Shamâ´il al-Muhammadiyyah [Part 22] - The Prophet applying Kohl

Chapter 7 - The Messenger of Allâh Applying Kohl


1/50 Muhammad ibn Humayd ar-Râzî narrated to us; Abû Dâwûd at-Ţayâlisî informed us; on the authority of `Abbâd ibn Manڑûr; on the authority of `Ikrimah; on the authority of ibn `Abbâs (RAA) that the Prophet (SAW) said,

Anoint your eyes with ithmid for it gives strength to the sight and facilitates the growth of hair. He also stated that the Prophet (SAW) had a kohl container from which he would smear his eyes every night: three times in this one and three times in this one.[1]

"Anoint your eyes with ithmid," (Q) i.e. persist in using it. Abû Dâwûd records "that the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) ordered that ithmid scented with musk be employed when going to sleep, and he said that the one fasting should avoid it." The isnâd to this is problematic.[2] Abû ash-Shaykh, al-Akhlâq, records on the authority of `A´ishah that the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) would anoint his eyes with ithmid when going to sleep, three times in every eye. The isnâd is da`îf. "for it gives strength to the sight," (Q) because the eye is assisted in impeding harmful things that may fall into it, "and facilitates the growth of hair" (Q) i.e. the hair of the lashes. Ibn Abî `Aڑim and at-Ţabarânî record on the authority of `Alî that the Prophet (SAW) said, "Take to applying ithmid for it facilitates the growth of hair, removes harmful things, and clears the sight." The isnâd is hasan.[3 ]


"He" (Q) i.e. ibn `Abbâs as can be seen in the version recorded by ibn Mâjah and the following narrations, "also stated that the Prophet (SAW) had a kohl container from which he would smear his eyes every night," (Q) before he went to sleep as the following narrations show and has already been mentioned, "three times in this one and three times in this one." (Q) i.e. the left and right eyes.


2/51 `Abdullâh ibn as-ٹabbâh al-Hâshimî al-Baڑrî narrated to us; `Ubaydullâh ibn Mûsâ narrated to us; Isrâ´îl informed us; on the authority of `Abbâd ibn Manڑûr; (H) and `Alî ibn Hujr narrated to us; Yazîd ibn Hârûn narrated to us; `Abbâd ibn Manڑûr narrated to us; on the authority of `Ikrimah; on the authority of ibn `Abbâs who said,

The Prophet (SAW) would anoint his eyes with ithmid before he went to sleep: three times in each eye.

Yazîd ibn Hârûn said in his version, 'The Prophet (SAW) had a kohl container from which he would anoint his eyes before going to sleep: three times in each eye.' [4]

"The Prophet (SAW) would anoint his eyes with ithmid before he went to sleep: three times in each eye," (MS) Anas reports that the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) used to apply ithmid to his right eye three times and his left eye three times.[5] (Q) It is established that he (SAW) said, "Whoever uses kohl, let him apply it an odd number of times." Recorded by Abû Dâwûd. There are two opinions with regards to the usage of an odd number of times: that one anoints each eye three times such that each eye receives an odd number; or that one anoints both eyes a total of five times: three times in the right and twice in the left as is recorded in Sharh as-Sunnah[6] (M) and at-Ţabarânî on the authority of ibn `Umar that "when the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) applied kohl he would apply it three times in the right and twice in the left, making the total number odd."[7] (MS) Anas reports that the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) would apply ithmid three times in his right eye and twice in his left eye.[8] (Q) Some also said that one can anoint both eyes twice, and on the fifth time anoint both eyes with one (M) based upon the hadith recorded by ibn `Adî, al-Kâmil, on the authority of Anas that "the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) would anoint his right eye twice, his left eye twice, and then both of them with one."[9] al-Hâfiµ ibn Hajr said that the strongest option was the first option.[10] al-Hâfi* al-`Irâqî mentioned that it was recommended to commence with the right eye as the Messenger of Allâh loved to commence with the right. He also mentioned that it was best to do all the wipes of the right eye first and then the left by analogy to the way one washes the limbs when performing ablution.

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1. Tirmidhî [al-Libâs] and ibn Mâjah [at-Ţibb] (A) The isnâd is da`îf jiddan as I have explained in al-Irwâ´ [#76]. However the first part is ڑahîh as it has supporting witnesses as I have explained in as-ٹahîhah [#665, 724]
2. Abû Dâwûd [as-ٹiyâm: al-Kohl `inda an-Nawm] says after recording this hadîth, 'Ibn Ma`în said to me: this is a munkar hadîth.' He also proceeds to quote that Anas ibn Mâlik would apply kohl while he was fasting and that al-A`mash said, 'None of our companions would dislike the application of kohl for the one fasting.'
3. al-Hâfi* al-Mundhirî said the isnâd was hasan as did al-Hâfî* al-`Irâqî and ibn Hajr and al-Albânî, ٹahîh at-Targhîb [#2106] said the hadîth was ڑahîh.
4. Tirmidhî [al-Libâs] and ibn Mâjah [at-Ţibb] with a da`îf jiddan isnâd as per al-Albânî, al-Irwâ` [#76].
5. Abû ash-Shaykh, Akhlâq an-Nabî [p. 170] with a strong isnâd as per Tahqîq al-Musnad [5/342]
6. Bâb al-Iktihâl.
7. The isnâd is da`îf but it is supported by the narration of Anas mentioned next and the narration recorded by ibn Abî Shaybah on the authority of `Imrân ibn Abî Anas that "the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) would smear his eyes with ithmid: he would apply it three times in the right and twice in the left." This is mursal ڑahîh as per Tahqîq Musnad [5/343].
8. Sharh as-Sunnah [12/119 #3205] with a jayyid isnâd as ruled by S. al-Arna´ûţ.
9. …
10. i.e. 3 times in each eye.