Isbal is to wear ones garment while it is going below the ankles. This is a major sin according to the scholars of Islam. Allaah and His Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] forbid this for us. The garment of a Muslim [male] should not go beyond the ankle. This is basically for male Muslims. As for the females, their garment may go as far as reaching the floor.
Safiyyah [RA] the daughter of Abu Ubayd, said: When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) mentioned lower garment, Umm Salamah, wife of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), asked him: And a woman, O Messenger of Allaah? He replied: She may hang down a span. Umm Salamah said: Still it (foot) will be uncovered. He said: Then a forearms length, nor exceeding it." [Abu Dawud]
The Two Categories: Yahya related to me from Malik from al Ala ibn Abd ar- Rahman that his father said, "I asked Abu Said al- Khudri [RA] about the lower garment. He said that he would inform me with knowledge that he had heard from the Messenger of Allaah [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him].
The Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said; "The lower garment of the believer should reach to the middle of his calves. There is no harm in what is between that and the ankles. What is lower than that is in the Fire. On the Day of Resurrection, Allaah will not look at a person who trails his lower garment in arrogance. " [Muwatta]
Three are three (persons) with whom Allaah would neither speak on the Day of Resurrection, nor would He look at them nor would He absolve them, and there is a painful chastisement for them." Three persons: Narrated Abu Dharr [RA]: The Messenger of Allaah observed [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him]: "Three are three (persons) with whom Allaah would neither speak on the Day of Resurrection, nor would He look at them nor would He absolve them, and there is a painful chastisement for them." The Messenger of Allaah repeated it three times.
Abu Dharr [RA] remarked: "They failed and they lost; who are these persons, Messenger of Allaah?" Upon this he observed: "They are: the one who makes (his garment) hang down on the ground (al-musbil), the one who reminds people of his kindness to them, and the seller of goods by false oath. "[Muslim]
Narrated Abd Allaah bin Umar [RA]: The Prophet peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said: "Allaah will not look, on the Day of Resurrection, at the person who drags his garment (behind him) out of conceit. " [Bukhari]
It is arrogance: The Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said: "Lift up you lower garment to the middle of your shank, and if you dont wish to, then to the ankles. Beware the trailing of the lower garment, for it is arrogance, and Allaah does not like arrogance. " [Abu Dawud]
Middle of the shanks Is the best: The Messenger of Allaah [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said; "The lower garment is let down to the middle of the two shanks, and if you dont wish to, then lower, and if you dont wish to, then lower than the shanks, but there is no right to the lower garment for the ankles. " [al-Hakim]
This article was culled from the publications of Deen Communication Limited