Al Minah Al `Aliyyah (35)

Sunnan in dress and adornment

 1 - To start with the right foot

     when putting on shoes

When putting on shoes, it is Sunnah for a Muslim to start with the right foot first and when taking them off it is Sunnah to start with the left foot first.  What substantiates this is the hadith of Abu Hurairah t, who narrated that Allah’s Messenger r said,

“When any of you puts on his shoes, he should put on the right one first; and when he takes them off, he should begin with the left. Let the right shoe be the first to be put on and the last to be taken off.”[1]

In Sahih Muslim, Abu Hurairah t narrated that Allah’s Messenger r said,

“When one of you puts on sandals, he should first put on the right foot and when he takes them off he should take off the left one first, or he should put them on together or take them off together.”[2]

In other wording relayed by Muslim, it is reported,

“None of you should walk with one shoe, but should either wear them both or take them both off.”[3]

 In further different wording reported by Muslim, it is reported,

“If the strap of the sandal of one of you breaks, let him not walk in one sandal until he fixes it.”[4]

 A strap is the name for the leather of the sandal.

There are three Sunnan mentioned in these two ahadith:

Start with right-hand side when putting on shoes.

Start with left-hand side when taking them off.

Wear both sandals or take off both so you do not walk with only one shoe, rather, the Prophet r disallowed the walking with one shoe due to what was mentioned in the ‘other’ relation:

“None of you should walk with one shoe…”.

One might ask: what is the objective of preventing one from walking with only one shoe?

Imam an-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “Walking with one shoe or one sandal without an excuse is abominable (makrouh) and it is supported by the ahadith mentioned in Muslim’s sahih.”

Scholars say that the reason is that it is a distortion and contrary to solemnity and because the foot which wears the shoe is higher than the other, and as a result walking becomes difficult and may even cause tumbling. These three good manners are unanimously ordered, however, without obligation (mustahabb) and if the straps of the shoes are broken, one should take off both shoes and not walk in one only until the straps are fixed as the Hadith states.”[5]

Concerning the reason of the prohibition of walking in only one shoe, it is said that Satan walks in one shoe and this is based on what is narrated by Al-Tahawy in Mushkal al-Athar, and the sahih hadith, that Abu Hurairah t narrated that mentioned that the Messenger of Allah r said,

“Satan walks in one shoe.”

Al-Albani graded it as sound.

Furthermore, it is Sunnah to pray while wearing shoes; Sa`id bin Yazid Al-Azdi said: “I asked Anas whether the Prophet r had ever prayed with his shoes on? He replied, ‘Yes.’”[6]

It is mentioned in Sunnan Abu Dawud that Shaddad ibn Aws t said: “The Messenger of Allah r said,

 ‘Act differently from the Jews, for they do not pray in their sandals or their shoes.’”[7]

It should be mentioned that if applying the Sunnah leads to sedition, the warding-off of this sedition precedes applying it, such as in the case of the conflict and disapproval of some commons who do not know the Sunnah of praying with shoes on, which happens when people who are keen on the Sunnah do that in our mosques. This action changes from person to person and from society to society, according to warding off the sedition, hence in certain isolated cases this Sunnah should not be practiced due to the sedition it may cause.

In instances where this corruption is not rife, we should then warn of another matter which is the polluting of the mosque by the slippers’ harm, therefore,  special care should be taken that this Sunnah is not  applied for this reason. In the Prophetic traditions there are many a hadith that urge maintenance of the mosques, cleaning it, removing the harmful things from it and teach that spitting in it is a sin as well as all kinds of harmful things, since these are considered as bad manners.

The above words do not mean or encourage the abandoning of this Sunnah –Allah forbid - my pen does not write on these white papers but to explain the Sunnah and urge people to practice it and adhere to it. Muslims can practice this Sunnah in many instances such as when they are at home or when they go for an excursion, when travelling, or in a mosque in which people are accustomed with praying with their shoes on and also in other conditions that allow the practicing of this Sunnah.

We ask Allah to make us from those who live and die practicing the Prophet’s r Sunnah, and make us avoid heresies and apparent and unapparent conflict. Allah hears our supplications and can respond it. He is the Most Beneficent and Generous, hence we ask Him to provide us, our parents and all Muslims, of his Great Generosity.

 2 - To wear white clothes

 Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:

“I heard the Messenger of Allah r say,

 ‘Put on white clothes because they are the best; and use them for shrouding your dead.’”[8]

The most important point regarding orders and prohibitions is that they address the entire Muslim Ummah, men and women alike until there is evidence that comes to indicate the specialty of either man or woman.
In the last hadith, there is nothing that singles one of them out, however, it may be said, in this case, that wearing of white clothes is mainly for men in a society in which women are not accustomed to wearing white clothes, so that the clothes of men do not resemble that of women as is common nowadays. However, if the woman is used to wearing white, then the hadith addresses both men and women, thus it can be said that woman is then addressed with this Sunnah like the man, as long as there is nothing prohibited which arises as a result, like the dress resembling that of men’s clothes, to be strikingly dressed, or wear clothes that do not cover all of her body. All of this not only violates the Sunnah, but it also violates the Islamic law (Shari’ah) and Allah knows best. 

Sheikh bin ‘Uthaimeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “White clothes include shirts and wraparounds, but if he wears another color, there is nothing wrong with it provided that it is not something that resembles the clothes worn by women.“[9]

This does not mean that woman cannot wear white clothes; in fact, it is permitted as there is no evidence prohibiting it. The matter which is Sunnah is urged to be practiced by women keen on applying it and break the known dress of women.

Thus, they resemble men except if wearing white clothes is usual to them since she is addressed by the hadith of Ibn Abbas as well as men and Allah knows best.

3 - To use perfume (for men )

Using perfume is Sunnah and is emphatically recommended in some cases which shall be indicated hereafter in point 6. This is substantiated by the following:

Anas t narrated, “The Messenger of Allah said:

‘In this world, women and perfume have been made dear to me, and my comfort has been provided in prayer.’”[10]

The hadith which mentions, “In this world, three things are endeared to me...” is a weak hadith.

 Anas t also narrated,  “I have never touched silk or Dibaj (thick silk) softer than the palm of the Prophet r nor have I smelled a perfume nicer than the sweat of the Prophet.’”[11]

Nafi’ t narrated that when Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to perfume himself he acquired the scent from aloes wood, without mixing anything with it, or putting camphor with it and then said: “This is how Allah’s Messenger  r perfumed himself.”[12]

Imam Al-Nawawi (may Allah be merciful to him) said: “To fragrance oneself means to use perfumes and incense. It is derived from  which is incense.”

Al-asmae’ and Abu ‘Obaid and other linguists mention: “Aloes wood means the joss stick and his saying ‘without mixing anything with it,’ means without mixing it with another perfume.” The hadith reveals that using perfume is recommended (mustahab) for men like women, but men use perfumes which have appeared scent and hidden color. If women want to go to the mosque or any other place, it is abominable to use perfume with an apparent scent. It is strongly recommended for men on Fridays, ‘Eid prayer, while attending Muslim convocations, or when a husband or wife wants to be intimate with their partner and so on and Allah Knows best.

The Prophet r hated to have an unpleasant odor. ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that Allah’s Messenger r disliked it very much that any unpleasant odor should emit from him.” [13]

4 - Musk is the most fragrant of the scents :

It is reported in Sahih Muslim that Abu Sa’id Khudri y reported that Allah’s Messenger r made mention of a woman of Bani Israel who had filled her ring with musk and musk is the most fragrant of the scents.[14] Abu Dawud reported it in other words too:

“The best of your perfumes is musk.”[15]

Muslims should use the best perfume they can find as the Prophet r used to do so before he entered the state of Ihram; ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: “When the Messenger of Allah r intended to enter upon the state of Ihram he perfumed himself with the best of perfumes he could find and afterwards I would see the glistening of (perfume) oil on his head and beard.”[16]