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:

Assalam Alaikum,

Brother, women can cover her hands in prayer (Salah)?

Thanks for your answer.

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Answer:

Can women cover her hands in prayer

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.

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

For the prayer of a believing woman to be acceptable to Allah, she must cover herself completely in her ‘khimaar’ or ‘hijaab’ or ‘jilbaab’, just as she would when in the presence of non-mehram members of the opposite sex, even if she were to pray absolutely alone.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4092 Narrated by Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin

Asma, daughter of AbuBakr, entered upon the Messenger of Allah (saws) wearing thin clothes. The Messenger of Allah (saws) turned his attention from her and said: ‘O Asma, when a woman reaches the age of menstruation, it does not suit her that she displays (to non-mehram men) her parts of body except this and this’, and he (saws) pointed to her face and hands.

Because the hands from the wrists onwards do not form part of the ‘satr’ of the believing women, she is not obliged to cover them when in the presence of non-mehram males or during her prayers. But if for any reason the woman wishes to cover her hands while offering her prayers, there is absolutely no harm and it would not effect the validity of her prayers. And Allah Alone Knows Best.

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