The ruling on letting garments hang below the ankles without the intention of arrogance

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Question:
Our brother asks about the ruling on those who say: “Shortening garments is intended only to prevent arrogance.” Is that correct? And is there any guidance regarding this?
May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
The hadiths reported on this matter from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) are general and do not apply only to those who intend arrogance. For this reason, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith:

Whatever of the Izar comes below the ankles is in the Fire.

ما أسفل من الكعبين من الإزار فهو في النار

Sunan an-Nasa'i 5331Sahih (Darussalam)

Al-Bukhari narrated it in his Sahih, and he did not restrict it to arrogance. He (peace and blessings be upon him) also said:

Narrated Abu Dharr: The Prophet (ﷺ) as saying: There are three to whom Allah will not speak and at whom He will not look on the Day of Resurrection, and whom He will not declare pure, and they will have a painful punishment. I asked: Who are they, Messenger of Allah, they are losers and disappointed ? He repeated it three times. I asked: Who are they. Messenger of Allah, they are losers and disappointed ? He replied: The one who wears a trailing robe, the one who takes account of what he gives, and the one who produces a ready sale of a commodity by false swearing.

ثلاثة لا يكلمهم الله، ولا ينظر إليهم يوم القيامة، ولا يزكيهم، ولهم عذاب أليم: المسبل إزاره، والمنان فيما أعطى، والمنفق سلعته بالحلف الكاذب

Sunan Abi Dawud 4087Sahih (Al-Albani)

Muslim narrated it in his Sahih. And in the hadith of Jabir ibn Sulaym from him (peace and blessings be upon him), he said:

Beware of letting the garment hang below the ankles, for it is a sign of arrogance.

إياك والإسبال، فإنه من المخيلة

Thus, he named letting the garment hang as a form of arrogance.
As for his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):

Whoever arrogantly drags his garment, Allah will not look at him on the Day of Judgement.

من جر ثوبه خيلاء لم ينظر الله إليه يوم القيامة

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1731Sahih (Darussalam)

This does not necessitate restricting the other hadiths. Rather, it indicates that the one who drags his garment out of arrogance commits a greater and more serious sin. There is no doubt that being lax about letting garments hang is a means to arrogance, for the majority of those who let their clothes hang are driven to do so by pride, haughtiness, and self-importance. Blocking the means to harm is a necessary matter in the Shari'ah and an obligatory one. Also, letting garments hang involves extravagance and exposing them to dirt and ritual impurity. For this reason, it was reported from 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that he saw a young man touching the ground with his garment, so he said: “Lift your garment, for it is more pious toward your Lord and cleaner for your garment.”
As for the hadith of al-Id (may Allah be pleased with him) when he said: “O Messenger of Allah, my lower garment slips off me unless I keep holding it,” and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him:

You are not one of those who do it arrogantly.

إنك لست ممن يفعله خيلاء

Mishkat al-Masabih 4369

The meaning of this is that if one’s lower garment slips off occasionally without the intention of arrogance, while he is keeping hold of it, that does not harm him. It does not mean permission to let garments hang if one does not intend arrogance.
Therefore, it is obligatory for the believer to beware of what Allah has forbidden him, to distance himself from the characteristics of the arrogant, and to beware of being lax in sins, for their consequences are severe. We ask Allah for safety and well-being. Yes.

The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good.

Source binbaz.org.sa

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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