Samura reported the Prophet as saying, "Wear white clothes, for they are purer and better ; and shroud your dead in them."Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Nasa'i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.
The Excellence of White Garments
The noble hadith from Samura ibn Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him) establishes the superiority of white clothing in the Islamic tradition. The Prophet's instruction to "wear white clothes" carries both spiritual and practical wisdom that has been expounded upon by classical scholars across generations.
Spiritual Purity and Symbolism
White garments are described as "purer" (athar) because they reflect spiritual cleanliness and innocence. Just as the pilgrim in ihram wears white to symbolize spiritual rebirth, everyday white clothing serves as a constant reminder of the purity we should cultivate in our hearts.
Imam al-Ghazali notes in his Ihya that white clothing reflects light and repels spiritual darkness, making it most pleasing to Allah. The color white represents the natural state (fitrah) upon which Allah created humanity.
Practical Benefits and Medical Wisdom
Classical commentators like Ibn al-Qayyim highlight the physical benefits: white clothing reflects heat in summer and is cooler for the body. It also shows impurities clearly, encouraging cleanliness and ritual purity for prayer.
Physicians of the Islamic tradition observed that white clothing is less likely to harbor harmful substances and is more soothing to the eyesight than darker colors.
Shrouding the Deceased
The instruction to shroud the dead in white completes the cycle of a Muslim's life - beginning with the white cloth placed on the newborn and ending with the white shroud. This uniformity in death reflects the Islamic principle of equality before Allah.
Scholars explain that the white shroud serves as a visual testimony to the deceased's faith and hope in Allah's mercy, as white is the color of purity and forgiveness.
Legal Ruling and Contemporary Application
While wearing white is recommended (mustahabb), scholars clarify it is not obligatory. The Hanafi school particularly emphasizes this recommendation, while other schools note it as a noble practice of the Prophet.
In modern times, this tradition reminds Muslims to maintain simplicity in dress and avoid extravagance. The preference for white should not lead to discarding other permissible colors, but rather to recognize the special merit of white garments.