The Dress

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn al-Hakam from ‘Abd Allah ibn Jundab from Sufyan ibn al-Simt who has said the following: “I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘Clean garments put down the enemy.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

1. A number of our people have narrated from and from ibn Faddal from Tha‘labah ibn Maymun from Ya‘qub al-Ahmar who has narrated the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If one takes an oath which he knows is false he has opposed Allah, most Majestic, most 0100005 .’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

2. Abu Ali al-Ash‘ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn Salim from Ahmad ibn al-Nadr from ‘Amr ibn Shamir from Jabir who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, dressed in al-Taq, (a certain garment) al-Saj (green pallium) and al-Khama’is (a black gown).”’

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

2. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Ash ‘ariy from ibn al-Qaddah who has narrated the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Swearing falsely and sinfully for a binding purpose leaves the town barren.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfaliy from al-Sakuniy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘One who chooses (makes use of) clothes, he must clean it.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

3. Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Bandar has narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from Muhammad ibn Ali from Ali ibn ‘Uthman ibn Razin from Muhammad ibn Furat maternal uncle of abu ‘Ammar al-Sayrafiy from Jabir ibn Yazid who has narrated the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘You must never take sinfully a false oath because it leaves the town barren.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

4. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from al-Jamuraniy from al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn abu Hamzah from Sayf ibn ‘Amirah from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), if a believing person can have ten shirts. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he can do so.’ I then asked, ‘Can he have twenty.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he can do so.’ I asked, ‘Can he have thirty?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he can do so. This is not profligacy and lavishness. Profligacy is when you make your dress to maintain your dignity the cloth of your disgraceful condition.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Fianan from Fulayh ibn abu Bakr al-Shaybaniy who has narrated the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Taking an oath which is false and binding causes poverty consequently.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

5. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla’ ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Washsha’ who has said the following: “I once heard al-Rida’ (a.s.), saying, ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, would buy two dresses for summer, each valued at five hundred dirhams.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

5. Ali has narrated from his father from al-Nawfaliy from al-Sakuniy who has narrated the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Allah has an angel whose legs are on the lowest earth. The length of his leg is a distance of five hundred years’ journey and his head is in the highest sky with a length of one thousand years’ journey. He says, “O Lord, You are free of all defects, O Lord, You are free of all defects, as ever You have been and how great You are!” He (the Messenger of Allah) then said, ‘Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, sends revelation to him saying, “One who swears falsely by My name does not know this fact.’””

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from Yahya ibn al-‘Ala’ who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin sent ‘Abd Allah ibn al-‘Abbas to ibn al-Kawwa’ and his people. He was wearing a shirt of fine fabric and a gown. They looked at him and said, ‘O ibn al- ‘Abbas, you are the better among us in our belief and you wear this kind of clothes.’ He replied, ‘This is the first thing about which I disagree with you. “Who has made it unlawful to maintain beauty and to eat the pure foods which Allah has created for His servants?” (7:32) and He also has said, “dress well when attending the mosques.” (7:31)’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn Salim who has narrated the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘A binding oath which is false leaves the town barren.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

7. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Safwan from Yusuf ibn Ibrahim who has said the following: “I once visited abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and I was wearing a Jubbah of silk and al-Taylisan (pallium) of silk. He (the Imam) looked at me and I asked saying, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I am wearing a Taylisan of silk and a Jubbah of silk, what do you say about them?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Silk is not unlawful.’ I then said, ‘Its warp is abrisam (silk from silk worm as opposed to that from certain plant fibers or synthetic). He (the Imam) said, ‘Abrisam is not unlawful because when al-Husayn (a.s.), was murdered, he was wearing abrisam and jubbah of silk.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Abd Allah ibn al-‘ Abbas was sent to al-Khawarij by ’Amir al-Mu’minin and he stood before them wearing the best of his dresses with the best perfumes and with the best stumper. They said, ‘O ibn al- ‘Abbas you are the best of people to us but you have come wearing the dress of the tyrants and riding the stumper of the tyrants.’ He read to them this verse, ‘Say, who has made unlawful the beauties that Allah has brought out for His servants and the best sustenance.’ So dress up and beautify; Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty but it must be of the lawful ones.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

7. Abu Ali al-Ash‘ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn Hassan from Muhammad ibn Ali from Ali ibn Fiammad from ibn abu Ya’fur who has narrated the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘One who takes a sinful oath can wait only for forty nights (before being struck by misfortune).”’

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

8. Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Bandar Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from Muhammad ibn Ali in a marfu‘ manner has said the following: “Once, Sufyan al-Thawriy passed by Masjid al-Haram (the sacred area) and he saw abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), dressed in fine expensive clothes. He decided to meet him (the Imam) and scold him. He went close and said, ‘O son of the Messenger of Allah, the Messenger of Allah did not dress up with this kind of dress, Ali did not dress with this kind of dress nor did any of your ancestors.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘The Messenger of Allah (SAW) lived at a time when it was a financially serious and stringent condition. He (the Messenger of Allah) lived according to such conditions but the world thereafter has become financially relaxed. The most deserving in financial opportunities are the virtuous people.’ He (the Imam) then read this verse, ‘Say, who has made unlawful the beautiful things that Allah has brought out for His servants and the fine kinds of means of sustenance.’ (7:32) We are the most deserving of what Allah has granted. However, O Thawriy, what you see I have dressed up with I have done so for people. He (the Imam) pulled his hand to himself and raised the outer layer of his dress. Underneath on his body was a layer of rough textured garment. He (the Imam) said, ‘I wear this for my own soul and what you see (the outer layer) is for people.’ He (the Imam) then raised the outer layer of the garment of Sufyan, which was of rough texture but the layer underneath on his body was of a fine quality. He (the Imam) said, ‘You have dressed up for people with the outer layer and for yourself to enjoy with the fine quality layer underneath.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

8. It is narrated from the narrator of the previous Hadith from Muhammad ibn Ali from Ali ibn Hammad from Hariz from certain persons of his people who has narrated the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Taking an oath sinfully is that which subjects one to the fire whereby a man holds back the right of a Muslim by seizing his assets.”’

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

9. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla’ ibn Muhammad from ai-Washsha’ from ‘Abd Aifah ibn Sinan who has said the following: “I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘When I was in tawaf (walking around al- Ka‘bah) someone pulled my dress and he was ‘Abbad ibn Kathir al-Basriy saying, “O Ja‘far ibn Muhammad, you wear this kind of dress and your position to Ali (a.s.), is so close.’” I said, ‘It is a material made in Furqubiy (a place in Egypt) which I have bought for a dinar. Ali (a.s.), lived in a time when his kind of dress was suitable for him and if I wear that kind of dress now people will say, “He is another show off like ‘Abbad.’””

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

9. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from Malik ibn ‘Atiyyah from abu ‘Ubaydah al- Hadhdha’ who has narrated the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said that it is in the book of Ali (a.s.), that false oath and cutting off of good relations with relatives leave a town barren, empty of its inhabitants and destroys the reproducing continuum.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

10. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), if a man can have ten shirts, changing them every day. He (the Imam) said, ’It is not unlawful.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

10. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Talhah ibn Zayd who has narrated the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Sinful and false oath turns the womb barren.’ I then asked him (the Imam) about the meaning of the Arabic word ‘TunghiV . He (the Imam) said that it means turning fruitless.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

11. Through the same chain of narrators as that of the previous Hadith the following is narrated from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), if I can have three shirts. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful.’ I asked again until I reached ten shirts and he (the Imam) said, ‘Does exchanging give them more durability?’ I said, ‘It does, were I to wear one of them for a longer time, it would become less durable.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

11. Ali has narrated from his father from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan all from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Ibrahim ibn ‘Abd al-Hamid from a Shaykh of our people called abu al-Hassan who has narrated the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said that Allah, most Blessed, most High, has created a white rooster whose neck is under the throne and its legs in the center of the seventh earth, its one wing is in the east and one wing in the west. Other roosters do not crow until it crows. When it wants to crow it flaps its wings and says, ‘Tasbih (Allah is free of all defects) and is the most great like whom there is no one.’” He (the Imam) said that ‘Allah, most Blessed, most High, in response says, “A lying person would never swear falsely by My name would he but know about what you say.’””

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

12. It is narrated from the narrator of the previous Hadith from Nuh ibn Shu’ayb from certain persons of his people who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who is affluent and has a great deal of clothes and very fine ones, palliums, many shirts which are used to extend the life of each shirt and beautify himself; if it is profligacy and lavishness. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it is not lavishness because Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, says, “The affluent can spend according to his affluent condition.” (65:7)’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

13. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Astdariy from ibn al-Qaddah who has said the following: “Once abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was leaning against me or he said, ‘against my father’ when ‘Abbad ibn Kathir al-Basriy met him (the Imam) and he (the Imam) had a dress of fabrics made in Marw (name of place) of fine quality. He (‘Abbad) said, ‘O abu ‘Abd Allah, you are of the family of the Holy Prophet, and your father was (so pious). What is this dress, made in Marw, on you? I wish you dressed in a lower quality dress.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said to him, ‘Woe on you, O ‘Abbad! Who has made unlawful the beautiful things that Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has brought out for His servants and the very fine kinds of means of sustenance. When Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, grants bounties on His servant He loves to see it on him and it is not harmful. Woe on you, O ‘Abbad, I am a piece of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, do not trouble me.’ ‘Abbad wore two pieces of clothes made in Qitr (name of a place).”’

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

14. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Qasim ibn Yahya from his grandfather al-Hassan ibn Rashid from Abu Basir from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who said: ’Amir al-Mu’minin (as) has said, "Clean clothes remove worry and sorrow, and they are purifying for prayer."

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

15. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Hammad ibn ‘Uthaman who has said the following: “Once I was with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when a man said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep you well, you have mentioned that Ali ibn abu Talib wore very rough-textured clothes. He wore a shirt valued at four dirham and similar items and we see you wear fine clothes.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said to him, ‘Ali ibn abu Talib wore that kind of clothes in a time when it was not disliked. Were he to wear such clothes today he would have been defamed. The best dress in every period of time is what the people of that time use, however, when our al-Qa’im will rise, he will wear the kind of dress Ali (a.s.), wore and follow his way of life.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

16. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ali ibn Asbat from the one who narrated to him who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is not unlawful if one has twenty shirts. 5 ”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.