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The
question:
What is the ruling concerning praying in a red garment?
The
answer:
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace
and blessing be upon whom Allah sent as a mercy to the Worlds, upon his Family,
his Companions and his Brothers till the Day of Resurrection.
Concerning your question about wearing a red garment during
a prayer, this question depends first on the ruling regarding wearing a red
garment. The Maliki and Shafi`i schools and some scholars consider it
absolutely permissible to wear a red garment, in accordance with the hadith of Al-Barâ'
Ibn `Âzib who said: The Prophet صلى اللهُ عليه وآله
وسَلَّم was
of moderate height, having broad shoulders, and (long) hair reaching his
earlobes. Once I saw him, wearing a red cloak, and I had never seen anyone more
handsome than him."
And according to the hadith of Abu Juhayfa in Sahih Al-Bukhâri and others, he
said that "He saw the Prophet صلى اللهُ عليه وآله وسَلَّم coming out tucking up his red cloak and
led the people in a prayer of two Rak`as.
In Sunan Abu Dâwûd, the hadith of `Âmir Al-Muzani with a chain of
narrators upon which there is difference (among scholars of hadith) he said: "I
saw the Prophet صلى اللهُ عليه وآله وسَلَّم at Mina giving sermon on a mule and
wearing a red garment".
This been said, there are arguments which forbid to wear a
red garment. They only indicate, if they are correct, that it is detestable but
not forbidden, so what to say that they are not valid to be taken as arguments
because their chains of narration are uncertain? In addition, they are opposed
by authentic and evident hadiths. Besides, the hadiths which are authentic are
capable of being interpreted differently.
Hereupon, we can explain the prohibition from wearing a red
garment by these arguments which are all questionable:
- If we explain the prohibition by the fact that the red is
the color liked by Satan and by which he beautifies himself, by using as arguments
reported hadiths in this subject; these hadiths, if they were authentic, (are
opposed by the fact that) the Prophet صلى اللهُ عليه وآله
وسَلَّم wore a red cloak
several times. Thus, it will be improbable that the Prophet صلى اللهُ
عليه وآله وسَلَّم wears something
he forbade us to wear. Moreover, we cannot take as argument the fact that there
is no contradiction between the speech and act of the Prophet صلى اللهُ
عليه وآله وسَلَّم, as the
mentioned reason indicates that there is no specificity, on the contrary, the
Prophet صلى
اللهُ عليه وآله وسَلَّم is the one who is the most entitled to avoid what Satan
wears, taking into consideration the rule that :"What is established
for the Prophet's صلى اللهُ عليه وآله وسَلَّم nation is also applied for him, until
there is something that indicates its specificity to him صلى
اللهُ عليه وآله وسَلَّم
" and in this case there is no specificity.
- If we explain the prohibition by the fact that it is
forbidden to copy the disbelievers in accordance with what is reported by
Muslim from the hadith of `Abd Allah Ibn `Amr who said: the Prophet صلى
اللهُ عليه وآله وسَلَّم saw me
wearing two garments dyed with safflower. Upon this, he صلى اللهُ عليه وآله وسَلَّم said: "Those are the garments (worn
by) the unbelievers, so do not wear them".
The interdiction concerns a specific kind of red which is the red resulted from
the dye of safflower, as it is established by Ibn Al-Qayyim who reconciled
between this and what was reported in the two Sahîh (Al-Bukâri and Muslim), that
the Prophet صلى اللهُ عليه وآله وسَلَّم used to wear a red cloak".
With the same arguments, we can answer what is authentically
reported in "Sahîh Al Bukhâri" and other books about the prohibition
to use the red silken cushion (put on the saddles).
These hadiths indicate only that it is forbidden to use the red silken cushion,
and there is nothing indicating the prohibition of other things, taking
into consideration the fact that the Prophet صلى اللهُ عليه وآله
وسَلَّم used
to wear a red cloak several times, as it is established.
- If we explain the prohibition from wearing red because it
is an imitation of women as it is of their adornments, or because it is a
garment for gaining fame and because it indicates lack of virility, the
prohibition –as it is evident- is not because of the redness itself, but for
other reasons, and this is opposed by the Prophet's صلى
اللهُ عليه وآله وسَلَّم
wearing red.
- As for what is established by Ibn Al-Qayyim – by
reconciling the hadiths that the red cloak is from two Yemeni garments woven with
red and black strips, this reconciliation lacks proof, as the Sahâbi
(companion of the Prophet صلى اللهُ عليه وآله وسَلَّم) is one who knows perfectly the Arabic language,
and he described it as being red, so it should be understood as described (pure
red) only, because it is the real meaning of this word, and explaining the
speech of the Sahâbi by what it means in the language of his people is sounder
and more correct, and "we should not interpret figuratively unless
there is a proof that makes us do so", as it is established in books
dealing with such issues.
For this reason, we should take into consideration the fact
that, in principle it is permissible to wear red. This is supported by the
established deeds of the Prophet صلى اللهُ عليه وآله وسَلَّم that indicate the
permissibility of wearing red, especially if we know that it is established
that the Prophet صلى اللهُ عليه وآله وسَلَّم wore red after Hajjat Al-Wadâ`
(The Farewell Hajj) after which he did not live but only few days.
This opinion is the choice of a group of Companions and Tâbi`ûn
(Successors), it is also the opinion of the Malikis and Shâfi`is as we
mentioned before, it is also the view of Ash-Shawkâni. So, if this ruling is
established, praying in a red garment is valid without any undesirability.
The perfect knowledge belongs to Allah عزّ
وجلّ. Our last prayer is all
praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon our
Prophet صلّى الله عليه وآله وسلّم, his Family, his Companions and Brothers till the Day of
Resurrection.
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