Scholarly Proof: Why Wearing Pants below Ankles Is Halal
05/02/2020
Wearing the pants below the ankles is not haram. Hanging the lower garment among men whether it is a trouser or any other form of dress has become a fashionable thing in this day and age. If you simply do a Google search to find out what actually Islam says about wearing the pants below the ankles, you will find mostly confusing jargon written either quoting plain opinions of madhhab imams or hadiths in a way that suit one’s own thinking instead of quoting from the real sources of Islam. In this article I'll explain in a scholarly manner on why wearing pants or any other garment below the ankle is not haram in Islam and also I’ll prove that you can wear your trouser or any other garment below the ankles while praying too.
The Scholarly Opinion on Wearing the Garment below the Ankles
When it comes to the issue of wearing the pants or garments below the ankles, scholars have differed on this topic. Among the four madhhab imams who are also scholars among the salaf-us-saliheen, Imam Abu Haneefah was articulate and straight forward in this issue. Imam Abu Haneefah used to wear an expansive rida’ and let it drag on the ground. It was said to him: Are we not forbidden to do this? He said:
"That is for those who show off and we are not among them"
(Al-Fataawa al-Hindiyyah (5/333))
Among the Maliki jurists, Ibn Arabi al Maliki was not in a favourable view with regards to hanging the garment below the ankles. He said:
"It is not permissible for a man to let his garment go beyond his ankle and say that he is not being arrogant by doing so, because the text mentions the prohibition and refers to the reason, and it is not permissible for anyone to say I am not one of those referred to in the text, because the reason does not apply to me, because that attitude goes against sharee’ah and is an unacceptable claim. It is a kind of arrogance to make one’s garment and izar longer, so he is definitely lying."
(Aaridat al-Ahwadhi (7/238))
Imam Shafi was against men wearing the garment below the ankles and he said:
"It is not permissible to let the garment hang low when praying or otherwise in order to show off"
(Al-Majmoo-Imam Nawawi-3-177)
Sheikh ul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said that wearing the garment below the ankles is not haram as mentioned in Sharh al-‘Umdah by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah-Page-361-362.
From this it is clear that there is a difference of opinion among the scholars as to whether to hang the pants below the ankles. We should understand that these are only the opinions of scholars and such opinions are validated or rejected based only on the real sources of Islam namely, the Quran and the Sahih hadith. Islam is not based on the opinions of scholars; Islam is based on what is said in the Quran and the Sahih hadith. Now let us examine what the Real sources of Islam have to say about wearing the pants below the ankles.
Wearing the pants below the ankles is not haram. Hanging the lower garment among men whether it is a trouser or any other form of dress has become a fashionable thing in this day and age. If you simply do a Google search to find out what actually Islam says about wearing the pants below the ankles, you will find mostly confusing jargon written either quoting plain opinions of madhhab imams or hadiths in a way that suit one’s own thinking instead of quoting from the real sources of Islam. In this article I'll explain in a scholarly manner on why wearing pants or any other garment below the ankle is not haram in Islam and also I’ll prove that you can wear your trouser or any other garment below the ankles while praying too.
The Scholarly Opinion on Wearing the Garment below the Ankles
When it comes to the issue of wearing the pants or garments below the ankles, scholars have differed on this topic. Among the four madhhab imams who are also scholars among the salaf-us-saliheen, Imam Abu Haneefah was articulate and straight forward in this issue. Imam Abu Haneefah used to wear an expansive rida’ and let it drag on the ground. It was said to him: Are we not forbidden to do this? He said:
"That is for those who show off and we are not among them"
(Al-Fataawa al-Hindiyyah (5/333))
Among the Maliki jurists, Ibn Arabi al Maliki was not in a favourable view with regards to hanging the garment below the ankles. He said:
"It is not permissible for a man to let his garment go beyond his ankle and say that he is not being arrogant by doing so, because the text mentions the prohibition and refers to the reason, and it is not permissible for anyone to say I am not one of those referred to in the text, because the reason does not apply to me, because that attitude goes against sharee’ah and is an unacceptable claim. It is a kind of arrogance to make one’s garment and izar longer, so he is definitely lying."
(Aaridat al-Ahwadhi (7/238))
Imam Shafi was against men wearing the garment below the ankles and he said:
"It is not permissible to let the garment hang low when praying or otherwise in order to show off"
(Al-Majmoo-Imam Nawawi-3-177)
Sheikh ul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said that wearing the garment below the ankles is not haram as mentioned in Sharh al-‘Umdah by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah-Page-361-362.
From this it is clear that there is a difference of opinion among the scholars as to whether to hang the pants below the ankles. We should understand that these are only the opinions of scholars and such opinions are validated or rejected based only on the real sources of Islam namely, the Quran and the Sahih hadith. Islam is not based on the opinions of scholars; Islam is based on what is said in the Quran and the Sahih hadith. Now let us examine what the Real sources of Islam have to say about wearing the pants below the ankles.
Evidence Why Wearing the Pants below the Ankles Is Not Haram
When there is a difference of opinion, we should rely on the Quran and the authentic Sunnah because Allah (swt) says:
"If you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger (Sal), if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination”
(Al-Quran-4:59)
The argument that wearing the pants below the ankles is haram is taken from several hadiths which have been misunderstood. The hadiths are as follows.
Abu Hurayrah (rali) narrated,
The prophet (sal) said:
"What is below the ankles of a lower garment is condemned to the Fire (Hell)."
(Bukhari)
Hudayfah (rali) narrated:
"The Messenger of Allah (sal) took hold of the muscle of my calf (or his calf) and said, this is where the izaar should stop; if you insist, it may be lower, but it should not reach the ankles."
(Tirmidhi who graded the hadith as Hasan Sahih)
Abu Umamah relates that 'Amr ibn Zurarah al-Ansari entered a gathering with his izar going down below his ankles, the Prophet held him by the side of his clothes and said with full humility of Allah ("wa yatawadih lillahi azawajal"), "I am Your slave, son of Your slave, and son of Your female slave," (for having seen an act of sinfulness), till 'Amr heard it and said apologetically, "O Messenger of Allah, I have very skinny shins." The Prophet replied, "O 'Amr certainly Allah has perfected everything he created, verily Allah does not love a person who drags his garment below his ankles."
(Tabarani-Graded Sahih by Imam Shawkani)
Abu Dharr (rali) narrated that the prophet (sal) said:
Three are the (persons) with whom Allah would neither speak on the Day of Resurrection, nor would look at them nor would absolve them and there is a painful chastisement for them. The Messenger of Allah (sal) repeated it three times. Abu Dharr remarked: They failed and they lost; who are these persons, Messenger of Allah? Upon this he (the Holy) Prophet) observed: They are: the dragger of lower garment, the recounter of obligation the seller of goods by false oath."
(Sahih Muslim and in Tirmidhi with a Hasan Sahih Isnad)
Ibn Umar (rali) said:
The Messenger of Allah (sal) said:
"Al-Isbal may apply to the Izar (Garment hanging below the ankles), the Qamis (lower garment) and the turban. Whoever drags any one of these out of vanity, Allah will not look at him on the Day of Resurrection."
(An-Nasai who graded it Hasan Sahih)
If you look at the above hadiths literally, it would look as if wearing the garments or the pants below the ankles for men is haram but to understand a specific hadith, you need to look at all the other available hadiths and the other hadiths clearly mention that the meaning for the above mentioned narrations about the person dragging his garment is about pride. Let us take a look at those hadiths.
Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar (rali):
The Prophet (sal) said
"Allah will not look, on the Day of Resurrection at the person who drags his garment (behind him) out of pride. On that Abu Bakr said, "O Allah's Messenger (sal)! One side of my Izar hangs low if I do not take care of it." The Prophet (sal) said, 'You are not one of those who do that out of pride."
(Sahih-Al-Bukhari)
In this hadith the prophet (sal) clear explained to Abu Bakr (rali) that he was not hanging his garment below due to pride meaning that you can hang your garment or pants below the ankles if you are not doing it due to pride. If hanging the garment below the ankles was haram even if it was not from pride, then the prophet (sal) would have told Abu Bakr (rali) to raise it above the ankles. Now let us look at another hadith.
Muslim bin Yannaq reported that Ibn Umar saw a person trailing his lower garment, whereupon he said:
"From whom do you come? He described his relationship (with the tribe he belonged) and it was found that he belonged to the tribe of Laith. Ibn Umar recognised him and said: I heard Allah's Messenger (sal) with these two ears of mine saying: He who trailed his lower garment with no other intention but pride, Allah would not look toward him on the Day of Resurrection."
(Sahih Muslim)
If you carefully look at the above hadith narrated in the hadith of Sahih Muslim you will realize that the prophet (sal) clearly said that "he who trailed his lower garment with no other intention but for pride" and that means clearly if the pants is worn below the ankles without the intention of pride, then there is nothing wrong with it. There is a foolish argument to reject the meaning of the hadiths which support that wearing the pants below the ankles is only for pride and that foolish argument is self-contradictory in itself.
Those who reject the meaning of these hadiths by bringing out the argument argue that the Muslim individually does not know whether he has pride or not so we should not wear below the ankles. This argument is totally wrong because if a Muslim does not know whether he is proud or not, then why will he be punished in the first place? This argument itself is self-contradictory. If a Muslim cannot figure out whether his actions are based on pride or not will not be warned of punishment in the hereafter in the first place. The scholars who are also of this view have made a mistake in their Ijtihad and mistakes cannot be taken as something valid. The other false argument is that the hadith of the prophet (sal) telling Abu Bakr (rali)
"You are not one of those who do it out of pride."
This is interpreted in a way as to mean that it was only specific to Abu Bakr (rali). There is no mention in any hadith in which the prophet (sal) only said that it was only to Abu Bakr (rali). This is nothing but a false opinion that has been made up using one’s own assumptions. There is also a third opinion generated by scholars who say that the izar below the ankles is haram because the companions whom the prophet (sal) forbade from hanging their garments below the ankles were not arrogant hence even dragging the garment below the ankles without having arrogance or pride is too haram. The answer to this is that what is said by the scholars that the companions were not arrogant is just an assumption because only the prophet (sal) was sent the revelation and the prophet (sal) knew who had pride or not. The sahabah (companions) were also human beings and as human beings everyone has feelings and desires and giving a blanket statement that so and so companion did not have any pride in him is based on mere assumption. There are examples of the prophet (sal) forbidding one thing for one companion and allowed the same thing to another companion. Let us look at one example
Abu Hurayrah related that a man asked the Prophet (sal) about a fasting person
fondling [his wife] and he allowed it for him. Another asked him and he forbade
it. The one who he permitted was an old man and the one he forbade was a young
man (Abu Dawud-Graded Hasan Sahih by Albani)
In this hadith it is very clear that the prophet (sal) forbade the young man because his sexual urge was strong and wouldn't have been able to control his urge and would have broken his fast by having intercourse with his wife.(by penetrating his penis in to her vagina). The reason for allowing the old man was because he could control his sexual urge.
Finally I would like to put the nail in the coffin for those who argue that it is haram to hang your pants below the ankles by quoting hadiths in which the prophet (sal) also dragged his garments below the ankles. Now, let me quote the hadiths one by one.
Abu Bakra (rali) narrated:
"We were with Allah's Messenger (sal) when the sun eclipsed. Allah's Messenger (sal) stood up dragging his cloak till he entered the Mosque. He led us in a two-rak`at prayer till the sun (eclipse) had cleared. Then the Prophet (sal) said, "The sun and the moon do not eclipse because of someone's death. So whenever you see these eclipses pray and invoke (Allah) till the eclipse is over."
(Sahih-Al-Bukhari-Hadith Number-1040-Book-16)
In this hadith, it clearly mentions that the prophet (sal) dragged his cloak and if the prophet (sal) did it, so can others as it becomes a Sunnah. The next evidence is in the below hadith.
Imran bin Husain (rali) narrated,
The Messenger of Allah (sal) said the afternoon prayer and gave the salutation. At the end of three rak'ahs and then went into his house. A man called al-Khirbaq, who with long arms, got up and went to him, and addressed him as Messenger of Allah and mentioned to him what he had done. He came out angrily trailing his cloak, and when he came to the people he said: Is this man telling the truth? They said: Yes. He then said one rak'ah and then gave salutation and then performed two prostrations and then gave salutation."
(Sahih Muslim-Vol. 2- Book of Prayers- Hadith 1187)
The above two hadiths are evidence to prove that the prophet (sal) dragged his garment below the ankles. Some might try to give their personal interpretations that the prophet (sal) dragged his garment because he was in a hurry or due to anger and try to come up with an analogy that you can drag your garments below the ankles if it is due to a necessity. This is just an opinion because nowhere did the messenger of Allah (sal) give such explanations. There is also evidence to prove that one companion came dragging his garment in front of the prophet (sal). The hadith is as follows:
Sa'id al-Khudri narrated it from his father:
“I went to Quba' with the Messenger of Allah (sal) on Monday till we reached (the habitation) of Banu Salim. The Messenger of Allah (sal) stood at the door of 'Itban and called him loudly. So he came out dragging his lower garment. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (sal) said: We have made this man to make haste 'Itban said: Messenger of Allah, if a man parts with his wife suddenly without seminal emission, what is he required to do (with regard to bath)? The Messenger of Allah (sal) said: It is with the seminal emission that bath becomes obligatory."
(Sahih Muslim-Vol-1-Hadith-674)
In the above hadith, Itban (rali) came in front of the prophet (sal) dragging his garment and even in such a scenario, the prophet (sal) never rebuked him for it.
Weak Hadith Which Forbids Hanging the Garment below the Ankles While Praying
There is another argument that you cannot wear your trousers or garments hanging below the ankles if you are happening to be praying. Many mosques have notice boards and even instructions stating that a person should fold his trousers before praying. Now this view is based on a hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah (rali) where a man was praying with his izar hanging down. The prophet (sal) said to him, "Go and perform wudu'." He went and performed wudu'. He came back and the Prophet said, "Go and perform wudu'." A man asked, "O Messenger of Allah, what is the matter with you that you commanded him to perform wudu' and then you kept silent?" He replied, "He was praying while hanging down his izar, and Allah does not accept the prayer of a man who hangs down his izar."
The above hadith was narrated in Abu Dawud, Nasai and Tabarani and Imam Nawawi and Dahabi graded it Sahih but this is a mistake by these scholars because one of the narrators, Abu Ja’far was unknown and hence the hadith is a weak (daif) hadith. Sheikh Albani Graded this hadith daif in Daif Sunan Abi Dawood,-no. 124 and Ibnul Qattan also said
"Whoever has authenticated the isnad of this isnad is mistaken"
(Sheik Naseeruddin al-Albani-Mushkat ul Massabeeh- Vol-1-Number 761)
From this, it is clear that there is nothing authentically narrated to prove that praying while the garments are hanging below the ankles is haram. Some try to argue that hanging the pants or trousers below the ankles while praying is haram by quoting another hadith which is as follows.
Ibn Mas’ud (rali) narrated,
The prophet (sal) said,
He who lets his garment trail during prayer out of pride, Allah, the Almighty, has nothing to do with pardoning him and protecting him from Hell.
(Abu-Dawud-Graded Sahih-by Albani)
In this hadith, it only mentions about hanging the garments due to pride and hanging the garment while praying without pride is not at all a problem. There is also an authentic hadith prohibiting folding the garments while praying. Ibn Abbas (rali) narrated that the prophet (sal) said,
"We have been ordered to prostrate on seven bones and not to tuck up the clothes or hair."
(Bukhari)
In the above hadith, it does not specifically mention of rolling the pants above the ankles as haram. What it meant from this hadith is to roll any garment in general. This is just one hadith but there is evidence to prove that the prophet (sal) tucked his garment such as his sleeves when praying. Abu Juhaifa (rali) narrated,
"I saw Bilal bringing an Anza (a small spear) and fixing it in the ground, and then he proclaimed the Iqarna of the prayer, and I saw Allah’s Apostle coming out, wearing a cloak with its sleeves rolled up. He then offered a two-Rak’at prayer while facing the 'Anza, and I saw the people and animals passing in front of him beyond the 'Anza." (Bukhari)
In this hadith, it is clear that the prophet (sal) tucked his garment and that proves that it is allowed while praying. There is nothing authentically narrated clearly mentioning that praying with your pants hanging below the ankles is haram and what is mentioned only has to do with pride and arrogance.
The Makruh Opinion
Apart from the false opinion that hanging the izar below the ankles is haram, there is also an opinion that it is Makruh. For something to be Makruh there needs to be clear texts or supporting evidence. This opinion is generally taken because there are two views like all the other issue in fiqh but clear evidence as mentioned above proves that you can wear your pants below the ankles generally or while praying.
Conclusion
Hanging the pants below the ankles is clearly halal and the hadiths that prohibit it is only specific to showing arrogance and pride. It is also clear that you can pray while wearing pants or trousers hanging below the ankles because there is nothing specifically prohibiting it. It is a Sunnah to choose the easier path out of the two options and even in the issue of fiqh, choosing the easier path is what is good. Aisha (rali) narrated:
"Whenever Allah's Messenger (sal) was given the choice of one of two matters, he would choose the easier of the two, as long as it was not sinful to do so" (Bukhari)
C.J Ahmed
When there is a difference of opinion, we should rely on the Quran and the authentic Sunnah because Allah (swt) says:
"If you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger (Sal), if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination”
(Al-Quran-4:59)
The argument that wearing the pants below the ankles is haram is taken from several hadiths which have been misunderstood. The hadiths are as follows.
Abu Hurayrah (rali) narrated,
The prophet (sal) said:
"What is below the ankles of a lower garment is condemned to the Fire (Hell)."
(Bukhari)
Hudayfah (rali) narrated:
"The Messenger of Allah (sal) took hold of the muscle of my calf (or his calf) and said, this is where the izaar should stop; if you insist, it may be lower, but it should not reach the ankles."
(Tirmidhi who graded the hadith as Hasan Sahih)
Abu Umamah relates that 'Amr ibn Zurarah al-Ansari entered a gathering with his izar going down below his ankles, the Prophet held him by the side of his clothes and said with full humility of Allah ("wa yatawadih lillahi azawajal"), "I am Your slave, son of Your slave, and son of Your female slave," (for having seen an act of sinfulness), till 'Amr heard it and said apologetically, "O Messenger of Allah, I have very skinny shins." The Prophet replied, "O 'Amr certainly Allah has perfected everything he created, verily Allah does not love a person who drags his garment below his ankles."
(Tabarani-Graded Sahih by Imam Shawkani)
Abu Dharr (rali) narrated that the prophet (sal) said:
Three are the (persons) with whom Allah would neither speak on the Day of Resurrection, nor would look at them nor would absolve them and there is a painful chastisement for them. The Messenger of Allah (sal) repeated it three times. Abu Dharr remarked: They failed and they lost; who are these persons, Messenger of Allah? Upon this he (the Holy) Prophet) observed: They are: the dragger of lower garment, the recounter of obligation the seller of goods by false oath."
(Sahih Muslim and in Tirmidhi with a Hasan Sahih Isnad)
Ibn Umar (rali) said:
The Messenger of Allah (sal) said:
"Al-Isbal may apply to the Izar (Garment hanging below the ankles), the Qamis (lower garment) and the turban. Whoever drags any one of these out of vanity, Allah will not look at him on the Day of Resurrection."
(An-Nasai who graded it Hasan Sahih)
If you look at the above hadiths literally, it would look as if wearing the garments or the pants below the ankles for men is haram but to understand a specific hadith, you need to look at all the other available hadiths and the other hadiths clearly mention that the meaning for the above mentioned narrations about the person dragging his garment is about pride. Let us take a look at those hadiths.
Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar (rali):
The Prophet (sal) said
"Allah will not look, on the Day of Resurrection at the person who drags his garment (behind him) out of pride. On that Abu Bakr said, "O Allah's Messenger (sal)! One side of my Izar hangs low if I do not take care of it." The Prophet (sal) said, 'You are not one of those who do that out of pride."
(Sahih-Al-Bukhari)
In this hadith the prophet (sal) clear explained to Abu Bakr (rali) that he was not hanging his garment below due to pride meaning that you can hang your garment or pants below the ankles if you are not doing it due to pride. If hanging the garment below the ankles was haram even if it was not from pride, then the prophet (sal) would have told Abu Bakr (rali) to raise it above the ankles. Now let us look at another hadith.
Muslim bin Yannaq reported that Ibn Umar saw a person trailing his lower garment, whereupon he said:
"From whom do you come? He described his relationship (with the tribe he belonged) and it was found that he belonged to the tribe of Laith. Ibn Umar recognised him and said: I heard Allah's Messenger (sal) with these two ears of mine saying: He who trailed his lower garment with no other intention but pride, Allah would not look toward him on the Day of Resurrection."
(Sahih Muslim)
If you carefully look at the above hadith narrated in the hadith of Sahih Muslim you will realize that the prophet (sal) clearly said that "he who trailed his lower garment with no other intention but for pride" and that means clearly if the pants is worn below the ankles without the intention of pride, then there is nothing wrong with it. There is a foolish argument to reject the meaning of the hadiths which support that wearing the pants below the ankles is only for pride and that foolish argument is self-contradictory in itself.
Those who reject the meaning of these hadiths by bringing out the argument argue that the Muslim individually does not know whether he has pride or not so we should not wear below the ankles. This argument is totally wrong because if a Muslim does not know whether he is proud or not, then why will he be punished in the first place? This argument itself is self-contradictory. If a Muslim cannot figure out whether his actions are based on pride or not will not be warned of punishment in the hereafter in the first place. The scholars who are also of this view have made a mistake in their Ijtihad and mistakes cannot be taken as something valid. The other false argument is that the hadith of the prophet (sal) telling Abu Bakr (rali)
"You are not one of those who do it out of pride."
This is interpreted in a way as to mean that it was only specific to Abu Bakr (rali). There is no mention in any hadith in which the prophet (sal) only said that it was only to Abu Bakr (rali). This is nothing but a false opinion that has been made up using one’s own assumptions. There is also a third opinion generated by scholars who say that the izar below the ankles is haram because the companions whom the prophet (sal) forbade from hanging their garments below the ankles were not arrogant hence even dragging the garment below the ankles without having arrogance or pride is too haram. The answer to this is that what is said by the scholars that the companions were not arrogant is just an assumption because only the prophet (sal) was sent the revelation and the prophet (sal) knew who had pride or not. The sahabah (companions) were also human beings and as human beings everyone has feelings and desires and giving a blanket statement that so and so companion did not have any pride in him is based on mere assumption. There are examples of the prophet (sal) forbidding one thing for one companion and allowed the same thing to another companion. Let us look at one example
Abu Hurayrah related that a man asked the Prophet (sal) about a fasting person
fondling [his wife] and he allowed it for him. Another asked him and he forbade
it. The one who he permitted was an old man and the one he forbade was a young
man (Abu Dawud-Graded Hasan Sahih by Albani)
In this hadith it is very clear that the prophet (sal) forbade the young man because his sexual urge was strong and wouldn't have been able to control his urge and would have broken his fast by having intercourse with his wife.(by penetrating his penis in to her vagina). The reason for allowing the old man was because he could control his sexual urge.
Finally I would like to put the nail in the coffin for those who argue that it is haram to hang your pants below the ankles by quoting hadiths in which the prophet (sal) also dragged his garments below the ankles. Now, let me quote the hadiths one by one.
Abu Bakra (rali) narrated:
"We were with Allah's Messenger (sal) when the sun eclipsed. Allah's Messenger (sal) stood up dragging his cloak till he entered the Mosque. He led us in a two-rak`at prayer till the sun (eclipse) had cleared. Then the Prophet (sal) said, "The sun and the moon do not eclipse because of someone's death. So whenever you see these eclipses pray and invoke (Allah) till the eclipse is over."
(Sahih-Al-Bukhari-Hadith Number-1040-Book-16)
In this hadith, it clearly mentions that the prophet (sal) dragged his cloak and if the prophet (sal) did it, so can others as it becomes a Sunnah. The next evidence is in the below hadith.
Imran bin Husain (rali) narrated,
The Messenger of Allah (sal) said the afternoon prayer and gave the salutation. At the end of three rak'ahs and then went into his house. A man called al-Khirbaq, who with long arms, got up and went to him, and addressed him as Messenger of Allah and mentioned to him what he had done. He came out angrily trailing his cloak, and when he came to the people he said: Is this man telling the truth? They said: Yes. He then said one rak'ah and then gave salutation and then performed two prostrations and then gave salutation."
(Sahih Muslim-Vol. 2- Book of Prayers- Hadith 1187)
The above two hadiths are evidence to prove that the prophet (sal) dragged his garment below the ankles. Some might try to give their personal interpretations that the prophet (sal) dragged his garment because he was in a hurry or due to anger and try to come up with an analogy that you can drag your garments below the ankles if it is due to a necessity. This is just an opinion because nowhere did the messenger of Allah (sal) give such explanations. There is also evidence to prove that one companion came dragging his garment in front of the prophet (sal). The hadith is as follows:
Sa'id al-Khudri narrated it from his father:
“I went to Quba' with the Messenger of Allah (sal) on Monday till we reached (the habitation) of Banu Salim. The Messenger of Allah (sal) stood at the door of 'Itban and called him loudly. So he came out dragging his lower garment. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (sal) said: We have made this man to make haste 'Itban said: Messenger of Allah, if a man parts with his wife suddenly without seminal emission, what is he required to do (with regard to bath)? The Messenger of Allah (sal) said: It is with the seminal emission that bath becomes obligatory."
(Sahih Muslim-Vol-1-Hadith-674)
In the above hadith, Itban (rali) came in front of the prophet (sal) dragging his garment and even in such a scenario, the prophet (sal) never rebuked him for it.
Weak Hadith Which Forbids Hanging the Garment below the Ankles While Praying
There is another argument that you cannot wear your trousers or garments hanging below the ankles if you are happening to be praying. Many mosques have notice boards and even instructions stating that a person should fold his trousers before praying. Now this view is based on a hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah (rali) where a man was praying with his izar hanging down. The prophet (sal) said to him, "Go and perform wudu'." He went and performed wudu'. He came back and the Prophet said, "Go and perform wudu'." A man asked, "O Messenger of Allah, what is the matter with you that you commanded him to perform wudu' and then you kept silent?" He replied, "He was praying while hanging down his izar, and Allah does not accept the prayer of a man who hangs down his izar."
The above hadith was narrated in Abu Dawud, Nasai and Tabarani and Imam Nawawi and Dahabi graded it Sahih but this is a mistake by these scholars because one of the narrators, Abu Ja’far was unknown and hence the hadith is a weak (daif) hadith. Sheikh Albani Graded this hadith daif in Daif Sunan Abi Dawood,-no. 124 and Ibnul Qattan also said
"Whoever has authenticated the isnad of this isnad is mistaken"
(Sheik Naseeruddin al-Albani-Mushkat ul Massabeeh- Vol-1-Number 761)
From this, it is clear that there is nothing authentically narrated to prove that praying while the garments are hanging below the ankles is haram. Some try to argue that hanging the pants or trousers below the ankles while praying is haram by quoting another hadith which is as follows.
Ibn Mas’ud (rali) narrated,
The prophet (sal) said,
He who lets his garment trail during prayer out of pride, Allah, the Almighty, has nothing to do with pardoning him and protecting him from Hell.
(Abu-Dawud-Graded Sahih-by Albani)
In this hadith, it only mentions about hanging the garments due to pride and hanging the garment while praying without pride is not at all a problem. There is also an authentic hadith prohibiting folding the garments while praying. Ibn Abbas (rali) narrated that the prophet (sal) said,
"We have been ordered to prostrate on seven bones and not to tuck up the clothes or hair."
(Bukhari)
In the above hadith, it does not specifically mention of rolling the pants above the ankles as haram. What it meant from this hadith is to roll any garment in general. This is just one hadith but there is evidence to prove that the prophet (sal) tucked his garment such as his sleeves when praying. Abu Juhaifa (rali) narrated,
"I saw Bilal bringing an Anza (a small spear) and fixing it in the ground, and then he proclaimed the Iqarna of the prayer, and I saw Allah’s Apostle coming out, wearing a cloak with its sleeves rolled up. He then offered a two-Rak’at prayer while facing the 'Anza, and I saw the people and animals passing in front of him beyond the 'Anza." (Bukhari)
In this hadith, it is clear that the prophet (sal) tucked his garment and that proves that it is allowed while praying. There is nothing authentically narrated clearly mentioning that praying with your pants hanging below the ankles is haram and what is mentioned only has to do with pride and arrogance.
The Makruh Opinion
Apart from the false opinion that hanging the izar below the ankles is haram, there is also an opinion that it is Makruh. For something to be Makruh there needs to be clear texts or supporting evidence. This opinion is generally taken because there are two views like all the other issue in fiqh but clear evidence as mentioned above proves that you can wear your pants below the ankles generally or while praying.
Conclusion
Hanging the pants below the ankles is clearly halal and the hadiths that prohibit it is only specific to showing arrogance and pride. It is also clear that you can pray while wearing pants or trousers hanging below the ankles because there is nothing specifically prohibiting it. It is a Sunnah to choose the easier path out of the two options and even in the issue of fiqh, choosing the easier path is what is good. Aisha (rali) narrated:
"Whenever Allah's Messenger (sal) was given the choice of one of two matters, he would choose the easier of the two, as long as it was not sinful to do so" (Bukhari)
C.J Ahmed