Questions and Answers about Islamic Veil

To expose ‘Satr’ without a genuine reason even when alone is not permissible; and in front of others or in alāĥ, covering the ‘Satr’ is Far by consensus (Ijmā’). (Baĥār-e-Sharī’at, part 3, vol. 1, pp. 479)

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب           صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Rulings on ‘Satr’ are of two types: (1) Rulings of ‘Satr’ for men and women during alāĥ. (2) Rulings of ‘Satr’ outside of alāĥ, in terms of who can look at certain body-parts of certain individuals. Here is some detail for the first type in question-answer form:

Total area of Satr for a man

Question: What part of a man is included in his Satr and what are the relevant rulings for him in alāĥ?

Answer: adr-ush-Sharī’aĥ, Badr-u-arīqaĥ, ‘Allāmaĥ Maulānā Muftī Muhammad Amjad ‘Alī A’amī عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـقَـوِی said: A man’s Satr-e-‘Awrat is from below his navel to below his knees, i.e. covering this area of his body is Far. The navel is not included in Satr, but the knees are. Nowadays, many people wear Taĥband[1] or pyjamas in such a way that a part of their abdomen below their navel remains exposed. If they wear a shirt which covers this area and its skin is not exposed then it is fine, otherwise, arām. If a quarter (of the area under the navel) remains exposed during alāĥ, then alāĥ will be invalid. Some audacious people expose their knees and even thighs in front of other people, this is arām too, and anyone who is habitual of this is Fāsiq [sinner]. (Ibid, pp. 481)

 

 



[1] i.e. a piece of cloth which is used to cover the lower part of the body.

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