any evil deed committed by the servant except with the permission of the angel on his right. The angel says, “Wait; perhaps he will repent, so do not record it against him.” (1)

If this report is authentic, then its meaning is clear. If it is not authentic, there is nevertheless no doubt that the one on the right is of a higher rank than the one on the left. Yet all of them are noble angels, as Allah Most High says:

“Indeed, there are guardians over you—noble, recording.” [Surah al-Infitar]

His statement, “and in the mosque, in his garment,” means that the second method becomes necessary when a person is in the mosque: namely, that he spit into his garment. He should not spit in the mosque, for the Prophet ﷺ said, “Spitting in the mosque is a sin.” However, if one commits this sin, its expiation is to bury it. Thus, we say: Do not spit to your left in the mosque; rather, spit into your garment.

Nor should he spit beneath his foot in the mosque, which is the third method, because spitting in the mosque is a sin, as it soils the mosque.

The hadith also provides evidence for observing decency and proper etiquette, as the Prophet ﷺ described spitting into one’s garment by saying that one should “rub one part against the other,” in order to remove the appearance of the spittle. For seeing spittle on a garment causes people to feel disgust, and may lead them to dislike the man himself.

For if, for example, you were to see someone with mucus, filth, and dirt on his garment, you would dislike the man, not the garment. Therefore, a person should remove harm and dirt from his clothes. It was for this reason that the Messenger ﷺ would instruct Aisha