English Translation

Isma'il b. Ibrahim narrated to us: Sa'id al-Jurayri narrated to us, from Abu al-Salil, from Abu Tamimah al-Hujaymi — Isma'il said once: from Abu Tamimah al-Hujaymi, from a man of his people — who said: I met the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, on one of the roads of Madinah, wearing a lower garment of cotton with a frayed hem, and I said, "Alayka al-salam (upon you be peace), O Messenger of Allah." He said, "'Alayka al-salam' is the greeting of the dead; 'alayka al-salam' is the greeting of the dead; 'alayka al-salam' is the greeting of the dead. Say: Salamun alaykum, salamun alaykum," twice or three times, like that. He said: I asked about the lower garment, saying, "Where should I wear it?" He turned his back and pointed to the bone of his shin and said, "Wear it here; if you refuse, then here, lower than that; if you refuse, then here, above the ankles; if you refuse, then know that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, does not love any arrogant boaster." He said: And I asked him about good conduct, and he said, "Do not belittle any act of good conduct, even if it is only giving a piece of rope, even if it is only giving a sandal strap, even if it is only pouring from your bucket into the vessel of one seeking water, even if it is only removing something harmful from people's path, even if it is only meeting your brother with a cheerful face, even if it is only meeting your brother and greeting him with peace, even if it is only befriending the lonely creatures of the earth. And if a man reviles you with something he knows about you, while you know something similar about him, do not revile him back, so that its reward will be yours and its sin will be his. And whatever pleases your ear to hear, act upon it; and whatever displeases your ear to hear, avoid it."