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الفتح الربانی
Fath al-Rabbani
أبواب المساجدChapters on Mosques
بَابُ اسْتِحْبَابِ الصَّلَاةِ فِي ثَوْبَيْنِ وَجَوَازِهَا فِي الثَّوْبِ الْوَاحِدِ وَمَا يَفْعَلُ مَنْ صَلَّى فِي قَمِيصٍ وَاحِدٍ تَبْدُو مِنْ عَوْرَتِهِChapter on the Recommendation to Pray in Two Garments, Its Permissibility in One, and What to Do if Praying in a Shirt that Exposes the Awrah
Hadith 1416
اُردوEn
عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ الْأَكْوَعِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! إِنِّي أَكُونُ فِي الصَّيْدِ فَأُصَلِّي وَلَيْسَ عَلَيَّ إِلَّا قَمِيصٌ وَاحِدٌ؟ قَالَ: ((فَزُرَّهُ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ إِلَّا شَوْكَةً))
Sayyiduna Salamah bin Akwa’ (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I said, “O Messenger of Allah! Since I am out hunting, can I pray in just a shirt?” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (You may pray) but fasten it, even if you find nothing but a thorn to do so.
Brief Explanation
Benefits: … If the person praying is wearing only a shirt (qamees), he should fasten it at the top with buttons or something similar; otherwise, there is a risk that his private parts (‘awrah) may become exposed from above.
Praying with an uncovered head
In our society, praying with an uncovered head is considered highly inappropriate, and sometimes, in opposition to such a person, people say whatever comes to their mouths. Nevertheless, the Shari‘ah has its own temperament and restrictions. Consider the following discussion in this regard.
Regarding the prayer attire for men and women, several narrations have already been mentioned in the above chapters. In not a single hadith has covering the head been declared as part of the prayer attire for men. Rather, it is established from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and several Companions that they prayed with uncovered heads. Consider the following hadith of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam: It is narrated from Sayyidah A’ishah radi Allahu anha that the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: ((Lā tuqbal ṣalātu ḥā’iḍin illā bikhimārin.)) That is: The prayer of a mature woman is not accepted without a head covering (khimar). (Abu Dawud: 641, and mentioned earlier in this Musnad) From this hadith, it is clearly understood that the requirement to cover the head is for women; a man’s prayer is valid with an uncovered head.
Some people say that at that time there was a shortage of clothing, but now, in times of abundance, covering the head is necessary. This is merely their own misconception. Even during the blessed era of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, on certain occasions, a great deal of wealth was amassed, and during his blessed life, some of the Companions were wealthy. The third important point is that if covering the head were necessary, the Shari‘ah would have clarified it. During the eras of the Companions, certainly a great deal of wealth was accumulated. But it is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu that a man asked the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam about praying in a single garment. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam replied: Does every one of you have two garments? Then a man asked Sayyiduna ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu a similar question, and he said: Now that Allah has granted abundance, you too should act with abundance, meaning a man may pray in an izar and a sheet, or an izar and a shirt, or an izar and a cloak, or trousers and a sheet, or trousers and a shirt, or trousers and a cloak, or shorts and a cloak, or shorts and a shirt. (Sahih Bukhari: 365) It is thus clear that Sayyiduna ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu did not consider covering the head as part of the prayer attire even in times of abundance. Keep in mind that wearing a turban (‘imamah) is a Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and noble and honorable people have adopted this attire, but whether or not one observes this in prayer will not increase or decrease the reward of the prayer. Readers should understand the distinction that it is established from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that he wore various types of clothing, but this does not necessitate that they be considered obligatory for prayer, for example, wearing socks (muwza) and praying in them.
Sayyid Sabiq said: According to the Hanafis, there is no harm in a man praying with an uncovered head; in fact, for the sake of humility (khushu‘), they consider it preferable to pray with an uncovered head. In any case, there is no evidence that indicates the superiority of covering the head in prayer. (Fiqh al-Sunnah: 1/43) In summary, covering the head is not part of the prayer attire, so people should not be subjected to unnecessary restrictions, and mosques should be kept free from dirty plastic caps and the like.
Praying with an uncovered head
In our society, praying with an uncovered head is considered highly inappropriate, and sometimes, in opposition to such a person, people say whatever comes to their mouths. Nevertheless, the Shari‘ah has its own temperament and restrictions. Consider the following discussion in this regard.
Regarding the prayer attire for men and women, several narrations have already been mentioned in the above chapters. In not a single hadith has covering the head been declared as part of the prayer attire for men. Rather, it is established from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and several Companions that they prayed with uncovered heads. Consider the following hadith of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam: It is narrated from Sayyidah A’ishah radi Allahu anha that the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: ((Lā tuqbal ṣalātu ḥā’iḍin illā bikhimārin.)) That is: The prayer of a mature woman is not accepted without a head covering (khimar). (Abu Dawud: 641, and mentioned earlier in this Musnad) From this hadith, it is clearly understood that the requirement to cover the head is for women; a man’s prayer is valid with an uncovered head.
Some people say that at that time there was a shortage of clothing, but now, in times of abundance, covering the head is necessary. This is merely their own misconception. Even during the blessed era of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, on certain occasions, a great deal of wealth was amassed, and during his blessed life, some of the Companions were wealthy. The third important point is that if covering the head were necessary, the Shari‘ah would have clarified it. During the eras of the Companions, certainly a great deal of wealth was accumulated. But it is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu that a man asked the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam about praying in a single garment. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam replied: Does every one of you have two garments? Then a man asked Sayyiduna ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu a similar question, and he said: Now that Allah has granted abundance, you too should act with abundance, meaning a man may pray in an izar and a sheet, or an izar and a shirt, or an izar and a cloak, or trousers and a sheet, or trousers and a shirt, or trousers and a cloak, or shorts and a cloak, or shorts and a shirt. (Sahih Bukhari: 365) It is thus clear that Sayyiduna ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu did not consider covering the head as part of the prayer attire even in times of abundance. Keep in mind that wearing a turban (‘imamah) is a Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and noble and honorable people have adopted this attire, but whether or not one observes this in prayer will not increase or decrease the reward of the prayer. Readers should understand the distinction that it is established from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that he wore various types of clothing, but this does not necessitate that they be considered obligatory for prayer, for example, wearing socks (muwza) and praying in them.
Sayyid Sabiq said: According to the Hanafis, there is no harm in a man praying with an uncovered head; in fact, for the sake of humility (khushu‘), they consider it preferable to pray with an uncovered head. In any case, there is no evidence that indicates the superiority of covering the head in prayer. (Fiqh al-Sunnah: 1/43) In summary, covering the head is not part of the prayer attire, so people should not be subjected to unnecessary restrictions, and mosques should be kept free from dirty plastic caps and the like.
