The ruling on one who prays without a garment on either of his shoulders
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Question:
I inform your Eminence that many of the brothers, may Allah guide them, pray the prayer wearing only one lower garment, which is the one covering the lower abdomen. As for the upper garment that is on the back, they either lower it to the ground or tie it around their stomachs. I hope you will convey to them: Is their prayer valid while their backs and stomachs are exposed? This is common and frequent. I ask you to issue a ruling on this matter. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
It is obligatory for the believer to pray in a lower garment and an upper garment; it is necessary that there be something on his shoulders or at least one of them. So if he intends to enter into prayer, it is obligatory for him to place the upper garment on his shoulders, or to wear a shirt if he is not in the state of ihram. The point is that it is necessary to cover the shoulders, or at least one of them, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Bulugh al-Maram 2:72, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Jabir in the hadith: , ordering him to wrap himself in it if he could, or otherwise to wear it as a lower garment.
So the conclusion is that whenever he is able to cover his shoulders or at least one of them, it is obligatory for him to do so, and he has no right to pray with both his shoulders exposed while he is able to cover them.
As for the one who is unable and has only a lower garment due to his inability, his prayer is valid. But as for the one who is not unable but has an upper garment, he prays in the upper garment. And if he prays with both his shoulders exposed, he should repeat the prayer; because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 516, and the original ruling regarding prohibition is that it is forbidden. Some scholars have adopted this position, saying: One who prays with both his shoulders exposed while he is able to cover them must repeat the prayer, especially the obligatory prayer, for its matter is great.
Likewise, some people, as far as I have heard, may pray in thin clothes, wearing a thin shirt and short trousers, with their thighs exposed, and praying under the thin garment. This is also not permissible. It is obligatory that the trousers be covering, or the garment be covering, and he wears a shirt that covers his thighs; or that he has covering, sufficient trousers that cover his thighs. It is not permissible to be lax in this matter, nor to pray in short trousers and a thin garment. May Allah be our helper, and there is no power or strength except with Allah.
I inform your Eminence that many of the brothers, may Allah guide them, pray the prayer wearing only one lower garment, which is the one covering the lower abdomen. As for the upper garment that is on the back, they either lower it to the ground or tie it around their stomachs. I hope you will convey to them: Is their prayer valid while their backs and stomachs are exposed? This is common and frequent. I ask you to issue a ruling on this matter. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
It is obligatory for the believer to pray in a lower garment and an upper garment; it is necessary that there be something on his shoulders or at least one of them. So if he intends to enter into prayer, it is obligatory for him to place the upper garment on his shoulders, or to wear a shirt if he is not in the state of ihram. The point is that it is necessary to cover the shoulders, or at least one of them, as 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 شيءAnd he ordered him to wrap himself in his garment and place its ends on his shoulders, and if he could not do that, to wear it as a lower garment.
وأمره أن يلتحف بثوبه ويجعل أطرافه على عاتقيه فإن لم يقدر على ذلك اتزر بهSo the conclusion is that whenever he is able to cover his shoulders or at least one of them, it is obligatory for him to do so, and he has no right to pray with both his shoulders exposed while he is able to cover them.
As for the one who is unable and has only a lower garment due to his inability, his prayer is valid. But as for the one who is not unable but has an upper garment, he prays in the upper garment. And if he prays with both his shoulders exposed, he should repeat the prayer; because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
None of you must pray in a single garment of which no part comes over his shoulders.
لا يصلي أحدكم في الثوب الواحد ليس على عاتقيه منه شيءLikewise, some people, as far as I have heard, may pray in thin clothes, wearing a thin shirt and short trousers, with their thighs exposed, and praying under the thin garment. This is also not permissible. It is obligatory that the trousers be covering, or the garment be covering, and he wears a shirt that covers his thighs; or that he has covering, sufficient trousers that cover his thighs. It is not permissible to be lax in this matter, nor to pray in short trousers and a thin garment. May Allah be our helper, and there is no power or strength except with Allah.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.