s e c t. rr.
O f D r e s s*
Women may A dress o f filk Is not lawful for m en; but women are permittee!
drefs m filk; . . . r
but min mult to wear i t ; for it is related by feveral of the companions, of the pro-.
phet, of whom was Alee in particular, that one day the prophet appeared
with a piece of filk in one hand, and of gold in the other, and
faid, “ Both thefe are prohibited to the men o f my tribe, but are lawful
“ to the women.”
A sm a ll quantity of filk, fuch as three or four fingers breadth,
ufed as a fringe or border to a garment, or applied to any fuch purpofe,
is allowable; becaufe it is related that the prophet prohibited the wearing
of filk, excepting a fhred of the breadth of three or four fingers in
a garment; and it is moreover related, that the prophet wore a robe
with an edging of filk to it.
A ccording to Haneefa, it is allowable to make a pillow of filk,
and to fleep upon it. T h e two difciples, on the contrary, hold this
to be abominable; and the fame difference of opinion obtains concerning
making curtains o f filk, and hanging them upon doors. T h e arguments
of the two difciples on this point are twofold. F ir st , the
ufe of filk in general is proferibed by the prophet.' Secondly, the
making pillows and curtains o f filk is a cuftom of the proud; and the
imitation of fuch is forbidden.— T h e argument of Haneefa, on the
other hand, is that the prophet fat upon a pillow of filk; and that there
was one laid upon the fopha of Abdoola Ibn Abbbs.
farther than
what is merely
ornamental*
A pillow o f
filk is allowable;
I t is allowed to warriors, in the opinion o f the two difciples, to
wear a drefs of filk or fattin in the time of war ; becaufe there is a tradition,
recorded by Shaaby, that the prophet permitted the wear of
filk during the time of battle. Moreover, it is in a manner neceflary,
as being beft adapted to countered: the hard preflure of armour, and
tending to excite horror in the eyes of the enemy. Haneefa, on the
contrary, holds this to be abominable, becaufe the traditions which
point out its illegality are abfolute, without diftinguifhing between-
any particular period or junfture, fuch as war, or the like; and the
necelfity may be anfwered in a drefs of M'akbloot,— that is, having
the woof of filk, and the warp of any thing elfe. Befides, filk, and
every other thing that is proferibed, becomes allowable in no cafe but
that of neceflity;—and with refpedt to the tradition recorded by Shaaby,
it alludes to a drefs of Makhloot.
A garm ent o f cloth, the woof o f which confifts of filk, and the
warp of any thing elfe, fuch as wool or cotton, is allowable to wear
during war, -becaufe of its being neceflary: but it is abominated at any
other juncture, becaufe then there is no neceflity for it. The fame
rule alfo obtains with refpect to cloth o f which the warp 'is filk and
the woof wool or cotton; and for the fame reafon.
S E C T . IIL
O f O r n a m e n t s ,.
M e n are prohibited from the ufe of ornaments of gold, fuch as
rings, and the like, becaufe.of a faying of the prophet to that effedt.
Ornaments o f filver are likewife, unlawful; becaufe filver is, in eneft,
the fame as gold. An exception, however, is made with refpedt to
7 fisnet
and a drefs o f
filk to warriors,
or o f mixed
cloth.
Men are not
to wear ornaments
o f gold
or filver,