خَيرُ لِباسِ كُلِّ زَمانٍ لِباسُ أهلِهِ The Best Clothing in Every Time Period is the Clothing of the People of that Time

8ـ عن حَمّادِ بنِ عُثمانَ: كنتُ حاضِراً عندَ أبي عبدِاللّه‏ِ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) إذ قالَ لَهُ رجُلٌ: أصلَحَكَ اللّه‏ُ، ذَكَرتَ أنّ عليَّ بنَ أبي طالبٍ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) كانَ يَلبَسُ الخَشِنَ، يَلبَسُ القَميصَ بأربَعةِ دَراهِمَ وما أشبَهَ ذلكَ، ونَرى علَيكَ اللِّباسَ الجَيِّدَ !
قالَ: فقالَ لَهُ: إنّ عليَّ بنَ أبي طالبٍ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) كانَ يَلبَسُ ذلكَ في زمانٍ لا يُنكَرُ، ولَو لَبِسَ مِثلَ ذلكَ اليومَ لَشُهِرَ بهِ، فخَيرُ لِباسِ كُلِّ زمانٍ لِباسُ أهلِهِ، غَيرَ أنّ قائمَنا إذا قامَ لَبِسَ لِباسَ عليٍّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) وسارَ بسِيرَتِهِ.

8– Hammad b. `Authman narrated, ‘I was in the presence of Abu Abdillah [al-Sadiq] (AS), when a man said to him, ‘May Allah make you well, you mentioned that Ali b. Abi Talib (AS) would wear rough clothes, wear a shirt that was worth four dirhams, and other things like that. But we see you are wearing good clothes!’ [He said], ‘The Imam replied to him, ‘ Ali b. Abi Talib (AS) wore that in a time in which it would not be disapproved, and if he would wear those clothes today he would be defamed for it. Therefore, the best clothing of every time is the clothing of the people [of that time]. However, when our al-Qa’im [the awaited saviour Imam al-Mahd?, may Allah hasten his appearance] reappears he will be wearing the clothes of Ali (AS) and will follow his way of life.’[al-Kafi, v. 6, p. 444, no. 15]
 

9ـ عن سُفيانَ الثَّوريِّ: قلتُ لأبي عبدِاللّه‏ِ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): أنتَ تَروي أنّ عليَّ بنَ أبي طالبٍ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) كانَ يَلبَسُ الخَشِنَ، وأنتَ تَلبَسُ القُوهِيَّ والمَرويَّ ! قالَ: وَيحَكَ ! إنّ عليَّ بنَ أبي طالبٍ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) كانَ في زمانِ ضِيقٍ، فإذا اتّسَعَ الزّمانُ فأبرارُ الزّمانِ أولى بهِ.

9– Sufyan al-Thawri narrated, ‘I asked Abu `Aabdillah [al-Sadiq] (AS), ‘You narrate that Ali b. Abi Talib (AS) wore rough clothes whilst you wear soft and fine clothes!’ He (AS) said, ‘Woe unto you! Ali b. Abi Talib (AS) lived in a time of difficulty, so if it is a time of ampleness the righteous deserve it more.’[Makarim al-Akhlaq, v. 1, p. 220, no. 648]
 

10ـ الإمامُ الرِّضا (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إنّ أهلَ الضَّعفِ مِن مَوالِيَّ يُحِبّونَ أن أجلِسَ علَى اللُّبُودِ وألبَسَ الخَشِنَ، ولَيس يَتَحَمّلُ الزَّمانُ ذلكَ.

10– Imam al-Rida (AS) said, ‘The weak from among my followers want me to sit on wool and wear rough clothes, but this era cannot handle that.’[Makarim al-Akhlaq, v. 1, p. 218, no. 642]
 

11ـ كانَ جُلوسُ الرِّضا (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) في الصَّيفِ على حَصيرٍ، وفي الشِّتاءِ على مِسْحٍ، ولُبسُهُ الغَليظُ مِن الثِّيابِ ؛ حتّى إذا بَرزَ للنّاسِ تَزَيّنَ لَهُم .

11– Abu ‘Abbad narrated, ‘al-Riza (AS) would sit on a straw mat in the summer, and on a sackcloth in the winter. He wore rough, thick clothes, and when he appeared in front of people he would adorn himself for them.’[‘Uyun Akhbar al-Ridha (AS), v. 2, p. 178, no. 1]