Awrah

‘Awrah in Arabic means : a weak point along a border and the like.

In Misbaah al-Muneer it says:

Everything that a person covers out of dignity or modesty is ‘awrah.

According to the fuqaha’,

Everything that it is haraam for a man or woman to uncover is ‘awrah.

Covering the ‘awrah, in the terminology of the fuqaha’, means :

Covering that of which exposure is shameful and causes shame, whether the individual is male or female or hermaphrodite.

al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 24/173

The ‘awrah of a man is the area between the navel and the knees, according to the majority of scholars.

al-Mughni, 3/7; al-Istidhkaar, 2/197; Fataawa Islamiyyah, 1/427

With regard to women, the hair and the entire body are ‘awrah and she has to cover them, apart from the face and hands. If she does that, then her prayer is proper, according to scholarly consensus.

al-Iqnaa‘ fi Masaa’il al-Ijmaa‘, by Ibn Qattaan, 1/121-123; 
al-Sharh al-Mumti‘, 2/160 ff.

What the worshipper has to do is to prepare for his prayer before he starts to pray. So he should put on clothes that he is certain will cover his ‘awrah and leave clothes that he is afraid will let something of his ‘awrah show whilst he is praying, such as short T-shirts and other kinds of clothing which may rise up and show the lower back, lest some part of his ‘awrah be uncovered when he bows or prostrates.

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Last updated 2 years ago

hashtagEverything that a person covers out of dignity or modesty is ‘awrah.

hashtagCovering that of which exposure is shameful and causes shame, whether the individual is male or female or hermaphrodite.

hashtagThe ‘awrah of a man is the area between the navel and the knees, according to the majority of scholars.

hashtagWith regard to women, the hair and the entire body are ‘awrah and she has to cover them, apart from the face and hands. If she does that, then her prayer is proper, according to scholarly consensus.

Everything that a person covers out of dignity or modesty is ‘awrah.

Covering that of which exposure is shameful and causes shame, whether the individual is male or female or hermaphrodite.

The ‘awrah of a man is the area between the navel and the knees, according to the majority of scholars.

With regard to women, the hair and the entire body are ‘awrah and she has to cover them, apart from the face and hands. If she does that, then her prayer is proper, according to scholarly consensus.