AURAT LIMIT ACCORDING TO MAZHAB SYAFIE

The women’s aurat (except slaves) and also hermaphrodites (who are unsure of their gender or having both male and female reproductive organs) is their whole body except the face and both palms, be it back or front of their hands that covers from the tip of their fingers to their wrist. This is based on what Allah SWT says:

وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا

Meaning: “..and they do not show their ornaments except what appears thereof ”. (Surah An-Nur: 24)

Ibn Abbas r.a. and ‘Aisha r.a. implies ‘what appears thereof’ is both face and palms because Prophet Muhammad SAW forbade Ihram women (whether for Hajj or Umrah) from wearing gloves and masks. If the face is considered aurat, it will not be forbidden to cover it during Ihram.

 

Wajib : For woman who wants to pray(solat), the required clothing is those that covers her aurat, which is her whole body except her face and palms.

Sunat : It is sunat for a woman in solat to wear three clothing, a hood to cover the head until the neck, another to cover the body and both feet and outer clothing to cover the inner clothing. It is also sunat for the woman to use thick clothing, to conceal the shape of her body and also encouraged to wear white because it is Prophet Muhammad SAW favourite colour. Rasulullah SAW said:

عَنْ سَمُرَةَ بْنِ جُنْدَبٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ (ص) ((اِلْبَسُوا ثِيَابَ الْبَيَاضِ, فَإِنَّهَا أَطْهَرُ وَأَطْيَبُ ، وَكَفِّنُوا فِيْهَا مَوْتَاكُمْ)).

Meaning: “ wear a white dress because it’s purer and better. And shroud the death with it

Harus : It is harus for a woman to perform the solat with clothing that she wore outside the house such as casual clothing as long as the aurat is covered.

Makruh : It is makruh for women to pray(solat) wearing tight clothing that shows of the shape of their bodies. If the garment can hide the colour of the skin but not the shape and size of the body, the solat is valid (sah) while wearing it because it is inevitable despite wearing warm clothing. According to the ulama’ of the Mazhab Syafie, it is makruh to wear this type of clothing.

Haram : It is haram for a woman to perform the solat wearing clothing that has come into contact with najis. The solat will be invalid (tidak sah) while wearing clothing that has come into contact with najis because one of the condition of valid solat requirements is clean from najis on your body, clothing and prayer area.(8) Besides that, according to ulama of Mazhab Syafie, a solat is valid(sah) wearing haram clothing-clothing that is bought with haram income or part of it. However the use of the clothing is haram.

 

Generally, women are used to wearing a white veil when praying either at home or in the mosque. The hukum of wearing a white veil is harus as long as the colour of the skin can be conceal. White is a symbol of purity and simplicity and at the same time it is the favourite colour of the Prophet Muhammad SAW.

Nowadays, we are exposed to a variety of the latest styles, shapes, patterns, and colours in daily clothing, which also includes clothing for solat. Lycra veil was introduced to the public long ago. As we all know, the characteristics of Lycra fabric is a fabric that is casual, springy (elastic), heat resistant, soft, smooth, has a high resistance to bending. Its use is harus as long as the goal is to perform their religious duties faithfully and to cover the aurat, and not with the intention to show off. However, it turns out that high quality Lycra fabric and thick is able to cover the women’s aurat during solat and does not stick to the body. However, the wearing of a thin and tight Lycra veil should be avoided.

It is harus for a woman to wear coloured veil. They must choose the appropriate colour to wear to the mosque such as simple or soft bright colours. Its aims is to avoid the attention of non-mahram men and distract the women’s jemaah during solat. Selection of colours such as cream, soft pink or pastel colours are seen more in tune with our environment. The use of a veil of colour like bright pink, bright red, and similar to it should be avoided because of the use of bright colour is rarely practiced by our society.

The use of a patterned or coloured veil is harus. However, the first thing that needs to be assessed is the main purpose of wearing the patterned veil. Our main purpose to wear a veil is to cover the aurat properly and be able to concentrate fully during solat so that our ibadah will be accepted by Allah SAW. It has to considered also issues of wearing patterned veil with embroidery, beads, stitched flowers or existing pattern on the cloth. If she intend to cover the aurat and perform the ibadah solely to Allah SWT, then it is harus as long as concentration of self and other Jemaah is not compromised. However, if she intends to show off, then it is prohibited.