How long is your hemline?

Bismillah.

O son, we learned from the Qur'an 'to listen and to obey.' Well I try. Inshaallah.

Shaykh Sayyid Salman Al Hussaini Al Nadwi
Pic credit: Ba'Alawi KL

I am writing this post upon inspiration from the muhaddith Shaykh Sayyid Salman Al Hussaini Al Nadwi who wrote in my hadith book Qul: Rabbi zidni ilma. "Say: O Lord, increase my knowledge." Thus, I have been studying the book, Mokhtaser Sahih Al-Bukhari, translated by Dr. Ahmad Zidan, a descendant of  Sayyidina Umar Ibn al-Khattab r.a.

I am also writing on the advice of Shaykh Salman who had asked the jemaah at KL Ba'Alawi to work hard on reviving sunnah, to do something based on our own unique capabilities. And I am writing on the authority given by him for hadith with sanad right through Imam Al-Bukhari, while bearing in mind what Habib Umar bin Hafiz had said that none shall study hadith unless he performs the night prayers. InshaAllah.

As I was browsing the book, I came across one hadith that was new to me. It's something for me and you to consider - how short or long my hemline is and how short or long my hemline would be.

In the chapter called 'The Book of Faith':

It was related that Abu said Al Khudri said that The Messenger of God said: 'While I was asleep I saw a dream in which I was shown some people were wearing shirts, some of their shirts reached only to their chests and others were shorter than that. Umar ibn Al Khattab was shown to me wearing a shirt which he was dragging.' The people asked: 'How would you interpret this O Messenger of God?'

He said: 'It is the religion.'

Pray Allah keep our hemline long and keep our faith intact. Ameen Allahumma ameen.