and the right leg before the left, the right flank before the left, and every limb that is washed in ablution. They followed these instructions, then gathered her hair into three qurūn (plaits)—one on the right side, one on the left, and one from the crown—and laid them behind her. After that, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, handed the women his ʾizār (waist-wrapper) and said, “Let this be the first cloth placed directly on her body,” meaning that they should wrap it around her so that she might be blessed by the Prophet’s garment. They did so. The legal point established here is his directive: “Begin with her right side.”

The author then cited further reports conveying the same ruling, such as the two hadiths of Abu Hurayrah concerning donning one’s garment and sandals and concerning ablution, as well as the hadith of Ḥafṣah. He next referred to the hadith of Anas ibn Mālik about the Prophet’s head being shaved during the Farewell Pilgrimage. During that pilgrimage the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, spent the night at Muzdalifah, prayed the dawn prayer, remained in supplication until the light had grown bright, then departed before sunrise. He reached the Jamrat al-ʿAqabah when the day was well advanced and the sun had become hot, and there he cast the stones on the Day of Eid. He then returned to his quarters and summoned the barber, who began to shave his head. The Prophet indicated the right side first, so the barber started with the right side. The Prophet used to let the hair of his head grow, so it was abundant; thus the barber began with the right side, shaved it, and then