The Color of shoes

مَا لَكَ وَ لِلنَّعْلِ السَّوْدَاءِ أَ مَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّهَا تُضِرُّ بِالْبَصَرِ وَ تُرْخِي الذَّكَرَ وَ هِيَ بِأَغْلَى الثَّمَنِ مِنْ غَيْرِهَا وَ مَا لَبِسَهَا أَحَدٌ إِلَّا اخْتَالَ فِيهَا.

“Once abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), looked at one of his people who wore a black shoe. He (the Imam) said, ‘What have you to do with a black shoe, did you not know that it is harmful to the eyes, it slackens the penis, besides it is more expensive than others and whoever wears it, he shows arrogance in it?”’

دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع وَ فِي رِجْلِي نَعْلٌ سَوْدَاءُ فَقَالَ يَا حَنَانُ مَا لَكَ وَ لِلسَّوْدَاءِ أَ مَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ فِيهَا ثَلَاثَ خِصَالٍ تُضْعِفُ الْبَصَرَ وَ تُرْخِي الذَّكَرَ وَ تُورِثُ الْهَمَّ وَ مَعَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ لِبَاسِ الْجَبَّارِينَ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ فَمَا أَلْبَسُ مِنَ النِّعَالِ قَالَ عَلَيْكَ بِالصَّفْرَاءِ فَإِنَّ فِيهَا ثَلَاثَ خِصَالٍ تَجْلُو الْبَصَرَ وَ تَشُدُّ الذَّكَرَ وَ تَدْرَأ

“I once visited abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and I wore a black shoe. He (the Imam) said, ‘O Hanan, what do you have to do with black (color)? Did you not know that it has three disadvantages ? It weakens the eye sight, slackens the penis and causes anxieties [and besides it is of footgear of tyrants]?’ I then asked, ‘What k

دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع وَ عَلَيَّ نَعْلٌ بَيْضَاءُ فَقَالَ يَا سَدِيرُ مَا هَذِهِ النَّعْلُ احْتَذَيْتَهَا عَلَى عِلْمٍ قُلْتُ لَا وَ اللَّهِ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فَقَالَ مَنْ دَخَلَ السُّوقَ قَاصِداً لِنَعْلٍ بَيْضَاءَ لَمْ يُبْلِهَا حَتَّى يَكْتَسِبَ مَالًا مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ قَالَ أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ أَخْبَرَنِي سَدِيرٌ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يُبْلِ تِلْكَ النَّعْلَ حَتَّى اكْتَسَبَ مِائَةَ دِينَارٍ مِنْ حَيْث

“I once visited abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and I was wearing a white shoe. He (the Imam) asked, ‘O Sadir, are you wearing this shoe intentionally?’ I replied, ‘No, by Allah, I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Whoever goes to the market place to buy a white shoe, it will not bec

رَآنِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع وَ عَلَيَّ نَعْلٌ سَوْدَاءُ فَقَالَ يَا عُبَيْدُ مَا لَكَ وَ لِلنَّعْلِ السَّوْدَاءِ أَ مَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ فِيهَا ثَلَاثَ خِصَالٍ تُرْخِي الذَّكَرَ وَ تُضْعِفُ الْبَصَرَ وَ هِيَ أَغْلَى ثَمَناً مِنْ غَيْرِهَا وَ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَلْبَسُهَا وَ مَا يَمْلِكُ إِلَّا أَهْلَهُ وَ وَلَدَهُ فَيَبْعَثُهُ اللَّهُ جَبَّاراً.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saw me with a black shoe and said, ‘O ‘Ubayd, what have you to do with a black shoe? Did you not know that it has three negative qualities? It slackens the penis, weakens the eyesight and it is more expensive than other shoes. If a man, who does not have anything except his wife and children, we

مَنْ لَبِسَ نَعْلًا صَفْرَاءَ كَانَ فِي سُرُورٍ حَتَّى يُبْلِيَهَا.

“If one wears yellow shoes he continues with happiness until that shoe becomes old.’”

مَنْ لَبِسَ نَعْلًا صَفْرَاءَ لَمْ يَزَلْ يَنْظُرُ فِي سُرُورٍ مَا دَامَتْ عَلَيْهِ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- صَفْراءُ فاقِعٌ لَوْنُها تَسُرُّ النَّاظِرِينَ‌[1].

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘If one wears yellow shoes he continues in happiness as long as he wears that shoes; Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, says, “It is yellow which is delightful to the on-lookers.” (2:69)*’”

مَنْ أَرَادَ لُبْسَ النَّعْلِ فَوَقَعَتْ لَهُ صَفْرَاءُ إِلَى الْبَيَاضِ لَمْ يَعْدَمْ مَالًا وَ وَلَداً وَ مَنْ وَقَعَتْ لَهُ سَوْدَاءُ لَمْ يَعْدَمْ غَمّاً وَ هَمّاً.

“He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said, ‘If one wants to wear shoes and he finds yellow toward whiteness shoes, he will not live without property or children; but if one finds black shoes he will not live without sadness and anxieties.’”