CHAPTER 40 – Hadiths About Skirt Length
According to a narration from Safiyya bint Abu Ubayd, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, mentioned garments worn below the waist for men. Her wife, Umm Salamah, then asked about the matter concerning women. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, replied: “A woman may extend it by a span.” Umm Salamah said: "Then some part of her foot will be revealed." The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, responded: “If that is the case, let her extend it by an arm’s length, but not more than that.”
Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated: A report was related, preceding this narration, from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Narrated by Ibn ‘Umar:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ permitted the mothers of the believers (wives of the Prophet) to lengthen their lower garments by a hand’s breadth. Then they asked for permission to extend them further, and He allowed them to extend them another hand's breadth. The mothers of the believers would send us their outer garments, and we would measure their lower hems one *zirā’*.
COMMENTARY:
The length of the lower hem of women’s outer garments being a hand’s breadth means it is a hand’s breadth longer than men’s lower garments. It does not mean from the ground up a hand's breadth. Ibn ‘Umar’s saying, “We would measure the lower hems of the pure spouses’ outer garments according to our own lower hem,” means that we measured their lower hems in relation to our own.