Slight exposure of feet in salaah doesn’t harm the woman if she covers it

Question:

If a part of feet or hair of a woman gets revealed during salaah does she clear it during salaah or she needs to stop the salaah and is her prayer nullified due to this?

Answer :

Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih Al Uthaymeen rahimahumallah was asked a similar question which is recorded in Question 8 Tape No 263 Nur ‘ala-darb 7/247:

Question:

ما الذي يجب ستره في الصلاة بالنسبة للمرأة، هل يجب ستر الكفين أثناء الصلاة؟ وهل إذا طلع جزء من القدم تبطل الصلاة بالنسبة للمرأة ؟

Which part is obligatory to cover while in prayer with regards to the woman, Is it obligatory to cover the two hands during the prayer? If a part of her feet gets uncovered, does it nullify the prayer with regards to the woman?

ج: المرأة كلها عورة، والواجب عليها التستر في الصلاة في الفرض والنفل إلا الوجه فإنها تكشفه، فالسنة كشف الوجه إذا لم يكن عندها أجنبي تكشف وجهها في الصلاة، أما بقية بدنها فإنها تستره ما عدا الكفين فسترهما مستحب، وإن كشفتهما فلا حرج على الصحيح، أما الوجه فكشفه سنة في الصلاة إذا لم يكن عندها أجنبي، وهذا يعم الفرض والنفل إذا كانت بالغة قد بلغت الحلم، وإذا خرج منها شيء، خرج قدمها أو شيء من قدمها، إذا كان كثيرا فإنها تعيد الصلاة عند جمهور أهل العلم، أما إذا كان شيئا يسيرا ثم غطته فيعفى عنه إن شاء الله.

Answer :

The woman, all of her is Awrah (private which is to be covered) and it is obligatory upon her that she covers in obligatory and voluntary prayers except the face;she reveals it. So, revealing the face is sunnah if there are no strangers. Hence, she reveals her face during the prayer. As for the rest of her body, she should cover except her hands. Covering it (the hands) is recommended and she reveals it according to the more correct opinion, there is no problem in this.

Revealing the face in prayer is sunnah if there are no strangers around. This includes the obligatory and the voluntary prayers and if she is an adult, crossed puberty. And if something got revealed like her feet or part of her feet then if it was much then she should repeat her prayer according to the majority of the people of knowledge. As for if it was something little and she covered it then it is excused, if Allah wills.

Translated by

Abu Muhammad Nezam Al-Hindi

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