Book 37: The Book Of Clothes And Adornment
Overview
The Book of Clothes and Adornment in Sahih Muslim serves as a foundational text for Islamic orthopraxy, meticulously detailing the permissible and forbidden aspects of daily life for a Muslim. The text covers a vast array of behaviors, including the prohibition of men wearing silk and gold, the condemnation of drinking from gold or silver vessels, strict rules regarding footwear, sitting postures, and eating habits, and severe warnings against creating images or keeping dogs. Theologically, this text is highly significant because it directly links these external, material behaviors to eternal consequences. Infractions such as drinking from a silver vessel or trailing a garment out of pride are explicitly stated to result in Hellfire or the withdrawal of Allah's gaze on the Day of Resurrection. Furthermore, the text establishes the absolute authority of the Prophet Muhammad's example (Sunnah), demonstrating that his commands and personal habits—down to which foot to put a sandal on first or the specific placement of a signet ring—are binding divine law. The text also emphasizes a distinct social identity, commanding Muslims to alter their appearance specifically to oppose the practices of Jews and Christians.
Key Figures
- Muhammad (Allah's Messenger) - The central authority figure whose commands, prohibitions, and personal habits establish binding divine law for all adherents.
- Umar b. Khattab - A prominent companion who frequently interacts with Muhammad regarding silk garments, demonstrating the strict enforcement of the Prophet's prohibitions.
- Ali b. Abu Talib - A companion and son-in-law of Muhammad, used to model obedience by tearing up a gifted silk garment to make head coverings for women.
- A'isha - Muhammad's wife, who provides intimate details of his household rules, particularly regarding the destruction of pictures and curtains with portraits.
- Anas b. Malik - A prolific narrator who provides detailed accounts of Muhammad's ring, his letters to foreign emperors, and his specific clothing preferences.
- Gabriel - The archangel who refuses to enter Muhammad's presence due to a puppy under a cot, establishing the theological rule that angels avoid houses with dogs or pictures.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Material Eschatology (Works-Based Damnation)
Assertion
Specific, minor external actions involving material objects (e.g., drinking from a silver vessel, wearing silk, trailing a garment) directly result in eternal damnation in Hellfire or the loss of divine favor on the Day of Resurrection.
Evidence from Text
He who drinks in the vessel of silver in fact drinks down in his belly the fire of Hell. [037:5247] ... He who wears silk in this world has no share in the Hereafter. [037:5264]
Evangelical Comparison
This doctrine stands in stark contrast to the Evangelical understanding of Sola Fide (Justification by Faith Alone) and the teachings of Jesus Christ regarding purity. In this Hadith, eternal destiny is precariously tied to sartorial and dietary mechanics. A man who drinks from a silver cup is said to swallow Hellfire, and a man who wears silk forfeits his share in the Hereafter. In contrast, Evangelical Christianity, rooted in the New Testament, teaches that 'it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person' (Matthew 15:11). Furthermore, the Apostle Paul explicitly warns against such material legalism in Colossians 2:20-22, stating, 'If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—"Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch" (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings?' Evangelicalism maintains that sin is a condition of the heart resolved only by the atoning blood of Christ, not by avoiding specific fabrics or metals.
Aniconism and the Imitation of Creation
Assertion
Creating pictures or portraits of living things is a grievous sin because it attempts to imitate Allah's act of creation. Painters will be severely tormented in Hell and challenged to breathe life into their creations.
Evidence from Text
The most grievous torment for the people on the Day of Resurrection would be for those who try to imitate Allah in the act of creation. [037:5384] ... Those who paint pictures would be punished on the Day of Resurrection and it would be said to them: Breathe soul into what you have created. [037:5394]
Evangelical Comparison
The Hadith strictly forbids the creation of images of living beings, viewing it as a blasphemous usurpation of Allah's exclusive role as Creator. The punishment is severe: eternal torment in Hell where the artist is mocked by being commanded to animate their artwork. In Evangelical Christianity, while the Second Commandment forbids the making of idols for the purpose of worship (Exodus 20:4-5), it does not forbid representative art. In fact, God commanded the creation of artistic representations of cherubim, palm trees, and flowers for the Tabernacle and Temple (Exodus 25:18, 1 Kings 6:29). Evangelicals generally view human creativity, including painting and sculpting, as a reflection of the *Imago Dei* (Image of God). Because humans are made in the image of the Creator, the desire to create art is seen as a God-given attribute to be used for His glory, not an inherent rebellion against His sovereignty.
Angelic Aversion to Impurity
Assertion
Angels will refuse to enter a home or accompany a traveler if certain forbidden items—specifically dogs, pictures, or bells—are present.
Evidence from Text
Angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture. [037:5372] ... Angels do not accompany the travellers who have with them a dog and a bell. [037:5403]
Evangelical Comparison
This text presents a theology where the presence of holy beings (angels, including the archangel Gabriel) is repelled by specific physical objects or animals. Gabriel breaks a promise to visit Muhammad simply because a puppy wandered under a cot. This implies that divine messengers are constrained by ritualistic purity laws regarding material things. In Evangelical theology, angels are 'ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation' (Hebrews 1:14). Their obedience is to the sovereign command of God, and there is no biblical precedent suggesting their presence or protection is nullified by the presence of a dog, a bell, or a painting. The biblical worldview emphasizes God's omnipresence and the spiritual nature of holiness, rather than a superstitious avoidance of specific physical items.
Alteration of Creation (Cosmetic Prohibition)
Assertion
Altering one's physical appearance through tattoos, adding false hair, plucking facial hair, or filing teeth for beauty is a cursed act that changes Allah's creation.
Evidence from Text
Allah had cursed those women who tattooed and who have themselves tattooed, those who pluck hair from their faces and those who make spaces between their teeth for beautification changing what God has created. [037:5427]
Evangelical Comparison
The Hadith pronounces a divine curse upon women who engage in specific cosmetic practices, framing these acts as an unlawful alteration of Allah's creation. While the Old Testament Law did forbid tattooing (Leviticus 19:28), usually associated with pagan mourning rituals, the New Testament Evangelical ethic focuses on the principle of modesty and the condition of the heart rather than absolute prohibitions on cosmetics. 1 Peter 3:3-4 instructs women that their beauty should not come *merely* from outward adornment (like braided hair or gold jewelry) but from the 'hidden person of the heart.' Evangelicalism does not teach that wearing hair extensions or plucking eyebrows brings a divine curse or alters God's creation in a damnable way. The strict legalism of the Hadith places a heavy burden on adherents, whereas the Gospel emphasizes internal transformation.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text demonstrates a profound theological gap regarding the nature of sin and salvation. It promotes a strict legalism where eternal destiny is determined by external, material compliance (clothing, vessels, postures), whereas Evangelicalism teaches that sin is an internal heart issue resolved only by grace through faith in Christ.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The fundamental theological incompatibility between this Hadith and Evangelical Christianity lies in the locus of purity and the basis of justification. Sahih Muslim 37 constructs a paradigm of extreme behavioral legalism. In this system, the material world is fraught with spiritual landmines; drinking from a silver vessel, wearing a silk shirt, or hanging a curtain with a picture of a bird are not merely cultural faux pas, but damnable offenses that invite the curse of Allah and the fires of Hell. This represents a works-based soteriology where human effort to maintain external orthopraxy is the determining factor of eternal destiny. Evangelical Christianity, grounded in the New Testament, explicitly rejects this paradigm. Jesus Christ confronted the Pharisees over this exact issue, declaring in Mark 7:15, 'There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.' The Evangelical pillar of Sola Fide asserts that humanity is utterly incapable of achieving righteousness through law-keeping. Salvation is a free gift of grace, secured entirely by the substitutionary atonement of Christ. Furthermore, the Apostle Paul warns the Colossians against submitting to ascetic regulations ('Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch'), noting that such rules have an 'appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion' but are 'of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh' (Colossians 2:20-23). The Hadith's focus on the minutiae of physical existence obscures the biblical truth of internal regeneration by the Holy Spirit.
For All Ages
Imagine you have a really strict teacher who says, 'If you drink from a silver cup, or put your left shoe on before your right shoe, you will be sent to the principal's office forever.' That would be very scary! This text teaches that God cares a whole lot about exactly what kind of clothes you wear, what hand you eat with, and even if you have a picture in your house. If you do these things wrong, it says God will punish you in Hell. But the Bible teaches something wonderful: Jesus said it's not what we wear or eat that makes us bad, but the bad choices in our hearts. Because Jesus took our punishment on the cross, we don't have to be afraid of going to Hell just because we wore the wrong shirt or drank from the wrong cup. God looks at our hearts, and He loves us because of Jesus! We do good things because we love Him, not because we are terrified of breaking a rule about shoes.
Friction Points
Sola Fide (Justification by Faith Alone)
The text explicitly states that specific works (or failures to perform them) dictate eternal destiny. Drinking from silver leads to Hell; wearing silk means no share in the Hereafter.
Sola Scriptura
The text elevates the oral traditions and personal habits of Muhammad to the level of binding divine law, adding hundreds of commands not found in the Quran or the Bible.
Christian Liberty / New Covenant Purity
The text imposes strict dietary and sartorial laws, contradicting Christ's teaching that external things do not defile a person (Mark 7) and Paul's teaching on Christian liberty (Colossians 2).
Theology Proper (Nature of God and Angels)
The text portrays angels as being thwarted or repelled by mundane physical objects like dogs, bells, or pictures, diminishing the biblical view of their spiritual power and obedience to God's sovereign command.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Sin / Disobedience"
In This Text
Failing to adhere to specific physical and material regulations set by the Prophet (e.g., wearing gold, keeping a dog).
In Evangelicalism
Any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the moral law of God, originating in a corrupt human heart.
"Creation"
In This Text
The physical forms of living beings, which are so exclusively Allah's domain that painting a picture of them is considered a blasphemous imitation.
In Evangelicalism
The universe and all living things made by God, which humans, made in His image, are called to steward, cultivate, and creatively represent.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Escaping the fire of Hell and having a 'share' in the Hereafter (Paradise).
How Attained: By strict obedience to the Prophet's commands regarding external behaviors, avoiding forbidden items (silk, gold, silver vessels, pictures), and maintaining proper physical postures.
Basis of Assurance: There is little room for assurance, as a single infraction (e.g., drinking from a silver vessel, trailing a garment out of pride) is explicitly said to result in Hell or God refusing to look at the person on Judgment Day.
Comparison to Sola Fide: This text is the antithesis of Sola Fide. Romans 8:1 declares, 'There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.' In contrast, this Hadith hangs the threat of eternal condemnation over the believer for minor material infractions. Justification here is entirely dependent on maintaining a flawless record of external orthopraxy.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Do not drink from silver or gold vessels.
- Do not eat from dishes made of gold or silver.
- Men must not wear silk, brocade, or velvet garments.
- Men must not wear gold rings.
- Visit the sick.
- Follow funeral processions.
- Answer the sneezer.
- Fulfill vows.
- Help the poor.
- Accept invitations.
- Greet everybody (spread salutations).
- Do not use saddle cloths made of red silk.
- Do not wear garments made of Qassi material.
- Tear forbidden silk garments to make head coverings for women.
- Do not wear clothes dyed in saffron or yellow (for men).
- Do not trail lower garments upon the ground out of pride.
- Tug lower garments up to the middle of the shanks.
- Do not engrave 'Muhammad, Messenger of Allah' on personal rings.
- Wear the signet ring stone facing the inside of the palm.
- Do not wear a ring on the forefinger or middle finger.
- Make a general practice of wearing sandals.
- Put the right foot in the sandal first.
- Take the left foot out of the sandal first.
- Wear both sandals or take both off; do not walk in only one sandal.
- Do not walk in a broken sandal until it is repaired.
- Do not eat with the left hand.
- Do not wrap yourself completely leaving no opening for the arms.
- Do not support yourself when sitting with a single garment wrapped round the knees exposing private parts.
- Do not lie on your back and place one foot upon the other.
- Dye white hair/beards, but avoid the color black.
- Oppose the Jews and Christians in appearance (specifically regarding hair dye).
- Do not keep dogs in the house (except for guarding orchards/fields).
- Do not keep pictures or portraits in the house.
- Tear or destroy curtains/cloths that have pictures on them.
- Do not paint pictures of living things (only trees/lifeless things allowed).
- Do not keep bells on animals or use them on journeys.
- Do not leave unbroken necklaces of strings on the necks of camels.
- Do not beat animals on the face.
- Do not cauterize animals on the face.
- Chew dates and touch the palate of a newborn child (Tahnik).
- Do not practice Qaza' (shaving part of a boy's head and leaving part unshaven).
- Avoid sitting on paths.
- If sitting on paths, fulfill its rights: keep eyes downward, refrain from harm, exchange greetings, command good, forbid evil.
- Do not add false hair to a woman's head.
- Do not ask for false hair to be added.
- Do not tattoo or ask to be tattooed.
- Do not pluck hair from the face.
- Do not make spaces between teeth for beautification.
- Women must not dress in a way that appears naked or style hair like camel humps.
- Do not make false statements about receiving gifts from a husband to make a co-wife jealous.
Implicit Obligations
- Absolute, unquestioning submission to the minutest behavioral preferences of the Prophet Muhammad.
- Constant self-monitoring of physical movements (which hand is used, which foot steps first, how one sits).
- Maintaining a strict visual and material distinction between Muslims and non-believers.
- Viewing material wealth and luxury (gold, silk) as inherently dangerous to one's eternal soul if utilized by men.
Ritual Requirements
- Do not recite the Quran while in the ruku' (kneeling) or sajda (prostration) positions of prayer.
- The ritual of Tahnik: bringing a newborn to a pious figure to have chewed dates rubbed on their palate.
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- When you read that drinking from a silver vessel or wearing a certain fabric can lead to Hellfire, how does that affect your peace and assurance of salvation?
- Jesus taught that it's not what goes into a person's mouth that defiles them, but what comes out of their heart. What are your thoughts on the difference between external rules and internal purity?
- If angels are powerful servants of God, why do you think they would be prevented from entering a room just because a picture or a dog is present?
- How do you balance the desire to please God with the heavy burden of remembering all these specific rules about shoes, rings, and sitting postures?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The desire for proper adornment and clothing.
The Hadith shows a deep human desire to be clothed in a way that is acceptable to God. The Gospel teaches that all our righteous deeds are like polluted garments (Isaiah 64:6). However, God offers us the ultimate, perfect clothing: the righteousness of Christ. We are invited to 'put on the Lord Jesus Christ' (Romans 13:14) and be clothed in His perfect righteousness, which guarantees our acceptance before God.
The fear of God not looking at a person on the Day of Resurrection.
This highlights the terrifying prospect of facing God's judgment without His favor. The Gospel provides the solution: because Jesus was forsaken on the cross (Matthew 27:46) and bore the wrath of God, those who trust in Him will never be turned away. We can stand before God with confidence, knowing He looks upon us with grace because of Christ.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The believer is placed under an exhausting burden of constant self-monitoring. Every mundane action—which foot steps into a sandal first, which hand holds a cup, what fabric touches the skin, how one sits on the floor—must be calculated to avoid divine wrath. This creates a hyper-vigilant, performance-based spirituality where resting in God's grace is impossible.
Because eternal damnation is threatened for seemingly minor infractions (like drinking from a silver cup or having a picture in the house), the believer lives with the constant fear that an accidental oversight could result in Hellfire. There is no eternal security, only the precarious hope that one's external compliance is sufficient.
The explicit commands to 'oppose the Jews and Christians' in appearance, and the strict rules against common cultural items (pictures, dogs, certain fabrics), force the believer into a state of constant cultural friction and isolation from the broader non-Muslim society.