This honorable Ayah refutes the idolators’ practice of performing Tawaf around the Sacred House while naked. Muslim, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Jarir, (the following wording is that of Ibn Jarir) recorded that Shu'bah said that Salamah bin Kuhayl said that Muslim Al-Batin said that Said bin Jubayr said that Ibn ‘Abbas said, “The idolators used to go around the House while naked, both men and women, men in the day and women by night. The woman would say, “Today, a part or all of it will be unveiled, but whatever is exposed of it, I do not allow.”

Allah said in reply,

Al-‘Awfi said that Ibn ‘Abbas commented on:

“There were people who used to perform Tawaf around the House while naked, and Allah ordered them to take adornment, meaning, wear clean, proper clothes that cover the private parts, people were commanded to wear their best clothes when performing every prayer.” Mujahid, ‘Ata', Ibrahim An-Nakha'i, Said bin Jubayr, Qatadah, As-Suddi, Ad-Dahhak and Malik narrated a similar saying from Az-Zuhri, and from several of the Salaf. They said that this Ayah was revealed about the idolators who used to perform Tawaf around the House while naked.

This Ayah (7:31), as well as the Sunnah, encourage wearing the best clothes when praying, especially for Friday and ‘Id prayers. It is also recommended [for men] to wear perfume for prayer, because it is adornment, and to use Siwak for it is part of what completes adornment. The best color for clothes is white. Imam Ahmad narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah said,

«Wear white clothes, for it is among your best clothes, and enshroud your dead in it. And the best of the kohl that you use is antimony (Ithmid), for it clears the sight and grows the hair.»
Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah also collected this Hadith, and At-Tirmidhi said, “Hasan Sahih.”

Allah said,
{And eat and drink...}

Al-Bukhari said that Ibn ‘Abbas said, “Eat what you wish and wear what you wish, as long as you avoid two things: extravagance and arrogance.” Ibn Jarir said that Muhammad bin ‘Abdul-A‘la narrated to us that Muhammad bin Thawr narrated from Ma‘mar from Ibn Tawus from his father from Ibn ‘Abbas who said, “Allah has allowed eating and drinking, as long as it does not contain extravagance or arrogance.” This chain is Sahih. Imam Ahmad recorded that Al-Miqdam bin Ma'dikarib Al-Kindi said that he heard the Messenger of Allah saying,

«The Son of Adam will not fill a pot worse for himself than his stomach. It is enough for the Son of Adam to eat a few bites that strengthens his spine. If he likes to have more, then let him fill a third with food, a third with drink and leave a third for his breathing.»

An-Nasa'i and At-Tirmidhi collected this Hadith, At-Tirmidhi said, “Hasan” or “Hasan Sahih” according to another manuscript.

‘Ata’ Al-Khurasani said that Ibn ‘Abbas commented on the Ayah,

“With food and drink.” Ibn Jarir commented on Allah’s statement,

“Allah the Exalted says that He does not like those who trespass the limits on an allowed matter or a prohibited matter, those who go to the extreme over what He has allowed, allow what He has prohibited, or prohibit what He has allowed. But, He likes that what He has allowed be considered as such (without extravagance) and what He has prohibited be considered as such. This is the justice that He has commanded.”