In most countries nowadays, people wear trousers which are of ankle length. And one notices that some fold them up whilst in masjids and then unfold them before leaving the Masjids.
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa
Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
As
salaam alaikum wa Rahemtullahu wa Barakatahu
May
Allah (swt) reward you and grant you true knowledge and His blessings so that
you continue to advise and help us to clarify the matters for us.
In
most countries nowadays, people wear trousers which are of ankle length.
And one notices that
some fold them up whilst in masjids and then unfold them before
leaving the Masjids.
In one
congregation, one individual used to get agitated and shout at those people who
did not fold up their trousers that their prayers would not be accepted!
In
order to maintain peace and remove the source of distraction for this man, I
used to turn up my trouser but normally I and most of the
congregation in the
Is
such indifference incorrect, please?
Whilst
we should try to follow the example of the Prophet (saw) as best as we
can, each of us has to live within our own Cultural norms and for a
Universal religion one has to find a happy medium so long as we seek
to maintain the standards of decency and cleanliness which Allah's
Commandments demand of us.
Multiplicity
has not only to be accommadated, it also ought to be celebrated otherwise we
all would be wearing a Uniform and suffocate under the burden of conformity
of every minute detail of a lifestyle suited for a group of people under
circumstances and of a time and place which no longer exist.
Is it
not possible for us to identify in Islam the Core and the Perpetual Universally
applicable and binding and the Peripheral and the Transitory and of Local
interest or has everything to be given equal importance and that we should
strive to adopt/apply to our
lives?
One is always aware of one's failings and perfection is never attained by us
humans. But we can so easily waste our time/effort on correcting the mundane
like dress and the washing and overlook our ethics and human relationships and
dealings with each other and remenbrance of Allah and observing His
Commandments.
I
would appreciate your views and I believe many of your readers would welcome
them as this issue probably troubles them as much as it does me.
Wa
Salaama
(There may be some grammatical and spelling
errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
Wear Clothes till ankle/prayers
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask
for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever
He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that
there is no one (no idol, no person, no
grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai,
nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad
(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will
not look at him who trails his lower garment conceitedly (in arrogance).’
The Prophet said, "The part of an
Izar (lower garment) which hangs below the ankles, is in the Fire."
The Prophet (saws) said, "Allah will not
look, on the Day of Resurrection, at the person who drags his garment (behind
him) out of conceit." On that
Any Law has two facets:
- The letter of the Law.
- The spirit of the Law.
The spirit and wisdom behind the
above ‘Law’ whereby the Messenger of Allah (saws) forbade the believers to wear
the ‘izaar’ or lower garment below the ankles, is that in the times of the
Prophet (saws) poverty was so rampant that only the very rich could afford to
wear a garment which would be long enough to reach one’s ankles. Thus the rich, in their pride and arrogance,
and to show-off their wealth would wear long flowing robes which would go below
their ankles (and at times drag on the ground) when most of the population of
that times could not even afford to wear enough to cover oneself appropriately!
The spirit of the law dictates
that a believer at all times should avoid and abstain from all types of things
that beget arrogance and pride for his possessions; and if wearing the ‘izaar’
lower than the ankles begets arrogance, then the believers must indeed abstain
from it.
The Prophet (saws) said, "The rewards (of deeds) are according to the intention, and everybody will get the reward for what he has intended.”
If one has absolutely no
intention of displaying pride or arrogance by wearing his lower garment below
his ankles, the majority of the scholars in Islam are of the opinion that Allah
Subhanah would not hold him accountable for his deed. But if one so fears Allah Subhanah and wants
to make absolutely sure to stay within the letter and the spirit of the law,
then it would be safest and absolutely best if one wears clothes whereby the
lower garment is above his ankles.
Besides, the command and guidance of the Messenger of
Allah (saws) for the believers to adorn themselves with lower garments no
longer than their ankles is for all times and not only when one offers one’s
prayers. Thus it would not be considered
righteousness if one only folds ones ankles when one is in prayer and at all
other times his lower garments falls below his ankles.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.
Your brother and well wisher in
Islam,
Burhan
Wister