Is there evidence distinguishing the limit of the thawb from the limit of the izar regarding covering the awrah in prayer?
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The questioner : Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah:
Your Eminence, is there evidence distinguishing the limit of the izar from the limit of the qamis or thawb? Some scholars (may Allah preserve them) hold that if the thawb reaches the calf muscle, it exposes the awrah during prostration, and this is not like the izar. Covering the awrah is obligatory, and the limit of the thawb is, in their view, a recommended practice (sunnah), so the obligatory is prioritized over the recommended. How do we reconcile this with the statement of Ibn 'Umar: "What the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said about the izar applies to the qamis" or similar? Should this not be understood as a comprehensive statement regarding garments? May Allah reward you with good?
The Shaykh : The correct view is that it is comprehensive, and the mention of the izar was based on the common practice, as most people in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) wore izar and ardhiyyah. Thus, all are equal. However, what I would like to say is:
It is not advisable to be strict in this matter to the point of saying to one whose izar does not reach the middle of the calf or the calf muscle that he is contrary to the sunnah, contrary to the guidance of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and to be strict in this. If we examine the conditions of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), we find that some of their qamis reached near the ankle. Here is Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih al-Bukhari 5784 meaning: it descends to the ground Sunan an-Nasa'i 5335Sahih (Darussalam). If the slit of Abu Bakr's izar (may Allah be pleased with him) descended to below the ankles, it must have been near the ankles, because if it had been to the middle of the calf and then descended to the ground or below the ankle, his awrah would have been exposed from above. This indicates that the matter is easy in this regard, and that one who does not lower it below the ankle is not said to be contrary to the sunnah or contrary to the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), but rather it is said that the matter is broad in this.
As for the ruling, it is general: whatever applies to the izar applies to the qamis, the mashlah, and the sarwal.
Your Eminence, is there evidence distinguishing the limit of the izar from the limit of the qamis or thawb? Some scholars (may Allah preserve them) hold that if the thawb reaches the calf muscle, it exposes the awrah during prostration, and this is not like the izar. Covering the awrah is obligatory, and the limit of the thawb is, in their view, a recommended practice (sunnah), so the obligatory is prioritized over the recommended. How do we reconcile this with the statement of Ibn 'Umar: "What the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said about the izar applies to the qamis" or similar? Should this not be understood as a comprehensive statement regarding garments? May Allah reward you with good?
The Shaykh : The correct view is that it is comprehensive, and the mention of the izar was based on the common practice, as most people in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) wore izar and ardhiyyah. Thus, all are equal. However, what I would like to say is:
It is not advisable to be strict in this matter to the point of saying to one whose izar does not reach the middle of the calf or the calf muscle that he is contrary to the sunnah, contrary to the guidance of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and to be strict in this. If we examine the conditions of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), we find that some of their qamis reached near the ankle. Here is Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said Allah will not look, on the Day of Resurrection at the person who drags his garment (behind him) out of conceit. On that Abu Bakr said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! One side of my Izar hangs low
من جرّ ثوبه خيلاء لم ينظر الله إليه، قال: يا رسول الله إنّ أحد شقّي إزاري يسترخي عليّslips unless I pay attention to it." The Prophet [SAW]: "You are not one of those who do that out of pride."
يسترخي عليّ إلاّ أن أتعاهده ، فقال : إنّك لست من يصنع ذلك خيلاءAs for the ruling, it is general: whatever applies to the izar applies to the qamis, the mashlah, and the sarwal.