Hadith 378

حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا قَبِيصَةُ، عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ عِسْلِ بْنِ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ أَبِي رَبَاحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ : " نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنِ السَّدْلِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ " قَالَ : وَفِي الْبَاب عَنْ أَبِي جُحَيْفَةَ ، قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى : حَدِيثُ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ لَا نَعْرِفُهُ مِنْ حَدِيثِ عَطَاءٍ ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ مَرْفُوعًا ، إِلَّا مِنْ حَدِيثِ عِسْلِ بْنِ سُفْيَانَ ، وَقَدِ اخْتَلَفَ أَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ فِي السَّدْلِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ ، فَكَرِهَ بَعْضُهُمُ السَّدْلَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ وَقَالُوا : هَكَذَا تَصْنَعُ الْيَهُودُ ، وقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ : إِنَّمَا كُرِهَ السَّدْلُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا ثَوْبٌ وَاحِدٌ ، فَأَمَّا إِذَا سَدَلَ عَلَى الْقَمِيصِ فَلَا بَأْسَ ، وَهُوَ قَوْلُ أَحْمَدَ وَكَرِهَ ابْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ السَّدْلَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ .
´Abu Hurairah narrated:` "Allah's Messenger (S) prohibited As-Sadl in the Salat."
Hadith Reference سنن ترمذي / كتاب الصلاة / 378
Hadith Grading الألبانی: حسن، المشكاة (764) ، التعليق على ابن خزيمة (918) ، صحيح أبي داود (650)  |  زبیر علی زئی: (378) ضعيف /جه 966, عسل : ضعيف (تق : 4578) وللحديث طريق آخر ضعيف جدًا عند أبى داود (643) وللحديث شواھد ضعيفة
Hadith Takhrij «سنن ابی داود/ الصلاة 86 (643) ، (تعلیقا من طریق عسل عن عطائ، ومتصلاً من طریق سلیمان الأحول عن عطائ) ( تحفة الأشراف : 14195) ، سنن الدارمی/الصلاة 104 (1419) (حسن) (عسل بن سفیان بصری ضعیف راوی ہے، اس لیے یہ سند ضعیف ہے، لیکن ابو جحیفہ کے شاہد سے تقویت پا کر یہ حدیث حسن ہے)»
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Dr. Abdur Rahman Freywai
English Commentary:
1:
The form of sadl is that a sheet or scarf, etc., is placed over one's head or both shoulders, and its two ends are left hanging down. Another explanation of sadl is that a shirt or cloak (jubba) is worn in such a way that, instead of putting both hands into the sleeves, they are kept inside (the garment), and bowing (ruku) and prostration (sujud) are performed in this state.

2:
There is no evidence for this restriction.
The hadith is absolute, therefore sadl is not permissible in any circumstance.
Even though there is no risk of exposing the awrah (nakedness) when sadl is done over a shirt, it still causes disruption in the prayer.
This applies regardless of which explanation of sadl is adopted.

Note:
(Asl ibn Sufyan al-Basri is a weak narrator,
therefore this chain is weak,
but by being supported by the corroborating narration of Abu Juhaifah, this hadith is hasan.)
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhi – Majlis ‘Ilmi Dar al-Da‘wah, New Delhi Edition, Page: 378
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
643. Commentary:
➊ The commentators of the hadith have clarified that "sadl" means to place the sheet over oneself from the middle, either on the head or shoulders, so that its right and left sides hang down. Or, according to the statement of Sahib al-Nihayah, to wrap the garment around oneself in such a way that even the hands remain enclosed inside, and then not to take them out even during bowing (ruku) and prostration (sujud); these situations are contrary to the requirements of prayer.
➋ The narration is weak, therefore it is not sufficient for establishing the ruling. However, according to Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah and others, it is authentic; thus, in this case, sadl will be prohibited.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 643
Maulana Ataullah Sajid
Benefits and Issues:
➊ Our Shaykh has declared the mentioned narration to be weak in its chain of transmission.
However, Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah has graded it as hasan (good) due to other supporting evidences. Therefore, if it is considered hasan, then covering the face with a cloth or concealing the face with a garment during prayer will be prohibited.
The people of Arabia refer to this act as "sadl," as the word "sadl" is also mentioned in some narrations.
See: (Musnad Ahmad, 348, 345, 341, 295, and Sunan Abi Dawud, al-Salat, Hadith: 644, 643)
Source: Commentary on Sunan Ibn Mājah by Mawlānā ‘Atā’ullāh Sājid, Page: 966