Required Clothing for Women During Salah: Islamic Guidelines
✍ By: Imran Ayub Lahori
In Salah, a woman is required to cover her entire body except the face and hands. This concept is based on the principle of "Satr" (covering the ‘awrah) and is supported by Qur’anic verses, Hadith, and statements of the Companions.
➊ Allah Ta‘ala says:
﴿خُذُوا زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ﴾
[Al-A‘rāf: 31]
"Take your adornment (i.e., appropriate clothing) at every place of worship."
This verse applies equally to women, indicating that they must wear proper attire during Salah.
➋ Narrated by ʿĀ’ishah (رضي الله عنها):
“Allah does not accept the prayer of a menstruating (i.e., adult) woman without a khimār (head covering).”
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd 596; Kitāb al-Ṣalāh: Bāb al-Mar’ah Tuṣallī bi-ghayr Khimār; Abū Dāwūd 641; Tirmidhī 377; Ibn Mājah 655; Ḥākim 1/251]
A khimār (headscarf) is mandatory for the validity of a woman’s prayer.
Some narrations mention the ideal number of garments for a woman:
These narrations indicate what is preferable (mustaḥabb), not obligatory.
[Tamām al-Minnah, p. 162]
If the body is properly covered, even one garment is sufficient for Salah.
This is based on a Ṣaḥīḥ narration from Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) that establishes the permissibility of praying in a single garment.
[Aḥmad 2/230; Bukhārī 365; Kitāb al-Ṣalāh: Bāb al-Ṣalāh fī al-Qamīṣ wa al-Sarāwīl wa al-Tibbān wa al-Qabā’; Muslim 515; Abū Dāwūd 625; Nasā’ī 2/69; Ibn Mājah 1047; Ibn Khuzaymah 758]
➊ Narrated by Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
“The Prophet ﷺ prohibited wrapping oneself tightly in a single cloth (ishtimāl al-ṣammā’).”
[Bukhārī 368; Kitāb al-Ṣalāh: Bāb Mā Yastur min al-‘Awrah; Muslim 516]
➋ Another narration adds:
“The Prophet ﷺ forbade praying while tightly wrapped in a cloth unless one places its two ends over the shoulders.”
[Aḥmad 2/319]
➌ Narrated by Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī (رضي الله عنه):
“Ṣammā’ is when a person places a cloth over one shoulder such that one side of the body becomes exposed.”
[Bukhārī 5820; Kitāb al-Libās: Bāb Ishtimāl al-Ṣammā’; Aḥmad 613; Abū Dāwūd 2417; Tirmidhī 1758; Nasā’ī 8/210; Ibn Mājah 3559]
Definition of Ṣammā’:
➊ Narrated by Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
“The Prophet ﷺ forbade sadl during prayer.”
[Ḥasan: Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd 597; Kitāb al-Ṣalāh: Bāb Mā Jā’a fī al-Sadl fī al-Ṣalāh; Abū Dāwūd 643; Ibn Khuzaymah 772; Aḥmad 2/195; Dārimī 1/320; Tirmidhī 378; Ibn Mājah 966]
➊ Narrated by Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
“Allah will not look at the one who drags his garment out of pride.”
[Bukhārī 5788; Kitāb al-Libās: Bāb Man Jarra Thawbuhu Khibālan; Muslim 2087; Nasā’ī 5/491; Aḥmad 2/386; Muwaṭṭā 2/914]
➋ Another narration:
“Whatever is below the ankles of the izār will be in the Fire.”
[Bukhārī 5787; Kitāb al-Libās: Bāb Mā Asfala min al-Kaʿbayn fahuwa fī al-Nār; Nasā’ī 8/207; Aḥmad 2/410; Sharḥ al-Sunnah 6/152]
➌ Narrated by Abū Dharr (رضي الله عنه):
“Three people will not be spoken to by Allah, nor will He look at them, nor will He purify them, and they will face painful punishment.”
Among them is the one who lets his lower garment hang below the ankles.
[Muslim 106; Kitāb al-Īmān: Bāb Bayān Ghilāẓ Taḥrīm Isbāl al-Izār; Abū Dāwūd 4087; Tirmidhī 1211; Nasā’ī 5/81; Aḥmad 5/148]
✍ By: Imran Ayub Lahori
Extent of Clothing Required for a Woman in Salah
In Salah, a woman is required to cover her entire body except the face and hands. This concept is based on the principle of "Satr" (covering the ‘awrah) and is supported by Qur’anic verses, Hadith, and statements of the Companions.
❖ Quranic Evidence
➊ Allah Ta‘ala says:
﴿خُذُوا زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ﴾
[Al-A‘rāf: 31]
"Take your adornment (i.e., appropriate clothing) at every place of worship."
This verse applies equally to women, indicating that they must wear proper attire during Salah.❖ Hadith Evidence
➋ Narrated by ʿĀ’ishah (رضي الله عنها):
“Allah does not accept the prayer of a menstruating (i.e., adult) woman without a khimār (head covering).”
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd 596; Kitāb al-Ṣalāh: Bāb al-Mar’ah Tuṣallī bi-ghayr Khimār; Abū Dāwūd 641; Tirmidhī 377; Ibn Mājah 655; Ḥākim 1/251]
A khimār (headscarf) is mandatory for the validity of a woman’s prayer.◈ Reports on Number of Garments
Some narrations mention the ideal number of garments for a woman:
- Statement of ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه):
“A woman should pray in three garments: a shirt, a khimār, and an izār (lower garment).”
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Tamām al-Minnah, p. 162] - Reported from Maymūnah (رضي الله عنها):
“She used to pray wearing a shirt and a khimār without an izār.”
[Muwaṭṭā 1/160; Bayhaqī 2/233]
These narrations indicate what is preferable (mustaḥabb), not obligatory.[Tamām al-Minnah, p. 162]
◈ Is One Garment Sufficient?
If the body is properly covered, even one garment is sufficient for Salah.
This is based on a Ṣaḥīḥ narration from Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) that establishes the permissibility of praying in a single garment.[Aḥmad 2/230; Bukhārī 365; Kitāb al-Ṣalāh: Bāb al-Ṣalāh fī al-Qamīṣ wa al-Sarāwīl wa al-Tibbān wa al-Qabā’; Muslim 515; Abū Dāwūd 625; Nasā’ī 2/69; Ibn Mājah 1047; Ibn Khuzaymah 758]
⚠ Prohibition Against Tight Wrapping or Draping During Salah
➊ Narrated by Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
“The Prophet ﷺ prohibited wrapping oneself tightly in a single cloth (ishtimāl al-ṣammā’).”
[Bukhārī 368; Kitāb al-Ṣalāh: Bāb Mā Yastur min al-‘Awrah; Muslim 516]
➋ Another narration adds:
“The Prophet ﷺ forbade praying while tightly wrapped in a cloth unless one places its two ends over the shoulders.”
[Aḥmad 2/319]
➌ Narrated by Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī (رضي الله عنه):
“Ṣammā’ is when a person places a cloth over one shoulder such that one side of the body becomes exposed.”
[Bukhārī 5820; Kitāb al-Libās: Bāb Ishtimāl al-Ṣammā’; Aḥmad 613; Abū Dāwūd 2417; Tirmidhī 1758; Nasā’ī 8/210; Ibn Mājah 3559]
Definition of Ṣammā’:- (Fuqahāʾ) As per Abū Saʿīd's narration: exposing one side of the body by not covering properly.
[Nayl al-Awṭār 1/550] - (Linguists) Wrapping in such a way that hands cannot move or escape, and no fold is lifted.
[Ibid.] - Ibn al-Athīr (رحمه الله): Wrapping without lifting any part of the cloth.
[Al-Nihāyah 2/501]
⚠ Prohibition Against Sadl (Letting Garments Hang Freely in Salah)
➊ Narrated by Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
“The Prophet ﷺ forbade sadl during prayer.”
[Ḥasan: Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd 597; Kitāb al-Ṣalāh: Bāb Mā Jā’a fī al-Sadl fī al-Ṣalāh; Abū Dāwūd 643; Ibn Khuzaymah 772; Aḥmad 2/195; Dārimī 1/320; Tirmidhī 378; Ibn Mājah 966]
- Abū ʿUbayd (رحمه الله):
Sadl is letting the garment hang without bringing its ends together.
[Nayl al-Awṭār 1/552] - Ibn al-Athīr (رحمه الله):
Sadl includes wrapping oneself in a blanket and inserting hands inside, or letting the garment drag without arranging it properly.
[Al-Nihāyah 2/355] - Imām al-Shāfiʿī and al-Khaṭṭābī (رحمهما الله):
Sadl refers to letting the garment hang all the way to the ground.
[Al-Majmūʿ 3/177; Maʿālim al-Sunan 1/178]
⚠ No Dragging of Lower Garment or Tying Hair During Salah
➊ Narrated by Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
“Allah will not look at the one who drags his garment out of pride.”
[Bukhārī 5788; Kitāb al-Libās: Bāb Man Jarra Thawbuhu Khibālan; Muslim 2087; Nasā’ī 5/491; Aḥmad 2/386; Muwaṭṭā 2/914]
➋ Another narration:
“Whatever is below the ankles of the izār will be in the Fire.”
[Bukhārī 5787; Kitāb al-Libās: Bāb Mā Asfala min al-Kaʿbayn fahuwa fī al-Nār; Nasā’ī 8/207; Aḥmad 2/410; Sharḥ al-Sunnah 6/152]
➌ Narrated by Abū Dharr (رضي الله عنه):
“Three people will not be spoken to by Allah, nor will He look at them, nor will He purify them, and they will face painful punishment.”
Among them is the one who lets his lower garment hang below the ankles.
[Muslim 106; Kitāb al-Īmān: Bāb Bayān Ghilāẓ Taḥrīm Isbāl al-Izār; Abū Dāwūd 4087; Tirmidhī 1211; Nasā’ī 5/81; Aḥmad 5/148]
Conclusion
- A woman's Salah attire must cover the entire body except the face and hands.
- One garment is sufficient if it covers the required body parts, though three garments (shirt, khimār, and lower garment) are preferable.
- Tight wrapping (ṣammā’) and letting garments drag (sadl) during Salah are prohibited.
- Dragging garments below the ankles, or tying up hair or garments during Salah, is also forbidden and carries severe warnings.
