Dought & clear, - Response to those who say that isbaal (letting the garment come below the ankles) is onlyharaam if it is done to show off.

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I explained to one of thebrothers the ruling on isbaal (letting the
garment come below the ankles) and the warning that was narrated
concerning it, which implies that it is a major sin, and he was
convinced – by Allah's grace – and stopped doing it. Then he discussed
it with another brother, who presented specious arguments that
confusedhim. He asked me for refutations and answers that would put
his mind at rest, but I told him that I would not respondon my own
initiative; rather I would consult shaykhs and scholars. The specious
arguments are as follows:
1.
The reports which say that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) said to a man who let his garment come below hisankles:
"|Do you not have an example in me?"They say that the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not rebuke the man and
did not tell himnot to do that, which indicates – or so they claim –
that the prohibition and warningmentioned in the other hadeeths may be
understood as meaning that it is mustahabb not to let the garment come
below the ankles or, in other words, that lettingthe garment come
below the ankles (isbaal)is makrooh.
2.
They quote the following two opinions as evidence: it was narrated
that Ibn Mas'ood (may Allah be pleased with him) used to let his izaar
(waist wrapper or lower garment) hang below his ankles. When something
was said to him about that, he said: My legs are thin and I lead the
people in prayer. And it was narrated that Ma'mar said: Ayyoob was
criticised for the length of his chemise and he said: In the past,
fame and vanity was connected to how long it is but today it is
connected to how much it is cut off. So they say: if isbaal were
haraam or a major sin, Ibn Mas'ood and Ayyoob would not have made
their izaars or chemises long.
3.
They say: How can isbaal be equated with drinking alcohol, for
example, in the sense that they are both majorsins?
4.
They say: The majority are of the view that isbaal is makrooh. I do
not know where they get this idea from.
5.
In the story of the martyrdom of 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with
him), it says: A young man came and said: Be of good cheer, OAmeer
al-Mu'mineen, forthere are glad tidings from Allah to you; you
accompanied the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him), and you were one of the earliest Muslims, as you know, then
you were appointed caliph and you were just, then you attained
martyrdom. He said: I wish the outcome of all that will be
neitheragainst me or for me. When he (the young man) turned away,
'Umar saw that his izaar was touching the ground. He said: Bring the
young man back to me. He said: O son of my brother, pull up your
garment, for it is cleanerfor your garment and more fearing of your
Lord. They say: This indicates that Sayyiduna 'Umar (may Allah be
pleased with him) did not stop enjoining what is good and forbidding
what is evil, even if it was a minor matter or it was makrooh – as was
the way of the Sahaabah(may Allah be pleased with them all), or that
hesaw something in the young man's heart or the way he conducted
himself that would be warded off by means of him pulling up his
garment.
6.
They say that the martyr is undoubtedly one of the people of Paradise,
yet despite that he may be one who lets his garment come below the
ankle, so how can the warnings mentionedin the hadeeth – "it is in the
Fire" and "Allah will not speak to them or look at them on the Day of
Resurrection, nor will He praise them, and theirs will be a painful
punishment" – be applicable to him when he is one of the people of
Paradise?
7.
It is proven that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said to the
Prophet (blessingsand peace of Allah be upon him): My izaar drops
unless I not pay attention to it, and the Prophet (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) said: "You are not one of those who do that out
of pride." So they say: this indicates that the warning mentioned in
the hadeeths applies to those who do that out ofpride.
I hope that you can give us responses and answers that will put
ourbrothers' and others' minds at rest. May Allah reward you with
good.
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
Before discussing the answer, it is essential to point out two things:
1.
The issue of isbaal (letting the garment come below the ankles) is a
matter of ijtihaad concerning which the scholars differed. In fact the
majority of them are of the view that it is not haraam unless it is
done by way of pride.
Their opinions have been discussed previously in the answerto question
no. 102260
What is required in all matters concerning which people differ is to
refer to the Qur'an and Sunnah in order to find out what is right and
what is wrong. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"(And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah
and His Messenger (SAW), if you believe in Allah and in the Last
Day.That is better and more suitable for final determination"
[an-Nisa' 4:59].
As this issue is one that issubject to ijtihaad, it is not permissible
to denounce those who differed concerning it (on either side),
becausethey are not going against a definitive text or well-known
scholarly consensus.
Based on that, if an individual is not qualified to determine which
scholarly opinion is more correct, and he follows one of the two
groups, trusting in their knowledge or because they are the majority,
heis not to be denounced.
Similarly, if a person is qualified to decide which opinion is more
correct, and he favours one of the two opinions based on the evidence
he has, he is not to be denounced for that either.
With regard to these matters that are subject to ijtihaad, each Muslim
should act upon what appears to him to be correct, as one of the early
generation said: "The one who adheres to the scholarly view that
reached him has done well." These matters should not be a cause of
conflict and disputes. People should not join gatherings to dispute
about such matters and to denounce one another and challenge one
another.
There is nothing wrong with talking about and discussing the matter in
a calm and gentle manner, with the aim of finding out the correct view
and following it.
See the answer to question no. 70491
2.
Some of what you have quoted of differences does not come under
theheading of specious arguments; rather it is evidence that was
quoted by leading scholars, such as the hadeeth of Abu Bakr (may Allah
be pleased with him). Specious arguments are not like that; rather
they have nobasis in the Qur'an or Sunnah.
Secondly:
We shall refer – as much as we can – to what the brother who differs
mentioned, and we ask Allah, may He be exalted,to enable us to attain
beneficial knowledge and help us to understand our religion.
1.
With regard to the first hadeeth that he quotes as evidence, it is a
da'eef(weak) hadeeth. There follow its text and the scholars' verdict
on it.
It was narrated from al-Ash'ath, from his paternal aunt Ruhm, from her
paternal uncle 'Ubaydah ibn Khalaf, who said: I came to Madinah when I
was a young man wearing a fine burdah of mine around my waist that I
let drag (on the floor). A man caught up with me and poked me with a
stick he had in his hand, then he said: "If you pull up your garment
it will last longer and be cleaner." I turned around and saw that it
was the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
I said: O Messenger of Allah, it is just a cheapburdah. He said: Even
if it is just a cheap burdah; do you not have an example in me? I
looked at his izaar and saw that it came above the anklesand beneath
the muscle.
Narrated by Ahmad, 22577
Shaykh al-Albaani (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
This is a da'eef isnaad. The paternal aunt of al-Ash'ath was called
Ruhm bint al-Aswad. Al-Haafiz said: She is not known.
As-Silsilah ad-Da'eefah, 4/336, 337, hadeeth no 1867
Shaykh Shu'ayb al-Arna'oot said in Tahqeeq al-Musnad: Its isnaad is
da'eef because of the weakness of Sulaymaan ibn Quram. End quote.
Even if the hadeeth weresaheeh, it could not be used as evidence for
the one who differs; rather the opposite is true. The Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) rebuked the Sahaabi in his
actions and words for letting the garment come below the ankle, and
theSahaabi looked at the garment of the Prophet (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) and saw that it came to mid-calf. So where in
thehadeeth – if it were saheeh – is there anything to support the view
of the one who differs?
2.
The one who differs quoted two reports, from Ibn Mas'ood (may Allah be
pleased with him) and from Ayyoob as-Sakhtiyaani (may Allah have mercy
on him). The former is one of the Sahaabah and thelatter is one of the
Taabi'een.
(a)
With regard to the report of Ibn Mas'ood, it was narrated from Abu
Waa'il, from Ibn Mas'ood, that he used to let his izaar hang low. When
something was said to him about that, he said: I am a man with thin
legs.
Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah in al-Musannaf, 5/166.
Its isnaad is jayyid, as weshall see below in the comment of al-Haafiz IbnHajar.
With regard to its meaning, it is – first of all – a report from a
Sahaabi; it is not a hadeeth narrated from the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him). The words ofa Sahaabi can only be taken
as evidence to support an opinion if they do not contradict a text
from the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
Moreover, there is nothing in it to suggest that he used to let his
izaar hang below the ankles; rather it may be that he let it come
lower than was customary among them.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
With regard to the report narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah from Ibn Mas'ood
with a jayyid isnaad, according to which he used to let his izaar hang
low, and when something was said to him about that he said, I have
thin legs, it may be understood as meaning that he let his izaar hang
lower than is recommended, which is mid-calf. It should not bethought
that he went beyond that and let it come below the ankles, and the
reason he gave may indicate that. Moreover, perhaps the story of 'Amr
ibn Zaraarah had not reached him. And Allah knows best. End quote.
Fath al-Baari, 10/264
The story of 'Amr ibn Zaraarah (may Allah be pleased with him) was
narrated by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad (17817). It says that he had thin
legs and he let his izaar hang low, then the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) rebuked him and told him to pull up his
izaar, and he said to him: "Allah, may He be glorified and exalted,
has made beautiful everything that He has created."
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in as-Silsilah as-Saheehah, 2682 and
by Shu'ayb al-Arna'oot inTahqeeq al-Musnad.
(b)
With regard to the report of Ayyoob as-Sakhtiyaani, the Prophet's
Sunnah takes precedence over the view of anyone else, andthe words of
anyone may be accepted or rejected except the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him).
Moreover, it may be that Ayyoob made his garment longer than mid-calf
but not so long as to come below the ankle, as was said about what Ibn
Mas'ood (may Allah be pleased with him) did, as stated above.
3.
With regard to the opinion of those who say "How can isbaal be equated
with drinking alcohol, for example, in the sense that they are both
major sins?" the response is: that sins andacts of disobedience
undoubtedly vary in degree; some of them are minor and some of them
are major, and some are grave major sins. Moreover, minor sins, major
sins and grave major sins may vary within each category. But this
variation does not indicate that something is not haraam. Drinking
alcohol is a major sin, zina (fornication or adultery) is a major sin,
and killing a believer wrongfully and unjustly is a major sin, but
these sins vary in degree one from another; that does not mean that
any of them are not haraam.
4.
With regard to his saying that the majority are of the view that it is
makrooh, yes, that is correct and we do not deny it. We stated this
atthe beginning of our answer. But the fact thatit is the view of the
majority does not necessarily mean that it is in accordance with what
is correct. We do not worship our Lord, may He be exalted, on the
basis of what the majority of scholars say. Allah, may He be
exalted,has commanded us in the case of differences of opinion to
refer to the Qur'an and Sunnah, not to the opinion of themajority.
This is quite clear, praise be to Allah.
5.
With regard to his quoting as evidence the fact that 'Umar ibn
al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) rebuked the one whose
garment was hanging below his ankles when he was in pain after he had
been stabbed, this isan argument against them, not for them, because
'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) only rebuked this young man when
he was in that state (between life and death)because he knew that what
this young man was doing was something that it was not appropriate to
keep quiet about, and was not an insignificant matter. The fact that
'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) rebuked him indicates that this
action is reprehensible according to Islam. But from wheredid this one
who differs get the idea that it is makrooh and not haraam?
'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) could not see what is in
people's hearts, and there is nothing in the story to suggest that he
saw in the case of the young man that which was mentioned by this one
who differs; rather it is mere speculation that needs evidence to
prove it.
6.
With regard to what he mentioned about the virtue of the martyr and
that he is in Paradise, and his thinking that this contradicts the
punishment for the one who lets his garment come below his ankles,
this is unacceptable. If he thinks that this proves that isbaal is not
haraam, then let him saythe same with regard to lying, severing ties
of kinship, drinking alcoholand other major sins that bring the
warning of Hell. How can we reconcile between the warning for his sins
and the promise of Paradise for the martyr who commits these sins or
some of them?
The warning for committing sin may be retracted for reasons that we
cannot go into here.
7.
With regard to what it says in the hadeeth of Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq
about one side of his garment slipping and how he used to pay
attention to that, and that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) said to him: "You are not one of those who do that outof
pride," this does not give them any proof. Rather it counts against
them, not for them. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) used to
pull up his garment and not let it drag; rather it used to slip but he
did not ignore it; rather he used to pay attention to it. And one who
is like Abu Bakr is excused.
Al-Imam adh-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Similarly, you see the faqeeh who is living a life of ease, when he is
criticised for wearing a garment that comes below his ankles and it
issaid to him: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said: "Whatever is below the ankles of the izaar is in the Fire," – he
says: He only said that concerning the one wholets his izaar drag out
of pride, but I am not doing that out of pride. So you see him showing
arrogance and defending his foolish action, taking a hadeeth that is
general in meaning and quoting another hadeeth so as tolimit the
meaning of the first one to pride, and hethinks that he can get away
with his isbaal on the basis of what (Abu Bakr) as-Siddeeq said: O
Messenger of Allah, my izaar slips, and the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) said, "O Abu Bakr, you are not one of
thosewho do that out of pride." But we say: Abu Bakr did not put on
his izaar in such a way that it came below the anklesfrom the outset;
rather he put it on so that it came above the ankles, then after that
it slipped.And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said: "The izaar of the believer comes to mid-calf and there is no
problem with the area between that and the ankle." End quote.
Siyar A'laam an-Nubala', 3/234
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
With regard to those who quote to us the hadeeth of Abu Bakr (may
Allah be pleased with him), we say to him: You have no proof in this
hadeeth for two reasons:
(i)
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "One of the two sides
of my izaar drop unless I pay attention to it…" So he (may Allah be
pleasedwith him) was not letting his garment drag deliberately; rather
it used to loosen and drop,yet he would still pay attention to it.
Those who let the garment come below the ankles and claim that they
are not doing that out of pride are letting their garments hang low
deliberately.
(ii)
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) praised Abu
Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and testified that he was not one
of those who did that out of pride. Have any of these people attained
such praise andsuch testimony? But the Shaytaan prompts some people to
follow ambiguous texts of the Qur'an and Sunnah so as to justify what
they are doing, and Allah guides whomever He will to the straight
path. We ask Allah to guide us and keep us safe and sound.
Majmoo' Fataawa ash-Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (12/question no. 223)
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah havemercy on him) said:
Withregard to the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) to Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq (may Allah bepleased with him),
whenhe said: O Messenger of Allah, my izaar slips unless I pay
attention to it, and he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said to him: "You are not one of those who do that out of pride", what
the Prophet(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) meant is that
the one who pays attention to his garment if it slips, and pulls it
up, is not regarded as being one of those who let the garment drag out
of pride, because he did not let it hang low deliberately. Rather it
may slip, so he pulls it upand pays attention to it. Undoubtedly such
a person is excused. As for the one who deliberately lets it drag,
whether it is a (man's) abayah or pants or an izaar (waist wrapper) or
a thobe, he is included in this warning and he isnot excused for
letting his garment come belowthe ankles, because the saheeh hadeeths
that forbid isbaal include himin their meanings. What every Muslim
should do is guard against isbaal and fear Allah with regard to that;
he shouldnot let his garment hangbelow his ankles, following this
saheeh hadeeth and seeking to avoid the wrath and punishment of Allah.
AndAllah is the source of strength.
Majmoo' Fataawa ash-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 6/383
With regard to their saying that the warning only applies to the one
who lets his garment hang below to the ankles out of pride, it does
not seem that it is correct, because there is a warning against merely
letting the garment come below the ankles, and there is another
warning againstletting the izaar drag out of pride. It is not possible
to interpret the general report in terms of the specific report in
this case because there are two different actionswith two different
punishments, and those whom the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) rebuked were not people of arrogance andpride.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
In these hadeeths we see that letting the garment come below the
ankles out of pride isa major sin; as for lettingthe garment come
below the ankles for a reason other than pride, the apparent meaning
of the hadeeths is that it is also haraam.
Fath al-Baari, 10/263
Ibn al-'Arabi al-Maaliki (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
It is not permissible for aman to let his garment come past his ankle
and say, "I am not doing thatout of pride," because the prohibition on
that was clearly stated (in thehadeeth) and the reasonfor it was
stated. So he cannot say, "I am not among those to whom the hadeeth
refers because the reason for the prohibition does notapply to me,"
because this is going against sharee'ah and it is a claim that cannot
be accepted. Rather because of his pride he is making his garment and
izaar long, so he is definitely lying in his claim.
'Aaridat al-Ahwadhi, 7/238
This was quoted, with some slight differences in wording, by Ibn Hajar
(may Allah have mercy on him), who commented on it by saying:
The point is that isbaal implies letting the garment drag, and letting
the garment dragimplies pride, even if theone who is wearing it did
not intend it as such.This is supported by the report narrated by
Ahmad ibn Munayyi' via another isnaad from Ibn 'Umar in the hadeeth
which he attributed to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him): "Beware of letting the izaar drag, for letting the izaar
dragis a sign of pride."
Fath al-Baari, 10/264
As-San'aani (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The hadeeths indicate that whatever is below the ankles is in the
Fire, which signals that it is haraam; they also indicate that the one
who lets his izaar drag out of pride, Allah will not look at him,
which also signals that it is haraam and that the punishment for pride
is a specific punishment, which is that Allah will not look at him.
This demonstrates that the view that it is not haraam unless it is
done out of pride is not valid.
Isteefa' al-Aqwaal fi Tahreem al-Isbaal 'ala ar-Rijaal, p. 26
This is a summary of the response to what you mentioned in your
question. What the Muslims should do is strive to reach the correct
conclusion with regard to matters concerning which the scholars
differed, by means of research and study if he is qualified todo that.
If he is not qualified to do that, then he should follow (a scholar)
whose religious commitment and knowledge he trusts, and he should
refrain from denouncing, debating, and arguing. We ask Allah to teach
us that which we do not know and to benefit us by means of what He
teaches us.
And Allah knows best.