one transmitter within Abu Dawud’s chain further notes that it was “one of the Roman cloaks.” Muslim also relates, in another wording (1/159): “He drew his hand out from beneath the gown and cast the gown over his shoulders.” Shaykh Ali al-Qari comments in al-Mirqat (1/361): “This indicates that he was wearing an izar (lower wrapper) or a qamis (tunic) underneath, for otherwise his ‘awra (private parts) would have become exposed.” Al-Bayhaqi writes: “The Syrian gown in the Prophet’s time was woven by the polytheists, yet he performed wudu while wearing it and then prayed.” He then transmits from al-Hasan: “There is no objection to praying in the cloak of Jews or Christians.” Ibn Hajar lists many juristic points derived from the report in Fath al-Bari (1/246), including: “It is permissible to benefit from the garments of non-Muslims unless actual impurity is ascertained, for the Prophet wore the Roman gown and made no further enquiry.” An objection may be raised: Islamic law forbids wearing the distinctive dress of the unbelievers, as in the narration of ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Amr—‘The Messenger of Allah saw on me two garments dyed with safflower and said, “These are garments of the unbelievers; do not wear them”’—recorded by Muslim (6/144) and others. How, then, did the Prophet wear Roman clothing when the Romans were unbelievers and he had prohibited such dress? The answer is that clothing is of two kinds: 1. A type shared by all nations and religions, not serving as a distinctive emblem of one group over another. This is lawful for a Muslim to wear, whatever its style or origin; no blame attaches to him for doing so. Al-Durr al-Mukhtar states: