Mu` meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah`s Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

What are the minimum clothing requirements for a muslim female to offer salat? If a woman is completely covered except for her arms up to her elbows, is her prayer still valid?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Clothing required by woman for prayers

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His  forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

A believing woman, when she stands to offer her prayers to her Lord, must cover herself Islamically; whereby the only permissible parts of her body which may remain uncovered are her hands, her feet below the ankles, and her face.

If the woman is wearing a garment which leaves her arms upto her elbows uncovered, but she is wearing a ‘chador’ or some sort of covering which cover her open arms, her prayer is valid. But if she has prayed with her arms upto her elbows completely uncovered, then her prayers are not valid and she must repeat her prayers again.

To cover the complete ‘satr’ of the woman is a condition for her prayers.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan