“And this is a good hadith narrated by Kurayb.”

1765 — “The lower garment should reach halfway down the calf. When he saw that this was difficult for the Muslims, he said: ‘Then to the ankles; there is no good in what hangs below that.’”

Ahmad recorded it (3/140, 249, and 256), as did al-Bayhaqi in The Branches of Faith (2/223/2), through several routes from Humayd, from Anas, who attributed it to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

I say: This chain of transmission is authentic according to the criteria of the two Shaykhs. The hadith has many corroborating reports, cited in Mishkat (4331) and Encouragement and Warning (3/97–98). Among the corroborating reports not cited there is the hadith of Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman, who said:

“The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, took hold of my calf and said: ‘This is where the lower garment should be. If you insist, then lower; but if you still insist, the lower garment has no place below the ankles.’”

It was recorded by the compilers of the Sunan, apart from Abu Dawud, as well as Ibn Hibban (1447), Ahmad (5/382, 396, 398, and 400), and al-Humaydi (445), from Muslim ibn Nadhir, from him. Ibn Hibban (1448) also recorded a corroborating narration from al-Agharr Abu Muslim, from Hudhayfah. This sunnah is one from which many of the learned have turned away, let alone the general public, as I explained in the introduction to my new book, Abridgment of the Muhammadan Characteristics, which is on its way to publication, if Allah wills.

1766 — “Those with the most wealth will be the lowest on the Day of Resurrection, except those who distribute their wealth in this way and that, and acquire it through lawful means.”

Ibn Majah recorded it (4130) through the route of Ikrimah ibn Ammar: Abu Zumayl—namely, Simak—related to me from Malik ibn Marthad al-Hanafi, from his father, from Abu Dharr, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said this.