Book 22: Clothing

‘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 (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ) said to a man, “Seek something, even though it should be an iron signet-ring.”

Ibn Mas'ud said there were ten things the Prophet (ﷺ) disliked : 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 (ﷺ) 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.

Malik said : 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 (ﷺ) 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.)