The Ruling On Lowering The Trousers Below The Ankles and Wearing Garments Up To Niṣf as-Sāq (Mid-Shin) — Shaykh Ibn Bāz
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Question:
The Prophet - ﷺ - prohibited the wearing of long Thiyāb (garments), and that it (the garment of an individual) should be above the ankles. Does the ruling also apply to wearing trousers, and is there a Ḥadīth regarding the shortening of the Thawb (garment) to Niṣf as-Sāq (half way between the knees and ankles)? May Allāh reward you with much good.
Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz bin ʿAbdillāh ibn Bāz - may Allāh have mercy on him - responded:
Yes. It has been authentically established from the Prophet - ﷺ - that the lower garment of the believer is to half of his shin, and there is no harm upon him if he lowers it to (above) his ankle, and it’s been authentically established from him that he said :
“Whatever hangs below the ankles from the lower garments is in the fire.”¹
And this is general for all clothings. It includes the trousers, the Izār (lower garment), the Sirwāl, it includes the Qamīs (tunic or shirt), the Bisht (cloak), and includes other than these from garments. What is obligatory upon a believing man is that his garments stop above his ankle, it should not fall below the ankle.
As for the woman then the Sunnah for her is that she allows her clothing to flow until it covers her feet, unless she is wearing socks over her feet then there is no harm (in not allowing her garment to cover the feet), there is no harm that she makes the feet apparent if it is covered with socks.
What is intended is that it is not for the man to let his (clothing) fall below his ankle, the limit is the ankle, whatever type of garment it is; Izār, Qamīs, trousers, Bisht, or other than that, because the Messenger - ﷺ - warned against Isbāl (letting garments fall below the ankle), and he was severe in that - عليه الصلاة والسلام - and if that is done out of pride; the sin becomes greater. If allowing it to fall (below the ankles) is done out of pride, self-glorification and boastfulness, the sin becomes greater just as he said - عليه الصلاة والسلام - :
“Whoever drags his garment out of pride, Allāh will not look at him on the day of resurrection.”²
So what is obligatory for the believer is that he seeks (to implement) the Sunnah in that, and to beware of the dressing of the arrogant ones, to distance himself from being under suspicion of this evil, so he should raise his garments to half of his shin at least, half or at least to (above) the ankle.
This is what is legislated, and if (the people in) his environment criticise him for that, and he’s harmed by that, then there’s no need to raise it to half of the shin, all praise be to Allāh, he has a concession (an allowance for him to allow it to fall lower than that, but not below the ankle) he lets his garments fall to above the ankle all praise be to Allah, and he is relieved from the harm and there’s no issue; because it, Niṣf as-Sāq, is only a Sunnah³, recommended,
What is prohibited is to drop it below the ankle this is prohibited, as for from ankle to half (of the shin) there is allowance between all of this and all praise be to Allāh.
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¹ - Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (5787)
² - Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (3665)
³ - TN: Sunnah here with the meaning that, ‘the one who acts upon it is rewarded, and the one who leaves it is not sinful’.
Translation: MiU Editorial
29 Ṣafar 1447 (هـ) • 23 August 2025 (مـ)
