Is it permissible for a woman to pray without socks or in a short garment?
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The questioner : Our teacher, many women go to the mosque to pray without socks; they pray without socks. Is this permissible?
The Shaykh : Whether they go to the mosque or not, their prayer at home without socks is invalid.
The questioner : Even at home?
The Shaykh : Even at home, so what about the mosque?
Another questioner : Even if she covers her entire feet?
The Shaykh : How do you imagine she covers her feet? There are no women today who drag their hems, but if you imagine this scenario, then the prayer is valid! The issue is that her feet are exposed. However, if she covers them, for example, by wearing a loose and long abaya that covers her feet, that is what we require of a woman when she prays at home or in the mosque. But unfortunately, long clothing is not found among women today.
The questioner : Okay, do socks provide covering, teacher?
The Shaykh : Socks provide covering or not? They cover the color of the skin, but they do not cover the size of the limb. Therefore, among the conditions of a garment that covers the 'awrah for men, let alone for women, is that it must not be sheer and must not be tight. "Not sheer" means it does not reveal the color of the skin, and "not tight" means it does not outline the body. Thus, the garment is not lawful unless it possesses these two qualities: it is not sheer and it does not outline the body.
The questioner : Okay, do socks outline the body?
The Shaykh : Definitely, they outline the size.
The questioner : Okay, how do they provide covering in prayer?
The Shaykh : With time, they provide covering. I said: they provide covering or not? I did not specify for you how they provide covering or not.
The questioner : Meaning: is it obligatory for a woman to wear socks in prayer?
The Shaykh : I did not say, and I do not say, that she must cover her feet with a loose, wide curtain. As for socks, they provide covering or not? My statement is clear.
The questioner : The safer option: socks?
The Shaykh : If her garment is long and covers them, if her garment is long and covers the feet, whether she wears socks or not, the intention is covering that involves no outlining of the size and no revealing of the skin color. Socks without a garment over them outline the size but cover the skin color, and this is not sufficient. Therefore, the garment must cover both the color and the size.
The questioner : Our teacher, regarding the invalidation of the prayer, but they do not have knowledge of this matter?
The Shaykh : Yes, they do not have knowledge, so let them learn. If they learn and then become lax, their prayers are invalid.
The Shaykh : Whether they go to the mosque or not, their prayer at home without socks is invalid.
The questioner : Even at home?
The Shaykh : Even at home, so what about the mosque?
Another questioner : Even if she covers her entire feet?
The Shaykh : How do you imagine she covers her feet? There are no women today who drag their hems, but if you imagine this scenario, then the prayer is valid! The issue is that her feet are exposed. However, if she covers them, for example, by wearing a loose and long abaya that covers her feet, that is what we require of a woman when she prays at home or in the mosque. But unfortunately, long clothing is not found among women today.
The questioner : Okay, do socks provide covering, teacher?
The Shaykh : Socks provide covering or not? They cover the color of the skin, but they do not cover the size of the limb. Therefore, among the conditions of a garment that covers the 'awrah for men, let alone for women, is that it must not be sheer and must not be tight. "Not sheer" means it does not reveal the color of the skin, and "not tight" means it does not outline the body. Thus, the garment is not lawful unless it possesses these two qualities: it is not sheer and it does not outline the body.
The questioner : Okay, do socks outline the body?
The Shaykh : Definitely, they outline the size.
The questioner : Okay, how do they provide covering in prayer?
The Shaykh : With time, they provide covering. I said: they provide covering or not? I did not specify for you how they provide covering or not.
The questioner : Meaning: is it obligatory for a woman to wear socks in prayer?
The Shaykh : I did not say, and I do not say, that she must cover her feet with a loose, wide curtain. As for socks, they provide covering or not? My statement is clear.
The questioner : The safer option: socks?
The Shaykh : If her garment is long and covers them, if her garment is long and covers the feet, whether she wears socks or not, the intention is covering that involves no outlining of the size and no revealing of the skin color. Socks without a garment over them outline the size but cover the skin color, and this is not sufficient. Therefore, the garment must cover both the color and the size.
The questioner : Our teacher, regarding the invalidation of the prayer, but they do not have knowledge of this matter?
The Shaykh : Yes, they do not have knowledge, so let them learn. If they learn and then become lax, their prayers are invalid.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.