I have recently learned of a Hadīth that says that we shouldn’t fold our garments in Salāh: “We have been ordered to prostrate on seven bones, and to neither gather a garment nor hair” (Sahīh Al-Bukhārī, Hadīth 777)
1) I always keep my pants neatly folded above my ankle. Will this be going against this Hadīth? I find it more convenient to neatly fold my pants above my ankle than to shorten them.
2) Also, what is considered the part of the ankle that we have to expose? Is it all the protruding part of the ankle bone or just the most protruding part of the ankle bone?
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
The wearing of one’s trouser or garment below the ankles is strictly prohibited in Sharīah. Nabī Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam is reported to have said:
«مَا أَسْفَلَ مِنَ الكَعْبَيْنِ مِنَ الإِزَارِ فَفِي النَّارِ» (صحيح البخاري,ج 2 ,ص861)
Whatever is below the ankles is in the fire. (Sahīh Al-Bukhārī)
The prohibition of wearing long trousers that go below the ankles is not restricted to Salāh but applies at all times. If one is wearing trousers that droop below his ankles, then to fold one’s trousers is necessary.
The Hadīth referenced in the query is:
«أُمِرْنَا أَنْ نَسْجُدَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَعْظُمٍ، وَلاَ نَكُفَّ ثَوْبًا وَلاَ شَعَرًا»(صحيح البخاري, ج 1, ص 112)
Translation: We have been ordered to prostrate on seven bones and that we do not fold a garment or tie back our hair. (Sahīh Al-Bukhārī)
The Hadīth implies that clothes and garments should not be gathered or folded in Salāh to avoid a specific portion of the garment or clothing from touching the ground. They should be left in their normal state. [1] Therefore, the ideal situation is to wear trousers that are above the ankles. If one wears long pants and it falls below the ankles, then it is necessary to fold the pants above the ankles. [2]
The ankle is the protruding bone located where the shin and the foot meet.[3] It is necessary that the Izār be above the ankles so that the ankles are exposed. [4] [5]
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mawlana Abdul Azīm bin Abdur Rahman,
Student Darul Iftaa
US
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net
[1] قَالَ ابْنُ حَجَرٍ: يُكْرَهُ بِاتِّفَاقِ الْعُلَمَاءِ تَنْزِيهًا ضَمُّ شَعْرِهِ وَثِيَابِهِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ (مرقاة المفاتيح, ج 2, ص 718: دار الفكر)
[2] اتَّفَقَ الْعُلَمَاءُ عَلَى النَّهْيِ عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ وَثَوْبُهُ مُشَمَّرٌ أَوْ كُمُّهُ أَوْ نَحْوُهُ أَوْ رَأْسُهُ مَعْقُوصٌ أَوْ مَرْدُودٌ شَعْرُهُ تَحْتَ عِمَامَتِهِ أَوْ نَحْوُ ذَلِكَ فَكُلُّ هَذَا مَنْهِيٌّ عَنْهُ بِاتِّفَاقِ الْعُلَمَاءِ وَهُوَ كَرَاهَةُ تَنْزِيهٍ فَلَوْ صَلَّى كَذَلِكَ فَقَدْ أَسَاءَ وَصَحَّتْ صَلَاتُهُ (صحيح مسلم بشرح النووي, ج 2, ص 445: دار الفوائد)
[3] والكعب عند جمهور الفقهاء هو: العظم الناتئ عند ملتقي الساق والقدم (الموسوعة الفقهية الكويتية, ج 34, ص 259)
[4] – حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ مُسْلِمِ بْنِ نُذَيْرٍ، عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ قَالَ: أَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِعَضَلَةِ سَاقِي، أَوْ سَاقِهِ، فَقَالَ: «هَذَا مَوْضِعُ الإِزَارِ، فَإِنْ أَبَيْتَ فَأَسْفَلَ، فَإِنْ أَبَيْتَ فَلَا حَقَّ لِلإِزَارِ فِي الكَعْبَيْنِ» : هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ رَوَاهُ الثَّوْرِيُّ، وَشُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ (سنن الترمذي, رقم الترمذي 1783: شركة مكتبة ومطبعة مصطفى البابي الحلبي – مصر)
[5] (فَلَا حَقَّ لِلْإِزَارِ فِي الْكَعْبَيْنِ) أَيْ: لَا تَسْتُرُ الْكَعْبَيْنِ بِالْإِزَارِ، وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّ هَذَا هُوَ التَّحْدِيدُ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ هَذَا خُيَلَاءً نَعَمْ إِذَا انْضَمَّ أَسْفَلُ عَنْ هَذَا الْمَوْضِعِ بِالْخُيَلَاءِ اشْتَدَّ الْأَمْرُ وَبِدُونِهِ الْأَمْرُ أَخَفُّ. (حاشية السندي على سنن ابن ماجه, ج 2, ص 371: دار الجيل – بيروت، بدون طبعة)