Does Letting the Lower Garment Hang Below the Ankles Invalidate Wudu or Salah?
✍ By: Imran Ayub Lahori
A common question arises: Does lowering the garment (izār) below the ankles break wudu or invalidate salah?
A narration from Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) is cited in this regard:
“A man was praying while his lower garment was hanging below his ankles. The Prophet ﷺ told him: ‘Go and perform wudu.’
He went and returned after performing wudu. The Prophet ﷺ again told him to perform wudu. Upon inquiry, the Prophet ﷺ replied:
‘He was praying while his izār was hanging (below the ankles), and Allah does not accept the prayer of a man whose izār is musbil (below the ankles).’”
[Ḍaʿīf: Ḍaʿīf Abū Dāwūd 124; Kitāb al-Ṣalāh: Bāb al-Isbāl fī al-Ṣalāh; Abū Dāwūd 638; Bayhaqī 2/241; Aḥmad 5/379]
This narration is weak due to the presence of Abū Jaʿfar, who is narrated from by Yaḥyā ibn Abī Kathīr, but Abū Jaʿfar (the Anṣārī Muʾadhdhin from Madīnah) is considered majhūl (unknown) as confirmed by Imām Ibn al-Qaṭṭān and Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar.
Shaykh Albānī (رحمه الله) also notes that those who claimed the chain is authentic have made an error.
[Al-Mishkāt 761; 1/238; Nayl al-Awṭār 1/599; Mukhtaṣar Sunan Abī Dāwūd 1/324]
Conclusion: Since the narration is weak, it is not a valid proof, and no hadith scholar has included isbāl (letting garment hang below the ankles) among the nullifiers of wudu or salah.
Therefore, the wudu and salah of a person wearing a garment below the ankles remain valid.
However, due to the prohibition of isbāl, such a person deserves blame or punishment for committing a forbidden act.
Shaykh Ibn Bāz (رحمه الله) states:
“Among the two scholarly opinions, the more correct one is that the salah behind a person who practices isbāl or commits other acts of disobedience is valid.
However, the responsible authorities should avoid appointing such individuals as imams.”
[Majallat al-Daʿwah No. 913]
Narrated by Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنه):
“I have been commanded to prostrate on seven bones and not to fold (tuck up) hair or garments.”
[Muslim 490; Kitāb al-Ṣalāh: Bāb Aʿḍāʾ al-Sujūd wa al-Nahy ʿan Kaff al-Shaʿr wa al-Thawb wa ʿAqṣ al-Raʾs fī al-Ṣalāh; Nasā’ī 2/210; Ibn Mājah 1040; Ibn Khuzaymah 782]
Imām Ibn Khuzaymah (رحمه الله) even established a chapter under this narration:
“Chapter: Rebuke for Tucking Up Clothes During Prayer”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah 1/383]
Imām Nawawī (رحمه الله) states:
“There is no good in it.”
[As quoted in al-Mudawwanah al-Kubrā 1/96]
He further clarifies:
“Despite this prohibition, if someone prays in this manner, his salah is still valid, but he has done something blameworthy.”
[Sharḥ Muslim 4/209]
✍ By: Imran Ayub Lahori
The Issue at Hand
A common question arises: Does lowering the garment (izār) below the ankles break wudu or invalidate salah?
A narration from Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) is cited in this regard:
“A man was praying while his lower garment was hanging below his ankles. The Prophet ﷺ told him: ‘Go and perform wudu.’
He went and returned after performing wudu. The Prophet ﷺ again told him to perform wudu. Upon inquiry, the Prophet ﷺ replied:
‘He was praying while his izār was hanging (below the ankles), and Allah does not accept the prayer of a man whose izār is musbil (below the ankles).’”
[Ḍaʿīf: Ḍaʿīf Abū Dāwūd 124; Kitāb al-Ṣalāh: Bāb al-Isbāl fī al-Ṣalāh; Abū Dāwūd 638; Bayhaqī 2/241; Aḥmad 5/379]
This narration is weak due to the presence of Abū Jaʿfar, who is narrated from by Yaḥyā ibn Abī Kathīr, but Abū Jaʿfar (the Anṣārī Muʾadhdhin from Madīnah) is considered majhūl (unknown) as confirmed by Imām Ibn al-Qaṭṭān and Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar.Shaykh Albānī (رحمه الله) also notes that those who claimed the chain is authentic have made an error.
[Al-Mishkāt 761; 1/238; Nayl al-Awṭār 1/599; Mukhtaṣar Sunan Abī Dāwūd 1/324]
Conclusion: Since the narration is weak, it is not a valid proof, and no hadith scholar has included isbāl (letting garment hang below the ankles) among the nullifiers of wudu or salah.
Therefore, the wudu and salah of a person wearing a garment below the ankles remain valid.However, due to the prohibition of isbāl, such a person deserves blame or punishment for committing a forbidden act.
Is Salah Behind an Imam Who Practices Isbāl Valid?
Shaykh Ibn Bāz (رحمه الله) states:
“Among the two scholarly opinions, the more correct one is that the salah behind a person who practices isbāl or commits other acts of disobedience is valid.
However, the responsible authorities should avoid appointing such individuals as imams.”
[Majallat al-Daʿwah No. 913]
⚠ Warning Against Tucking Up Garments During Salah
Narrated by Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنه):
“I have been commanded to prostrate on seven bones and not to fold (tuck up) hair or garments.”
[Muslim 490; Kitāb al-Ṣalāh: Bāb Aʿḍāʾ al-Sujūd wa al-Nahy ʿan Kaff al-Shaʿr wa al-Thawb wa ʿAqṣ al-Raʾs fī al-Ṣalāh; Nasā’ī 2/210; Ibn Mājah 1040; Ibn Khuzaymah 782]
Imām Ibn Khuzaymah (رحمه الله) even established a chapter under this narration:
“Chapter: Rebuke for Tucking Up Clothes During Prayer”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah 1/383]
Imām Nawawī (رحمه الله) states:
“There is no good in it.”
[As quoted in al-Mudawwanah al-Kubrā 1/96]
He further clarifies:
“Despite this prohibition, if someone prays in this manner, his salah is still valid, but he has done something blameworthy.”
[Sharḥ Muslim 4/209]
Summary
- Wearing a garment below the ankles (isbāl) does not invalidate wudu or salah.
- However, it is a forbidden act, and one may be held accountable for it.
- Praying behind an imam who practices isbāl is permissible, though not ideal.
- Tucking up clothing during prayer is discouraged, and one should avoid such behavior even though the salah remains valid.
