The Covering of the Body in Salat

1. During Salat, boys and men must cover their private parts, and it is better that the area between the navel to the knees is covered.
2. Girls and women must cover their entire body, but it is not necessary to cover the hands and the feet up to the ankle, and the face in that amount that must be washed in Wudhu. However, to have certainty that the amount that is Wajib to cover, has been covered, one must cover a bit extra around the face, and a bit lower than the ankle.
3. The clothing of the person performing Salat must have the following conditions:

• It must be Tahir (not Najis).

• It must be Mubah (not Ghasbi).

• It must not be made from an animal’s corpse; for example, the skin of an animal that has not been slaughtered according to Islam, even so much so as a belt or hat.

• It must not be from an animal that is haram to eat; for example, it must not be from the skin of a leopard or fox.

• If the person who is praying is a man, his clothing must not be made of gold or pure silk.

1. Along with the clothing, the body of the person who intends to pray must also be Tahir.
2. If a person knows that his body or clothing is Najis, but at the time of Salat, he forgets (they are Najis) and in that clothing, he reads his, then his Salat will be void.
3. In the following instances, if someone reads his Salat while his body or clothing is Najis, the Salat will be correct:

• One does not know that his body or clothing is Najis, and after the Salat, he realizes it.

• Due to an injury on the body, the body or clothing has become Najis, and it is difficult to wash the clothing or change them.

• The body or clothing of the person intending to pray has become Najis by blood, but the amount that is Najis is less than the size of a dirham (almost the size as the upper joint of the thumb).3

• Someone is helpless and must pray with a Najis body or clothing; for example, one does not have enough water to clean the clothing or body. (According to the explanation in Rule 812 in the Tawdihul Masa’il).

1. If the small items of clothing of the person who intends to pray are Najis, for example a glove or socks, or if there is a Najis handkerchief in one’s pocket, then as long as they are not made from the corpse of an animal or a Haram meat animal, it is not a problem.
2. Wearing an ‘Aba, white clothing, as well as the cleanest clothes, and applying perfume on one’s self, and wearing an Aqiq ring on the hand during Salat are all Mustahab.
3. Wearing black clothing, tight or short clothing, and clothes that have pictures or images on it, and keeping the buttons open during the Salat are all Makruh.