[Commentary]
In the preceding ḥadiths the Messenger of Allah ﷺ made it clear that whoever lets his garment drag out of pride, Allah will neither look at him, nor speak to him, nor purify him on the Day of Resurrection, and a painful punishment awaits him. He also stated that whatever hangs below the ankles is in the Fire. We explained that this constitutes one of the major sins and that it is impermissible for a person to wear any garment that drops beneath the ankle.

A garment that is exactly level with the ankle is unobjectionable, as is what rises as high as mid-calf. Everything between mid-calf and the ankle falls within the range of clothing for which a concession has been granted. Thus a person has full latitude to wear an izār (lower wrap), sirwāl (trousers), qamīṣ (shirt), or mishlaḥ (cloak) whose length remains within those limits.

Whatever extends below the ankle, however, is forbidden in all circumstances and ranks among the major sins.

The scholars—may Allah have mercy on them—then differed regarding the ruling on someone who performs the prayer while his garment is hanging low, that is, when his robe, trousers, izār, or mishlaḥ falls below the ankles yet still covers the body and is not transparent. Is such a person’s prayer valid or invalid?

Some scholars held that his prayer is invalid because he is wearing a prohibited garment. Allah, exalted is He, has only permitted us to wear what He has made lawful, for He says, “Children of Adam, take your adornment at every mosque.”