Covering the woman's feet in prayer

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, regarding a woman’s feet, is it obligatory for her to cover them in prayer by wearing socks?

Answer:
Yes, it is obligatory for her to cover her feet. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about praying in a long dress, he said: The woman is commanded to let her garment hang down behind her; the command to let it hang down is forbidden, but women were granted a dispensation to let their garments hang down behind them by the length of an arm in order to cover their heels. So the woman is an awrah (part of the body that must be covered) with no covering, so she is in need of a covering. Thus, her entire body is an awrah in prayer, except her face if there are no non-mahram (relatives one may not marry) men present with her. But if there are non-mahram men present, her entire body is an awrah, and she covers her face and her whole body.