and putting it in his right hand, and taking some gold and putting it in his left hand, said, “These are prohibited to the male members of my people.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Mu'awiya said God’s messenger forbade riding on panther-skins and wearing gold, except in small pieces. Abu Dawud and Nasa'i transmitted it.

Buraida reported the Prophet as saying to a man who was wearing a signet-ring of yellow copper, “How is it that I notice the odour of idols in you ?” So he threw it away and came wearing an iron signet- ring, and when he said, “How is it that I see you wearing the adornment of the inhabitants of hell ?” he threw it away and asked God’s messenger what material he should use. He replied, “Silver, but do not let it weigh as much as a mithqal.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it. Muhyi as-Sunna said there is a sound tradition on the authority of Sahl b. Sa'd about the dower that the Prophet said to a man, “Seek something, even though it should be an iron signet-ring.”

yellow colouring, meaning khaluq, dyeing grey hair, trailing the lower garment, wearing a gold signet-ring, a woman decking herself before people who are not within the prohibited degrees, throwing dice, using invocations, except with the mu'awwidhat (The last two suras of the Qur'an are known as al mu’awwidhatan. Here the plural is used, and the suggestion is made that it may include certain supplications and prayers using names of God ; or that suras cxii and cix may be added to the last two), wearing amulets, withdrawing the penis before the semen is discharged, and having intercourse with a woman who is suckling a child; but he did not declare them to be prohibited. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Ibn az-Zubair told that a woman client of theirs took az-Zubair’s daughter to ‘Umar b. al-Khattab wearing bells on her leg. ‘Umar cut them off and said he had heard God’s messenger say, “There is a devil along with each bell.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Bunana, female client of ‘Abd ar-Rahman b. Hayyan al-Ansari, told that when she was with ‘A’isha a girl wearing tinkling little bells was brought in to her, whereupon she ordered that they were not to bring her in, where she was unless they cut off her little bells, for she had heard God’s messenger say, “The angels do not enter a house in which there is a bell.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Abd ar-Rahman b. Tarafa told that his grandfather ‘Arfaja b. As'ad who had had his nose cut off at the battle of al-Kulab (This was a battle about ten years before the Hijra in which the tribe of Tamim was engaged) got a silver nose, but it developed a stench, so the Prophet ordered him to get a gold nose. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone wants to put a ring of fire on one he loves let him put a gold ring on him ; if anyone wants to put a necklace of fire on one he loves let him put a gold necklace on him ; and if anyone wants to put a bracelet of fire on one he loves let him put a gold bracelet on him. Keep to silver and amuse yourselves with it.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Asma’ daughter of Yazid reported God’s messenger as saying, “Any woman who wears a gold necklace will have a similar one of fire put on her neck on the day of resurrection, and any woman who puts a gold earring in her ear will have a similar one of fire put in her ear by God on the day of resurrection.” Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

A sister of Hudhaifa reported God’s messenger as saying, “You women have in silver something with which to adorn yourselves. I assure you that any woman of you who adorns herself with gold which she displays will be punished for it.” Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

‘Uqba b. ‘Amir told that God's messenger used to restrain people who adorned themselves and wore silk, saying, “If you want the adornment and silk of paradise, do not wear them in this world.” Nasa'i transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas told that God’s messenger got a signet-ring, but when he wore it he said, “This has distracted me from you ; since today I have been giving a look at it and giving a look at you.” He then threw it away. Nasa’i transmitted it.

I dislike youths being dressed with any gold, for I have heard that God's messenger forbade wearing a gold signet-ring ; and I disapprove of it for men, both old and young. He transmitted it in al-Muwatta.

Ibn ‘Umar told that he saw God’s messenger wearing sandals which had no hair on them. Bukhari transmitted it.

Anas said the Prophet’s sandal had two thongs. Bukhari transmitted it.

Jabir told that he heard the Prophet say on one of his expeditions, “Make a general practice of wearing sandals, for a man keeps riding as long as he wears sandals.” (The meaning is that wearing sandals makes movement easier and protects the feet lrom toughness or thorns on the road. So it is here compared with riding on an animal.) Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “When one of you puts on sandals he should put on the right one first and when he takes them off he should take off the left one first, so that the right one should be the first to be put on and the last to be taken off. “ (Bukhari and Muslim.)