Know that the hadiths concerning the proper position of the lower garment—what is recommended, permitted, and forbidden—are many, and some of them are found in the two Sahihs. Al-Mundhiri cited many excellent reports of this kind in al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib, but this is not one of them. Strangely, Shaykh Ahmad Abd al-Rahman al-Banna did not mention it in the chapter on clothing in al-Fath al-Rabbani (17/234). I do not know whether he mentioned it elsewhere in that work, and there is not enough time to verify this. However, if he did cite it, he should have drawn attention to it and directed readers to it, to make consultation easier for the researcher. Then one of my brothers informed me that he did report it (17/294).

I chose to trace its sources for two reasons. First, it contains a remarkable practical delineation of the proper and improper position of the lower garment, such as I have not seen in any other hadith. Second, it clearly shows that the differences seen among people—such as being white or black, tall or short, stout or thin; one being hairy and another hairless; one having a full beard while another is beardless or has a thin, straggling beard; and other physical distinctions—are all beautiful as part of Allah’s creation. Therefore, a Muslim should not seek to alter Allah’s creation, exalted is He, lest he deserve the curse mentioned in the hadith: “Women who pluck facial hair and those who have it plucked; women who tattoo and those who have themselves tattooed; and women who file their teeth apart for beauty, thereby altering Allah’s creation.” Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim. Its documentation will follow, Allah willing, under no. (2792).

It is as though the Prophet intended to comfort Amr al-Ansari, who had lengthened his lower garment to cover his thin calves, by saying: “Allah has made everything He created beautiful.” This is one of the things that leads the Muslim