The Under arms

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from Ali ibn ‘Uqbah from abu Kahmas who has said the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah عليه السلام, has said, ‘Pulling out the hairs of the underarms weakens the shoulders.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, applied lime paste as a hair remover.’”

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from and Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from all Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn al-Hakam from Flafs ibn al-Bakhtariy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, would apply lime paste on his underarms in the bathhouse.’”

4. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu as from Muhammad ibn Ali from Sa‘dan who has said the following: “I once was with abu Basir in a bathhouse and I saw abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, applying lime on his underarms. I informed abu Basir about it who asked saying, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, which is better; pulling out or shaving the hairs of the underarms?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘O abu Muhammad pulling out the hairs of the underarms weakens (the shoulders) so you must shave them.’”

5. Certain persons of our people has narrated from ibn Jumhur from Muhammad ibn al-Qasim Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Muhammad ibn Ahmad from Yusuf ibn al-Sukht al-Basriy from Muhammad ibn Sulayman from Ibrahim ibn Yahya ibn abu al-Balad from al-Flassan ibn Ali ibn Mehran all from ‘Abd Allah ibn abu Ya‘fur who has said the following: “Once in al-Madinah Zurarah argued about pulling out or shaving of the hairs of the underarms and I said that shaving is better. Zurarah said pulling out is better. We then asked permission to meet abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام. Permission was granted and he (the Imam) was in the bathhouse applying lime paste and it was applied to his underarms. I said to Zurarah that that is sufficient but Zurarah said, ‘Perhaps he (the Imam) has done so because it is not permissible for me to do so.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What is the issue between you two?’ I said, ‘Zurarah argues with me about the pulling up of the hairs of underarms or shaving. I say that shaving is better than pulling it out and he says pulling out is better.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You have followed the Sunnah correctly but Zurarah has missed it. Shaving is better than pulling out and applying lime paste is better than shaving.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Apply lime paste.’ We said that we had done so three days ago. He (the Imam) said, ‘Apply it again; it is a cleanser.’”

6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from Yunus ibn Ya‘qub who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, whenever needed would go to the bathhouse only to apply lime paste to his underarms.’”

7. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr from Yunus ibn Ya’qub who has said the following: “I am informed that abu ‘ Abd Allah عليه السلام, enters the bathhouse only to apply lime paste to his underarms alone.’”