Aslam

The saint Abu Solaiman Darani said : There are three kinds of cloth — one kind of cloth is purely for God and that covers the private parts, one kind of cloth is for passion as passion wants soft cloth and another kind of cloth is for beauty of dress. Some -sage said : The religion of one whose cloth is thin is also thin.
Most of the Tabeyins used cloth of the value of 20 to 30 dirham.
Special people used to wear only two cloths — one Tahband and one Pirhan. The Prophet said : To wear torn cloth is a sign of renunciation. He also said : It is the duty of God to store up the dress of emeralds of Paradise in a box for one who adopts modesty having had means and gives up fine dress to seek the pleasure of God. God revealed to one of the Prophets : Tell my friends not to wear the dress of my enemies, not to enter the paths of my enemies or else they will be my enemies like My enemies.

Rafe bin Khadiz said when he found Bashar-bin-Merwan delivering a sermon on the pulput : Look to your ruler. He is delivering sermon to the people with the dress of sinners on his person. He put on thin fine dress. Once Abdulla-bin-Amer put on a valuable dress and was discussing with Abu Zarr about world renunciation. Abu Zarr put a whistle in this mouth and was making sound. At this, Ibn Amer got displeased and complained to Hazrat Omar who said : Have you advised him about renunciation putting on such valuable dress ? Hazrat Ali said :
God took promise from the leaders of guides that they would live like ordinary men among the people, so that the rich people can follow them and do not hate the poor for their poverty. When a' poor man was despised for his coarse cloth, he said : This is near modesty and more fit for the Muslims to follow. The Prophet prohibited grandeurs. He said ; There are servants of God who do not love grandeurs. Fuzala- bin-Obaid was Governor of Egypt.
He used to walk dishevelled in hairs and bare footed. He said that the Prophet had prohibited grandieur and gave instructions to walk sometimes bare footed. Hazrat Ali said to Hazrat Omar :
If you wish to stay with your two previous friends, stitch your shirt, make your wearing cloth short, stitch your sandals and eat not with satisfaction. Hazrat Omar said : Put on old coarse cloth and leave the dress of Persian and Byzantine empires. Hazrat Ali said : He who adopts the dress of another nation belongs to that nation. The Prophet said : The dishonest among my followers will eat delicious foods search for various kinds of foods and dresses and use ornamental languages in orations. The Prophet

186 THE BOOK OF CONSTRUCTIVE VIRTUES Vol-IV