The Limits of a Woman's 'Awrah and the Ruling on Covering the Legs in Prayer
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Question:
What is the limit of the 'awrah of a free woman, and the limit of the 'awrah of a slave woman, with evidence? Is it obligatory for a woman to cover her legs in prayer? And if she exposes her face and hands in prayer, is there anything required of her?
Answer:
The entire body of a woman is 'awrah, except her face in prayer. Her whole body is 'awrah, as came in the hadith when she goes out; Satan looks at her eagerly, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "She is 'awrah." So her whole body is 'awrah except her face in prayer. Some scholars held that her palms are also [exposed] in prayer. Everything else is 'awrah in the presence of a non-mahram: her hands, her face, and her legs. So it is 'awrah in relation to a non-mahram. In prayer, her whole body is 'awrah except her face, and her palms in prayer specifically. Her feet are 'awrah in prayer; she covers them. She covers her legs in prayer with socks, or by lengthening her garments. If the garment is long enough to cover her feet, that suffices in prayer.
Her 'awrah in relation to herself, and in relation to other women, is from the navel to the knee, like a man. As for in relation to a non-mahram, her whole body is 'awrah. And in relation to her husband, her whole body is permissible for her husband. In prayer, her whole body is 'awrah except her face. Some scholars said that her palms follow the face in prayer specifically. And if she covers them in prayer, that is more complete, along with her feet.
Question: If she covers her face in prayer?
Answer: No, it is not prescribed, unless there is a non-mahram present, in which case she covers her face.
Question: The palms in the marketplace?
Answer: She should cover them, because they are 'awrah according to the majority of scholars, according to many scholars, because they may cause temptation. So covering them is better and more cautious.
Question: Regarding the 'awrah of disbelieving women?
Answer: All of them are 'awrah for men, just like Muslim women.
What is the limit of the 'awrah of a free woman, and the limit of the 'awrah of a slave woman, with evidence? Is it obligatory for a woman to cover her legs in prayer? And if she exposes her face and hands in prayer, is there anything required of her?
Answer:
The entire body of a woman is 'awrah, except her face in prayer. Her whole body is 'awrah, as came in the hadith when she goes out; Satan looks at her eagerly, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "She is 'awrah." So her whole body is 'awrah except her face in prayer. Some scholars held that her palms are also [exposed] in prayer. Everything else is 'awrah in the presence of a non-mahram: her hands, her face, and her legs. So it is 'awrah in relation to a non-mahram. In prayer, her whole body is 'awrah except her face, and her palms in prayer specifically. Her feet are 'awrah in prayer; she covers them. She covers her legs in prayer with socks, or by lengthening her garments. If the garment is long enough to cover her feet, that suffices in prayer.
Her 'awrah in relation to herself, and in relation to other women, is from the navel to the knee, like a man. As for in relation to a non-mahram, her whole body is 'awrah. And in relation to her husband, her whole body is permissible for her husband. In prayer, her whole body is 'awrah except her face. Some scholars said that her palms follow the face in prayer specifically. And if she covers them in prayer, that is more complete, along with her feet.
Question: If she covers her face in prayer?
Answer: No, it is not prescribed, unless there is a non-mahram present, in which case she covers her face.
Question: The palms in the marketplace?
Answer: She should cover them, because they are 'awrah according to the majority of scholars, according to many scholars, because they may cause temptation. So covering them is better and more cautious.
Question: Regarding the 'awrah of disbelieving women?
Answer: All of them are 'awrah for men, just like Muslim women.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.