Bashir, from Khusayf, from Muhammad ibn Ajlan. Attab said: Then I met Muhammad ibn Ajlan, and he narrated it to me from Abu al-Zinad, from al-A‘raj, from Abu Hurayrah as a Prophetic report.

I say: This is a good chain for supporting evidence. Khusayf—who is Ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Jazari—was declared weak by Ahmad and others. Attab ibn Bashir and Muhammad ibn Ajlan are both trustworthy, though their retention was somewhat deficient; this does not reduce their hadith below the rank of good, if Allah Most High wills. It has also been corroborated: Ahmad (2/245) said, “Sufyan narrated to us, from Abu al-Zinad, with it.” This is an authentic chain according to the criteria of al-Bukhari and Muslim. Malik also narrated it in al-Muwatta’ (3/105), from Abu al-Zinad, with it. Through his route, Ibn Hibban (5431—al-Ihsan), as well as al-Bukhari and Muslim (6/153), recorded it. It also has other chains from Abu Hurayrah with similar wording; one of them has preceded under no. 1117.

Know that the etiquette concerning putting on footwear in this hadith, and the distinction between which foot to begin with when putting it on and when taking it off, is among the matters neglected by most Muslims in this age, due to the prevalence of ignorance of the sunnah and the lack of those who train people upon it. Among them are some who claim to be callers to Islam; indeed, among them are those who say of this etiquette that it is merely superficial and trivial! So do not be deceived by them, O Muslim, for, by Allah, they are ignorant of Islam and, whether they realize it or not, hostile to it. It was said long ago: “Whoever is ignorant of something becomes its enemy.”

What is astonishing about them is that they loudly proclaim in their sermons and lectures the obligation to adopt Islam as an indivisible whole, yet they are the first to disbelieve in that to which they call. This is plainly evident in their practices and appearance. You see them—or rather, most of them—showing no concern to dress in the manner of their Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, but instead imitating Hasan al-Banna and his like: a short beard and a necktie. Some of them have beards that are scarcely more than what the common people in certain lands describe by saying: “The best beards are but a token!” Yet he dresses in the attire of scholars: a turban and a robe, which may be like a saddlebag and trail as long as women’s clothing! To Allah we belong, and to Him we shall return.