It was mentioned to us that the 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) has three categories: severe, moderate, and light. What is the evidence for this classification?
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The questioner : Shaykh, Shaykh, may Allah reward you with good. It was mentioned to us in the school of jurisprudence that the 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) has three categories: light, moderate, and severe.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : I do not know. What is the evidence for this classification, and is it accepted?
The Shaykh : We said from the outset that there is no clear evidence in these matters regarding this.
The questioner : There is no basis for it.
The Shaykh : There is no clear evidence at all.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : For the matter where we have no evidence, we follow them in it. We have nothing, and what can we do? We are like a blind man in this matter.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : We write the more cautious option as long as it is possible. But if she comes and asks us... after she has done it, we cannot say to her, "By Allah, your prayer is invalid; you must repeat it," for example. Or for a man, we say, "His prayer is invalid; he must repeat it," yes?
The questioner : Shaykh, it is established in "Sahih Muslim" that Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray while he had with him... he felt something like a peg, until... so he would wear it, meaning he did not leave it.
The Shaykh : Yes, yes.
The questioner : So, meaning, we do not say that he left it—what is its name?—he prayed on the peg.
The Shaykh : No, no, this is a second issue.
The questioner : It is itself, O Shaykh... and it was on the peg, so she said in the same narration... .
The Shaykh : This is a second issue.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : I do not know. What is the evidence for this classification, and is it accepted?
The Shaykh : We said from the outset that there is no clear evidence in these matters regarding this.
The questioner : There is no basis for it.
The Shaykh : There is no clear evidence at all.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : For the matter where we have no evidence, we follow them in it. We have nothing, and what can we do? We are like a blind man in this matter.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : We write the more cautious option as long as it is possible. But if she comes and asks us... after she has done it, we cannot say to her, "By Allah, your prayer is invalid; you must repeat it," for example. Or for a man, we say, "His prayer is invalid; he must repeat it," yes?
The questioner : Shaykh, it is established in "Sahih Muslim" that Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray while he had with him... he felt something like a peg, until... so he would wear it, meaning he did not leave it.
The Shaykh : Yes, yes.
The questioner : So, meaning, we do not say that he left it—what is its name?—he prayed on the peg.
The Shaykh : No, no, this is a second issue.
The questioner : It is itself, O Shaykh... and it was on the peg, so she said in the same narration... .
The Shaykh : This is a second issue.