the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) forbade praying in a loose garment (lihaf) without wrapping oneself in it, [and praying in trousers without wearing a rida' (outer garment) over them] (4). This is stipulated for the validity of prayer according to the manifest [position of the] madhhab, [because he is forbidden from neglecting it in prayer, and a prohibition necessitates the invalidity of the prohibited act. Also, it is a mandatory covering in prayer, and failing to perform it invalidates it, like covering the 'awrah] (5). [The Qadi mentioned that it] (6) was narrated from Ahmad that which indicates it is not a condition. He derived this from the narration of Muthanna [bin Jami'] (7) from Ahmad, regarding one who prays while wearing trousers, with his garment over one of his shoulders while the other is uncovered: it is disliked (makruh). It was said to him: Is he ordered to repeat [the prayer]? He did not see (8) any need for repetition. [This is not another narration, nor does it contain evidence for one. It only indicates that it is not mandatory to cover both shoulders, because the report does not necessitate covering both of them.] (9)
Section: It is not mandatory to cover both shoulders [entirely; rather, it suffices to place a garment on one of his shoulders, even if it describes the color of the skin, because the obligation for this is established by the report] (10), and its wording is: "A man should not pray in a single garment if he does not have anything of it on his shoulder." This applies to that which covers the shoulders and that which does not, [and we have already mentioned the text of Ahmad regarding someone who prayed while one of his shoulders was uncovered, and he did not make repetition mandatory for him] (11). If he throws a rope or [a thread and] (12)
(4) Omitted from M. Afterward in the original: "Narrated by Abu Dawud". It was mentioned earlier. Afterward: "Section". (5) This appeared in M at the end of the section, and its beginning is: "The reason for stipulating this is that one is forbidden from it while the shoulders are uncovered, and the prohibition necessitates..." (6) In M: "The Qadi said: It has been..." (7) Omitted from M. He is Abu al-Hasan Muthanna bin Jami' al-Anbari; he was pious and of high status, and he narrated fine issues from Imam Ahmad. Tabaqat al-Hanabila 1/336, 337. (8) In M: "He sees", which is an error. (9) In M: "This can be interpreted as meaning he did not see... the repetition necessary due to his covering part of the shoulders, thus it sufficed to cover one shoulder instead of the other, due to his compliance with the wording of the report." (10) In M: "both of them, rather it suffices to cover some of them, and it suffices to cover them with a thin garment that describes the color of the skin; because the obligation to cover them is [established] by the hadith." (11) Omitted from the original. (12) Omitted from M.
