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Author: Meryem al-Turki Date published: 2024-01-02 Updated: 2026-01-24
Ruling on wearing orange for men | Fitrah Tawheed

Orange color for men in Islam

The scholars have agreed that there is nothing wrong with the earthy/muted tone of orange, like 'terracotta' or 'baked clay'.

Terracotta orange shirt
Terracotta orange shirt
Terracotta orange shirt

There is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding the vibrant orange color:

  1. Vibrant orange is Mubah (permitted/neutral) for men (majority of scholars)
  2. Vibrant orange is Makruh (disliked) for men (minority of scholars)
  3. Vibrant orange is Haram (forbidden) for men (more of a minority of scholars)

We take the view that wearing vibrant orange is haram for men in an environment where it is associated with the clothing of kuffar or women, but becomes permissible (halal) and completely fine (mubah) in an environment where this is not the case.

Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik, and Imam al-Shafi'i believed that vibrant orange is completely fine (Mubah). Imam Ahmad regards it as disliked (Makruh).

Most scholars from the Salaf Saliheen regarded vibrant orange to be Mubah, though many also regarded it to be Makruh. There is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding the color orange.

Those who believed that it's totally fine to wear orange would say that they don't know of any narration regarding it as Makruh or Haram, that many scholars wore it, and that it is just a color like any other color.

Those who viewed it as Makruh would speak about the narrations regarding the disapproval of "al-Mu'asfar", which are clothes dyed with safflower.

Safflower is often confused with Saffron. The terms do sound similar, also in Arabic, as it is would be described as "'Usfur" and "Za'fran". Saffron is used to dye yellow and safflower is used to dye orange.

Those who viewed wearing orange to be Makruh

  • Umar ibn al-Khattab
  • Ibn Umar
  • Al-Zuhri
  • Ata
  • Tawus
  • Mujahid
  • Al-Hasan al-Basri
  • Mujahid
  • Imam Ahmad
  • Ibn Abdul-Barr
  • Ibn Qudamah

وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ كَرِهُوا الْمُعَصْفَرَ لِلرِّجَالِ فَمِنْهُمُ الْحَسَنُ الْبَصْرِيُّ وَعَطَاءٌ وَطَاوُسٌ وَمُجَاهِدٌ وَالزُّهْرِيُّ
[الاستذكار – الجزء ٨ – الصفحة ٣٠١]

Ibn Abdul-Barr said: "As for those who disliked safflower-dyed garments (muʿaṣfar) for men, they include al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī, ʿAṭā, Ṭāwūs, Mujāhid, and al-Zuhrī." [Al-Istidhkaar - Volume 8 - Page 301]

حدثنا أبو بكر قال حدثنا ابن علية عن أيوب عن تميم الخزاعي قال : حدثتنا عجوز لنا قالت : كنت أرى عمر إذا رأى على رجل ثوبا معصفرا ضربه وقال : ذروا هذه البراقات للنساء .
[مصنف ابن أبي شيبة – الجزء ٦ – الصفحة ١٧]

Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned: Ibn ʿUlayyah narrated to us, from Ayyūb, from Tamīm al-Khuzāʿī, who said: An old woman from among us narrated to us. She said: I used to see ʿUmar—when he saw a man wearing a garment dyed with safflower—he would hit him and say: “Leave these bright ones for the women.” [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 6 - Page 17]

This narration is accepted by the Salaf Saliheen even though there is some weakness in it.

• [٢١٠٣٥] أخبرنا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطابِ رَأَى عَلَى رَجُلٍ ثَوْبًا مُعَصْفَرًا، فَقَالَ: دَعُوا هَذِهِ الْبَرَّاقَاتِ لِلنِّسَاءِ.
[مصنف عبد الرزاق – الجزء ١٠ – الصفحة ١٥٠]

Abdurrazzaq mentioned: Maʿammar narrated to us, from Qatāda, that ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb saw a man wearing a safflower-dyed garment and said: "Leave these bright ones for the women." [Musannaf Abdurrazzaq - Volume 10 - Page 150]

حدثنا أبو بكر قال حدثنا علي عن يزيد بن أبي زياد عن الحسن بن سهيل عن ابن عمر قال: نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن المفدم، قال يزيد: قلت للحسن: ما المفدم؟ قال: المشبع بالعصفر.
[المصنف - ابن أبي شيبة الكوفي - ج ٦ - الصفحة ١٧]

Ibn 'Umar narrated: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) disapproved of al-mufaddam. Al-Hasan ibn Suhayl added: Al-mufaddam is that which is saturated and filled with safflower (vibrant orange). [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 6 - Page 17]

حدثنا أبو بكر قال حدثنا وكيع عن فضيل عن نافع عن ابن عمر: رأى على ابن له معصفرا فنهاه.
[المصنف - ابن أبي شيبة الكوفي - ج ٦ - الصفحة ١٧]

Nafi' narrated: Ibn 'Umar saw his son wearing safflower dyed clothes so he prevented him from that. [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 6 - Page 17]

This narration likely refers to the wearing of al-mufaddam. As for Ibn Umar himself, he used to wear al-muwarrad (yellow-orange) clothes.

حدثنا أبو بكر قال حدثنا ابن علية عن ليث عن عطاء وطاوس ومجاهد أنهم كانوا يكرهون التضريج فما فوقه للرجال .
[مصنف ابن أبي شيبة – الجزء ٦ – الصفحة ١٧]

Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned: Abū Bakr narrated to us, he said: Ibn ʿUlayyah narrated to us, from Layth, who said: ʿAṭāʾ, Ṭāwūs, and Mujāhid disliked taḍrīj (a medium-intensity orange color) and anything more intense than it for men. [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 6 - Page 17]

حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عُثْمَانَ الْحِمْصِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ، قَالَ قَالَ هِشَامٌ - يَعْنِي ابْنَ الْغَازِ - الْمُضَرَّجَةُ الَّتِي لَيْسَتْ بِمُشَبَّعَةٍ وَلاَ الْمُوَرَّدَةُ ‏.‏

Abu Dawud mentioned: Amr ibn ‘Uthman al-Himsi narrated to us, he said: Al-Walid told us, he said: Hisham — meaning Ibn al-Ghaz — said: “Al-mudarraj is that which is in between mushabba'ah (saturated) and al-muwarradah (lowest intensity of redness).” [Sunan Abi Dawud 4067]

قَالَ أَبُو عبيد: والمُضرَّج دون المُشبَع ثمَّ المُوَرِّد بعده.
[ص422 - كتاب غريب الحديث أبو عبيد]

Abu Ubayd al-Qasim ibn Sallam said: “Al-muḍarraj is less intense than al-mushabbaʿ, and then comes al-muwarrad after that.” [Kitab Gharib al-Hadith - Abu Ubayd al-Qasim ibn Sallam - Page 422]

Taḍrīj is a level of intensity less than al-mufaddam. Mufaddam (very intense orange) is the most intensely saturated orange, taḍrīj (medium orange) is middle to high intense orange, and muwarrad (yellow-orange) is the least intense form of orange, as it leans towards yellow.

'Ata, Tawus, and Mujahid were very close students of Ibn Abbas, which possibly means that Ibn Abbas held the same position regarding vibrant orange.

أخبرنا أبو بكر قال حدثنا أبو داود قال سمعت أحمد قال يكره المعصفر للرجل ولا بأس للنساء
[مسائل أبي داود – الجزء الأول – الصفحة ٢٦٠]

Imam Ahmad said: "I dislike safflower dyed clothes for men, but for women it is fine." [Masail Abu Dawud - Volume 1 - Page 260]

ويكره للرجل لبس المزعفر والمعصفر.
[المقنع في فقه الإمام أحمد – ابن قدامة – الصفحة ٤٦]

Ibn Qudamah said: "He (Imam Ahmad) disliked clothing dyed with al-Mu'asfar and al-Za'fran for men." [Al-Muqni' fi Fiqh al-Imam Ahmad - Ibn Qudamah - Page 46]

باب مَا جَاءَ فِي كَرَاهِيَةِ لُبْسِ الْمُعَصْفَرِ لِلرَّجُلِ وَالْقَسِّيِّ

حَدَّثَنَا عَبَّاسُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَغْدَادِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْرَائِيلُ، عَنْ أَبِي يَحْيَى، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، قَالَ مَرَّ رَجُلٌ وَعَلَيْهِ ثَوْبَانِ أَحْمَرَانِ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمَ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ ‏.‏ وَمَعْنَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ أَنَّهُمْ كَرِهُوا لُبْسَ الْمُعَصْفَرِ وَرَأَوْا أَنَّ مَا صُبِغَ بِالْحُمْرَةِ بِالْمَدَرِ أَوْ غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ فَلاَ بَأْسَ بِهِ إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ مُعَصْفَرًا ‏.‏

'Abdullah bin 'Amr ibn al-'Aas narrated: "A man passed by while wearing two orange garments. He gave Salam to the Prophet (ﷺ) but he did not return the Salam." Imam Tirmidhi commented: "This hadith is Hasan Gharib. The explanation of this Hadith according to the people of knowledge is that they disapproved of wearing clothes dyed with safflower. And their opinion was that there is nothing wrong with what is dyed orange with clay or anything else as long as it is not safflower." [Sunan Tirmidhi 2807]

وَحَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ بْنُ سُفْيَانَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا قَاسِمٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْأَحْوَصِ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ بُكَيْرٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي اللَّيْثُ عَنْ خَالِدِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي هِلَالٍ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ أَبِي رَبَاحٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ يَوْمًا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَعَلَيَّ ثَوْبَانِ مُعَصْفَرَانِ فَقَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا هَذَانِ الثَّوْبَانِ قُلْتُ صَبَغَتْهُمَا أُمُّ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَقْسَمْتُ عَلَيْكَ إِلَّا رَجَعْتَ فَأَمَرْتَهَا أَنْ تُوقِدَ لَهُمَا التَّنُّورَ ثُمَّ تَطْرَحَهُمَا قَالَ فَرَجَعْتُ إِلَيْهَا فَفَعَلَتْ قَالَ أَبُو عُمَرَ هَذَا يُحْتَمَلُ أَنْ يَكُونَ عُقُوبَةً لِنَهْيِهِ عَنْ ذَلِكَ لِئَلَّا يَعُودَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى لِبَاسِهَا أَعْنِي الثِّيَابَ الْمُعَصْفَرَةَ وَقَوْلُهُ أَقْسَمْتُ عَلَيْكَ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى أَنَّ حَرْقَهَا أَحَقُّ بِوَاجِبٍ وَلَكِنَّ الْكَرَاهَةَ فِيهَا صَحِيحَةٌ لِلرِّجَالِ خَاصَّةً
[التمهيد – ابن عبد البر – المجلد ١٦ – الصفحتان ١٢٢–١٢٣]

Ibn Abdul-Barr mentioned: ʿAbd al-Wārith ibn Sufyān narrated to us; Qāsim narrated to us; Abū al-Aḥwaṣ narrated to us; Ibn Bukayr narrated to us; al-Layth narrated to me from Khālid ibn Yazīd, from Saʿīd ibn Abī Hilāl, from ʿAṭāʾ ibn Abī Rabāḥ, from ʿAmr ibn Shuʿayb, from his father, from ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ, who said: One day I entered upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while I was wearing two garments dyed with safflower. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, “What are these two garments?” I said, “Umm ʿAbdullāh (my mother) dyed them for me.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said, “I urge you to go back and order her to light the oven for them and then throw them into it.” He said, “So I went back to her, and she did so.” Ibn Abdul-Barr commented: This may be understood as a punishment due to his disapproval of that, so that a man would not return to wearing safflower-dyed garments. His statement “I urge you” indicates that burning them was more fitting as something obligatory, but it's more accurate to conclude it being Makruh for men. [Al-Tamheed - Ibn Abdul-Barr - Volume 10 - Page 162]

وَمَا أَظُنُّ عَامَّةَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ تَرَكُوا لِبَاسَ الْمُعَصْفَرِ إِلَّا عَلَى الْأَصْلِ الَّذِي ذَكَرْنَا مِنَ الْآثَارِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ
[الاستذكار – الجزء ٨ – الصفحة ٣٠٣]

Ibn Abdul-Barr said: "And I do not think that the majority of Muslim men abandoned wearing safflower-dyed garments (muʿaṣfar), except for the original principle we mentioned from the reports transmitted from the Prophet ﷺ – and Allah knows best." [Al-Istidhkaar - Volume 8 - Page 303]

والذي يَقْتضِيهِ حديثُ عليٍّ، وعبدِ الله بن عَمرٍو، النَّهيُ عن لباسِ كلِّ ثَوْبٍ مُعصفَرٍ للرِّجالِ
[التمهيد – ابن عبد البر – الجزء ١٠ – الصفحة ١٦٤]

Ibn Abdul-Barr said: "What is indicated by the narrations of ʿAlī and ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAmr is the disapproval of wearing any safflower-dyed garment (muʿaṣfar) for men." [Al-Tamheed - Ibn Abdul-Barr - Volume 10 - Page 164]

وَأَمَّا لِبَاسُ الْمُعَصْفَرِ وَالْمُفَدَّمِ وَغَيْرِهِ مِنَ صِبَاغِ الْمُعَصْفَرِ فَمُخْتَلَفٌ فِيهِ أَجَازَهُ قَوْمٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ وَكَرِهَهُ آخَرُونَ
وَلَا حُجَّةَ عِنْدِي لِمَنْ أَبَاحَهُ مَعَ مَا جَاءَ فِي حَدِيثِ هَذَا الْبَابِ مِنْ نَهْيِهِ عَلِيًّا عَنْ لُبْسِ الْمُعَصْفَرِ إِلَّا أَنْ يُدَّعَى أَنَّ ذَلِكَ خُصُوصٌ لِعَلِيٍّ وَحْدَهُ لِقَوْلِهِ نَهَانِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَلَا أَقُولُ نَهَاكُمْ
وَبَعْضُهُمْ يَقُولُ فِيهِ نَهَانِي وَلَا أَقُولُ نَهَى النَّاسَ
وَهَذَا اللَّفْظُ مَحْفُوظٌ فِي حَدِيثِ عَلَيٍّ هَذَا مِنْ وُجُوهٍ
وَلَيْسَ دَعْوَى الْخُصُوصِ فِيهِ بِشَيْءٍ لِأَنَّ الْحَدِيثَ فِي النَّهْيِ عَنْ لِبَاسِ الْمُعَصْفَرِ وَالْقَسِيِّ وَتَخْتُّمِ الذَّهَبِ - كُلُّ ذَلِكَ - لِلرِّجَالِ دُونَ النِّسَاءِ صَحِيحٌ مَرْوِيٌّ مِنْ وُجُوهٍ ثَابِتَةٍ
[الاستذكار – الجزء ١ – الصفحة ٤٣٣]

Ibn Abdul-Barr said: "As for safflower-dyed garments (muʿaṣfar), mufaddam, and other safflower-based dyes, there is a difference of opinion: some scholars of knowledge permitted them, while others disliked them. I do not see any proof for those who permitted them, in view of what has come in the narration of this chapter, from the disapproval of ʿAlī from wearing safflower-dyed garments, except if it is claimed that this was specific to ʿAlī alone because of the wording “The Messenger of Allah disapproved of it for me” – and I do not say “He disapproved of it for you.” Some of them say “He disapproved of it for me” and not “He disapproved of it for the people.” This wording is preserved in the narration of ʿAlī in this regard from various chains. And the claim of specificity does not hold, because the narration concerning the disapproval of safflower-dyed garments, qasī, and golden rings—all of this—are general for men and not for women, authentically reported through multiple established chains." [Al-Istidhkaar - Volume 1 - Page 433]

فإنَّ تَرْكَ النَّبِيِّ -صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم- لرَدِّ السَّلَامِ عليه يَحْتَمِلُ أن يكونَ لمَعْنًى غيرِ الحُمْرَةِ، ويَحْتَمِلُ أنَّها كانَتْ مُعَصْفَرَةً، وهو مَكْرُوهٌ، وحديثُ رَافِعٍ يَرْوِيه عنهُ رَجُلٌ مَجْهُولٌ، ولأن الحُمْرَةَ لَوْنٌ، فهى كسائرِ الألْوَانِ.
[المغني – الجزء ٢ – الصفحة ٣٠٢]

Ibn Qudamah said: "The Prophet ﷺ not returning the greeting (to the man who was wearing safflower dyed garments) may have been for a reason other than the orange, and it is also possible that it was because they were dyed with safflower, which is Makruh. Moreover, the ḥadīth of Rāfiʿ is narrated from him by an unknown man. Red is just a color, so it is like the rest of the colors (meaning, all shades of red are fine, except for vibrant orange)." [Al-Mughni - Volume 2 - Page 302]

والصحيح أنه لا بأس بها
[شرح الكبير على المقنع – ابن أبي عمر – الجزء ١ – الصفحة ٤٧٣]

Ibn Abi Umar (nephew of Ibn Qudamah) said: The correct view (according to Ibn Qudamah), is that there is no problem with it (red color that is not from safflower). [Sharh al-Kabir 'ala al-Muqni' - Ibn Abi Umar - Volume 1 - Page 473]

Ibn Qudamah believed that vibrant orange is Makruh due to the narrations regarding al-mu'asfar. He understood all narrations disapproving of red to mean the color of safflower dye, which is orange.

That's why he didn't see anything wrong with the color as a whole, except for when it's vibrant orange.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ يَحْيَى، حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ، أَنَّ ابْنَ مَعْدَانَ، أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ جُبَيْرَ بْنَ نُفَيْرٍ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ أَخْبَرَهُ قَالَ رَأَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَىَّ ثَوْبَيْنِ مُعَصْفَرَيْنِ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ إِنَّ هَذِهِ مِنْ ثِيَابِ الْكُفَّارِ فَلاَ تَلْبَسْهَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

'Abdullah b. 'Amr b. al-As reported: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saw me wearing two clothes dyed with safflower, whereupon he said: These are the clothes of the disbelievers, so do not wear them. [Sahih Muslim 2077a]

حَدَّثَنَا دَاوُدُ بْنُ رُشَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ أَيُّوبَ الْمَوْصِلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ الأَحْوَلِ، عَنْ طَاوُسٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، قَالَ رَأَى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَىَّ ثَوْبَيْنِ مُعَصْفَرَيْنِ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ أَأُمُّكَ أَمَرَتْكَ بِهَذَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قُلْتُ أَغْسِلُهُمَا ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ بَلْ أَحْرِقْهُمَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

'Abdullah b. 'Amr b. al-As reported: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saw me in two clothes dyed with safflower, whereupon he said: Has your mother ordered you to do so? And I said: I will wash them (remove its color). He said: Rather, burn them. [Sahih Muslim 2077c]

وَحَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ بْنُ سُفْيَانَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا قَاسِمُ بْنُ أَصْبَغَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا دَاوُدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ وَشُرَحْبِيلُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ شُفْعَةَ السَّمْعِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِي قَالَ أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وَعَلَيَّ ثَوْبَانِ مُعَصْفَرَانِ فَلَمَّا رَآنِي قَالَ مَنْ يَحُولُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ هَذِهِ النَّارِ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا أَصْنَعُ بِهِمَا قَالَ أَحْرِقْهُمَا
[التمهيد - ابن عبد البر - المجلد ١٦ - الصفحة ١٢٢]

Ibn Abdul-Barr mentioned: Abd al-Wārith ibn Sufyān narrated to us, saying: Qāsim ibn Aṣbag told us, saying: Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad told us, saying: Dāwūd ibn ʿAmr told us, saying: Ismāʿīl ibn ʿAyyāsh and Shurahbīl ibn Muslim narrated from Shufaʿah al-Samʿī, from ʿAbdullah ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ, who said: "I came to the Prophet ﷺ while I had two safflower-colored garments with me. When he saw me, he said: ‘Who will prevent me from this fire?’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, what should I do with them?’ He said: ‘Burn them.’" [Al-Tamheed - Ibn Abdul-Barr - Volume 16 - Page 122]

It may be understood that those clothes he had on were the color of fire, vibrant orange.

أَخْبَرَنِي إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُوسَى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شَيْبَانُ، عَنْ يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنِي خَالِدُ بْنُ مَعْدَانَ، أَنَّ ابْنَ حُنَيْنٍ، حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّ عَلِيًّا قَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَهَى عَنْ ثِيَابِ الْمُعَصْفَرِ وَعَنِ الْحَرِيرِ وَأَنْ يَقْرَأَ وَهُوَ رَاكِعٌ وَعَنْ خَاتَمِ الذَّهَبِ ‏.‏

Imam al-Nasaee mentioned: Ibrāhīm ibn Yaʿqūb informed me; he said: al-Ḥasan ibn Mūsā narrated to us; he said: Shaybān narrated to us, from Yaḥyā; Khālid ibn Maʿdān informed me that Ibn Ḥunayn told him that ʿAlī said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded not to wear safflower-dyed garments or silk, not to recite the Qur’an while in ruku', and not to wear a gold ring.” [Sunan al-Nasaee 5272]

أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ حَفْصٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ حُنَيْنٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ نُهِيتُ عَنِ الثَّوْبِ الأَحْمَرِ، وَخَاتَمِ الذَّهَبِ، وَأَنْ أَقْرَأَ وَأَنَا رَاكِعٌ، ‏.‏

Imam al-Nasaee mentioned: Muhammad ibn al-Walīd informed us; he said: Muhammad narrated to us; he said: Shuʿbah narrated to us, from Abu Bakr ibn Ḥafṣ, from ʿAbdullāh ibn Ḥunayn, from Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: “I was ordered not to wear red garments, to wear a gold ring, or to recite (the Qur’an) while I am in rukūʿ (bowing).” [Sunan al-Nasaee 5266]

٢٦٣٣٤ - حدثنا أبو بكر قال: حدثنا أبو خالد عن حجاج عن أبي بكر بن حفص عن (ابن) (١) حنين عن ابن عباس عن النبي ﷺ قال: " (لا تلبسوا) (٢) ثوبًا أحمرَ (متوردًا) (٣) " (٤).
[مصنَّف ابن أبي شيبة – الجزء ١٣ – الصفحة ٥٠٠]

Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned: Abu Khalid narrated to us, from Hajjāj, from Abu Bakr ibn Ḥafṣ, from Ibn Ḥunayn, from Ibn ʿAbbās, from the Prophet ﷺ, who said: "Do not wear a mutawarrad (yellow-orange) garment." [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 13 - 500]

حدثنا أبو بكر قال حدثنا محمد بن عبد الله الأسدي عن عبيد الله بن عبد الله بن موهب قال: حدثني عمي عن أبي هريرة عن عثمان قال: نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن المعصفر.
[المصنف - ابن أبي شيبة الكوفي - ج ٦ - الصفحة ١٧]

Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned: Muḥammad ibn ʿAbdullāh al-Asadī narrated to us, from ʿUbaydullāh ibn ʿAbdullāh ibn Mūhib, who said: My uncle narrated to me from Abū Hurayrah, from ʿUthmān, who said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ discouraged wearing safflower-dyed garments.” [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 6 - Page 17]

حدثنا أبو بكر قال حدثنا علي عن يزيد بن أبي زياد عن الحسن بن سهيل عن ابن عمر قال: نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن المفدم، قال يزيد: قلت للحسن: ما المفدم؟ قال: المشبع بالعصفر.
[المصنف - ابن أبي شيبة الكوفي - ج ٦ - الصفحة ١٧]

Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned: ʿAlī narrated to us from Yazīd ibn Abī Ziyād, from al-Ḥasan ibn Suhayl, from Ibn ʿUmar, who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade al-mufaddam. Yazīd said that he asked al-Ḥasan what al-mufaddam was, and he replied that it is that which is saturated with safflower. [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 6 - Page 17]

Those who saw no problem with wearing orange

  • Anas ibn Malik
  • Ibn Umar
  • Ibn Abbas
  • Al-Bara ibn 'Azib
  • Talhah ibn Ubaydullah
  • 'Urwah ibn al-Zubayr
  • Salim ibn Abdullah
  • Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad
  • ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn
  • Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir
  • Ibrahim al-Nakha'ee
  • Muhammad ibn Sireen
  • Abū Wāʾil Shaqīq ibn Salamah
  • Zirr ibn Ḥubaysh
  • Nāfiʿ ibn Jubayr ibn Muṭʿim
  • Imam Abu Hanifa
  • Imam Malik
  • Imam al-Shafi'i

وَمِمَّنْ كَانَ يَلْبَسُ الْمُعَصْفَرَ وَلَا يَرَى بِهِ بَأْسًا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ وَالْبَرَاءُ بْنُ عَازِبٍ وَطَلْحَةُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ وَأَبُو جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ النَّخَعِيُّ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سِيرِينَ وَأَبُو وَائِلٍ شَقِيقُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ وَزِرُّ بْنُ حُبَيْشٍ وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ حُسَيْنٍ وَنَافِعُ بْنُ جُبَيْرِ بْنِ مُطْعِمٍ
وَذَلِكَ كُلُّهُ فِي كِتَابِ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ بِالْأَسَانِيدِ عَنْهُ
وَذَكَرَ أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ عَنْ هِشَامٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ قَالَ كَانَ الْمُعَصْفَرُ لِبَاسُ الْعَرَبِ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ شَيْئًا هَدَمَهُ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ وَكَانَ لَا يَرَى بِهِ بَأْسًا
قَالَ وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو أُسَامَةَ عَنِ بن عَوْنٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ لَا يَرَى بَأْسًا بِلِبَاسِ الرَّجُلِ الثَّوْبَ الْمَصْبُوغَ بِالْعُصْفُرِ وَالزَّعْفَرَانِ
وَهَذَا كُلُّهُ قَوْلُ مَالِكٍ وَالشَّافِعِيِّ وَأَبِي حَنِيفَةَ وَأَصْحَابِهِمْ فِي لِبَاسِ الْمُعَصْفَرِ
[الاستذكار – الجزء ٨ – الصفحة ٣٠٠]

Ibn Abdul-Barr said: "Among those who used to wear safflower-dyed garments (muʿaṣfar) and saw no harm in it were ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar, al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib, Ṭalḥah ibn ʿUbayd Allāh, Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī, Ibrāhīm al-Nakhaʿī, Muḥammad ibn Sirīn, Abū Waʾil Shaqīq ibn Salamah, Zirr ibn Ḥubaysh, ʿAlī ibn Ḥusayn, and Nāfiʿ ibn Jubayr ibn Muṭʿim. All of this is recorded in the book of Abū Bakr ibn Abī Shaybah, with chains of narration from him. Abū Bakr ibn Abī Shaybah also mentioned: “Yazīd ibn Hārūn narrated to me from Hishām, from Muḥammad ibn Sirīn, who said: ‘Safflower-dyed garments were the dress of the Arabs, and I do not know anything in Islam that invalidated them, and I saw no harm in them.’” He also said: “Abū Usāmah narrated to me from Ibn ʿAwn, from Muḥammad ibn Sirīn, that he saw no harm in a man wearing garments dyed with safflower and saffron.” All of this reflects the position of Mālik, al-Shāfiʿī, Abū Ḥanīfah, and their companions regarding wearing safflower-dyed garments." [Al-Istidhkaar - Volume 8 - Page 300]

قال يحيى: وسمعت مالكا يقول في الملاحف المعصفرة في البيوت للرجال، وفي الأفنية. قال: لا أعلم من ذلك شيئا حراما. وغير ذلك من اللباس أحب إلى.
[كتاب الموطأ - الإمام مالك - ج ٢ - الصفحة ٩١٢]

Imam Malik said: "I do not know of anything proving the wearing of safflower dyed clothes to be haram for men in the house or in the yard. And other colored clothes are more beloved to me." [Al-Muwatta 2/912]

وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنْ مَالِكٍ وَبَعْضِ الْمَدَنِيِّينَ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يُرَخِّصُونَ لِلرِّجَالِ فِي لِبَاسِ الْمُوَرَّدِ وَالْمُمَشَّقِ وَقَالَ ابْنُ الْقَاسِمِ عَنْ مَالِكٍ أَكْرَهُ الْمُعَصْفَرَ الْمُفَدَّمَ لِلرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاءِ أَنْ يُحْرِمُوا فِيهِ لِأَنَّهُ يَنْتَقِضُ قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَأَكْرَهُهُ أَيْضًا لِلرِّجَالِ فِي غَيْرِ الْإِحْرَامِ قَالَ أَبُو عُمَرَ الْمُفَدَّمُ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ اللُّغَةِ الْمُشَبَّعُ حُمْرَةً وَالْمُوَرَّدُ دُونَهُ فِي الْحُمْرَةِ كَأَنَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ مَأْخُوذٌ مِنْ لَوْنِ الْوَرْدِ وَأَمَّا الْمُمَشَّقُ فَطِينٌ أَحْمَرُ يُصْبَغُ بِهِ هُوَ الْمَغْرَةُ أَوْ شَبَهُهَا يُقَالُ لِلثَّوْبِ الْمَصْبُوغِ بِهِ مُمَشَّقٌ
[التمهيد – ابن عبد البر – المجلد ١٦ – الصفحة ١٢٣]

Ibn Abdul-Barr said: "It has been narrated from Mālik and some of the scholars of Madinah that they used to grant men concession to wear al-muwarrad (yellow-orange) and al-mumashshaq (baked-clay orange). Ibn al-Qāsim reported from Mālik that he disliked al-mufaddam (intense orange) safflower-dyed garments for men and women to enter into iḥrām wearing them, because they fade and deteriorate. Mālik also said: “I dislike it as well for men outside of iḥrām. According to the linguists, al-mufaddam refers to what is intensely saturated with redness; al-muwarrad is less intense in redness, as if — and Allah knows best — it is taken from the color of flowers. As for al-mumashaq, it is a red clay-based pigment used for dyeing, a kind of ochre. A garment dyed with it is called mumashshaq.” [Al-Tamheed - Ibn Abdul-Barr - Volume 10 - Page 161]

قَالَ أَبُو عُمَرَ اخْتُلِفَ فِي لِبَاسِ المعصفر عن بن عُمَرَ وَأَكْثَرُ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ يُرَخِّصُونَ فِيهِ كَمَا قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَلَمْ يَكْرَهْهُ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ وَلَا أَنْكَرْهُ عَلَى طَلْحَةَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا فِي الْإِحْرَامِ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ
[التمهيد – ابن عبد البر – المجلد ١٦ – الصفحة ١٢٣]

Ibn Abdul-Barr said: "There was disagreement on Ibn Umar regarding wearing garments dyed with safflower. The majority of the people of Madinah permitted it, as Mālik said. ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb did not dislike it, nor did he object to it for Ṭalḥah ibn ʿUbayd Allāh—except in the state of iḥrām. And Allah knows best." [Al-Istidhkaar - Ibn Abdul-Barr - Volume 8 - Page 302]

لا بأس بلبس المُعَصْفَر (٣) والموْرِد (٤) والمُمَشَّق (٥) وغير ذلك من الصبغ
[ص521 - كتاب المختصر الصغير لابن عبد الحكم خلافيات في الفقه]

Ibn Abdul-Hakam al-Maliki said: "And there is nothing wrong in wearing clothes dyed with mu'asfar, muwarrad, mumashshaq, or other dyes." [Al-Mukhtasar al-Saghir - Ibn Abdul-Hakam - Page 521]

قال ربيعة، رأيت مشيخة بالمدينة، وإن لهم الغدائر وعليهم الممصر والمورد وفي أيديهم المخاصر وآثار الحناء كهيئة الفتيان ودين أحدهم أبعد من الثريا إذا أريد دينه.
[الجامع - ابن أبي زيد القيرواني - الصفحة ٢٣٣]

Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani mentioned: Malik said: Rabi'ah said that he saw shuyukh in Medina wearing long cloaks in the colors red clay and yellow-orange. [Al-Jami' - Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani - Page 233]

حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو ضَمْرَةَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي رَبِيعَةُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، قَالَ: " لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ مَشْيَخَةً بِالْمَدِينَةِ، وَإِنَّ عَلَيْهِمُ الْغَدَائِرَ وَإِنَّ عَلَيْهِمِ الْمُمَصَّرَ وَالْمُوَرَّدَ
[كتاب الأخبار الموفقيات - الزبير بن بكار - ص ١٩٨]

Al-Zubayr ibn Bakkar mentioned: Abu Damrah narrated to me, from Rabīʿah ibn Abī ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, who said: "I have seen the shuyukh in Medina wearing long cloaks of al-mumassar (light yellow) and al-muwarrad (yellow-orange)." [Kitab al-Akhbar al-Muwafaqiyat - Al-Zubayr ibn Bakkar - Page 198]

«ثَوْبَيْنِ مُمَصَّرَيْنِ» ثَوْبٌ مَصْبُوغٌ فِيهِ صُفْرَةٌ قَلِيلَةٌ
[كتاب غريب الحديث – إبراهيم الحربي – الجزء ٣ – الصفحة ١٢٠٥]

Ibrahim al-Harbi said: "Thawbayn Al-Mumassar: Two garments dyed with a little bit of yellow." [Kitab Gharib al-Hadith - Ibrahim al-Harbi - Volume 3 - Page 1205]

وَيَلْبَسَانِ مَعًا الثَّوْبَ الْمَصْبُوغَ بِالْعُصْفُرِ مُشْبَعًا كَانَ أَوْ غَيْرَ مُشْبَعٍ
[كتاب الأم – الجزء الثاني – الصفحة ١٦٢]

Imam al-Shafi'i said: "And both (women and men) may wear garments dyed with safflower, whether saturated or not." [Kitab Al-Umm - Volume 2 - Page 162]

Anas ibn Malik

أخبرنا عبد الرزاق ، قال : أخبرنا معمر ، عن عبد العزيز ، قال : " رأيت على أنس بن مالك ثوبين موردين قد مسهما العصفر " .
[مصنّف عبد الرزاق – الجزء ١١ – الصفحة ٧٥]

Abdurrazzaq mentioned: Maʿmmar narrated to us, from ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, who said: "I saw on Anas ibn Mālik two yellow-orange garments that had been treated with safflower." [Musannaf Abdurrazzaq - Volume 11 - Page 75]

قال: أخبرنا عمرو بن الهيثم عن إسرائيل عن عمران بن مسلم قال: رأيت على أنس إزارا معصفرا.
[طبقات الكبرى – الجزء السابع – الصفحة ١٧]

Ibn Sa'd mentioned: He said: ʿAmr ibn al-Haytham narrated to us from Isrāʾīl, from ʿImrān ibn Muslim, who said: I saw Anas wearing a safflower-dyed Izar. [Tabaqat al-Kubra - Volume 7 - Page 17]

قال: أخبرنا عمرو بن الهيثم قال: حدثنا إسرائيل عن عمران بن مسلم عن أنس قال: رأيت عليه ثوبين معصفرين.
[طبقات الكبرى – الجزء السابع – الصفحة ١٧]

Ibn Sa'd mentioned: ʿAmr ibn al-Haytham narrated to us, saying: Isrāʾīl narrated to us from ʿImrān ibn Muslim, from Anas, who said: I saw him wearing two safflower-dyed garments. [Tabaqat al-Kubra - Volume 7 - Page 17]

حدثنا أبو بكر قال ثنا حماد بن خالد عن عبد الله بن عمر عن عبد الرحمن بن القاسم عن عبد الله قال : كان الفتيان يحرمون مع ابن عمر في المورد فلا ينهاهم ولا ينكر عليهم .
[مصنف ابن أبي شيبة – الجزء ٤ – الصفحة ٢١٥]

Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned: Ḥammād ibn Khālid narrated to us from ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar, from ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn al-Qāsim, from ʿAbd Allāh, who said: “Young men would enter iḥrām with Ibn ʿUmar wearing muwarrad (yellow-orange), and he neither forbade them nor disapproved of it.” [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 4 - Page 215]

قال: أخبرنا محمد بن ربيعة الكلابي عن موسى المعلم قال: رأيت ابن عمر دعي إلى دعوة فجلس على فراش عليه ثوب مورد. قال فلما وضع الطعام قال: بسم الله. ومد يده ثم رفعها وقال إني صائم وللدعوة حق.
[طبقات الكبرى – الجزء ٤ – ص ١٢٩‑١٣٠]

Ibn Sa'd mentioned: Muhammad ibn Rubay‘ah al-Kalabi narrated to us from Musa al-Mu‘allim, who said: I saw Ibn ‘Umar invited to a gathering, and he sat on a blanket while he was wearing a muwarrad (yellow-orange) thawb. When the food was placed before him, he said: “Bismillah.” He then stretched out his hand and raised it (to eat), saying: “I am fasting, but the host has a right [to be honored].” [Tabaqat al-Kubra - Volume 4 - Page 129-130]

١٣٣٣٠ - حدثنا أبو بكر قال: (حدثنا) (١) حميد عن أبيه عن (أبي) (٢) الزبير قال: كنت عند ابن عمر (فأتاه) (٣) رجل عليه ثوبان معصفران وهو محرم، فقال: في (هذين) (٤) (علي) (٥) بأس؟ قال: فيهما طيب؟ (قال: لا) (٦) قال: فلا بأس به (٧).
[المصنّف لأبي شُيبة – الجزء ٧ – الصفحة ٤٦٢]

Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned: Ḥumayd narrated to us from his father from Abu al-Zubayr, who said: I was with Ibn ʿUmar when a man came to him wearing two safflower-dyed garments while in a state of ihram. He said: ‘Is there any harm in these?’ He [Ibn ʿUmar] said: ‘Do they have any perfume?’ He said: ‘No.’ He said: ‘Then there is no harm in them.’” [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 7 - Page 462]

While in the state of Ihram, scented perfume is not allowed, that's why Ibn Umar asked that question. As for the color of that man's clothes, Ibn Umar did not see anything wrong with it.

حدثنا أبو بكر قال ثنا يحيى بن يمان عن سفيان عن يزيد عن مقسم عن ابن عباس قال : لا بأس بالمورد للمحرم .
[مصنف ابن أبي شيبة – الجزء ٤ – الصفحة ٢١٥]

Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned: Abū Bakr narrated to us, saying: Yaḥyā ibn Yamān narrated to us from Sufyān, from Yazīd, from Muqassim, from Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: “There is no harm in muwarrad (yellow-orange) for a person in iḥrām.” [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 4 - Page 215]

حدثنا أبو بكر قال حدثنا عبيد الله بن موسى عن عمرو بن عثمان عن موسى بن طلحة أن طلحة كان يلبس المعصفر .
[مصنف ابن أبي شيبة – الجزء ٦ – الصفحة ١٥]

Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned: ʿUbaydullāh ibn Mūsā narrated to us from ʿAmr ibn ʿUthmān, from Mūsā ibn Ṭalḥah, that Ṭalḥah used to wear safflower-dyed garments. [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 6 - Page 15]

٣٣١ - حَدَّثَنَا مُصْعَبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ حَمْزَةَ الزُّبَيْرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، ثنا أَبُو ضَمْرَةَ أَنَسُ بْنُ عِيَاضٍ، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ كَعْبِ بْنِ عُجْرَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسَ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ، مَوْلَى كَعْبِ بْنِ عُجْرَةَ، قَالَ: " أَشْهَدُ لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ أَرْبَعَةً أَوْ خَمْسَةً مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَلْبَسُونَ الْمُعَصْفَرَ، مِنْهُمْ كَعْبُ بْنُ عُجْرَةَ
[المعجم الكبير – الطبراني – الجزء ١٩ – الصفحة ١٥١]

Al-Tabarani mentioned: Muṣʿab ibn Ibrāhīm ibn Ḥamzah al-Zubayrī narrated to us, saying: My father narrated to me, saying: Abū Ḍamrah narrated to us from Anas ibn ʿIyāḍ, from Saʿd ibn Isḥāq ibn Kaʿb ibn ʿUjrah, from Anas ibn Sulaymān, the freedman of Kaʿb ibn ʿUjrah, who said: “I testify that I saw four or five of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ wearing safflower-dyed garments (muʿaṣfar), among them Kaʿb ibn ʿUjrah.” [Al-Muj'am al-Kabir - Al-Tabarani - Volume 19 - Page 151]

حدثنا أبو بكر قال ثنا وكيع عن عمر بن محمد قال : رأيت على سالم يوما ثوبا موردا يعني وهو محرم .
[مصنف ابن أبي شيبة – الجزء ٤ – الصفحة ٢١٥]

Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned: Wakīʿ narrated to us from ʿUmar ibn Muḥammad, who said: “One day I saw on Sālim a muwarrad (yellow-orange) garment, while he was in iḥrām.” [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 4 - Page 215]

المعصفرات المشبعات وهي محرمة ليس فيها زعفران ، أخبرنا سفيان عن عمرو بن دينار عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي قال : أبصر عمر بن الخطاب على عبد الله بن جعفر ثوبين مضرجين وهو محرم فقال : ما هذه الثياب ؟ فقال علي بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه : ما أخال أحدا يعلمنا السنة ، فسكت عمر .
[كتاب الأم – الجزء الثاني – الصفحة ١٦١]

Imam al-Shafi'i mentioned: [Deeply saturated safflower-dyed garments, in a state of Ihram; while there is no saffron in them] Sufyān narrated to us from ʿAmr ibn Dīnār, from Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī, who said: ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb saw on ʿAbdullāh ibn Jaʿfar (nephew of Ali ibn Abi Talib) two orange garments from safflower while he was in a state of iḥrām, and he said, “What are these garments?” ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “I do not suppose that anyone teaches us the Sunnah.” So ʿUmar remained silent. [Kitab al-Umm - Volume 2 - Page 161]

حدثنا أبو بكر قال حدثنا إسحاق بن سليمان الرازي عن سلمة بن بخت قال : رأيت على أبي جعفر المعصفرات أو المعصفر
[مصنف ابن أبي شيبة – الجزء ٦ – الصفحة ١٥]

Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned: Isḥāq ibn Sulaymān al-Rāzī narrated to us from Salamah ibn Bakht, who said: "I saw on Abū Jaʿfar two safflower-dyed garments or just one." [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 6 - Page 15]

أخبرنا عبد الرزاق عن معمر عن هشام بن عروة قال: كان أبي يلبس ملحفة حمراء صبغت بالعصفر، حتى مات.
[مصنّف عبد الرزاق – الجزء ١١ – الصفحة ٧٥]

Abdurrazzaq mentioned: From Ma'mar, from Hisham Ibn 'Urwah, who said: "My father ('Urwah ibn al-Zubayr) used to wear an orange cloak dyed with safflower till his death." [Musannaf Abdurrazzaq - Volume 11 - Page 75]

حدثنا أبو بكر قال حدثنا أبو معاوية عن هشام عن أبيه أنه كان يصبغ له الثوب بورس فيلبسه
[مصنف ابن أبي شيبة – الجزء ٦ – الصفحة ١٥]

Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned: Abū Muʿāwiyah narrated to us from Hishām, from his father, that he used to dye a garment for himself with turmeric and then wear it. [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 6 - Page 15]

قال: أخبرنا خالد بن مخلد قال: أخبرنا إسحاق بن يحيى قال: رأيت عروة يلبس رداء معصفرا.
[طبقات الكبرى – الجزء الخامس – الصفحة ١٣٧]

Ibn Sa'd mentioned: Khālid ibn Makhlad informed us. He said: Isḥāq ibn Yaḥyā informed us, who said: I saw ʿUrwah wearing a cloak dyed with safflower (muʿaṣfar). [Tabaqat al-Kubra - Volume 5 - Page 137]

حدثنا أسلم، قال: ثنا أحمد بن سعيد الزهري. قال: ثنا مُحَمَّد بن أبي بكر المقدمي قَالَ: ثنا عمر بن علي بن مقدم، قَالَ: جاء سيار إلى مجلس مالك وعليه ثوب مورد، فجعل مالك ينظر إليه، فقال [٦٣] له سيار: مالك تنظر إلي؟ قَالَ مالك: يلبس أحدهم ثوبا موردا، ثم يجيء.
فقال له سيار: ثوبي هذا وضعني عندك أو رفعني؟ قَالَ: لا، بل وضعك.
قَالَ: يا حبذا ثوب وضعني لا مثل ثوبك هذا. قَالَ له انت سيار؟ قَالَ نعم.
فجاء مالك فقعد بين يديه «٣٢» .
[تاريخ واسط – بحشل – ص ٨٧]

Bahshal mentioned: Aslam narrated to us, from Ahmad ibn Sa‘id al-Zuhri, from Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr al-Muqaddami, from Umar ibn ‘Ali ibn Muqaddam, who said: Sayyār came to the gathering of Mālik wearing a muwarrad (yellow-orange) garment. Mālik kept looking at him. Sayyār said to him: “Mālik, are you looking at me?” Mālik replied: “Does someone wear a muwarrad (yellow-orange) garment and then come?” Sayyār said: “Does this garment of mine demean me before you or elevate me?” Mālik said: “No, it elevates you.” Sayyār said: “I wish it were a garment that elevates me, not like this one of yours.” Mālik said: “Are you Sayyār?” He replied: “Yes.” Then Mālik came and sat before him. [Tarikh Wasit - Bahshal - Page 87]

حدثنا أبو بكر قال حدثنا أبو معاوية عن هشام قال : حدثنا سفيان عن أبيه قال : رأيت على إبراهيم ملحفة حمراء مشبعة .
[مصنف ابن أبي شيبة – الجزء ٦ – الصفحة ١٥]

Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned: Abū Muʿāwiyah narrated to us from Hishām, who said: Sufyān narrated to us from his father, who said: “I saw on Ibrāhīm (al-Nakha'ee) a saturated orange cloak.” [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 6 - Page 15]

حدثنا أبو بكر قال حدثنا وكيع عن العلاء بن عبد الكريم قال : رأيت على إبراهيم ثوبا معصفرا .
[مصنف ابن أبي شيبة – الجزء ٦ – الصفحة ١٥]

Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned: Wakīʿ narrated to us from al-ʿAlāʾ ibn ʿAbd al-Karīm, who said: “I saw on Ibrāhīm a safflower-dyed garment.” [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 6 - Page 15]

حدثنا أبو بكر قال حدثنا وكيع عن مالك بن مغول قال : رأيت على الشعبي ملحفة حمراء .
[مصنف ابن أبي شيبة – الجزء ٦ – الصفحة ١٥]

Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned: Wakīʿ narrated to us from Mālik ibn Mughūl, who said: “I saw on al-Shaʿbī an orange cloak.” [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 6 - Page 15]

قال: أخبرنا عبد الله بن إدريس قال: سمعتُ ليثًا يَذْكر قال: رأيتُ الشعبي وما أدري ملحفته أشدّ حمرة أو لحيته.
[الطبقات الكبرى - محمد بن سعد - ج ٦ - الصفحة ٢٥٢]

Layth Ibn Sa'd narrated: I saw Al-Sha'bi and I did not know which one was more orange: his cloak or his beard. [Tabaqat al-Kubra - Volume 6 - Page 252]

قال: أخبرنا عفان بن مسلم قال: حدثنا حماد بن سلمة قال: أخبرنا داود بن أبي هند أن الشعبي كان يلبس المعصفر.
[طبقات الكبرى – الجزء السادس – الصفحة ٢٦٥]

Ibn Sa'd mentioned: ʿAffān ibn Muslim narrated to us, saying: Ḥammād ibn Salamah narrated to us: Dāwūd ibn Abī Hind told us that al-Shaʿbī used to wear safflower-dyed garments. [Tabaqat al-Kubra - Volume 6 - Page 265]

قال: أخبرنا إسحاق بن يوسف الأزرق وعبد الله بن نمير قالا: حدثنا مالك بن مغول قال: رأيت على الشعبي ملحفة حمراء.
قال ابن نمير في حديثه: وإزارا أصفر.
قال: وقال إسحاق في حديثه: قلت مشبعة؟ قال: نعم.
[طبقات الكبرى – الجزء السادس – الصفحة ٢٦٥]

Ibn Sa'd mentioned: Ishāq ibn Yūsuf al-Azraq and ʿAbd Allāh ibn Numayr narrated to us, saying: Mālik ibn Maghūl told us: “I saw on al-Shaʿbī an orange shawl.” Ibn Numayr added in his report: “And a yellow izār (waistcloth).” And Ishāq said in his report: “I asked: Was it saturated (mushabbaʿah)?” He replied: “Yes.” [Tabaqat al-Kubra - Volume 6 - Page 265]

قال: أخبرنا عمرو بن عاصم الكلابي قال: حدثنا أبو بكر بن شعيب بن الحبحاب قال: سمعت عامرا الشعبي. وعليه إزار كتان مورد.
[طبقات الكبرى – الجزء السادس – الصفحة ٢٦٦]

Ibn Sa'd mentioned: Amr ibn ‘Asim al-Kalabi said: Abu Bakr ibn Shu‘ayb ibn al-Hubbhab, who said: I heard ‘Amir al-Sha‘bi and he was wearing a linen yellow-orange izar. [Tabaqat al-Kubra - Volume 6 - Page 266]

٢٤٧٢٣ - حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ ابْنِ بَهْدَلَةَ، قَالَ: " أَدْرَكْتُ أَقْوَامًا كَانُوا يَتَّخِذُونَ هَذَا اللَّيْلَ جَمَلًا يَلْبَسُونَ الْمُعَصْفَرَ مِنْهُمْ: أَبُو وَائِلٍ "
[الطبقات الكبرى - محمد بن سعد - ج ٦ - الصفحة ٢٥٢]

Ibn Bahdalah narrated: I saw a people on this beautiful night wearing safflower dyed clothes, and one of them was Abu Wael (Shaqiq ibn Salamah). [Tabaqat al-Kubra 6/252]

حدثنا أبو بكر قال حدثنا ابن علية عن عبد الرحمن بن إسحاق قال حدثني أبي قال : رأيت نافع بن جبير بالعرج وعليه معصفر .
[مصنف ابن أبي شيبة – الجزء ٦ – الصفحة ١٥]

Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned: Ibn ʿUlayyah narrated to us from ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Isḥāq, who said: My father narrated to me, saying: “I saw Nāfiʿ ibn Jubayr with a limp, wearing safflower-colored.” [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 6 - Page 15]

قال: أخبرنا شبابة بن سوار وزيد بن يحيى بن عبيد الدمشقي عن أبي زبر عبد الله بن العلاء بن زبر قال: دخلت على القاسم بن محمد وهو في قبة معصفرة وتحته فراش معصفر ومرافق حمر فقلت: يا أبا عبد الرحمن هذا مما أردت أن أسألك عنه. فقال: لا بأس بما امتهن منه. قال شبابة في حديثه: وإنما يكره ثوب الصون.
[طبقات الكبرى – الجزء الخامس – الصفحتان ١٤٦-١٤٧]

Ibn Sa'd mentioned: Shubābah ibn Sawwār and Zayd ibn Yaḥyā ibn ʿUbayd al-Dimashqī narrated from Abū Zubayr ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-ʿAlāʾ ibn Zubayr, who said: “I entered upon al-Qāsim ibn Muḥammad while he was in a safflower-dyed tent, with a safflower-dyed bed underneath him and orange cushions. I said: ‘O Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, this is what I wanted to ask you about.’ He replied: ‘There is no harm in using it.’” Shubābah commented: “He disliked the thawb al-Ṣawn (a traditional garment of Hijaz, which is highly luxurious and overly decorated).” [Tabaqat al-Kubra - Volume 5 - Page 146-147]

قال: أخبرنا يزيد بن هارون قال: أخبرنا يحيى بن سعيد عن عبد الرحمن بن القاسم أن أباه القاسم كان يلبس الثياب الموردة وهو محرم بالعصفر الخفيف.
[طبقات الكبرى – الجزء الخامس – الصفحة ١٤٧]

Ibn Sa'd mentioned: Yazīd ibn Hārūn narrated to us, saying: Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd narrated from ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn al-Qāsim that his father, al-Qāsim, used to wear yellow-orange garments while in iḥrām from low levels of safflower. [Tabaqat al-Kubra - Volume 5 - Page 147]

قال: أخبرنا أبو عامر العقدي قال: حدثنا عيسى بن حفص قال: رأيت القاسم بن محمد يلبس الخز ورأيت عليه ملحفة معصفرة.
[طبقات الكبرى – الجزء الخامس – الصفحة ١٤٧]

Ibn Sa'd mentioned: Abū ʿĀmir al-ʿAqdī narrated to us, saying: ʿĪsā ibn Ḥafṣ narrated to us: “I saw al-Qāsim ibn Muḥammad wearing khazz (a blend of linen and silk), and I saw on him a safflower-dyed shawl.” [Tabaqat al-Kubra - Volume 5 - Page 147]

أخبرنا معن بن عيسى. قال: حدثنا مالك بن أنس: أنه رأى عبد الرحمن بن القاسم عليه قميص هروي أصفر ورداء مورد.
[طبقات الكبرى – الجزء الخامس – الصفحتان ١٤٦-١٤٧]

Ibn Sa'd mentioned: Ma‘n ibn ‘Isa told us: Malik ibn Anas narrated to us that he saw ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Qasim wearing a yellow qamis (shirt) from Herat and an yellow-orange cloak. [Tabaqat al-Kubra - Volume 5 - Page 368]

٢٤٧٢١ - حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَوْنٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ: «كَانَ لَا يَرَى بَأْسًا بِلُبْسِ الرَّجُلِ الثَّوْبَ الْمَصْبُوغَ، بِالْعُصْفُرِ وَالزَّعْفَرَانِ»
[مصنف ابن أبي شيبة – الجزء ٦ – الصفحة ١٥]

Ibn 'Awn narrated: Muhammad Ibn Sireen did not believe anything to be wrong with wearing clothes dyed with safflower (orange) or saffron (yellow). [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 6 - Page 15]

أخبرنا معن بن عيسى قال: أخبرنا زيد بن السائب قال: رأيت خارجة بن زيد يلبس كساء خز ورأيته يلبس ملحفة معصفرة.
[طبقات الكبرى – الجزء الخامس – الصفحة ٢٠٢]

Ibn Sa'd mentioned: Muʿan ibn ʿĪsā narrated to us, saying: Zayd ibn al-Sāʾib told us: “I saw Khārijah ibn Zayd wearing a khazz cloak, and I saw him wearing a safflower-dyed shawl.” [Tabaqat al-Kubra - Volume 5 - Page 202]

أخبرنا عفان بن مسلم قال: حدثنا حماد بن سلمة قال: دخلت على داود بن أبي هند فرأيت فراشا معصفرا وحجلة معصفرة وثياب يمنه معصفرة.
[طبقات الكبرى – الجزء السابع – الصفحتان ١٨٩-١٩٠]

Ibn Sa'd mentioned: ʿAffān ibn Muslim narrated to us, saying: Ḥammād ibn Salamah narrated to us: “I entered upon Dāwūd ibn Abī Hind and saw a safflower-dyed mattress, a safflower-dyed curtained canopy, and safflower-dyed Yemeni garments.” [Tabaqat al-Kubra - Volume 7 - Page 189-190]

These scholars considered the color orange to be mubāḥ, as they found no evidence for its disapproval. Moreover, many of the Sahaba wore it, so it was understood that if major companions saw no problem with it, that it must have been alright.

One of the main pieces of evidence for their stance was the narration of ʿAlī, in which he said that it was not disapproved of for others, only for himself.

حدثنا أبو بكر قال حدثنا وكيع عن أسامة بن زيد عن عبد الله بن حنين قال: سمعت عليا يقول: نهاني رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم. ولا أقول نهاكم عن لبس المعصفر.
[المصنف - ابن أبي شيبة الكوفي - ج ٦ - الصفحة ١٦]

Narrated 'Ali: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ disapproved of me wearing clothes dyed with safflower, but I do not say that he disapproved of it for you as well.” [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 6/16]

They also used the narration of the Prophet wearing red, viewing it as evidence that wearing safflower-dyed clothes is okay.

حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلاَنَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ الثَّوْرِيُّ، عَنْ عَوْنِ بْنِ أَبِي جُحَيْفَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ رَأَيْتُ بِلاَلاً يُؤَذِّنُ وَيَدُورُ وَيُتْبِعُ فَاهُ هَا هُنَا وَهَا هُنَا وَإِصْبَعَاهُ فِي أُذُنَيْهِ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي قُبَّةٍ لَهُ حَمْرَاءَ أُرَاهُ قَالَ مِنْ أَدَمٍ فَخَرَجَ بِلاَلٌ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ بِالْعَنَزَةِ فَرَكَزَهَا بِالْبَطْحَاءِ فَصَلَّى إِلَيْهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَمُرُّ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ الْكَلْبُ وَالْحِمَارُ وَعَلَيْهِ حُلَّةٌ حَمْرَاءُ كَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى بَرِيقِ سَاقَيْهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ سُفْيَانُ نُرَاهُ حِبَرَةً ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى حَدِيثُ أَبِي جُحَيْفَةَ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.‏ وَعَلَيْهِ الْعَمَلُ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ يَسْتَحِبُّونَ أَنْ يُدْخِلَ الْمُؤَذِّنُ إِصْبَعَيْهِ فِي أُذُنَيْهِ فِي الأَذَانِ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ وَفِي الإِقَامَةِ أَيْضًا يُدْخِلُ إِصْبَعَيْهِ فِي أُذُنَيْهِ ‏.‏ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ الأَوْزَاعِيِّ ‏.‏ وَأَبُو جُحَيْفَةَ اسْمُهُ وَهْبُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ السُّوَائِيُّ ‏.‏

Imam al-Tirmidhi mentioned: Mahmūd ibn Ghaylān narrated to us; ʿAbd al-Razzāq narrated to us; Sufyān al-Thawrī informed us, from ʿAwn ibn Abī Juḥayfah, from his father, who said: “I saw Bilāl calling the adhān, with his two fingers in his ears. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was in a red tent of his—I think he said it was made of leather. Then Bilāl came out before him carrying a spear and planted it in the ground. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed facing it, while a dog and a donkey passed in front of him. He was wearing a red (orange) Hullah, and it is as if I can still see the shine of his shins.” Sufyān (al-Thawri) said: “We think it was a striped Yemeni garment (ḥibrah).” [Sunan Tirmidhi 197]

Some understood this narration to mean that the Prophet wore a Hullah with orange stripes in it, while others said it was a fully orange Hullah.

It seems to us that it was a striped Hullah, as the Prophet's favorite garment was the hibrah, which is a Yemeni garment with stripes in it.

Some said the stripes were not the typical orange color from safflower but rather from baked clay and the like, while others said it was the orange from safflower.

It seems to us that the Prophet wore safflower dye based on this narration. Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned a similar narration in his chapter regarding "those who saw no problem with al-mu'asfar".

في لبس المعصفر للرجال ومن رخص فيه
حدثنا أبو بكر قال حدثنا شريك عن أبي إسحاق عن البراء قال : ما رأيت أجمل من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مترجلا في حلة حمراء
[مصنف ابن أبي شيبة – الجزء ٦ – الصفحة ١٥]

Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned: [Chapter: Regarding men wearing safflower-dyed clothes and who saw no issue with it] Sharik narrated to us from Abu Ishaq, from Al-Bara’ who said: “I have never seen anyone more beautiful than the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, while he was mounted on a horse, wearing a red (orange) Hullah.” [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah - Volume 6 - Page 15]

Our position regarding orange

It's allowed to wear 'terracotta' or 'baked clay' clothes for men, whether they are striped or plain.

Baked clay shirt example
Baked clay shirt example
Baked clay shirt example

Same applies to vibrant orange, but it becomes haram when the environment associates it with the color for women, kuffar, or shuhrah.

The most accurate position, in our view, is that the Prophet wore lightly dyed safflower garments (al-muwarrad), based on the fact that most Companions avoided mufaddam and accepted muwarrad, such as Ibn ʿUmar and Anas ibn Mālik. Thus, it is likely that he wore a striped yellow-orange Yemeni garment.

Muwarrad color example

We believe that the prohibition regarding al-muʿaṣfar was said about its deeply saturated form (mufaddam), when the environment associates it with the clothing of women or kuffar.

Mu'asfar image example
Mu'asfar image example
Mu'asfar image example

However, we hold that if the environment changes and its shade is no longer viewed as being associated with women, kuffar, or as a form of shuhrah (boastful display), then it becomes permissible for a man to wear al-mufaddam.

Imam Abu Hanifa, Imām Mālik, and Imām al-Shāfiʿī saw nothing wrong with vibrant orange, which tells us that they didn't view it as clothing for women, kuffar, or a form of shuhrah (boastful display).

Mu'asfar image example
Mu'asfar image example
Mu'asfar image example

Rulings concerning colors for men are contextual, as viewed by Imam al-Tabari. If for example a color is commonly associated with women—such as pink or purple—then it is haram for men to wear it, even though it has been narrated that some among the Salaf Saliheen wore purple.

The gender attribution of colors changes over time and place; colors such as pink and purple were not viewed as feminine centuries ago, whereas in most places today they are.

If a man were to wear a long solid orange (vibrant, terracotta, or burnt orange) robe clothing in the West, many people would associate it with Buddhist monks, who wear fully orange robes. For this reason, we hold that it is ḥarām to wear such clothing in such an environment. However, if the robe has other colors as well, this association is broken, and it therefore becomes permissible (mubāḥ).

Wearing a plain orange shirt with white pants for example wouldn't be associated with Buddhists, in which case it's totally fine, but wearing both in orange would be associated with Buddhists, even if it's not a robe.

If the environment does not associate orange clothing with Buddhists, then it is permissible in that environment. For example, in many African countries, wearing plain orange clothes is cultural and is not associated with Buddhism.

Meryem al-Turki

Author of this article

Researcher, student of knowledge, and expert with over five years experience, specializing in the Fiqh of clothing, rights, and psychology.

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