He also mentioned clothing in Surah al-Nahl for its protective benefit, saying:
“And He has made for you garments to protect you from the heat and armour to protect you in battle. Thus He perfects His favour upon you, so that you may submit to Him.”
Since this benefit meets a natural bodily need indispensable to human life, He counted it among His blessings. Since the former benefit enhances human life, He linked it to a religious command. The former brings benefit through adornment, whereas the latter wards off harm; people therefore have greater need of the latter.
As for His words:
“Garments to protect you from the heat,”
without mentioning “cold,” it has been said that this is because revelation came down in a hot land, whose people feared the heat. It has also been said that the other was omitted because it was already understood. Another explanation is that this points to the greater case through the lesser: if He reminds them of His favour in providing protection against heat, His favour in providing protection against cold is greater still. Heat causes discomfort, whereas cold causes hardship; severe cold kills, while heat seldom does so.
Such reasoning by implication and analogy applies to passages concerning blessings, promises and warnings just as it applies to passages concerning rulings. As I have said regarding His words:
“‘Do not go forth in the heat.’ Say, ‘The Fire of Hell is more intense in heat.’”
The same applies to someone who says, “Do not go forth in the cold,” for Hell is far more bitterly cold. Likewise:
“Whoever’s feet become dusty in Allah’s cause, Allah forbids the Fire to touch them.”
Mud and snow present an even stronger case, and so forth.
In this verse, He prescribed wearing protective armour in battle. This is why some have linked the chapter on clothing and adornment with prayer: warfare has its own distinctive clothing in addition to clothing used generally. Their expression “clothing and adornment” also corresponds to His words:
“They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold