The Book of Clothes and Adornment Hadiths

I heard Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) saying during an expedition in which we also participated: Make a general practice of wearing sandals, for a man is riding as it were when he wears sandals.

When one of you puts on sandals, he should first put in the right foot, and when he takes off he should take off the left one first, or he should put them on together or take them off together.

None of you should walk in one sandal; either he should wear the two or should take off the two.

Abu Huraira came to us and he struck his forehead with his hand and said: Behold I you talk amongst yourself that I attribute wrongly to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) (certain things) in order to guide you to the right path. In such a case, I would myself go astray. Listen. I bear testimony to the fact that I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) saying: When the thong of any one of you is broken, he should not walk in the second one until he has got it repaired.

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Abu Huraira with a different chain of transmitters.

Jabir reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) forbade that a man should eat with the left hand or walk with one sandal or wrap himself completely leaving no opening for the arms (to draw out) or support himself when sitting with a single garment wrapped round his knees which may expose his private parts.

When the thong of the shoe of any one of you is cut off. he should not walk with one sandal until he has got the thong repaired, and he should not walk with one shoe and he should not eat with his left hand and should not wrap his cloth round his knees or wrap himself completely leaving no room for the arms.

Jabir reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) forbade the wrapping of oneself completely leaving no room for the arm and supporting oneself when sitting with a single garment wrapped round one’s knees and a person raising one of his feet and placing it on the other while lying on his back.

Do not walk in one sandal and do not wrap the lower garment round your knees and do not eat with your left hand and do not wrap yourself completely leaving no room for the arms (to draw out) and do not place one of your feet upon the other while lying on your back.

None of you should lie on his back and place one of his feet upon the other.

‘Abbad b. Tamim reported from his uncle that he saw Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) lying in the mosque and placing his one foot upon the other.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zuhri with the same chain of transmitter.

Anas b. Malik reported that Allah’s Apostle (may peace he upon him) forbade dyeing (one’s cloth or hair) in saffron. Hammad said that it pertains to men only.

Anas reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) forbade that a person should (wear) clothes dyed in saffron.

Jabir reported that when Abu Qubafa (father of Abu Bakr) came in the yeu of Victory or on the Day of Victory (to the Prophet to pledge his allegiance to him) his head and his beard were white like hyssop. He (the Holy Prophet) commaded or the women were commanded by him that they should change this with something (that the colour of his hair should be changed).

Change it with something but avoid black.

The Jews and the Christians do not dye (their hair), so oppose them.

Never has Allah or His messengers (angels) ever broken their promise. Then he cast a glance (and by chance) found a puppy under his cot and said: ‘A’isha, when did this dog enter here? She said: By Allah, I don’t know He then commanded and it was turned out. Then Gabriel came and Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said to him: You promised me and I waited for you, but you did not come, whereupon he said: It was the dog in your house which prevented me (to come), for we (angels) do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu Hazim with the same chain of transmitters that Gabriel had promised Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) that he would come; the rest of the hadith is the same, but it is not so lengthy as the other one.

Allah’s Messenger, I find a change in your mood today. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: Gabriel had promised me that he would meet me tonight, but he did not meet me. By Allah, he never broke his promises, and Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) spent the day in this sad (mood). Then it occurred to him that there had been a puppy under their cot. He commanded and it was turned out. He then took some water in his hand and sprinkled it at that place. When it was evening Gabriel met him and he said to him: you promised me that you would meet me the previous night. He said: Yes, but we do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture. Then on that very morning he commanded the killing of the dogs until he announced that the dog kept for the orchards should also be killed, but he spared the dog meant for the protection of extensive fields (or big gardens).

Angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture.

I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Angels do not enter the house in which there is a dog or a statue.

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Zuhri with the same chain of transmitters.

Verily, angels do not enter the house in which there is a picture. Busr reported: Zaid fell ill and we went to inquire after his health and (found) that there was hanging at his door a curtain with a picture on it. I said to ‘Ubaidullah Khaulani who had been under the patronage of Maimuna, the wife of Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ): Did not Zaid himself inform us before about (the Holy Prophet’s command pertaining to the pictures), whereupon ‘Ubaidullah said: Did you not hear when he said:” Except the prints on the cloth”?

Angels do not enter a house in which there is a picture. Busr said: Zaid b. Khalid fell sick and we visited him to inquire after his health. As we were in his house (we saw) a curtain having pictures on it. I said to ‘Ubaidullah Khaulani: Did he not narrate to us (the Holy Prophet’s command pertaining to pictures)? Thereupon he said: He in fact did that (but he also said): Except the prints upon the cloth. Did you not hear this? I said: No, whereupon He said: He had in fact made a mention of this.

Angels do not enter the house in which there is a picture or portraits. I came to ‘A’isha and said to her: This is a news that I have received that Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) had said: Angels do not enter the house in which there is a picture or a dog, (and further added) whether she had heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) making a mention of it. She said: No (I did not hear this myself), but I narrate to you what I saw him doing. I bear testimony to the fact that he (the Holy Prophet) set out for an expedition. I took a carpet and screened the door with it. When he (the Holy Prophet) came back he saw that carpet and I perceived signs of disapproval on his face. He pulled it until it was torn or it was cut (into pieces) and he said: God has not commanded us to clothe stones and clay. We cut it (the curtain) and prepared two pillowa out of it by stuffing them with the fibre of date-palms and he (the Holy Prophet) did not find fault with it.

We had a curtain with us which had portraits of birds upon it. Whenever a visitor came, he found them in front of him. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upop him) said to me: Change them, for whenever I enter the room) I see them and it brings to my mind (the pleasures) of worldly life. She said: We had with us a sheet which had silk badges upon it and we used to wear it. This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Ibn Muthanna but with this addition: ‘Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) did not command us to tear that.”

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) came back from the journey and I had screened my door with a curtain having portraits of winged horses upon it. He commanded me and I pulled it away.

This hadith has been narrpted on the authority of Waki’ with the same chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of wording.

The most grievous torfnent for the people on the Day of Resurrection would be for those who try to imitate Allah in the act of creation.

He (the Holy Prophet) inclined towards that curtain and tore it with his hand.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zuhri with the same chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of wording.

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) visited me. and I had a shelf with a thin cloth curtain hangin. over it and on which there were portraits. No sooner did he see it than he tore it and the colour of his face underwent a change and he said: A’isha, the most grievous torment from the Hand of Allah on the Day of Resurrection would be for those who imitate (Allah) in the act of His creation. A’isha said: We tore it into pieces and made a cushion or two cushions out of that.

Take it (away) from me (from my sight), so I removed it and made cushions from that.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Shu’ba with the same chain of transmitters.

Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) visited me when I had screened (my door) with a carpet having pictures on it. He removed it and we made cushions out of that.