What does the command to pray in one's sandals indicate?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Does the command to pray in one's sandals indicate that it is a recommended practice (sunnah)?
Answer:
If it is done with the intention of differing from the Jews, and if one does it for the sake of the recommended practice (sunnah), there is no harm; it is better from the perspective of differing from them.
However, now that mosques are carpeted, there may be something in them that harms people. If one leaves them at the door so as not to harm anyone, not to defile the carpets, and not to dirty the place for the worshippers, this is perhaps the safer course.
Q: Some of them—may Allah forgive you—take them off even in the open desert?
The Shaykh: No, if they are clean, it is better to pray in them. But if they are not clean, praying in them may harm some people, and they may be bothered by them.
Q: Was it not a recommended practice (sunnah)?
The Shaykh: That is the closest view. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Differing from them is a recommended practice (sunnah).
Does the command to pray in one's sandals indicate that it is a recommended practice (sunnah)?
Answer:
If it is done with the intention of differing from the Jews, and if one does it for the sake of the recommended practice (sunnah), there is no harm; it is better from the perspective of differing from them.
However, now that mosques are carpeted, there may be something in them that harms people. If one leaves them at the door so as not to harm anyone, not to defile the carpets, and not to dirty the place for the worshippers, this is perhaps the safer course.
Q: Some of them—may Allah forgive you—take them off even in the open desert?
The Shaykh: No, if they are clean, it is better to pray in them. But if they are not clean, praying in them may harm some people, and they may be bothered by them.
Q: Was it not a recommended practice (sunnah)?
The Shaykh: That is the closest view. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The Jews do not pray in their sandals, so differ from them.
إن اليهود لا يصلون في نعالهم فخالفوهم
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.