Shama-il Tirmidhi Chapter 47, Hadith Number 4 (329).

Anas Radiyallahu ‘Anhu says: “A person who was wearing yellow coloured clothing was sitting by Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam. It was the habit of Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam not to bluntly express things he did not approve of. (Therefore he kept silent). When that person left, Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam said to those present ‘It would have been better if you had told him not to wear yellow clothing'”.

Commentary
This was a great kindness of Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam on the ummah. He did not usually prohibit anything to an individual, because it was possible that that person may reject it or may become a cause for one to raise an objection, which could lead to kufr. When Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam felt that it would not lead to this, he prohibited that which was undesirable. It is stated that Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam prohibited Sayyidina ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr ibnul ‘Aas Radiyallahu ‘Anhu from wearing such clothing. Many other such instances are mentioned in the books of hadith. Also this delaying and not openly prohibiting a thing were only in such circumstances where it was feared to be detrimental or where there was no fear of harm if it was delayed. This method was not adopted where a haraam thing was committed. It is therefore found in hadith number three in the chapter on the speech of Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam, where in a detailed narration of Sayyidina Imaam Hasan Radiyallahu ‘Anhu it is related that when one transgressed the truth, at that time no one could endure his anger, nor could anybody stop him, till Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam avenged that deed. A similar incident will be mentioned in the ensuing pages.