Namaz And Hijab
Assalamualaikum My intention is not to say that the outward form is the essence; the essence is inner humility, submission, and spiritual state. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Allah does not look at your faces or your clothing; rather, He looks at your hearts and your deeds.”(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Hadith no. 2564)At the same time, it is also true that we do not possess only an inner existence—we also have an outer, visible presence. And ṣalāh is the outward manifestation of an inner spiritual state.For this reason, clothing that is civil, dignified, and modest becomes necessary as a matter of honor and respect.You know that even if a person stands in prayer with a simple or uncovered chest, the very sight of prayer can deeply attract a non-Muslim observer—showing them the level of humility, discipline, and dignity with which Muslims stand before their Lord, and how they do not require a priest or clergy, as in other religions, to connect with God.This very reality is mentioned by Muhammad Asad (Leopold Weiss) in Road to Makkah, whose heart was moved toward Islam by witnessing the Muslims’ direct relationship with God and the spiritual form of their prayer.Therefore, dress and outward etiquette are not for Allah’s sake, but for ours—because within human fitrah there exists a natural inclination to approach the Divine with reverence, respect, and modesty.That is why dignified attire in prayer becomes a beautiful integration of human nature, spiritual invitation (da‘wah), and servanthood (‘ubūdiyyah).
@Inza Walikumasalam Thank you for explaining your position so clearly. I understand that you are framing the covering in salah as a juristic, ritual requirement rather than a moral judgment. However, I still struggle to understand the basis and logic of these boundaries, and I hope you don’t mind me asking a few sincere questions for clarity. I want to first clarify my own understanding of salah. I personally do not perceive salah as a mere ritual or formal performance. To me, it is a direct, conscious connection with Allah — a moment of unburdening, presence, and submission, not something where I am proving formality or meeting an external checklist. From this perspective, it becomes difficult for me to understand why the connection itself would require such rigid outward conditions when the essence is inward awareness. With that in mind, my first question is: why were these boundaries set in the first place, especially when there is no explicit, authentic hadith stating that a woman must cover her hair or chest before Allah during prayer? Since Allah does not perceive bodies, form, or adornment the way humans do, what is the foundational reasoning for including hair and chest in ‘awrah specifically in salah? Second, I am asking specifically about a situation where a woman is alone in her room, wearing modest, loose clothing like shalwar kameez, where the body shape is not visible at all. In such a case, what exactly is the issue that necessitates covering the hair? If modesty and dignity are already present, what purpose does hair covering serve here? Third, we are taught from childhood that even young girls must cover themselves for prayer, including before puberty. But if ‘awrah is tied to physical development or bodily form, this becomes confusing — especially since many girls at 12–15 are not physically developed, and some women remain flat or even bald their entire lives. How does the ‘awrah definition meaningfully apply in these cases? Fourth, with wudu, I can clearly understand the psychological, physical, and symbolic benefits — it prepares the mind and body for prayer. But with head covering in salah, I still struggle to see a comparable rationale, especially when it causes real physical discomfort, such as extreme heat and humidity in Summer’s. In those conditions, it often leads to rushing the prayer unintentionally, which affects presence and focus — a very natural human response. My confusion is not about rejecting humility or discipline, but about understanding why something that distracts from presence and khushu‘ is treated as essential, when the Qur’an emphasizes ease, awareness, and sincerity in worship. I would genuinely appreciate your thoughts on this, as my intention is understanding not argument.