“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 (a.s.). 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.’”