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Wearing only the left shoe or the left glove

Question

I would like to know whether just wearing the left glove only or left shoe only is allowed or not, as i have heard that only shaitan wears left shoe only? Jazakallahu Khairan

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

It is disliked to wear only one shoe as it is confirmed that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: A person should not walk wearing only one shoe. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

The jurists  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them stated that wearing one shoe is disliked but not prohibited.

The scholars  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them stated many reasons for this dislikeability and we will mention here some of them. Some said that the reason is distorting the normal shape and appearance and this is contrary to dignity. Others said that the one who does so may be believed to be mad or insane.

Moreover, some other scholars  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them stated that the dislikeability is because the one who walks in that manner attracts people's attention, and it is reported that it is dislikeable to wear something famous that would attract people’s attention.

Ibn Al-'Arabi  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him from the Maaliki School of jurisprudence, said: It is said that the reason for the dislikeability is that the devil walks in this way. However, we have not come across any evidence supporting this view.

As regards wearing only one glove, as far as we are aware of, there is no Hadeeth about the dislikeability of doing so. Nonetheless, it can be said that it is disliked to wear only one glove without a need, in comparison to wearing only one shoe.

The reasons that were mentioned about the dislikeability of wearing only one shoe may be applied to wearing only one glove.

Allaah Knows best.

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