I know that women have to cover their hair and body. Should I also cover my feet?

by Asma bint Shameem

ANSWER

Yes it’s much better and more on the safe side that we cover our feet as well.

That’s because, according to the majority of the scholars, the feet are included in the 'awrah' (what needs to be hidden from non-mahram) for the woman.

📌 Proof:

If we look at the Mothers of the Believers and the other Sahaabiyaat, we will see that they took the matter of covering themselves very seriously and would make sure they were covered well, including their feet.

🌷Umm Salamah radhi Allaahu anhaa asked the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam:

“What should women do with their hems?

He said: “They should let them down a hand span.”

She said: Then their feet will show.

He said: “Then let it down a cubit, but no more than that.”

(al-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i--saheeh by al-Albaani)

The fact that Umm Salamah said "but their feet will show", shows that she was so concerned and worried about her feet being exposed to nonmahram men.

And that’s the reason why the clothes of the women companions were long and the hem of their clothes hung low.

In fact, their clothes used to be so long that the lower edge would touch the ground and get dirty.

So one of them asked Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam about its purity.

She said:

"I am a woman whose garment drags, and I may walk through a dirty place. (So what to do?)

Umm Salamah radhi Allaahu anhaa said:

“The Messenger Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said:

‘That which comes after it purifies it.” (al-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood-- saheeh by al-Albaani)

The above hadeeth shows that their hems were touching the ground to make sure that their feet don’t show.

🔺Shaikh ibn Uthaymeen said:

“Therefore, in this hadeeth is a proof for the obligation for the women to cover their feet [in public] and also a proof that this was the common practice among the female companions.”

(Treatise “Hijaab” 4)

🍃And Umm Salamah Radhi Allaahu anhaa said that she asked the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam:

“Can a woman pray in a long gown and veil without wearing a lower garment?”

He replied: “If the gown is ample and covers the surface of her feet.” (Abu Dawud)

There’s a difference of opinion among the scholars about the authenticity of this hadeeth

since it is actually a report from Umm Salamah from her own words.

But Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah said that these words from Umm Salamah could not have possibly come from her own self and that she must have gotten this advice from her husband, meaning the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam.

🍃 Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen also said:

"Covering the feet is something that is prescribed for women and is in fact obligatory for them according to many scholars.

What a woman should do is cover her feet, either with her garment which is long and covers them or by wearing socks or shoes and the like."

(Fataawa al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah, 1/437)

🔺And Shaikh Ibn Baaz said:

"With regard to women, they have to make their clothes long enough to cover their feet, because the feet are ‘awrah."

(Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz)

🛑 But isn’t there an opinion that I don’t HAVE to cover my feet❓

Yes there’s a difference of opinion among the ulama about covering the feet.

But think about it this way.

What if we ARE supposed to cover our feet and we don’t.

We can’t take that ‘chance’ and put our Hijaab and Salaah in jeopardy.

After all, this is the Hijaab, the Salaah we’re talking about.

Wouldn’t it better and MUCH SAFER and more PRUDENT to cover the feet, just to be on the safe side?

🔴 BUT I get REALLY HOT with socks❗️

Dear sister, even if it's hot, the rules of hijaab still apply, right? 😊

Try and find socks that are not that thick or made of breathable cotton or some light material.

Remember there's always khair in obeying Allaah.

These are just insignificant little 'challenges' and tests from Allaah that He sends our way to see how steadfast we are in our obedience to Him.

All we need to do is prove to Him, no rather to ourselves, that we're ready to push ourselves and strive in His obedience.

🔴What about any previous prayers that I prayed with my feet uncovered?

If you didn’t know that you should cover your feet while praying all this time, then you don’t have to repeat your prayers according to the stronger scholarly opinion.

That’s because Allaah says: 

“Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error, our Lord!

Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us (Jews and Christians); our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Mawlaa (Patron, Supporter and Protector) and give us victory over the disbelieving people”

[al-Baqarah 2:286] 

And Allaah says:

“And there is no sin on you concerning that in which you made a mistake except in regard to what your hearts deliberately intend” [al-Ahzaab 33:5]

🍃 Shaikh Ibn Baaz said:

“With regard to her making up past prayers, that is because she failed to meet one of the conditions of prayer.

If she offered several prayers in which she did not cover her feet, then she must make them up.

But if she was unaware of the shar‘i ruling, then perhaps Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala will forgive her for what is past and she does not have to make them up. It was narrated in a saheeh report from the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam that when he saw a man praying too quickly, as if he was pecking the ground, he said to him: “Go back and pray, for you have not prayed…” [Saheeh – agreed upon]. So the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam instructed him to repeat that prayer that was currently due, but he did not instruct him to repeat previous prayers, because he had been ignorant of the correct manner of praying, although what appears to be the case is that he had been praying in this manner in the past, but because he had been ignorant, the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam excused him for those past occasions but he instructed him to repeat the prayer that was currently due.

This indicates that if someone is ignorant of one of the obligatory parts of the prayer, then he is alerted to it before the time for a prayer ends, then he should repeat the prayer that is currently due, but as for his past prayers, they are still acceptable, because of his ignorance.

This is what is indicated by this hadeeth, because the Messenger Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam did not instruct this man who prayed badly to repeat all his past prayers, because of his ignorance and because of the hardship that would be caused by that.

The same applies to the woman who offered many prayers before learning that it is obligatory to cover the feet; she does not have to repeat them, in shaa Allaah, according to the correct view, because she is excused due to her ignorance.

But in the future she must always remember to cover her feet and the rest of her body, apart from the face and hands, because they are not ‘awrah when praying, according to the scholars.

But if she does cover her hands, so as to avoid a matter concerning which some of the scholars differed, that is good.”

(Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darb)

📌 Last but not the least

Obviously all this is in effect if we are wearing proper hijaab.

I mean it's pretty useless to cover our feet while our hair and the rest of the bodies are not covered properly.

May Allaah give us the taufeeq to implement His Orders and obey Him in a manner that’s pleasing to Him. Ameen.

And Allaah knows best.