Explanation of the author's statement: "… and if part of his 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) is exposed in a gross manner…"
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : Then he said: "And if part of his 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) is exposed in a gross manner, or if he prays in a garment that is forbidden for him or impure, he must repeat the prayer, but not if he is detained in an impure place."
He said: "If part of his 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) is exposed in a gross manner". "Exposed" means that the covering has been removed. "Part of the 'awrah" includes the private parts (saw'ah) and what we have stated is an 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) even if it is not part of the private parts. His statement: "in a gross manner" means that it was large and significant. The author (may Allah have mercy on him) did not specify a limit, meaning he did not say the size of a dirham, the size of a fingernail, the size of a needle's eye, or anything similar. He did not state this.
So to what do we refer? To custom ('urf), because when a matter is not specified by the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law), it is referred to custom. Accordingly, the poet said: "And whatever comes without being defined by the Shari'ah, like the sanctuary, is defined by custom". Did we hear that, Khalid?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No, Sulayman?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : And it was not defined.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No, by the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law). Yes, that is correct. And based on this, we say that "gross" is determined by custom. If one says, "By Allah, this is large," we say this is what is considered gross. If they say it is minor, then it is minor and does not affect the prayer. Also, grossness varies depending on the part exposed. If something from the lower thigh near the knee is exposed the size of a fingernail, and the private parts themselves are exposed the size of a fingernail, the second is considered gross and the first is not. So it varies according to the place that is exposed. Is that clear? And based on this, some people wear trousers, and when they prostrate, part of the upper back is exposed, far from the buttocks. Do we say their prayer is invalid, or do we say this is a minor exposure according to custom? If it is minor according to custom, like the width of a finger, for example, this is minor and does not harm. But if the garment, the trousers, are short, and when he prostrates it reaches a point where the buttocks are visible, is this gross or not? This is gross.
So if it is exposed in a gross manner, the prayer is invalid. However, the apparent meaning of the author's words: "And if part of his 'awrah is exposed" is that this exposure was without intention, and if he intended it, his prayer would not be valid, whether the exposure was minor or gross. Because there is a difference between exposure (involuntary) and uncovering (voluntary). And based on this, if he intentionally uncovers something of his 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered), even if it is minor, and even for a short time, his prayer is invalid. So if he lifts his trousers to scratch his knee and lifts them until the back of the thigh is visible, and we say that the entire thigh is an 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered), his prayer is invalid because he intended it.
Now, if it was gross but for a short time, it was exposed grossly for a short time and then covered. The apparent meaning of the author's words is that his prayer is not valid, and this is not correct. Rather, we say if it was exposed significantly and covered for a short time, his prayer is not invalid. This can be imagined if the wind blows. The wind blows while he is bowing, yes, and the garment is exposed, but he immediately puts it back. The apparent meaning of the author's words is that the prayer is invalid, but the correct view is that it is not invalid. Why? Because he covered it promptly and did not intend the exposure. And Allah the Exalted said:[At-Taghabun 64:16] So as long as this thing was not due to his action and the time was short, not a long time, it was exposed by the wind and he immediately covered it, the worshipper covered it, then there is nothing on him and his prayer is valid.
The important point is that we say this issue has the following levels. First, if it was intentional, the prayer is invalid, whether it was minor or major, whether the time was long or short.
Now, second, if it was unintentional and minor, the prayer is not invalid. If it was unintentional and gross, but the time was short, the apparent meaning of the author's words is that it is invalid, but the correct view is that it is not invalid.
Now, if it was exposed unintentionally, grossly, and the time was long, such that he did not know until the end of his prayer or after his taslim (the closing salam of prayer), also, this, his prayer is not valid. Yes, why? Because it was gross and significant, and the time was long. Suppose a person, after he finished his prayer, found that he prayed in a sarong or trousers, and he found that there was a tear facing the private parts, a large tear, but he did not feel it until after he had said the taslim (the closing salam of prayer). What do we say? We say his prayer is not valid, he must repeat it, because covering the 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) is a condition of the prayer, and it is likely that he was negligent. But if it is assumed that he doubted whether the garment tore during the prayer, and this happens often, especially in tight clothes, when he prostrated it tore, and then immediately he noticed it and held it with his hand, is the prayer valid or not? It is valid. Why? Because even though it was gross, the time was short and he did not intend it. This is the detail in the issue of exposure. Did you understand now? Good?
If it was intentional.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Absolutely. If it was unintentional and gross with a long time?
The questioner : It is invalid.
The Shaykh : It is invalid absolutely. If it was unintentional and minor?
The questioner : It is not invalid.
The Shaykh : It is not invalid. If it was unintentional and gross, but the time was short, it is not invalid either. So it is invalid in two cases and not invalid in two cases. Good.
He said: "If part of his 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) is exposed in a gross manner". "Exposed" means that the covering has been removed. "Part of the 'awrah" includes the private parts (saw'ah) and what we have stated is an 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) even if it is not part of the private parts. His statement: "in a gross manner" means that it was large and significant. The author (may Allah have mercy on him) did not specify a limit, meaning he did not say the size of a dirham, the size of a fingernail, the size of a needle's eye, or anything similar. He did not state this.
So to what do we refer? To custom ('urf), because when a matter is not specified by the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law), it is referred to custom. Accordingly, the poet said: "And whatever comes without being defined by the Shari'ah, like the sanctuary, is defined by custom". Did we hear that, Khalid?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No, Sulayman?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : And it was not defined.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No, by the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law). Yes, that is correct. And based on this, we say that "gross" is determined by custom. If one says, "By Allah, this is large," we say this is what is considered gross. If they say it is minor, then it is minor and does not affect the prayer. Also, grossness varies depending on the part exposed. If something from the lower thigh near the knee is exposed the size of a fingernail, and the private parts themselves are exposed the size of a fingernail, the second is considered gross and the first is not. So it varies according to the place that is exposed. Is that clear? And based on this, some people wear trousers, and when they prostrate, part of the upper back is exposed, far from the buttocks. Do we say their prayer is invalid, or do we say this is a minor exposure according to custom? If it is minor according to custom, like the width of a finger, for example, this is minor and does not harm. But if the garment, the trousers, are short, and when he prostrates it reaches a point where the buttocks are visible, is this gross or not? This is gross.
So if it is exposed in a gross manner, the prayer is invalid. However, the apparent meaning of the author's words: "And if part of his 'awrah is exposed" is that this exposure was without intention, and if he intended it, his prayer would not be valid, whether the exposure was minor or gross. Because there is a difference between exposure (involuntary) and uncovering (voluntary). And based on this, if he intentionally uncovers something of his 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered), even if it is minor, and even for a short time, his prayer is invalid. So if he lifts his trousers to scratch his knee and lifts them until the back of the thigh is visible, and we say that the entire thigh is an 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered), his prayer is invalid because he intended it.
Now, if it was gross but for a short time, it was exposed grossly for a short time and then covered. The apparent meaning of the author's words is that his prayer is not valid, and this is not correct. Rather, we say if it was exposed significantly and covered for a short time, his prayer is not invalid. This can be imagined if the wind blows. The wind blows while he is bowing, yes, and the garment is exposed, but he immediately puts it back. The apparent meaning of the author's words is that the prayer is invalid, but the correct view is that it is not invalid. Why? Because he covered it promptly and did not intend the exposure. And Allah the Exalted said:
So fear Allah as much as you are able
فاتقوا الله ما استطعتمThe important point is that we say this issue has the following levels. First, if it was intentional, the prayer is invalid, whether it was minor or major, whether the time was long or short.
Now, second, if it was unintentional and minor, the prayer is not invalid. If it was unintentional and gross, but the time was short, the apparent meaning of the author's words is that it is invalid, but the correct view is that it is not invalid.
Now, if it was exposed unintentionally, grossly, and the time was long, such that he did not know until the end of his prayer or after his taslim (the closing salam of prayer), also, this, his prayer is not valid. Yes, why? Because it was gross and significant, and the time was long. Suppose a person, after he finished his prayer, found that he prayed in a sarong or trousers, and he found that there was a tear facing the private parts, a large tear, but he did not feel it until after he had said the taslim (the closing salam of prayer). What do we say? We say his prayer is not valid, he must repeat it, because covering the 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) is a condition of the prayer, and it is likely that he was negligent. But if it is assumed that he doubted whether the garment tore during the prayer, and this happens often, especially in tight clothes, when he prostrated it tore, and then immediately he noticed it and held it with his hand, is the prayer valid or not? It is valid. Why? Because even though it was gross, the time was short and he did not intend it. This is the detail in the issue of exposure. Did you understand now? Good?
If it was intentional.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Absolutely. If it was unintentional and gross with a long time?
The questioner : It is invalid.
The Shaykh : It is invalid absolutely. If it was unintentional and minor?
The questioner : It is not invalid.
The Shaykh : It is not invalid. If it was unintentional and gross, but the time was short, it is not invalid either. So it is invalid in two cases and not invalid in two cases. Good.