Part 64

Both men and women may use kohl, though its use for men is limited to health-related benefits; women, on the other hand, may use kohl to adorn themselves as well as to achieve some health-related benefit. Arabs would use kohl to treat a sore eye. In a hadith that is related by Umm ‘Atiyyah 4, an account is given of a women whose husband died and whose eyes then became afflicted with some ailment. Some Companions & mentioned her situation to the Prophet #% and told him that they were using kohl to treat her ailment! And in another hadith, Ibn ‘Abbaas 4 related that the Messenger of Allah # said,

SEE ES GRE ZF OE il Keb Ved

"] Related by Bukhaaree (5899), Muslim (21003), Ahmad (7233), An-Nassaaee (5069), Abu Daawood (4203), and Ibn Maajah (3621).

"1 Related by Muslim (2102), Ahmad (13993), An-Nassaaee (5076), Abu Daawood (4204), and Ibn Maajah (3624).

'3! Refer to Bukhaaree (5707) and Muslim (1489).

“Wear your white garments, for they are from the best of your garments; and in them you should enshroud your dead. Also, the best of your kohl is Al-Ithmid (a kind of kohl, which comes from a well-known black stone that has some redness in it. It is found in the lands of Al-Hijaaz): it strengthens and improves eyesight and makes hair grow,"

When one uses kohl, it is Sunnah to apply it an odd number of times - three times to his right eye, three times to his left eye, twice to his right eye and once to his left eye, vice-versa, or more often, as long as the total number of times it is applied, is an odd number.

Related Issue: Men should not use kohl as a means of beautifying or adorning their appearance; it is contrary to the innate masculinity of men to adorn themselves as women do. The following hadith lists the benefits of Al-Ithmid, and among those benefits, no mention is made of adornment. The Prophet #8 said,

“Use Al-Ithmid, for indeed, it makes hair grow, it gets rid of Al-

Qadhaa (the filth that surfaces around the corners of one’s eyes),

and it helps one see more clearly.’"")

20) Kinds Of Adornment That Are Prohibited For Women

Kohl, perfume, henna - Allah 3% permitted women to use these and similar things to beautify themselves with; however, there are certain means of beautification that Allah 3é has forbidden for women. Basically, these prohibited means always involve some

"] Related by Ahmad (2048); Abu Daawood (3878), and Al-Albaanee declared his narration to be authentic; At-Tirmidhee (1757); and Ibn Maajah (3497).

2] Related by Ibn Abee ‘Aasim and At-Tabaraanee, and Ibn Hajr said, “Its chain is Hasan.” (Fathul-Baaree 10/167).

Chapter - 15 The Manners Of Adornment And Attire 389

form of changing Allah’s creation. ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ood <# cursed Al-Waashimaat (those women who stick needles in skin, and then fill the area with kohl or bluing, to make the skin blue or green), Al-Mutanammisaat (those women who demand others to remove or pluck the hair on their faces) and Al-Mutafallijaat (those women who demand from someone to create a gap between their two front teeth or those who do it themselves), who do it for beauty, changers of Allah’s creation.’ Umm Ya’qoob said, ‘What is this?’ ‘Abdullah # said, “Why should I not curse he whom the Messenger of Allah curses and [he who is cursed] in Allah’s Book!’ She said, “By Allah, I have read what is in between the tablets (i.e., the front and back cover of the Quran), and I have not found it.” He # said, “By Allah, if you have read it, you have found it:

yeh ke Ke ASS UN Kae “And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad . gives you,

take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it).”

Bukhaaree and others have related from ‘Abdullah 2 that, “Allah cursed the Waasilah (a woman who attaches hair from a foreign source to her own hair).”"")

Despite the authenticity and clarity of these Ahadeeth and the severe warning found in them, many women persist in perpetrating the said sins or at least some of them; this stems from nothing other than the weakness of their faith. Otherwise, which woman would complacently place herself in a situation that results in her facing the anger of the All Mighty! O Allah, we ask You for safety and wellness, both in our religious and worldly affairs.

Related Issue: The above-mentioned prohibitions are not limited to women; rather, they also apply to men who perform those

" Related by Bukharee (4877, 4886), Muslim (2125), Ahmad (3935), AnNasaaee (5099), Al-Tirmidhi (2782), Abu Dawood (4169), Ibn Majah (1989) and Ad-Daarami (2647).

deeds for themselves or for others. Women are specified in the above-mentioned narrations simply because they perpetrate those actions more than men do; likewise, the woman mourner who screams and wails (often because she is paid to do so) is specifically mentioned in certain narrations, because rarely are men seen mourning in the same manner; yet in no way does that mean that the prohibition is limited to women. And Allah 3 knows best.

Chapter - 16 The Manners Of Walking And Riding 391

The Manners Of Walking And Riding

“And Who has created all the pairs and has appointed for you ships and cattle on which you ride, in order that you may mount firmly on their backs, and then, may remember the Favor of your Lord when you mount thereon, and say: ‘Glory to Him Who has subjected this to us, and we could never have it (by our efforts). And verily, to our Lord we indeed are to return!” (Quran 43:1214)

The Manners Of Walking And Riding

1) It Is Prohibited To Walk Arrogantly With A Strut

A person walks with a strut if feelings of arrogance, pride, and

self-admiration thrive in his heart. Humbleness and not

arrogance is from the characteristics of the believer. Abu Sa’eed

Al-Khudree 4 reported that the Messenger of Allah #¢ said, “Al-‘Izz (The Glory And Might) is His Izaar (lower garment) and Al-Kibriyaa (Grandeur and Pride) is His Ridaa (robe), [and Allah %& said,] ‘So as for he who challenges Me in them, I will punish him.”

And Abu Hurairah 4 also related that the Messenger of Allah # said,

“As a man was walking in a Hullah (a two-piece garment), admiring his own self, with his Jummah (hair that reaches one’s shoulders) combed, Allah made the earth to swallow him, and he

will continue to sink in it until the Day of Resurrection.”"")

Only on one occasion is it permissible to walk with a strut, and that is the occasion of battle, when one may walk with a strut in order to instill anger into the hearts of the enemies. Abu Dujaanah # once did this when he wore a red headband and then began to strut between the rows of the two armies, the army of the Muslims and the army of the enemies. When he saw Abu Dujaanah do this, the Messenger of Allah # said, “It is a kind of walking that Allah detests except for a situation such as this.”

2) The Best Form Of Walking

Tbn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah said, ‘’ When the Prophet # would walk, he would lean forward, and he would walk faster than any other person; his form of walking was of the best and serenest kind.” Abu Hurairah # said, “ I have not seen [anyone] better than the Messenger of Allah #; it was as if the sun flowed in his face. And I have not seen anyone who walked faster than the Messenger of Allah 3; it was as if the earth was folded for him. And we would be losing our breath [in order to keep up with him], while he would be in a calm, unchanged state.”""! And ‘Alee Ibn Abee Taalib # said, ‘When the Messenger of Allah # would walk, he would lean forward, as if he were walking down an incline.” This form of walking - to lean slightly forward - is the best form of walking; it denotes a sense of purpose and determination.

"l Related by Bukharee (5789), Muslim (2088), Ahmad (7574) and Ad-Darmi

Chapter - 16 The Manners Of Walking And Riding 393

In Al-Hadyee, Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah mentioned ten forms of walking; here are some of them. First, the best form of walking is, as we described above, to lean forward slightly, as if one is walking down an incline. This was the way in which the Messenger of Allah #% walked. Another form of walking is to take steps in a confused and agitated manner, which is the way a wild or agitated camel walks. A person who walks this way shows others the weakness of his mind, especially if he adds to the ridiculous style of his walking the habit of constantly looking to his right and to his left. Ibn Al-Qayyim also mentioned a form of walking that is called Al-Khawzalee, which is to sway from one side to the other as one is walking. Men should avoid walking in this manner, for there is definitely something effeminate about a man who sways from one side to the other as he walks. Another form of walking that Ibn Al-Qayyim mentioned is to walk with a strut or swagger, which the arrogant and haughty kind of person is known for.

3) It Is Disliked To Walk In One Shoe

We have discussed this topic in enough detail in the Chapter: “The Manners Of Clothing And Adornment.”

4) It Is Sunnah To Walk Barefoot Sometimes

Fudaalah Ibn ‘Ubaid # said, “’The Prophet # would order us to walk barefoot at least some of the time." Ibn ‘Umar related a hadith in which he described how the Prophet # visited Sa’ad Tbn ‘Ubaadah 2 when the latter was sick. Ibn ‘Umar & said, “Then he stood [to go visit Sa‘ad 4], and we stood [to go] with him. We were slightly more than ten men, and none of us was wearing shoes, slippers, hats, or shirts; we walked through those As-Sibaakh (salty lands upon which almost nothing grows)...”"7)

By going barefoot at times, one trains himself to endure rough circumstances, a training that one deprives himself of when he is

constantly wearing comfortable shoes.

5) The Owner Of A Riding Animal Is Most Deserving Of Sitting In The Front

Whoever owns something is more deserving of it than others, a principle that applies in this issue to riding animals as well as to cars or any other means of conveyance. Therefore, the owner of a camel, horse, or car is more worthy of sitting in the front than anyone else; and no one may sit in the front unless the owner's permission is first obtained. Buraidah # said, ““Once, while the Messenger of Allah # was walking, a man came, and he had a donkey with him. He said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, ride,’ and the man moved to the back, [making room for the Prophet #¥ to sit on the front of the donkey]. The Messenger of Allah # said,