How much clothing should a woman wear in prayer
Apart from the face and hands, the whole body should be covered (the awrah).
➊ Verse: خُذُوا زِينَتَكُمْ عِنْدَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ
“Take your adornment (i.e., clothing) at every place of worship.” The general sense of this includes women as well.
➋ It is narrated from Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
لا يقبل الله صلاة حائض إلا بخمار
“Allah does not accept the prayer of a woman who has reached puberty without a headscarf.”
Regarding narrations and reports that specify three or two garments for a woman in prayer, such as Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) who said:
تصلـى المـرأة فى ثلاثة أثواب : ذرع وخمار وإزار
“A woman should pray in three garments: a shirt, a headscarf and trousers.”
And it is narrated about Hazrat Maymunah (may Allah be pleased with her) that:
أنها كانت تصلي فى الدرع والخمار ليس عليها إزارك
“She would pray wearing a shirt and a headscarf, while she did not have a wrapper tied on.”
All such narrations are to be understood as referring to recommendation and preference.
Because (if the awrah is covered) prayer is valid even in a single garment.
As the authentic hadith narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) is evidence for this.
Do not wrap the sheet tightly (do not do bukl) and do not do sadl
It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that:
نهى النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يشتمل الصماء
“The Prophet ﷺ forbade anyone from wrapping a sheet tightly.”
In one narration it is:
نبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ان يشتمل فى إزاره إذا ما صلى إلا أن يخالف بطرفيه على عاتقيه
“The Prophet ﷺ forbade that when someone prays, he wraps himself tightly in his sheet اِلا that (in such a case it is permissible that) he places both edges of the sheet on his shoulders from opposite directions.”
In the hadith narrated from Hazrat Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) it is stated that:
والصماء : أن يجعل ثوبه أحد عاتقيه فيبدو أحد شقيه ليس عليه ثوب
“The sammaa is that a person throws his garment (i.e., a single sheet) over one shoulder in such a way that (the private parts) are exposed from one side and there is no other garment there.”
(Jurists) The definition of sammaa is the one found in the hadith of Hazrat Abu Sa’id (may Allah be pleased with him).
(Lexicographers) A person wraps one garment around his body in such a way that he neither raises it from any side nor leaves enough space through which his hand can come out.
(Ibn al-Athir) The form that has been forbidden is wrapping a single garment and taking it without lifting its edge.
It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that:
ان النبى و نهي عن السدل فى الصلاة
“The Prophet ﷺ forbade sadl in prayer.”
(Abu Ubaydah) Sadl is that a person lets both edges of his garment hang without bringing them together in front of himself, and if he brings them together, it is not sadl.
(Ibn al-Athir) Sadl is that a person makes his clothes into a blanket and inserts his hands from the inside; when he bows and prostrates, the garment remains in that state. It has also been said that sadl is that a person places the middle part of the izar on his head and leaves both its edges to hang to the right and left without placing them on his shoulders.
(Shafi’i, Khattabi) Sadl is letting the garment hang so far that it reaches the ground.
Do not let the lower garment hang below the ankles, and do not gather up your hair or clothes
➊ It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
لا ينظر الله إلى من جر إزاره بطرا
“Allah will not look with mercy at a person who lets his garment hang out of arrogance.”
➋ In another narration from Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
ما أسفل من الكعبين من الازار فى النار
“The part of the lower garment that is below the ankles will be in the Fire.”
➌ In the narration from Hazrat Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) it is stated that: “Allah will not speak to three people on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He look at them with mercy, nor will He purify them, but He will subject them to a painful punishment.” Among them is mentioned a person who lets his trousers hang below his ankles.
