The Difference Between Covering the 'Awrah in Prayer and Outside of It

Question:
Your Eminence the Shaykh (may Allah preserve you), what is the difference between covering the 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) in prayer and outside of it?

Answer:
Rather, in the presence of a non-mahram, it is obligatory for a woman to cover her 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered), including her face. She must cover her face and her hands. As for in prayer, she is not required to cover her face, nor her hands. If she prays with her face and hands uncovered, her prayer is valid. It is better for her to uncover her face in prayer; uncovering the face in prayer is the best. As for the hands, there is no harm in uncovering them in prayer, but it is better to cover them as well, to avoid scholarly disagreement. In the presence of non-mahrams, she has no right to uncover anything; rather, covering is obligatory. She must cover her entire body, her face and everything else, based on the saying of the Exalted and Majestic: As for the man, there is no harm in exposing his head and what is above the navel and below the knee, or if his mahrams (relatives one may not marry) see it, there is no harm. He may show his head or his leg; there is no harm. The 'awrah outside of prayer is what is between the navel and the knee. As for in prayer, he must cover his shoulders, at least one of them. Yes.