The Length of the Qamīs of the Prophet ﷺ

By Shaykh al-Hadīth Muhammad Yūnus Jawnpūrī

Translated by Mufti Yūsuf Shabbīr [1]

Question:

How long was the Kurtā (Qamīṣ) of the Prophet ﷺ?

Answer:

The narrations differ regarding the length of the Kurtā of the Prophet ﷺ.

It is narrated in the Sunan of Ibn Mājah (p. 264) from Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) who said, “The Prophet ﷺ used to wear a Kurtā, the length and sleeves of which were short.”[2] Al-Bayhaqī relates in Shu’ab al-Īmān[3], as mentioned [in] the commentary of Shamāil of al-Munāwī (1:134), via Muslim al-A’war who relates from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that he ﷺ had a cotton Kurtā, which was short in length and had short sleeves[4].

These two narrations indicate that the blessed Kurtā (Qamīṣ) of the Prophet ﷺ would not be very long.

However, as mentioned in the commentary of al-Mawāhib al-Ladunniyyah (5:5), it is narrated by al-Ḥākim[5] who classifies it as authentic and by Abu al-Sheikh from Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) that the messenger of Allah ﷺ (once) wore a Qamīṣ [Kurtā] and it was above the ankles and its sleeves reached the fingers.

Ibn ‘Asākir[6] also narrated this as mentioned in al-Jāmi’ al-Ṣaghīr, and its words are: He would wear a Qamīṣ [Kurtā] [that would reach] above the ankles with equal-sized sleeves reaching the tips of the fingers.[7]

Ibn al-Jawzī in al-Wafā has attributed this narration with these words (of Ibn ‘Asākir) to Abu al-Sheikh, as mentioned in the commentary of Shamāil by [Mullā ‘Alī] al-Qārī (1:135).

Al-Bayhaqī[8] has also narrated a similar narration in Shu’ab al-Īmān as mentioned in al-Munāwī’s commentary of Shamāil.

This narration indicates that the Kurtā (Qamīṣ) of the Prophet ﷺ was long.

The views of the scholars have differed as a result of the different narrations. ‘Allāmah Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Zād al-Ma’ād Fī Hadyi Khayril ‘Ibād (1:36), “…and his Qamīṣ (Kurtā) was made of cotton, it was short in length and had short sleeves.”

‘Allāmah Qasṭalānī writes in al-Mawāhib al-Ladunniyyah (5:5): “…and the hem of his Qamīṣ and cloak would reach mid-calf.”

However, there is no contradiction between these narrations. Rather, the Prophet ﷺ sometimes wore one and sometimes the other, as is apparent from the words of al-Ḥākim: لبس قمیصا he wore a Qamīṣ [once]. Thus, this is the point that one should wear what is available.

However, the jurists have regarded the Kurtā (Qamīṣ) reaching mid-calf as Sunnah, as mentioned by [Ibn ‘Ābidīn] al-Shāmī in the chapter of Karāhah (abhorrence). Most probably these jurists gave preference to the second narration because it covers more of the body. However, this applies when one avoids being pretentious (Takalluf), otherwise, one should wear what is available. This is the established position as highlighted by Ibn al-Qayyim.

Allah knows best

Written by servant Muḥammad Yūnus
12 Rajab 1384 AH.

 

——————————

Footnotes:

[1] Translated by Yūsuf Shabbīr, Blackburn, UK. Source: al-Yawāqīt al-Ghāliyah (2:56).

[2] The term short (Qaṣīr) should not be misunderstood for the modern day shirt. Rather, it is longer covering the ‘Awrah including the thighs and is shorter than the long Qamīṣ that would extend to between mid-calf and the ankles. Al-Munāwī states in Faydh al-Qadīr (5:246) that the shorter Qamīṣ is less constraining and therefore easier for movement.

[3] Shu’ab al-Īmān (8:241).

[4] The term short (Qaṣīr) should not be misunderstood for the modern day short sleeves between the shoulder and the elbow. Rather, it refers to the sleeve extending to the wrist which is ‘short’ compared to sleeves that extend to the fingers. See al-Ḥāwī of al-Suyūṭī (1:84). It is worth noting that scholars have disliked wide sleeves and some have interpreted Qaṣīr as short in length and width. See Ḥāshiya al-Sindī ‘Alā Sunan Ibn Mājah (2:372) and Zād al-Ma’ād (1:135).

[5] Al-Mustadrak (4:217).

[6] Tārikh Dimashq (4:195).

[7] Al-Munāwī is of the view that the sleeve would reach the wrist as mentioned in a narration of Abū Dawūd (4027) and al-Tirmidhī (1765), and that the Prophet ﷺ only had one Qamīṣ as mentioned in a narration of al-Bazzār (10:75) Ṭabarānī in al-Awsaṭ (6:31). However, al-‘Irāqī is of the view that the Prophet ﷺ had two Qamīṣ; the sleeves of one reached the wrist whilst the other reached the finger tips. See Faydh al-Qadīr (5:246).

[8] Shu’ab al-Īmān (8:243)