Camel Hump Hijab Sequel: Important Rule Regarding Descriptions in Texts

In The Name of the Most Clement

 With whose name all affairs are initiated

The following analysis is an important exposition which provides context to the camel hump hijab post and summarises it in the jargon of legal theory or hermeneutical commentary. It shall prove invaluable to readers in Hadith literature, given the frequent employment of such rhetorical style and expression as found in the "camel hump hijab" narration.

I pray this brief analysis, acting as sequel, dispels any confusion from the original post --- "and this is not difficult for God". It too, like the original post, is from the pen of Sheikh al-Sharif Hatim al-'Awni. May Allah continue to extend His munificence upon him. 

اللهم علمنا ما ينفعنا، وانفعنا بما علمتنا، وزدنا علما وعملا يا أرحم الراحمين

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Descriptions may appear in the Quran and Hadith in the context of praise or blame, and they are neither of them in reality. Instead, the texts are commending or rebuking *the condition* the described person is upon.

Take for example the Hadith, "and how many of those with unkempt hair, dirty bodies, tattered clothes, and who are not attending to it, were they to swear by Allah's name He would surely sanctify it."

Despite this Hadith being in the context of praise, no one has argued that tatty hair and dirt on the body are praiseworthy attributes by themselves. Rather, it is against the Prophet's Sunnah and contradicts his blessed practice - sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam. 

It is, however, a metaphor of poverty and need or for being occupied with Allah so much as to not being able to look after one's appearance properly. This assumption is supported by the Prophet's statement at the end of the Hadith, "and al-Bara' ibn Malik is amongst them." - radhiyallahu 'anhu.

One of the ascetics was once asked about what the pilgrim's dishevelled appearance signified. He replied, "to leave beautifying oneself so that God sees your disinterest in yourself and sees that you are true in devoting yourself to struggling for Him."

In summary, to deliberately not take care of one's hair and to befoul one's appearance is not praiseworthy. However, were it to occur unintentionally as a consequence of one's engrossment with what is more important then this is not blameworthy. It may well be praiseworthy for his preoccupation with what is more important.

This rule is applicable to many descriptions that have come in the context of praise or blame. These descriptions are not intended in and of themselves. Rather it is the resultant condition that is intended." [Allah knows best.]

UN

P.S. Here's the original Arabic:

قد يرد الوصف في الكتاب والسنة في سياق الذم أو المدح، ولا يكون مذموما لذاته، ولا يكون ممدوحا لذاته، وإنما تذم وتمدح الحالة التي كان عليها صاحب الوصف

كقوله صلى الله عليه وسلم : وكم من أشعث أغبر ذي طمرين، لا يؤبه له: لو أقسم على الله لأبره 

 فمع أن السياق سياق مدح، إلا أن شعث الرأس واغبرار الجسد ليس ممدوحا بذاته عند أحد، بل هما خلاف سنته صلى الله عليه وسلم وخلاف هديه الشريف، لكنه كناية عن الفقر والحاجة، أو عن الانشغال بالله عن إصلاح الهيئة، وقد يشهد له قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم في آخر الحديث: ومنهم البراء بن مالك

وسئل أحد الزهاد عن الإشارة في شعث الحاج المحرم ؟ فقال: ترك التصنع لها، ليشهد الحق منك الإعراض عن العناية بنفسك، فيشهد صدقك في بذلها لمجاهدته 

والخلاصة: أن تقصد الشعث وتعمد الاغبرار ليس محمودا، لكن من وقع منه ذلك دون قصد، لانشغاله بما هو أهم، لا يكون مذموما، وربما كان ممدوحا لانشغاله بالأهم وهذه قاعدة في كثير من الصفات الواردة في سياق المدح والذم، أنها قد لا تكون مقصودة لذاتها بالمدح والذم، وإنما المقصود الحالة المصاحبة لها