nor trousers, nor anything that is used to cover—even a single limb—such as gloves and the like, whether stitched or wrapped; nor leather socks (khifaf) or their equivalents, that is, any footwear placed on the feet which covers the ankles, whether made of cotton, wool, leather, or anything else.

If, when entering ihram, a man cannot find a pair of sandals, let him wear the khuffayn, but he must cut them below the ankles so that they take the form of sandals.

The Prophet ﷺ then added further rulings that had not been asked about, yet the situation required them. He clarified what is forbidden to every pilgrim, male and female alike, saying:

“Nor may he wear any garment—or anything else, stitched or unstitched—if it has been scented with saffron or wars,” thereby alerting us to avoid all kinds of perfume.

He next explained what applies specifically to women: the prohibition of covering the face and of inserting the hands into anything that conceals them. He said,

“A woman must not wear a face veil, nor may she put on gloves.”

Lessons derived from the hadith

1. A question should be directed to the precise information one seeks.
2. If the respondent finds the question ill-phrased, he should reformulate it and steer it to the intended meaning, setting the original wording aside—just as Allah says: “They ask you about the crescent moons; say, ‘They are fixed times for the people and for the pilgrimage.’”
3. The items of clothing a pilgrim must avoid are few and readily enumerated, whereas the permissible items are many and generally known, standing upon the basic presumption of permissibility. For this reason the Prophet ﷺ redirected the man’s question from what a pilgrim may wear to what he may not wear.
4. The prohibition of these particular garments applies to men alone; a woman may wear tailored clothing and cover her head.
5. Among the forbidden items is the shirt, which by analogy includes anything tailored to the contours of the body, whether sewn or wrapped.
6. Also included are burnuses and turbans, which point to anything that covers all or part of the head, stitched or unstitched, whether customary or uncommon; this takes in skullcaps, hats, and the like.
7. Likewise forbidden are the khuffayn and whatever resembles them—any footwear that covers the ankles, sewn or wrapped, whether of leather, wool, cotton, or other material.
8. If a pilgrim cannot find sandals or other footwear that leaves the ankles uncovered, he is permitted to wear the khuffayn, provided he cuts them below the ankles so that they serve the same purpose as sandals.