The ruling on a woman covering her hands and face in prayer

Question:
This questioner says: Is it permissible to cover the hands in prayer or not? Because we have heard in these days that it is not permissible for a woman to pray with her hands uncovered, but rather it is necessary to cover the hands, despite the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that a woman is entirely an awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) in prayer except for her face and her palms. Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good?

Answer:
Covering the palms is better, but it is not obligatory to cover them. Uncovering the face is better. The recommended practice (sunnah) is to uncover the face if there is no non-mahram (a relative one may not marry) present; she may uncover her face and hands, and there is nothing wrong with it. If she covers the palms, that is better, otherwise there is no blame on her. As for the feet, it is obligatory to cover them, as well as the entire body, except if there is a non-mahram present, in which case she must cover her entire body, including the face, if there is a non-mahram present, such as her husband’s brother or someone else.