What is the ruling on a woman praying in a short garment that does not cover the backs of her feet, and is it permissible for her to pray in a garment specific to men?

Question:
May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good. What is the ruling on a woman praying in a short garment that does not cover the backs of her feet? And is it permissible for her to pray in a garment specific to men if she does not find a garment specific to her that covers the backs of her feet?

Answer:
The feet in prayer are part of the 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered). It is obligatory for a woman in prayer to cover her entire body, except for her face and hands, if there are no non-mahram (a relative one may not marry) men present. If there are non-mahram men present, she must cover her entire body, including her face and hands. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about praying in a dress, he said: "If it is long enough to cover the backs of her feet." This indicates that the feet are 'awrah in prayer. Therefore, she must cover her feet with whatever is available from a long skirt or a garment specific to women. As for men's clothing, it is not permissible for a woman, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed women who imitate men. Therefore, it is not permissible for her to wear a man's garment. However, she should cover her feet with whatever is available to her from socks, the end of her garment, or something else.