´It was narrated that Abu Darda' said:` "The Messenger of Allah came out to us with water dripping from his head, and he led us in prayer wearing a single garment, placing its one end on the right shoulder, and the other end on the other shoulder. When he finished praying, 'Umar bin Khattab said to him: 'O Messenger of Allah, did you lead us in prayer wearing a single garment? He said: 'Yes, I perform prayer in it, and in it I (i.e. I had sexual intercourse in it)."
Explanation & Benefits
Maulana Ataullah Sajid
Commentary:
(1)
If the garment is large and most parts of the body are covered with it, then it is sufficient for prayer; that is, it is not necessary to wear two or three garments while performing the prayer.
(2)
Whether one is the imam or a follower, it is not obligatory to cover the head during prayer.
However, to remain bareheaded permanently is not a commendable practice.
(3)
This ruling is for men; for women, it is necessary that there is also a covering (scarf) on her head. That is, if a woman wears a long shirt (qamees) that covers her feet and takes a cloth over her head, then her prayer will be valid with just these two garments.
(4)
Our esteemed researcher has declared its chain of narration to be weak.
However, this narration is correct in meaning and text, as is evident from the previous narration.
It is probably for this reason that Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah has graded this narration as hasan (good).
Source: Commentary on Sunan Ibn Mājah by Mawlānā ‘Atā’ullāh Sājid, Page: 541