What Should Be Considered When Covering the Nudity for the Prayer?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam alaykum

When wearing loose sleeves, it is likely that when raising or lowering the hands, the underside of the arms might be visible from the front. Shirts with buttoned sleeves usually have a slit near the wrist which might expose some part of the arm as well. Is it necessary to account for these possibilities?

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

Yes, you should ensure that your arms are covered for the prayer such that the skin underneath cannot be seen under normal circumstances. If you often wear a blouse around the house, consider wearing a loose cardigan when praying, or get yourself a prayer outfit.

[Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah]

Please also see: A Detailed Exposition of the Fiqh of Covering One’s Nakedness (awra) and: Is the area under the chin from the nakedness of a woman?

And Allah Most High alone knows best.

wassalam,

[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Leicester, where he also served as the President of the Islamic Society. He memorised the entire Qur’an in his hometown of Ipswich at the tender age of sixteen, and has since studied the Islamic Sciences in traditional settings in the UK, Jordan and Turkey. He is currently pursuing advanced studies in Jordan, where he is presently based with his family.