Rules of wearing colorful scarf

January 29, 2018 by Admin Posted in All Q&A, Hijab, Islamic Laws Tagged Colorful, Hijab, Scarf, Women

Question 287: Brother I have a question regarding this if a woman wears colorful scarf with proper manner and she feels that she is become more attractive by just color of scarf … is it haram?

Answer 287: There is no problem in it by itself provided that it does not attract others’ attention or entail evils.[1] But, one should show restraint in choosing colors and designs which stand out or attract attention.

Regarding the color of clothing, although the Holy Quran and authentic hadiths have not constrained the color of hijab, considering the philosophy of hijab, that clothing should not attract attention and the fact that come colors cause attraction in a way that it defeats the purpose of hijab, a vast amount of scholars have prohibited wearing such clothing. To look at the whole issue from a general perspective, it can be said that the fatwa of these maraji is based on the fact that when wearing ‘different’ clothing, one should keep in mind the norms of society.

For further information in this regards, please refer to the following answers:

Index: Hijab of Sayeda Fatima al-Zahra (sa), answer 492.

Index: Men and Women: Covering body in prayers, answer 594.

Index: Philosophy of Hijab during prayer, answer 020.

Index: The best place for a woman to pray is at home or mosque, answer 015.

[1] . Tawzih al-Masael of maraja (with annotation of Imam Khomeini), Vol. 1, Pg. 466.

Men and Women: Covering body in prayers

August 17, 2017 by Admin Posted in All Q&A, Covering the body in prayers, Islamic Laws Tagged Awrah, Body, Hijab, Men, Namaz, Prayer, Private Parts, Sitr, Women

Question 594: Salam. I wonder what obligatory parts men and women need to cover when performing Salat?

Brief answer 594: While offering prayers, a man should cover his private parts even if no one is looking at him, and preference is that he should also cover his body from the navel up to the knee.

A woman should cover her entire body while offering prayers, including her head and hair. As a recommended precaution, she should also cover the soles of her feet. It is not necessary for her to cover that part of her face which is washed while performing Wudhu, or the hands up to the wrists, or the upper feet up to the ankles. Nevertheless, in order to ensure that she has covered the obligatory parts of her body adequately, she should also cover a part of the sides of her face as well as lower part of her wrists and the ankles.[1]

Detailed answer 594: In case of ability, it is obligatory to cover the private parts in prayer and its appurtenances like the Rak’at offered by way of caution, and according to the stronger opinion, the compensatory prayer for the forgotten portions, and according to the more cautious opinion, the two prostrations due to inattention, as also in the supererogatory prayers excluding the prayer of the dead, though, according to the more cautious opinion, also including it, while caution must not be given up during the performance of the circumambulation.

If the private part of a person becomes visible due to wind or negligence, or it was visible from the beginning of the prayer without the knowledge of the person offering praying, the prayer shall be valid. However, the person should cover it immediately, if he comes to realize about it during the prayer. It is more cautious to finish it, and start it anew.

The same rule applies in case he forgets in both cases.

The private parts of a man which are required to be covered and are forbidden to look at during prayer are the anus, the penis and both the testicles. It is more cautious to cover the indistinct figure of the private parts visible from behind the clothes without distinction of the color.

As regards the parts of a woman which are required to be covered during prayer, they include her entire body including even her head and hair excluding the part of her face which is required to be washed for ablution and both her hands upto the forearms and both feet upto the ankles. It is obligatory to cover a little of the parts mentioned as excluded from being covered.

It is obligatory on a woman to cover her neck and the lower part of her chin including even that much of it as can be seen after wrapping the scarf (khimãr).

A slave girl and small girl are treated at par with a free and adult woman, except that it is not obligatory on them to cover their head, hair or neck.

It is not obligatory to cover the private parts from below. Of course, if one is standing at the corner of the roof or net where a person may possibly pass and have a look at the private parts in case he looks up, then, according to the more cautious, rather stronger opinion, one should cover the private parts from below too, even if presently there is no person looking there.

In case, however, there is a net under which no person is expected to look from under as a.net on a well, then, according to the stronger opinion, it is not obligatory (cover the private parts from below), except when there is a person looking in the net.

The hiding from sight may be obtained through any means which may hide a thing from sight, including even a hand, coating with mud or dipping in water. Even both the hips are sufficient to cover the anus.

The hiding of the (private parts) in prayer is not sufficient by means of the things mentioned above, even in case of an emergency.

As regards covering (the private parts) by means of leaves, grass, cotton, and unwoven wool, according to the stronger opinion, it is permissible generally, though caution must not be given up in case of the first two.

According to the stronger opinion, if a person finds nothing to (cover his private parts), even grass or leaves, it is permissible for him to offer prayer, though it is more cautious for a person who finds something to coat with to add to his own condition the condition of one who could find something (to cover his private parts). [2]

When a person offers the forgotten Sajdah or tashahhud, he should cover himself in the same manner as in prayers, and the recommended precaution is that he should also cover himself at the time of offering Sajda-e-Sahv.

If while offering prayers, a person does not cover his private parts intentionally, or on account of not having cared to know the rule, his prayers is void.

If a person realizes while offering prayers, that his private parts are visible, he must immediately cover them, and it is not necessary for him to repeat the prayers. As a measure of precaution, he should not continue performing any part of the prayers, as long as the private parts are visible. If he learns after the completion of prayers that his private parts were visible, his prayers would be deemed valid.

If the dress of a person covers his private parts while he stands, but it may not cover them in another posture like in Ruku or Sajdah, his namaz will be valid if he manages to conceal them by some other means. However, the recommended precaution is that he should not pray in such dress.[3]

For further information in this regards, please read the following answers:

Index: Philosophy of Hijab during prayer, answer 020.

Index: The best place for a woman to pray is at home or mosque, answer 015.

[1] . The official website of the office of Sayyid Sistani (ha), Rules of Namaz » Covering the body in prayers, Q: 796-797.

[2] . Tahrir al-Wasilah of Imam Khomeini (ra), Vol. 1, Third Preliminary of Prayer: Permissible Garment of the Person Offering Prayer; Tawzih al-Masael of Maraja’ (annotated by Imam Khomeini), Vol. 1, Pgs. 441-445.

[3] . The official website of the office of Sayyid Sistani (ha), Rules of Namaz » Covering the body in prayers, Q: 798-801.

Philosophy of Hijab during prayer

March 7, 2017 by Admin Posted in All Q&A, Rules of Prayer Tagged Dir’, Hijab, Izar, Khimar, Malhafas, Non-Mahram, Prayer, Setr, Women

Question 020: Why must a women be covered when she prays to Allah (swt) in her own home and please provide Hadith. Is it merely to show respect? Is it to induce feelings of modesty and piety psychologically? It must be for our benefit as Allah (swt) is our creator and sees all whether we are we are covered or not. What is the philosophy of Hijab during prayer?
Answer 020: Setr (covering) is one of the Islamic Jurisprudence rules. In Islam, covering is not specialized for the women only and men have such special Islamic rules. Covering during praying is one of the rules in this matter. Perhaps the purpose of covering ourselves when praying is that the dignity and personality of a man requires him\her to show his\her respect for Allah (SWT) even there is no one in the room where praying can see him\her. Probably, we can conclude that the benefit of covering is at first observing this dignity and personality. The following are some reasons regarding why women must cover themselves when praying:

According to all Muslims, in Islam every Islamic sects are unanimously agreed that a woman must have a particular covering.[1]
Narrations: there has been narrated some traditions in which stated that a woman must have special covering during prayer as follows, so we can conclude that this is the one that scholars have been issuing such fatwa in this regards: [2]
Imam Muhammad Baqir (as) has said: “A woman must offer her prayer on Khimar (scarf) and Dir’ in Arabic :

درعcloth like a shirt, called Dir’ (درع) which would cover from about the middle of their chest down to their knees or lower than the knees.) in case the dress is not thin”.[3] In Fiqhi term Khimar means something that a woman can cover her head and hair by. In the Holy Quran Allah (SWT) says: “And tell the faithful women to cast down their looks and to guard their private parts, and not to display their charms, except for what is outward, and let them draw their scarfs over their bosoms, and not display their charms except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers, or their brothers” sons, or their sisters” sons, or their women, or their slave girls, or male dependents lacking] sexual [desire, or children uninitiated to woman’s parts. And let them not thump their feet to make known their hidden ornaments. Rally to Allah in repentance, O faithful, so that you may be felicitous”.[4]

Ibn Abi Yafour has narrated from Imam Sadiq (as) as He said: “A woman must offer her prayer while she wore three kinds of clothes: Izar (the traditional long wide dress that envelope the body from head to toe, Dir’ and Khimar (scarf). There is no problem to cover her head and neck by Khimar. If she hasn’t these three clothes she must offer her prayer with two clothes. i.e. use one of the both as Izar (like skirt) and cover her lower part of body and the other as scarf (by which cover her head and the upper part of her body). I asked the Imam that what should the woman do if she has nothing but Dir’ and Malhafa (chador or bed sheet) and doesn’t have scarf? Imam has replied: No problem. She is supposed to use Chador in order to cover her body from head to toe.”[5]
Zorara bin A’ayon has asked Imam Baqir (as): What is the minimum dress a woman can offer her prayer by? The Imam (as) has replied: “Dir’ and Malhafa (like Chador) in a way that covers all parts of her body.”[6]

Note: According to maraja, a woman is allowed to keep her face and hands uncovered in the presence of a non-Mahram man, provided that she does not fear of getting into a harãm act, that the exposure of her face and hand does not cause men to gaze at her in a forbidden way, and that it does not give rise to immorality in general. Otherwise, it is obligatory on her to conceal [her face and hands], even from those who are mahram to her. It is not permissible for a woman to expose the top part of her feet to a non-mahram onlooker. However, she is allowed to keep her feet —top as well as sole— exposed during salãt, if she is in a place where she is immune from the looks of a non-mahram person.[7]

[1] . Borojerdi, Hussain, Taqrir Bahth al-Sayyid al-Borojerdi, by: Ishtihardi, Sheikh Ali Panah, Vol. 1, Pg. 67, Office of Islamic Publication, Qom, 1416 A.H.

[2] . Refer to: Taqrir Bahth al-Sayyid al-Borojerdi, Vol. 1, Pg. 67.

[3] . Mahmood Abdul Rahman, Mojam al-Mustalihat wa al-Alfadh al-Fiqhiyah, Vol. 2, Pg. 79, Darel Fadilat, Cairo, 1407 A.H.

[4] . Surah al-Noor, verse 31.

[5] . Al-Kafi, Pg. 395 – 396. The Arabic version of this Hadith is follows: «مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع تُصَلِّي الْمَرْأَةُ فِي ثَلَاثَةِ أَثْوَابٍ إِزَارٍ وَ دِرْعٍ وَ خِمَارٍ وَ لَا يَضُرُّهَا بِأَنْ تُقَنِّعَ بِالْخِمَارِ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ فَثَوْبَيْنِ تَتَّزِر بِأَحَدِهِمَا وَ تُقَنِّعُ بِالْآخَرِ قُلْتُ فَإِنْ كَانَ دِرْعٌ وَ مِلْحَفَةٌ لَيْسَ عَلَيْهَا مِقْنَعَةٌ فَقَالَ لَا بَأْسَ إِذَا تَقَنَّعَتْ بِالْمِلْحَفَةِ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكْفِهَا فَلْتَلْبَسْهَا طُولًا»

[6] . Sheikh Tusi, Tahzib al-Ahkam, researcher: Moosavi Khurasan, Hussain, Vol. 2, Pg. 217, Darel Kutubel Islamiyah, Tehran, fourth edition, 1407.

[7] . The official website of the office of Sayyid Sistani (ha), Women’s issues » General Rules.

The private parts of a man which are required to be covered and are forbidden to look at during prayer are the anus, the penis and both the testicles. It is more cautious to cover the indistinct figure of the private parts visible from behind the clothes without distinction of the color.

Narrations: there has been narrated some traditions in which stated that a woman must have special covering during prayer as follows, so we can conclude that this is the one that scholars have been issuing such fatwa in this regards: [2]