Explanation of the author's statement: "... And among them is covering the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)..."
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The Shaykh : He said, "And out of fear that the time for choosing the present (clothing) will pass", then he said, "And among them", meaning among the conditions of the ritual prayer, "is covering the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)".
"Covering": Covering means concealing, and the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) is that which causes a person distress to expose and look at, because it is from 'awr, which is a defect. Anything that causes you distress to look at is considered a defect; this is the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered). The 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) varies, but now we will discuss this expression: "covering the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)." Did the phrase "covering the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)" come in the Book or the Sunnah regarding the ritual prayer, or not? The answer is no, it did not come. Yes? Be patient, the phrase "covering the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)" did not come. And for that reason, because it did not come, we should not express things except with what came in the Qur'an and the Sunnah in such a chapter. A similar expression that misled is the expression of some people regarding "wearing sewn garments" instead of the shirt, trousers, cloak, turban, and so on.
When the scholars said "covering the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)," some people confused the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) of the ritual prayer with the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) of looking, and it became mixed up for them until some of them equated the two. The matter is not so; there is a difference between the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) of the ritual prayer and the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) of looking; they do not agree in either the individual case or the reverse. The two 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) do not agree in either the individual case or the reverse, as will become clear, if Allah wills.
So if it were expressed with what came in the Qur'an or the Sunnah, it would be easier. What came in the Qur'an is[Al-A'raf 7:31], so Allah the Exalted commanded us to adorn ourselves and beautify ourselves when meeting Him, Glorified and Exalted is He, and standing before Him. If a person is shy to face a king of kings in tattered clothes or with half his body exposed, yes, how would he not be shy to stand before the King of Kings, Mighty and Majestic, in clothes that are not... for him to wear them? For this reason, 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar said to his slave Nafi', and he had seen him praying with his head uncovered, he said to him, "Cover your head. Do you go out to the people with your head uncovered?" He said, "No, I do not go out to the people with my head uncovered." He said, "Then Allah is more worthy of you beautifying yourself for Him." This is correct for those whose custom is not to uncover their heads; one can go out with his head uncovered before people. So adopting adornment is not covering the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered).
And we say, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,Bulugh al-Maram 2:72, and the shoulder of a man is not an 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) by consensus, and yet the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded its covering. He said, Sunan an-Nasa'i 769Sahih (Darussalam), so this indicates that the basis of the ruling is not covering the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered). And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Jabir regarding the waistcloth, , or regarding the garment, , and it is known that it is not required for the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) or for covering the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) that a person wrap himself in a cloak, but perhaps it is with... covering what must be covered in other than the ritual prayer.
So what is the basis of the ruling? It is not covering the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered); rather, the basis of the ruling is adopting adornment. This is what Allah commanded, and it is what the Sunnah indicated. And for this reason, the expression confused some scholars, and they made the issue of the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) here like the issue of the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) there in the chapter of looking, whereas they differ. This is regarding the expression with the word "covering the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)".
Now, what is the evidence that covering the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) is a condition for the validity of the ritual prayer? The evidence is the saying of Allah the Exalted,[Al-A'raf 7:31], and the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), Sahih al-Bukhari 361, so it is necessary to wear a waistcloth.
And if it is obligatory in worship, then every obligatory thing in worship is a condition for its validity; every obligatory thing. The legal principle is that every obligatory thing in worship is a condition for its validity. So if a person leaves it intentionally, this worship becomes invalid. For this reason, if a person leaves the first or last tashahhud (the testification recited while sitting in prayer) in the worship, in the ritual prayer, intentionally, his prayer becomes invalid. Even in the obligatory things, if he leaves them intentionally, the prayer becomes invalid. For this reason, we say that there is no doubt that covering the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) is a condition for the validity of the ritual prayer, and that whoever prays without wearing what covers the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) or what must be covered, on the most correct opinion, his prayer is invalid. Ibn 'Abd al-Barr transmitted the consensus of the scholars that whoever prays naked while being able to wear clothes, his prayer is invalid by consensus. And Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah also transmitted that the scholars agreed that a person who prays naked while being able to wear clothes, his prayer is invalid. So in this, the Book, the Sunnah, and the consensus have come together. Now, the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered).
"Covering": Covering means concealing, and the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) is that which causes a person distress to expose and look at, because it is from 'awr, which is a defect. Anything that causes you distress to look at is considered a defect; this is the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered). The 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) varies, but now we will discuss this expression: "covering the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)." Did the phrase "covering the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)" come in the Book or the Sunnah regarding the ritual prayer, or not? The answer is no, it did not come. Yes? Be patient, the phrase "covering the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)" did not come. And for that reason, because it did not come, we should not express things except with what came in the Qur'an and the Sunnah in such a chapter. A similar expression that misled is the expression of some people regarding "wearing sewn garments" instead of the shirt, trousers, cloak, turban, and so on.
When the scholars said "covering the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)," some people confused the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) of the ritual prayer with the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) of looking, and it became mixed up for them until some of them equated the two. The matter is not so; there is a difference between the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) of the ritual prayer and the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) of looking; they do not agree in either the individual case or the reverse. The two 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) do not agree in either the individual case or the reverse, as will become clear, if Allah wills.
So if it were expressed with what came in the Qur'an or the Sunnah, it would be easier. What came in the Qur'an is
O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid
يا بني أدم خذوا زينتكم عند كل مسجدAnd we say, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
None of you should offer Salat (prayer) in a single garment with no part of it on his shoulders.
لا يصلي أحدكم في الثوب الواحد ليس على عاتقه منه شيءwith no part of it on his shoulder
ليس على عاتقه منه شيءIf it is narrow
إن كان ضيّقاIf it is narrow, wear it as a waistcloth, and if it is wide, wrap yourself in it
إن كان ضيّقا فاتزر به وإن كان واسعا فالتحف بهSo what is the basis of the ruling? It is not covering the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered); rather, the basis of the ruling is adopting adornment. This is what Allah commanded, and it is what the Sunnah indicated. And for this reason, the expression confused some scholars, and they made the issue of the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) here like the issue of the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) there in the chapter of looking, whereas they differ. This is regarding the expression with the word "covering the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)".
Now, what is the evidence that covering the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) is a condition for the validity of the ritual prayer? The evidence is the saying of Allah the Exalted,
O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid
يا بني أدم خذوا زينتكم عند كل مسجدIf the garment is large enough, wrap it round the body (covering the shoulders) and if it is tight (too short) then use it as an Izar (tie it around your waist only.)
إن كان واسعا فالتحف به وإن كان ضيّقا فاتزر بهAnd if it is obligatory in worship, then every obligatory thing in worship is a condition for its validity; every obligatory thing. The legal principle is that every obligatory thing in worship is a condition for its validity. So if a person leaves it intentionally, this worship becomes invalid. For this reason, if a person leaves the first or last tashahhud (the testification recited while sitting in prayer) in the worship, in the ritual prayer, intentionally, his prayer becomes invalid. Even in the obligatory things, if he leaves them intentionally, the prayer becomes invalid. For this reason, we say that there is no doubt that covering the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) is a condition for the validity of the ritual prayer, and that whoever prays without wearing what covers the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) or what must be covered, on the most correct opinion, his prayer is invalid. Ibn 'Abd al-Barr transmitted the consensus of the scholars that whoever prays naked while being able to wear clothes, his prayer is invalid by consensus. And Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah also transmitted that the scholars agreed that a person who prays naked while being able to wear clothes, his prayer is invalid. So in this, the Book, the Sunnah, and the consensus have come together. Now, the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered).