#668: Is it permissible for a Muslimah to observe Salāt with her feet uncovered?
QUESTION:
“Assalaamu Aleikum Warahmatulillah, please I want to ask concerning the female uncovering her feet while she is praying. I heard her prayers will not be accepted or is it half accepted, please I want clarifications on why is it not accepted for more understanding.”
ANSWER:
Wa ‘Alaykum Salām Warahmatullāh Wabarakātuh
Alhamdulillāh
Know, may Allāh be merciful to you and to us, that the ‘Ulamā have differed on the Obligation or otherwise of a woman covering her feet during the Salāt.
The position favoured by the majority of the Ulamā namely the Mālikiyyah, the Shāfi’iyyah and the Hanbaliyyah is that, it was obligatory for a woman to cover her feet while praying. Some of the Hanafis also upheld this position.
They premised their position on the Hadith that was recorded by Abū Dāwud from Umm Salamah – radiyallāhu ‘anhā – that she asked the Rasūl – salallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam – concerning a woman who prays with a gown and a Khimār and without a skirt or a wrapper? He answered: “If the gown flows and covers her feet (there is nothing wrong with that)”
This Hadīth has been regarded as weak by some of the Ulamā of Hadīth.
The Hanafī position is that there is nothing wrong with observing the Salāt while her feet were uncovered. This position was shared by Al-Muzanī among the Shāfi’īs and Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and Al-Mardāwī – rahimahumullāh – among the Hanbalis. Shaykh Muhammad bn Sālih Al-‘Uthaymīn – rahimahullāh favoured this position.
They made as reason for this the fact that nothing strong has been recorded from the Rasūl – salallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam – to this effect, and that what was customary in the Arabian communities was that women had gowns they wear in their homes which exposed their feet and most women had only a single clothes which evidence showed were washed over repeatedly. If therefore there was a requirement of covering the feet, it would have come clearly known and spelt out. This was the explanation made by Shaykhu Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah – rahimahullāh.
What is safe, and Allāh knows best is to align with the position of the majority. This is by virtue of the preference recorded by Imām Mālik – rahimahullāh – in the Muwattā that a woman asked ‘Urwah bn Az-Zubayr – rahimahullāh – if she could pray in her gown and Khimār only. He answered: “Yes, if her gown flows down”.
However, it should be known that the ‘Ulamā have agreed that if a woman observes Salāt without covering her feet, she doesn’t have to repeat her Salāt even if she were to do that intentionally.
It therefore follows that what is best is to always cover her feet except in situation where she is incapable of doing that. And Allāh knows best.
Please note that the covering or uncovering of her feet about which we speak here is in a situation where she is alone and is not in the presence of non-Mahram men. As for when she is in the presence of non-Mahram men, then the ruling of Hijāb before men is what applies.
Bārakallāhu Fīkum
Jazakumullāhu Khayran
16th Safar 1440H
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