Woman praying with transparent sleeves.

Q. I have some white clothes which have transparent arms. While offering salaat, due to the fan, my veil gets blown and reveals my forearms which have the transparent cloth over them. I usually pin up my veil but it becomes cumbersome for me. Is the namaaz valid if my arms are covered with thin cloth while in salaat? Also what is the minimum thicknes of cloth required for salaat to be valid?


A. For a woman, it is required that her entire body be covered properly for her Salaah to be accepted. The only exempted areas that can be exposed according to Imam Abu Hanifa (RA) is the face, the hands up to the wrists and the feet up to the ankles. Besides these, all other parts of the body must be covered properly.

Based on the question you have asked, if the amount of the area exposed of the forearm is a quarter or one third or more of one hand, then you will have to repeat your Salaah. If it is less then you will not repeat it.

Using thin cloth that causes the body to be revealed is not permissible. Although you may be covering yourself, it is essential that the cloth/dress etc. conceals your body completely and the parts of your body do not become clearly visible through the cloth.

The thickness of the cloth must be to the extent that your body is not revealed.

And Allah knows best.

Mufti Waseem Khan