Taken from: Fatawa Arkan al-Islam
Can a woman pray while wearing clothing that is open on the sides?
If a woman wears clothing that is open from the front, sides, or back—such that part of her shin or anything above it becomes exposed—and she justifies it by saying that she is only among women and no men are watching, what is the Shari‘ah ruling?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
It is obligatory for a woman to wear clothing that fully covers her entire body.
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) mentioned that during the time of the Prophet ﷺ, women wore garments that:
❀ Reached down to the ankles from the feet.
❀ Reached the wrists from the hands.
The type of clothing described in the question—open in the front, sides, or back, exposing the shin or above—results in the woman’s body becoming visible.
❀ Display full modesty (ḥayāʾ) and observe proper covering (ḥijāb).
❀ Wear clothing that completely covers the body without exposing any part.
This prevents her from falling under the warning given by the Prophet ﷺ:
"صِنْفَانِ مِنْ اَہْلِ النَّارِ لَمْ اَرَہُمَا... وَنِسَآئٌ كَاسِیَاتٌ عَارِیَاتٌ مَائِلَاتٌ مُمِیلاتٌ رُؤُسُہُنَّ كَاَسْنِمَۃِ الْبُخْتِ الْمَائِلَۃِ، لَا يَدْخُلْنَ الْجَنَّۃَ وَلَا يَجِدْنَ رِيحَہَا..."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Libās wa az-Zīnah, ḥadīth: 2128)
Translation:
*"Two categories of the people of Hell that I have not yet seen:
A woman must never wear clothing during Salah that is open in any way revealing parts of her body, even if she is only among other women.
Modesty and covering the body completely is part of Islamic etiquette and obedience to Allah.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
Question:
Can a woman pray while wearing clothing that is open on the sides?
Clarification of the Case:
If a woman wears clothing that is open from the front, sides, or back—such that part of her shin or anything above it becomes exposed—and she justifies it by saying that she is only among women and no men are watching, what is the Shari‘ah ruling?
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
It is obligatory for a woman to wear clothing that fully covers her entire body.
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) mentioned that during the time of the Prophet ﷺ, women wore garments that:
❀ Reached down to the ankles from the feet.
❀ Reached the wrists from the hands.
The type of clothing described in the question—open in the front, sides, or back, exposing the shin or above—results in the woman’s body becoming visible.
What is Obligatory for a Woman:
❀ Display full modesty (ḥayāʾ) and observe proper covering (ḥijāb).
❀ Wear clothing that completely covers the body without exposing any part.
This prevents her from falling under the warning given by the Prophet ﷺ:
Prophetic Warning:
"صِنْفَانِ مِنْ اَہْلِ النَّارِ لَمْ اَرَہُمَا... وَنِسَآئٌ كَاسِیَاتٌ عَارِیَاتٌ مَائِلَاتٌ مُمِیلاتٌ رُؤُسُہُنَّ كَاَسْنِمَۃِ الْبُخْتِ الْمَائِلَۃِ، لَا يَدْخُلْنَ الْجَنَّۃَ وَلَا يَجِدْنَ رِيحَہَا..."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Libās wa az-Zīnah, ḥadīth: 2128)
Translation:
*"Two categories of the people of Hell that I have not yet seen:
- People who will have whips like the tails of cows with which they will beat people.
- Women who are clothed yet naked, inclined to evil and making others incline towards it, with heads like the humps of leaning camels. They will not enter Paradise nor smell its fragrance, though its fragrance can be perceived from a great distance."*
Conclusion:
A woman must never wear clothing during Salah that is open in any way revealing parts of her body, even if she is only among other women.
Modesty and covering the body completely is part of Islamic etiquette and obedience to Allah.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
