What is The Awrah of a Woman During Salah?
C.J Ahmed-15.05.2023
The awrah for a Muslim woman who has attained puberty during salah is only her head and her private parts if she is alone or among women. The evidence is in the following hadiths,
Isha (rali) narrated that the prophet (sal) said,
“Allah does not accept the prayer of a woman of child-bearing age unless (she covers herself) with a head covering.”(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani in Sahih Sunan Adu
Dawud)
The word used in this hadith in Arabic is “ Khimar” hich means head cover nd not the face cover as though by some idiots. The Khimaar is not the face veil as wrongly interpreted by some. According to all the available authentic narrations and the authentic Arabic dictionary"Lisan-Al-Arab" it is clear that the "Khimaar" is only the head scarf.
Narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri:
The Prophet (sal) said: A man should not look at the private parts of another man, and a woman should not look at the private parts of another woman. A man should not lie with another man without wearing lower garment under one cover; and a woman should not be lie with another woman without wearing lower garment under one cover.
(Abu Dawud-Authenticated by Albani)
Abd al-Rahman, the son of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, reported from his father:
The Messenger of Allah (sal) said: A man should not see the private parts of another man, and a woman should not see the private parts of another woman, and a man should not lie with another man under one covering, and a woman should not lie with another woman under one covering.
(Sahih Muslim)
There are daif (wak hadiths narrated on how much a woman should cover when praying and following are those hadiths,
Umm Salama said that she asked God's Messenger whether a woman might pray in a shift and veil without wearing a lower garment. He replied, “If the shift is ample and covers the surface of her feet.”
In Mishkat al-Masabih 763 it is mentioned that Abu Dawud narrated this hadith and it could only be traced up to Umm Saama and not the prophet (sal). Sheikh Albani graded this hadith as daif (weak and inauthentic)
Umm Salamah said that she asked the prophet (sal); Can a woman pray in a shirt and veil without wearing a lower garment? He replied:
if the shirt is ample and covers the surface of her feet.
Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been transmitted by Malik b. Anas, Bakr b. Mudar, Hafs b. Ghiyaht, Isma'il b. Ja'far, Ibn Abu Dhi'b, and Ibn Ishaq from Muhammad b. Zaid on the authority of his mother who narrated from Umm Salamah. None of these narrators mention the name of the Prophet (sal). They reported it directly from Umm Salamah.Narrated in Sunan Abi Dawud 640 and graded Daif (weak) by Albani.
If a woman uncovers her awrah while praying in front of non-mahram men, still her prayer is valid because the only the head scarf is a must for a woman when praying as a condition.
In a hadith narrated by Sahl b. Sa'd (Rali),
"I saw men having tied (the ends) of their lower garments around their necks, like children, due to shortage of cloth and offering their prayers behind the Messenger of Allah (Sal). One of the proclaimers said: O womenfolk, do not lift your heads till men raise (them)" .
(Bukhari and Muslim)
Narrated by Asma (rali)
"I heard the Messenger of Allah (sal) say: One of you who believes in Allah and in the Last Day should not raise her head until the men raise their heads (after prostration) lest they should see the private parts of men."
(Sunan Abu Dawud -graded sahih by Albani)
In this hadith eventough men were praying with short clothes which could unravel heir awrah, the prayer wasn’t considered invalid. Similarly even if the women unravel their awrah , the prayer is still valid.
The awrah for a woman in front of mahram men such as father,brother etc.
As for what need to be shown for a women among the mahram men such as her father,brothers etc, Allah says n the Quran
'and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent , and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women”
(24:31).
based on the above verse a women can show her adornment to her mahram men. the word Juyubihinna in the above verse means to cover the bossoms.
The awrah for a Muslim woman who has attained puberty during salah is only her head and her private parts if she is alone or among women. The evidence is in the following hadiths,
Isha (rali) narrated that the prophet (sal) said,
“Allah does not accept the prayer of a woman of child-bearing age unless (she covers herself) with a head covering.”(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani in Sahih Sunan Adu
Dawud)
The word used in this hadith in Arabic is “ Khimar” hich means head cover nd not the face cover as though by some idiots. The Khimaar is not the face veil as wrongly interpreted by some. According to all the available authentic narrations and the authentic Arabic dictionary"Lisan-Al-Arab" it is clear that the "Khimaar" is only the head scarf.
Narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri:
The Prophet (sal) said: A man should not look at the private parts of another man, and a woman should not look at the private parts of another woman. A man should not lie with another man without wearing lower garment under one cover; and a woman should not be lie with another woman without wearing lower garment under one cover.
(Abu Dawud-Authenticated by Albani)
Abd al-Rahman, the son of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, reported from his father:
The Messenger of Allah (sal) said: A man should not see the private parts of another man, and a woman should not see the private parts of another woman, and a man should not lie with another man under one covering, and a woman should not lie with another woman under one covering.
(Sahih Muslim)
There are daif (wak hadiths narrated on how much a woman should cover when praying and following are those hadiths,
Umm Salama said that she asked God's Messenger whether a woman might pray in a shift and veil without wearing a lower garment. He replied, “If the shift is ample and covers the surface of her feet.”
In Mishkat al-Masabih 763 it is mentioned that Abu Dawud narrated this hadith and it could only be traced up to Umm Saama and not the prophet (sal). Sheikh Albani graded this hadith as daif (weak and inauthentic)
Umm Salamah said that she asked the prophet (sal); Can a woman pray in a shirt and veil without wearing a lower garment? He replied:
if the shirt is ample and covers the surface of her feet.
Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been transmitted by Malik b. Anas, Bakr b. Mudar, Hafs b. Ghiyaht, Isma'il b. Ja'far, Ibn Abu Dhi'b, and Ibn Ishaq from Muhammad b. Zaid on the authority of his mother who narrated from Umm Salamah. None of these narrators mention the name of the Prophet (sal). They reported it directly from Umm Salamah.Narrated in Sunan Abi Dawud 640 and graded Daif (weak) by Albani.
If a woman uncovers her awrah while praying in front of non-mahram men, still her prayer is valid because the only the head scarf is a must for a woman when praying as a condition.
In a hadith narrated by Sahl b. Sa'd (Rali),
"I saw men having tied (the ends) of their lower garments around their necks, like children, due to shortage of cloth and offering their prayers behind the Messenger of Allah (Sal). One of the proclaimers said: O womenfolk, do not lift your heads till men raise (them)" .
(Bukhari and Muslim)
Narrated by Asma (rali)
"I heard the Messenger of Allah (sal) say: One of you who believes in Allah and in the Last Day should not raise her head until the men raise their heads (after prostration) lest they should see the private parts of men."
(Sunan Abu Dawud -graded sahih by Albani)
In this hadith eventough men were praying with short clothes which could unravel heir awrah, the prayer wasn’t considered invalid. Similarly even if the women unravel their awrah , the prayer is still valid.
The awrah for a woman in front of mahram men such as father,brother etc.
As for what need to be shown for a women among the mahram men such as her father,brothers etc, Allah says n the Quran
'and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent , and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women”
(24:31).
based on the above verse a women can show her adornment to her mahram men. the word Juyubihinna in the above verse means to cover the bossoms.