Is it permissible for a Muslim to pray while wearing his sandals?
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Question:
He has another question in which he says: Allah the Exalted addressed His Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) : [Ta-Ha:12]. Is the command to remove the sandals here for the sake of honoring Allah, or for the sake of honoring the sacred valley? And if it is for the sake of honoring Allah, how is it permissible for a Muslim to stand in prayer before his Lord while wearing his sandals?
Answer:
This is a matter related to the Shari'ah of Musa when Allah commanded him to remove his sandals. The apparent meaning is that the sacred valley should not be trodden upon with sandals. It is possible that they were sandals with some dirt in them, or for other reasons. Allah commanded His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to remove his sandals in prayer—Muhammad—Jibril came to him while he was lined up in prayer and had said the takbir, so he commanded him to remove his sandals, and he did so. When he finished the prayer, he said to the Companions: And he used to pray in his sandals (peace and blessings be upon him).
So the Shari'ah of Musa is specific to him and is not our Shari'ah. Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Ma'idah:48]. As for our Shari'ah, it permits us to pray in sandals and leather socks, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed in them. In fact, it is a recommended practice (sunnah); based on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan Abi Dawud 652Sahih (Al-Albani).
So it is a recommended practice (sunnah) for us to differ from the Jews in this, and to follow Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in this. He used to pray in his sandals. Therefore, it is prescribed for us to pray in our sandals and leather socks if they are clean. So the believer, when he goes to the mosque, should check his sandals and leather socks, and clean them if there is anything in them, so that he does not enter with them and with dirt in them, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did when Jibril informed him to remove them. If they are clean and have nothing in them, there is no harm in praying in them in the mosque if it has gravel or dirt. As for if it has a carpet, there is no harm, but if he removes them as a precaution, removing the sandals, for example, as a precaution, so that there is not a lot of dirt in them that would dirty the mosque, or disturb the worshippers, then this is good, and it is not obligatory.
As for the leather socks, no, if he has wiped over them, he does not remove them; he prays in them. Because if he removes them, the ablution becomes invalid. So if he has leather socks over which he has wiped for purity, he does not remove them, but he prays in them. However, he does not enter until he looks at them and removes any harm in them if there is any harm, so that he does not enter with them unless they are clean.
As for the sandals, the matter is easier in that they can be removed; because one does not wipe over sandals. So if he came in a state of purity, and he has sandals, if he wishes he removes them in carpeted mosques, and if he wishes he leaves them on. And if he removes them out of consideration for people, so that they do not find it strange, or so that they do not talk about him, or so that there is not dirt in them that would dirty the carpet, then this is a matter of seeking what is good, and a matter of avoiding disturbance. So this is good. Otherwise, the original ruling is with those who said praying in them is permissible, even if the mosque is carpeted, if they are clean. If the sandals are clean, there is no harm in that; due to the action of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him); and due to his saying (peace and blessings be upon him). But out of consideration for people today in carpeted mosques, if he considers the people and removes them fearing that there might be dirt or filth that he did not notice, or that the people, meaning: find it strange, and perhaps they would talk about him and be ignorant of it out of their ignorance, so he avoids the talk, cuts off the matter, and puts them in another place, then there is no harm in that—if Allah wills—out of consideration for the affairs of people today, and avoiding what might happen from some of them of ignorance and inappropriate talk. And Allah knows best. Yes.
He has another question in which he says: Allah the Exalted addressed His Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) :
Indeed, I am your Lord, so remove your sandals. Indeed, you are in the sacred valley of Tuwa.
إِنِّي أَنَا رَبُّكَ فَاخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ إِنَّكَ بِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًىAnswer:
This is a matter related to the Shari'ah of Musa when Allah commanded him to remove his sandals. The apparent meaning is that the sacred valley should not be trodden upon with sandals. It is possible that they were sandals with some dirt in them, or for other reasons. Allah commanded His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to remove his sandals in prayer—Muhammad—Jibril came to him while he was lined up in prayer and had said the takbir, so he commanded him to remove his sandals, and he did so. When he finished the prayer, he said to the Companions:
Jibril informed me that there was dirt in them, so I removed them. So when one comes to prayer, let him look at his sandals. If he sees dirt in them, let him wipe it off, then let him pray in them.
إن جبرائيل أخبرني أن بهما قذرًا فخلعتهما، فإذا أتى الصلاة فلينظر في نعليه، فإن رأى فيهما قذرًا فليمسحه، ثم ليصلي فيهماSo the Shari'ah of Musa is specific to him and is not our Shari'ah. Allah the Exalted said:
To each of you We prescribed a law and a method
لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنْكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَاجًاAct differently from the Jews, for they do not pray in their sandals
خالفوا اليهود، فإنهم لا يصلون في نعالهمSo it is a recommended practice (sunnah) for us to differ from the Jews in this, and to follow Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in this. He used to pray in his sandals. Therefore, it is prescribed for us to pray in our sandals and leather socks if they are clean. So the believer, when he goes to the mosque, should check his sandals and leather socks, and clean them if there is anything in them, so that he does not enter with them and with dirt in them, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did when Jibril informed him to remove them. If they are clean and have nothing in them, there is no harm in praying in them in the mosque if it has gravel or dirt. As for if it has a carpet, there is no harm, but if he removes them as a precaution, removing the sandals, for example, as a precaution, so that there is not a lot of dirt in them that would dirty the mosque, or disturb the worshippers, then this is good, and it is not obligatory.
As for the leather socks, no, if he has wiped over them, he does not remove them; he prays in them. Because if he removes them, the ablution becomes invalid. So if he has leather socks over which he has wiped for purity, he does not remove them, but he prays in them. However, he does not enter until he looks at them and removes any harm in them if there is any harm, so that he does not enter with them unless they are clean.
As for the sandals, the matter is easier in that they can be removed; because one does not wipe over sandals. So if he came in a state of purity, and he has sandals, if he wishes he removes them in carpeted mosques, and if he wishes he leaves them on. And if he removes them out of consideration for people, so that they do not find it strange, or so that they do not talk about him, or so that there is not dirt in them that would dirty the carpet, then this is a matter of seeking what is good, and a matter of avoiding disturbance. So this is good. Otherwise, the original ruling is with those who said praying in them is permissible, even if the mosque is carpeted, if they are clean. If the sandals are clean, there is no harm in that; due to the action of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him); and due to his saying (peace and blessings be upon him). But out of consideration for people today in carpeted mosques, if he considers the people and removes them fearing that there might be dirt or filth that he did not notice, or that the people, meaning: find it strange, and perhaps they would talk about him and be ignorant of it out of their ignorance, so he avoids the talk, cuts off the matter, and puts them in another place, then there is no harm in that—if Allah wills—out of consideration for the affairs of people today, and avoiding what might happen from some of them of ignorance and inappropriate talk. And Allah knows best. Yes.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.