We see nowadays that some people are keen to wear the Arabian white robe wherever they go. Some may live in a country where the weather is cold most of the year, but they still prefer to wear it. It marks them out among people. When you ask them the reason for wearing it, you receive one of two answers: Either they say that it is a Sunnah or they say it is a personal choice. They are more likely to give you the second answer if they realize that you are a scholar and feel that you would make a counter argument proving that wearing such clothes is not a Sunnah. Before we discuss whether it is a Sunnah or not, it is better to look at some Hadiths which mention what the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to wear.
Anas ibn Malik reports: “God’s messenger used to have a cotton robe which was short in length and had short sleeves.” (Related by Ahmad and Al-Tirmidhi.) Asma bint Yazeed reports: “The sleeve of the Prophet’s robe was down to his wrist.” (Related by Al-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawood.) Another report mentions that the Prophet’s sleeve was down to below his wrist. Furthermore, Ibn Abbas reports: “The Prophet used to wear a robe that extended down to over his ankles, and his sleeves were down to his fingers.” (Related by Al-Hakim and others.) Furthermore, Al-Mugheerah ibn Shubah reports that “the Prophet wore a Byzantine topcoat with tight sleeves.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
These Hadiths make clear that the Prophet did not give any specific guidance on what sort of robe it is preferable to wear. On the contrary, they suggest that he wore whatever was available of the types of clothes worn by his community. We note that on one occasion, his sleeves were short, and on another, they stretched down to his wrists, while on a third occasion his sleeves were level with his fingers. It is clear, then, that the Prophet left the matter to people’s choice. They may wear what is more comfortable for them, or what suits their work, or what is preferable for the type of activity they are having.
We also note that on a particular occasion, his sleeves were tight, which means that this is perfectly permissible. Apparently the Arabs used to have loose robes, with wide sleeves because this suited their hot climate. However, by wearing tight sleeves, the Prophet indicated that there was no particular virtue in wearing wide ones. It is useful to look at a longer version of this Hadith.
Al-Mugheerah ibn Shubah reports: “One night I was traveling with the Prophet when he asked me whether I had some water. When I answered in the affirmative, he dismounted from his camel. He walked away from me until I could no longer see him in the darkness of the night. When he came back, I poured water for him and he washed his face and hands. He was wearing a woolen topcoat and he could not put out his arms through his sleeves, so he put them out from underneath his coat and washed his arms. Then he wiped his head. I went down to remove his shoes but he said to me, ‘leave them for I put them on when I had ablution.’ He wiped over them.” (Related by Ahmad, Al-Bukhari, Muslim and Al-Nassaie.)
From this version of the Hadith we learn that the Prophet’s sleeves were really tight so that he could not roll them back in order to wash his arms for ablution. He had to resort to the more uncomfortable position of putting them out from underneath his coat. The Hadith also provides a basis for the concession of wiping over one’s socks or shoes.
The Hadith is highly authentic, and the Prophet practices the concession giving its condition, which is to wear one’s socks or shoes when one has performed his ablution without invalidating it. He can continue to wipe over the same socks or shoes for 24 hours in his hometown, and for three days if he is traveling.
Two reports by Anas mention that once “the Prophet came out in his illness, leaning on Usamah and wearing an outer garment made in Qatar. He threw it over his shoulders, and led the congregational prayer.” (Related by Ahmad and Al-Tirmidhi.) Abu Juhayfah, a companion of the Prophet, reports: “I saw God’s Messenger wearing a red suit. I can almost visualize how his legs looked under it.” (Related by Ibn Hibban.) Al-Baraa ibn Azib says: “I never saw anyone looking smarter than the Prophet in a red suit. His long hair almost touched his shoulders.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.) Another companion of the Prophet called Abu Ramithah says: “I went to see the Prophet with a son of mine and he was pointed out to me. When I saw him I said: ‘This is God’s Messenger, wearing two green garments, and having hair that has started to go gray. His gray hair looked reddish.” (Related by Al-Tirmidhi and Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal.)
This group of Hadiths confirm what we have said about the Prophet not providing specific guidance about the type of clothes that Muslims should wear. On the contrary, by wearing different types he clearly indicates that all types are permissible, as long as they cover the parts of the body that a Muslim must cover, i.e. the awrah. So far we have looked at Hadiths mentioning him wearing garments made in Yemen, Byzantine provinces and Qatar, in addition to locally made ones.
We also see him in a suit, or in the sort of two garments that were normal in Arabia with one wrapped from the waist down and the other worn on one’s top half, or in a woolen topcoat. The color was not of any importance to him. Indeed, even colors that some communities may associate with women’s clothes, such as red and green, were worn by him.
All this makes clear that the Prophet wanted his followers to be free to wear what is most suitable for their climate and acceptable in their communities. Needless to say that clothes develop differently in different societies, depending on what suits the climate. Thus, we see people wear wide garments in hot climates and narrower ones in cold weather. They wear light head coverings in tropical areas to protect them from the sun, and wear woolen or fur hats in polar areas. All types are acceptable in Islam.