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:

Jazakallah, For your answers to my last questions, Ihave anotehr

Can you let me know if it is ok for Men to offer Salat with ones shoulders exposed?

Regards

Khidher Adam

(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:

Prayer with shoulder exposed

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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verse 31:

31   O children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer: eat and drink: but waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not those who waste.

When one visits any of the sacred Houses of Allah, or one stands to worship the Lord in prayer, in light of the above absolutely clear guidance of the Quran, it is incumbent and obligatory upon the believers that they wear their beautiful apparel and present themselves in the audience of their Lord in prayer in their best and most beautiful manner.

Just as one dresses up appropriately if one were to visit a worldly King or President of a nation; one should dress even more appropriately and formally when one wishes to visit a sacred House of Allah (masjid) or intends to offer the rite of prayer; for when one stands for prayer, he/she indeed is as if in the audience of The King of all kings, The Lord of the Universe, Allah Subhanah wa Taala.

Your Question: Can you let me know if it is ok for Men to offer Salat with ones shoulders exposed?

The absolute minimum requirement of apparel under Shariah Law for the prayer of a believing male to be valid, is that all his body parts between his navel and his knees (inclusive) must be covered.

Although one is guided by the Lord and His Messenger (saws) to attire themselves appropriately when one visits the mosques or stands in prayer, if for a genuine reason one (male only) is in a situation where he does not possess enough material which would cover his shoulders, his prayer offered with his shoulders exposed would be deemed valid and acceptable in Shariah.

Shariah Law dictates that for the prayer of a believing woman to be valid, she must cover her whole self completely just as she would in front of non-mehram males; ie. only her face, her hands, and her feet upto the beginning of her ankles my be left exposed.

Ibn 'Abbas, Ibn 'Umar and 'Aishah report that the Prophet (saws) said, "Allah does not accept the prayer of an adult woman unless she is wearing a ‘jilbaab’ (khimar, hijab, head-cover)."

Related by Bukhari and Muslim.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan