Trailing the Hem of a Garment for a Woman

Trailing the Hem of a Garment for a Woman

Hadeeth No. 460 from Silsilah Ahadeeth as-Saheehah

By the
Muhaddith, 'Allaamah, Ash-Shaykh
Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaanee

“On the authority of Umm Salamah : that when the Messenger of Allaah -sallallaahu 'alayhe wasallam – said what he said about trailing the hem of a garment for the woman.


Umm Salamah mentions: then I asked: O Messenger of Allaah! How should we trail the hem of a garment?


He said: "Trail it by a hand span."
Umm Salamah said: But the feet become uncovered!
Then he said: "Then trail it a forearms length.”


I (al-Albaanee) say: In this hadeeth there is a proof showing that the feet of a woman are ‘Awrah (i.e. those parts of the body that must be covered) and this was a matter that was well known amongst the women at the time of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhe wasallam.


Since, when the Prophet said: ‘Trail it by a hand span,’ Umm Salaamah said: “Then the feet become uncovered” and from this, one feels that she knew that the feet are from the ‘Awrah. It is not permissible to uncover them and the Prophet - sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam- reaffirmed that for her and that is why he commanded her to trail her garment a forearm’s length.


In the Noble Qur’aan there is a reference to this fact and that is the saying of Allaah Ta’aala: ((And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment)) Soorah Noor: 31


Shaykh al-Albaani was asked a question regarding trailing the hem of the Hijaab for the woman: “Is it a condition that it should trail by a hand span or a forearm’s length?”


The shaykh answered by saying: "This condition is if the clothing of a woman was like the clothing of the women in the past, i.e. because the women before used to only wear a Kamees (long dress) i.e. like a thobe. This means they did not wear a sirwaal (like pyjamas) nor socks, nor anything that would cover her shins nor her feet, except this long kamees which used to be dragged along the floor, which is generally known as the Abaya. 


Nowadays if a woman wears socks or perhaps a long sirwaal, even though this is not common, then it is sufficient for the jilbaab to cover the top of her feet. It is not necessary for the hem of the garment to be dragging along the floor except in the situation when she cannot find, from her clothing, the likes of a sirwaal or socks etc. because, verily the Messenger - alayhis sallam- ordered her to lengthen her garment fearing that anything of the ‘Awrah of her feet or shins be uncovered. So, if they are covered with clothing or socks and over the top of them is the long Jilbaab then it is not necessary, in this situation, for the hem of the garment to be dragging along the floor.


Questioner: May Allaah reward you
The Shaykh: May Allaah preserve you.
Questioner: So it is understood from your speech, that there is no problem if the shoes become uncovered or some of the socks are shown?
The Shaykh: No, I said to you that the Jilbaab should cover the top of the feet. Then you also mentioned shoes, the condition for the shoes is that they shouldn't be decorated, because nowadays most women's shoes are decorated.
Questioner: May Allaah reward you
The Shaykh: May Allaah preserve you.
Taken from 'silsilat Huda wa noor' - tape no. 565 at 21.49 mins.


And the Sahaabiyyaat used to walk through the roads and alley-ways of al-Madeenah to the Masjid trailing their garments and they would pray in them.

A woman came to Umm Salamah, radiyallaahu ta’aalaa ‘anhaa and asked:

“I am a woman having a long trail or hem of my garment and I walk in a filthy place (then what should I do)?”  Umm Salamah radiyallaahu ‘anhaa replied: “The Messenger of Allaahsallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam said: “What comes after it purifies it (the garment)”.

[Reported by Maalik, Ahmad, At-Tirmidhee, Aboo Dawood and Ad-Daarimee.]

Shaykh Al-Albaanee rahimahullaahu ta’aalaasaid the hadeeth is saheeh since it is supported another sound narration reported by Abu Daawood in which a woman from Banu ‘Abdal-Ashhal reported: “I said O Messenger! Our road to the masjid has an unpleasant stench, what should we do when it is raining?” He sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam asked:

“Isn’t there a clearer part after the filthy part of the road?”  She said, “Indeed there is one.” He said, “It makes up for the other” (becomes purified from the filth it encountered of the other path).

[Mushkatul-Masaabeeh of At-Tabizee, vol. 1 hadeeth no. 504 and 512 reviewed and checked by Imaam, Muhaddith, ‘Allaamah, Ash-Shaykh Al-Albaanee rahimahullaah.]

All Praise belongs to Allaah, may His peace and blessings be upon our final Prophet Muhammad, his family, his companions and all those who follow his guidance