Rulings of Prayer

Dress code: Part Eight

In the previous episodes, we covered five rulings regarding dress code while performing prayers. Now let’s have a look at the last ruling. One must not perform prayers in clothing which might entail some corruption or is degrading or else their prayer will not be valid. For example, if a person wears torn clothes or clothes that will make them stand out in the crowd, they have committed an unlawful act AND their pray is void.

Moreover, the person praying should not wear shuhra clothes. In other words, wearing clothes as a means of show off or hypocrisy will invalidate the prayer.

Notice: some clothes are recommended to wear while performing prayers because wearing them will lead to gaining more thawab or  otherworldly reward. These clothes are as follows:

1.            white clothes

2.            clean clothes

3.            aba (cloak)

4.            wearing a turban [ʻAmmāmah] and passing one of its folds under the chin;

also, it is recommended to wear perfume and rings while praying.

On the other hand, wearing some clothes while performing prayers is considered to be Makrūh [abominable] because they will decrease the reward of praying. These clothes are as follows:

1.            dirty clothes

2.            tight clothes

3.            wearing the clothes of someone who does not avoid ritual impurities (nijāsah)

4.            leaving the clothes unbuttoned

5.            wearing something with the a portrait or picture of a face

6.            wearing a ring with a picture of the face of a human or animal on it

7.            wearing black clothes unless it is for certain ceremonies; other exceptions to this rule are the black chador (full covering for women), the aba (cloak) and black Turban (ʻAmmāmah) for men who are sayyid (descendants of Prophet Muhammad (ṣ))