Text copied Link copied

Al-Fatawa – home

﴿ فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ﴾

Scholar
Search mode

The ruling on praying in light clothing that does not cover the 'awrah

Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Q: M. Z. A. from Ras al-Khaimah says in his question: We observe that some of the worshippers wear light clothing through which a person can see the skin, and they also do not wear long trousers underneath. What is the ruling on praying in such clothing? Please give us a ruling, may Allah reward you with the best reward for us, for Islam, and for the Muslims.
A: It is obligatory for the worshipper to cover his 'awrah in prayer by the consensus of the Muslims, and it is not permissible for him to pray naked, whether he is a man or a woman.
The woman’s 'awrah is more severe and greater. The man’s 'awrah is: what is between the navel and the knee, along with covering the two shoulders or one of them if he is able to do so; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him):
If 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 الثوب واسعًا فالتحف به، وإن كان ضيقًا فاتزر به
Sahih al-Bukhari 361
agreed upon, and his (peace and blessings be upon him) saying in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
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 شيء
Bulugh al-Maram 2:72
agreed upon as authentic. As for the woman, her entire body is 'awrah in prayer except her face.
The scholars differed regarding the two hands: some of them made it obligatory to cover them, and some of them granted a dispensation for them to be exposed, and the matter is broad in them, if Allah wills, and covering them is better to avoid the disagreement of the scholars in that.
As for the two feet: it is obligatory to cover them in prayer according to the majority of the people of knowledge.
Abu Dawud (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated from Umm Salama (may Allah be pleased with her) that she asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Does a woman pray in a thobe and a khimar without an izar? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
if the shirt is ample and covers the surface of her feetإذا كان الدرع سابغًا يغطي ظهور قدميها
Sunan Abi Dawud 640Da'if (Al-Albani)
Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Bulugh al-Maram: (And the imams authenticated its stopping at Umm Salama (may Allah be pleased with her)).
Based on what we have mentioned: it is obligatory for the man and the woman that the clothing be covering. If it is light and does not cover the 'awrah, the prayer is invalid. This includes a man wearing short trousers that do not cover the thighs, and not wearing over them what covers the thighs; if his prayer is in the state described, it is not valid. Likewise, if a woman wears thin clothing that does not cover the 'awrah, her prayer is invalid. Prayer is the pillar of Islam, and it is the greatest of its pillars after the two testimonies. So it is obligatory for all Muslims, males and females, to take care of it and complete its conditions, and to beware of the causes of its invalidity; due to the saying of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He):
Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle prayerحَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلاةِ الْوُسْطَى
[al-Baqarah: 238] and His (Mighty and Majestic) saying:
And establish prayer and give zakahوَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ
[al-Baqarah: 43].
There is no doubt that taking care of its conditions and all that Allah has made obligatory in it is included in the preservation and establishment that is commanded. And if there is a non-mahram with the woman when she prays, it is obligatory for her to cover her face. Likewise, in tawaf she covers her entire body. Because tawaf is in the ruling of prayer. And success is from Allah.
Source binbaz.org.sa

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

Similar fatwas