Important Fataawaa related to the Salaah - Sh `Abdul-`Azeez bin Baaz

[Yusuf.McNulty.al.Irlandee]

Question:

Some men pray the obligatory salaah without anything covering their shoulders, particularly during the days of Hajj whilst in Ihraam. What is the ruling concerning this?


Sh `Abdul-`Azeez ibn Baaz:

If one is unable (to cover their shoulders) then there is no sin upon them due to the statement of Allaah, the Perfect and Most High, (the meaning of ): <<So fear Allaah as much as you are able>>[1] and also due to the statement of the Prophet - sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam - to Jaabir ibn `Abdillaah - radiyallaahu `anhu - “If a garment is wide enough then cover yourself with it, and if it is tight (not big enough) then wrap it around your waist.”[2] Hadeeth agreed upon by Bukhaaree and Muslim.

As for when someone has the ability to cover his shoulders, or at least one of them, then it is obligatory to cover them, or at least one of them, in the more correct of the two opinions held by the scholars. So if he didn’t cover his shoulders then his prayer would be invalid, due to the statement of the Prophet - sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam, “Do not pray in one, singular garment that does not cover your shoulders.”[3] Hadeeth agreed upon by Bukhaaree and Muslim.

And Allaah is the granter of success.


- Translated by Yusuf McNulty
- Fataawaa Muhim-mah Ta-ta`al-laqu bis-Salaah
- Question no.2, page no.5


[1] Sooratut-Taghaabun, verse 16

[2] Reported by Bukhaaree in Kitaabus-Salaah no.361, and Muslim in Kitaabuz-Zuhd war-Raqaa’iq no.7437

*Translators note:

This hadeeth is one of the evidences used by the Hanafee, Shaafi’ee and Maalikee madh-habs (and it is also an opinion ascribed to Imaam Ahmad) to prove the permissibility of praying with the shoulders uncovered, so long as the area between the navel and knee is covered. They hold it better/recommended to cover the shoulders but not obligatory.

This view was favoured and supported by Imaam an-Nawawee - rahimahullaah - in his explanation of Saheeh Muslim (4/231) wherein he said, “Maalik, Aboo Haneefah and ash-Shaafi`ee, along with the majority of scholars - rahimahumullaah - said that this prohibition to pray in one garment is a prohibition of tanzeeh (to free the salaah of all acts that will decrease it’s reward), not a prohibition of tahreem (forbiddance). So if someone were to pray in a singular garment, covering his `awrah (area between between the navel and knee), without any of that garment covering his shoulders, his salaah would be correct along with this act of his being disliked, regardless of whether he was able to cover his shoulders or not. Whilst Imaam Ahmad and a group from the Salaf - rahimahumullaah - said that the salaah would not be correct if one were able to cover his shoulders but didn't, due to the apparent meaning of the hadeeth, “Do not pray in one, singular garment…”, however it has also been ascribed to Imaam Ahmad that he held the prayer would be correct in such a case, although one would be sinful to leave covering the shoulders. The proof used by the majority of the scholars being the hadeeth, “If a garment is wide enough then cover yourself with it, and if it is tight (not big enough) then wrap it around your waist.”… [End of Imaam an-Nawawee’s speech]

Sh Ibn Baaz himself was asked regarding the pilgrims who pray with their shoulders (or shoulder) uncovered, sometimes only praying in an Izaar (waist wrap) without a Ridaa (top piece), he replied, “They should be taught (the Sunnah) with wisdom, for many of the pilgrims are Shaafi`ee or Maalikee in madh-hab and are therefore upon the opinion of the majority (i.e. permissibility of such act).”

Refer to al-Hulalul-Ibreeziyyah minat-Ta`leeqaatil-Baaziyyah `alaa Saheehil-Bukhaaree, volume 1, page 114. [End of translators note]

[3] Reported by Bukhaaree in Kitaabus-Salaah no.359, and Muslim in Kitaabus-Salaah no.1151

* Translators note:

Sh Ibn Baaz commentated upon this hadeeth in Saheehul-Bukhaaree, “It has already preceded, more than once, that it is better and more correct to pray in two garments (rather than one).”

Refer to al-Hulalul-Ibreeziyyah, volume 1, page 144. [End of translators note]