The Law of Prayer (Salat) With Open Chest

Table of Contents

Prayer (Salat) with Open Chest ~ Hi all readers! In the previous article I explained, that male Muslim genitalia is the body between the navel to the knee. If he wants to pray, he must close his genitals. If he doesn't do that, then his prayer is invalid. But there are other issues related to that I want to discuss in this article. What is the law of male Muslim prayer if he does not cover the body between the navel and the shoulder?

As always, before I explain the matter, I will quote a hadith that is specifically related to our discussion. Pay attention!

Hadith About Prayer (Salat) with Open Chest

The hadith about prayer (salat) with open chest that I mean is as follows:

عَنْ أَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ ؛ لَا يُصَلِّي أَحَدُكُمْ فِيْ الثَّوْبِ الْوَاحِدِ لَيْسَ عَلَى عَاتِقِهِ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ . مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ

From Abu Hurairah radliyallaahu anhu; one of you cannot pray if on his shoulder there is nothing to cover it. The hadith is narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

There are some important things related to the hadith above that we need to know;

• The hadith explains that one should not pray if on his shoulder there is nothing to cover it. The meaning is, that there should be something that covers the upper body when someone is praying.
• Ash-Shafi'i, Malik, and Abu Hanifah argued that the prohibition contained in the hadith was a prohibition that could still be done (an-Nahuyu li at-Tanziih). The meaning is, a Muslim may pray even if there is nothing covering his upper body. But he shouldn't do that.
• Ahmad said, that a person who does not cover his upper body even though he is able to do it, then his prayer is invalid.
• This discussion relates to male Muslims. That is because male genitalia is the body between the navel to the knee. Thus, what is meant by the upper body is the body that is above the navel to the shoulder.

All readers! If we understand the brief information above, then of course we already know the answer to the question in the first paragraph. There are differences of opinion between Islamic law experts. The majority of them said that it was permissible, but it was better not to do it.

That is a brief explanation of prayer (salat) with open chest. Now, do you understand? The problem is simple and the explanation that I have conveyed is very clear. So, I hope you understand! But if you want to ask, please ask!

I think that is enough for this article. May be useful! Amen!

See you again in the next article!