The Book of Prayer
Covering the 'Awrah

Pillars and Mandatory Acts of Prayer

Two Prostrations of Forgetfulness

Supererogatory (Voluntary) Prayers

Supererogatory (Voluntary) Prayers Continued

Times of Prohibition of (Supererogatory) Prayer

Chapter on Imamate

Chapter on Imamate Continued

Congregational Prayers & Latecomers

Prayer of The Sick

Prayer of The Traveler

Prayer of Fear

Jumu'ah (Congregational Friday) Prayer

Jumu'ah (Congregational Friday) Prayer Continued

Prayer of the Two Eids

The Book of Funerals

Book on Funeral

Washing, Shrouding, and Funeral Prayer

Funeral Prayer Continued

Ending the Book of Funerals

The Book of Fasting

Book of Fasting

Confusion, Exemption, and Expiation of Fasting

Invalidators of Fasting, Forgetfulness, and Doubts

Voluntary Fasing and I'tikaf

The Book of Hajj and Umrah

The Book of Hajj and 'Umrah

Chapter on Ihram Sites

The State of Ihram

Forbidden Acts of Ihram

Expiations in Hajj

Entering Makkah and Tawaf

Covering the 'Awrah

Third: Covering the ‘awrah (the part of a person’s body that must be screened from public view)203 with that which does not show the complexion. The ‘awrah of the man is between the navel and the knees.204

الشَّرْطُ الثَّالِثُ: سِتْرُ الْعَوْرَةِ بِمَا لاَ يَصِفُ الْبَشَرَةَ. وَعَوْرَةُ الرَّجُلِ وَالأَمَةِ، مَا بَيْنَ السُّرَّةِ وَالرُّكْبَةِ. وَالْحُرَّةُ كُلُّهَا عَوْرَةٌ، إِلاَّ وَجْهَهَا وَكَفَّيْهَا.

203. It has been reported that the Messenger of Allah (SA) said:

“Allah will not accept the prayer of a woman who has attained puberty except with a head-covering.” (D – from ‘Â’ishah. D:S)

لَا يَقْبَلُ الله صَلَاةَ حَائِضٍ إلا بِخِمَارٍ.

Some argued that this is a statement from the Mother of the Believers, ‘Â’ishah (RAH), not from the Prophet (SA).

204. ‘Awrah of a Man
(A) + (+H, +M, +S): From the navel to the knees, but not including the navel or knees.

(H): The knees are part of the ‘awrah.

(a): The private parts only.

There are various reports that are seemingly conflicting in this regard:

1- ‘Â’ishah (RAH) said, "The Prophet (SA) was sitting with his thigh uncovered. Abu Bakr (RA) asked for and received permission to enter, and the same thing happened with ‘Umar (RA). However, when ‘Uthmân (RA) asked for permission to enter, the Prophet (SA) covered himself with his clothes. When they left, I said: O Messenger of Allah, you permitted Abu Bakr and ‘Umar to enter while your thigh was uncovered, but when ‘Uthmân asked permission to enter, you covered yourself! He said:

'Should I not be shy of a man whom even the angels are shy of?'” (B – from ‘Â’ishah)

ألا أَسْتَحِي من رَجُلٍ تَسْتَحِي منه الْمَلَائِكَةُ!

2- The Messenger of Allah (SA) passed by Ma‘mar, whose thighs were uncovered, and said to him:

“O Ma‘mar, cover your thighs, for the thighs are ‘awrah.” (H. B has a similar hadith – from Muhammad ibn Jaḥsh)

يا مَعْمَرُ غَطِّ فَخِذَيْكَ فإن الْفَخِذَ عَوْرَةٌ.

The entire body of the free woman is ‘awrah except for the face and hands. 205

وَأُمُّ الْوَلَدِ وَالْمُعْتَقُ بَعْضُهَا كَالأَمَةِ.

It seems that to reconcile these reports, one should say that there is more flexibility with uncovering the thighs in front of men, particularly trustworthy ones. However, one should be careful with one’s prayers and err on the side of safety.

One should also beautify oneself for the prayer. Allah (ST) said:

{O children of Adam! Take your adornment (by wearing your clean clothes) while praying and going around (the ṭawâf of) the Kaaba…} (al-A‘râf 7: 31)

يَا بَنِي آدَمَ خُذُوا زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ

The righteous predecessors wore their best clothes for the prayers. Some argue that wearing a head cover is part of this adornment, and it may be in certain cultures. There is no proof, however, that it is mandatory.
Concerning wearing trousers for men, there is a report by ‘Abdur-Razzâq from Ubayy (RA) that ‘Umar (RA) said it was permissible. ‘Umar allowed praying in trousers and a ridâ’ (the upper garment worn in Hajj and ‘umrah). (B – from Abu Hurayrah)

It is not appropriate to wear very tight trousers, since modesty is one of the characteristics of our Sharia. This is not to say that it is prohibited, for there is no proof of its being impermissible, and the scholars – including Ibn Qudâmah in al-Mughni and an-Nawawi in al-Majmoo‘ – argue that tight trousers are sufficient to fulfill the obligation of covering one's ‘awrah.

205. ‘Awrah of a Woman

In the prayer, there is an agreement that she should not cover her face in the absence of foreign men. There are two different reports in the madh-hab concerning the hands; the stronger one demands that they be covered, which is a peculiarity of the madh-hab. Outside the prayer, they disagreed on the ‘awrah a woman should cover.

Whoever prays in a garment or a house that is wrongfully seized, his prayer will be invalid. 206

وَمَنْ صَلَّى فِيْ ثَوْبٍ مَغْصُوْبٍ، أَوْ دَارٍ مَغْصُوْبَةٍ، لَمْ تَصِحَّ صَلاَتُهُ.

(A2) + (H, +M, +S): She must cover the entire body except for the face (and hands, according to the majority and one report in the Ḥanbali madh-hab).
(A): She must cover the entire body including the face and hands. (H2): She must cover the entire body except for the face, hands, and feet.
Many of the later scholars of the four madh-habs deemed it obligatory to cover the face and hands as well, not because they are ‘awrah in themselves, but to block the means to evil and because of the spread of corruption in their times.
Keep in mind that the scholars disagreed over the permissibility of looking at the face and hands by foreign men. This is a separate discussion. The fact that it is haram for men to look at the face and hands does not necessarily mean that it is wâjib for women to cover them.
All madh-habs agreed that it is forbidden for a man to look at the ‘awrah of a non-maḥram woman without a valid reason (such as medical care, including nursing and helping people with disabilities, etc.).
They also all agreed that it would be impermissible to look at her face lustfully. If there is no lust or fear of fitnah (temptation, misguidance), they disagreed about the permissibility of looking at her face without a valid reason. (Valid reasons include the confirmation of identity in business transactions, for testimony, and by the authorities.)
(A) + (+S): It is not permissible.

(a) + (+H, +M, +S2): It is permissible. Al-Mardâwi al-Ḥanbali said in al-Inṣâf, “This is the only opinion that suits the people, particularly with their neighbors and family members.”

206. Fulfiling a Prerequisite with a Forbidden Action

Wearing gold or silk is permissible for women but not for men, unless there is a need, based on the statement of the Messenger of Allah (SA) regarding gold and silk, "These two are forbidden for the men of my nation and lawful for the women."207 If a man prays in one garment, with part of it on his shoulders, then this will suffice him. 208 If he only finds enough to cover his ‘awrah, he should cover it; and if not enough to cover all of it, he should cover the two private parts; 209 and if not enough for that, he must cover one of

وَلُبْسُ الْحَرِيْرِ وَالذَّهَبِ، مُبَاحٌ لِلنِّسَاءِ دُوْنَ الرِّجَالِ، إِلاَّ عِنْدَ الْحَاجَةِ؛ لِقَوْلِ رَسُوْلِ اللهِ فِي الْحَرِيْرِ وَالذَّهَبِ: "هذان حَرَامٌ عَلَى ذُكُورِ أُمَّتِي حِلٌّ لِإِنَاثِهِمْ." وَمَنْ صَلَّى مِنَ الرِّجَالِ فِيْ ثَوْبٍ وَاحِدٍ، بَعْضُهُ عَلَى عَاتِقِهِ، أَجْزَأَهُ ذٰلِكَ. فَإِنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ إِلاَّ مَا يَسْتُرُ عَوْرَتَهُ، سَتَرَهَا، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكْفِ جَمِيْعَهَا، سَتَرَ الْفَرْجَيْنِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكْفِهِمَا، سَتَرَ أَحَدَهُمَا، فَإِنْ عَدِمَ السِّتْرَ بِكُلِّ حَالِ، صَلَّى

(A): If one covers his or her ‘awrah in prayer with a wrongfully seized garment, or a man covers it with silk garment, the prayer is invalid. This also applies to praying in a wrongfully seized house. (This does not apply to turbans or socks, since they are not used to cover the ‘awrah.)
(-H, -M, -S): The person is sinful, but the prayer is valid. The majority posited that there is no interdependency, while the Ḥanbalis claimed that the interdependency (ittiḥâd aljihah) is obvious since he is fulfilling a prerequisite with something that is forbidden.

207. (Ag)

208.The Prophet (SA) said:

“None of you should pray in a single garment with nothing on his shoulders.” (Ag – from Abu Hurayrah)

لَا يُصَلِّي أَحَدُكُمْ فِي الثَّوْبِ الْوَاحِدِ لَيْسَ عَلَى عَاتِقَيْهِ شَيْءٌ

(A): It is a condition of validity for those who can place something on one of their shoulders.
(-H, -M, -S): It is a recommendation, not an obligation.

209. The genitals and the buttocks.

them; and if he has nothing to cover with, he should pray sitting and must nod for his bowing and prostration. If he prays standing, it is permissible. One who can only find an impure garment or an impure place may pray in it, and he does not need to make up the prayers later.

جَالِسًا يُوْمِئُ بِالرُّكُوْعِ وَالسُّجُوْدِ، وَإِنْ صَلَّى قَائِمًا، جَازَ. وَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ إِلاَّ ثَوْبًا نَجِسًا، أَوْ مَكَانًا نَجِسًا، صَلَّى فِيْهِمَا، وَلاَ إِعَادَةَ عَلَيْهِ.

210. Covering the ‘awrah and removing all impurity from the garment and place of prayer are both conditions of validity, but covering the ‘awrah is more important than removing the impurity.

Introduction

The book of purification

The book of prayer

The Book of Funerals

The Book of Fasting

The Book of Hajj and Umrah