Sunnah Of Wearing Shoes And Garments

Sunnah For Putting On Shoes

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: “When one of you puts on sandals, he should first put on the right foot, and when he takes off he should take off the left one first. And he should wear both of them or take both off.” (Bukhari)

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)  said, “None of you should walk, wearing one shoe only; he should either put on both shoes or put on no shoes whatsoever.” (Bukhari) 

Another hadith narrated in An-Nasai that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)  said, “If the strap of the sandal of one of breaks, then let him not walk in one sandal until he fixes it.”

• When one is wearing shoes, one should put on his right foot first
• When one is removing shoes, one should start with his left foot
• It is dislike to walk around wearing only one shoe

Sunnah For Putting on Clothes

Avoid draping one’s garment on the ground with pride and arrogance

Narrated Abdullah bin Umar: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Whoever drags his clothes (on the ground) out of pride and arrogance, Allah will not look at him on the Day of Resurrection.” (Bukhari)

Note: The hadith stated the warning of wearing one's garment to show (pride) superiority over others or looking down at them on the Day of Resurrection.

It is narrated in Muslim that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said “He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride shall not enter Paradise.”

One should humble oneself when wearing cloth and to be free of anything that leads to arrogance or for fame and vanity. It should not be extravagant or wasteful. Adbullah Ibn Amr Ibn Al- Aas narrated Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)  said, “Eat, give charity and clothe yourselves, without being extravagant, and without showing off.” (An-Nasai)

It is forbidden for men to wear gold and silk

Narrated Anas bin Malik: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said “Whoever wears silk in this world shall not wear it in the Hereafter” (Bukhari)

Narrated Ali ibn Abu Talib that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) took silk and held it in his right hand, and took gold held it in his left hand and said “both of these are prohibited to the males of my community”

Note: it is not permissible for men to wear gold and silk except for valid circumstances, like suffering from an illness that required it. To illustrate, narrated Anas: The Prophet (ﷺ) allowed Az-Zubair and `Abdur-Rahman to wear silk because they were suffering from an itch.

*It is permissible for women to wear gold and silk. Golds and silks are adornments for them.

It is sunnah for men to wear their garments above the ankles

Abu Huraira narrated that The Prophet (ﷺ) said “ Whatever is lower than the ankles for the lower garment is in the Fire” (Bukharri)

Note: Men should wear their pants/garments between the middle of their calves and above the ankles. As for the women, they should wear their garments long (hang down) to cover their body

The women should not display their beauty and they should cover their body

Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala said:

“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like palms of hands or one eye or both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer dress like veil, gloves, head-cover, apron, etc.), and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms, etc.) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband’s fathers, their sons, their husband’s sons, their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful.” (24:31)

Note: A woman should protect herself from non-mahram and should wear the correct islamic dress code. Some of the conditions are that the cloth should cover the body, the cloth should not be an adornment, and the cloth should be thin nor show the body shape. 

It is forbidden to wear cloth that has a cross or image of being that has a soul.

Narrated `Aisha: I purchased a cushion with pictures on it. The Prophet (came and) stood at the door but did not enter. I said (to him), “I repent to Allah for what (the guilt) I have done.” He said, “What is this cushion?” I said, “It is for you to sit on and recline on.” He said, “The makers of these pictures will be punished on the Day of Resurrection and it will be said to them, ‘Make alive what you have created.’ Moreover, the angels do not enter a house where there are pictures.’” (Bukhari)

Another hadith stated that The Prophet (ﷺ) never left anything that had an images or a cross in his house without destroying it.

Note: The garment should be free from an image of a being with a soul and a cross

Begin wearing the cloth with the right side

Narrated `Aisha: “The Prophet (ﷺ) used to like to start from the right side on wearing shoes, combing his hair and cleaning or washing himself and on doing anything else.” (Bukhari) 

Supplication when wearing a garment

 الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي كَسَانِي هَذَا الثَّوْبَ وَرَزَقَنِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي وَلاَ قُوَّةٍ 

“Praise be to Allah Who has clothed me with this garment and provided it for me through i was powerless myself and incapable”

*Benefit of reciting this dua when wearing cloth is that he will be forgiven his previous sins and later sins.

Supplication when wearing a new garment

Narrated Abu Sa'eed: "When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), would wear a new garment he would mention what it was, whether an 'Imamah, a Qamis, or a Rida', then he would say:

اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ كَسَوْتَنِيهِ أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَهُ وَخَيْرَ مَا صُنِعَ لَهُ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّهِ وَشَرِّ مَا صُنِعَ لَهُ

“O Allah! For You is the praise, You have clothed me, I ask You for its good and the god for which it was made, and I seek refuge in You from its evil and the evil for which it was made” (At-Tirmidhi)

Supplication to say to someone wearing a new garment

Abu Nadrah said: When any of the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) put on a new garment, he was told: 

تُبْلِي وَيُخْلِفُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَ

“May you wear it out and may Allah give you another in its place.”

Some examples to begin with the right side: When

• Entering Masjid or house
• Putting on shoes, clothes, or shocks
• Performing wudu 
• Coming out of the bathroom/restroom
• Brushing teeth or washing oneself
• Eating and drinking
• Shaking hand

Some examples to begin with the left side: when

• Entering the restroom/bathroom
• Leaving the Masjid or house
• Cleaning oneself after using the restroom
• Taking of shoes, clothes or shocks
• Blowing one nose