Section: If he finds nothing but what can cover his nakedness or his shoulders, he should cover his nakedness, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "If the garment is wide, wrap yourself in it, and if it is tight, tie it around your waist" (38). This garment is tight. In the Musnad (39), it is reported from Ibn Umar, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), or from Umar, who said: "None of you should wrap himself in the manner of the Jews; rather, he should wrap it around him. Whoever has two garments should wear one as a waist-wrapper and the other as a mantle, and whoever does not have two garments should tie it around his waist and then pray." This is because covering the nakedness is a mandatory duty, the obligation of which is unanimously agreed upon and emphasized, whereas covering the shoulders involves the disagreement and leniency that it does; therefore, it is not permissible to prioritize it [over covering the nakedness]. It was narrated from Ahmad, regarding a man who has a thin garment that is not long enough to tie, that he is of the opinion that he should wrap it around his waist and pray. He said: "I do not consider that sufficient for him." If the garment is thin, he should pray sitting, and tie it behind him (40). The apparent meaning of this is that he has covered his shoulders while standing, and covered everything except the two private parts. Furthermore, he held the view that the hadith regarding covering the shoulders is more authentic than the one regarding covering the private parts, and that standing has a substitute [in sitting], whereas covering the shoulders has no substitute. The correct position is what we mentioned first, due to what we have previously established regarding the emphasis on covering the nakedness and the act of standing, and the hadith we narrated, which is explicit on this issue. It contains a story narrated by Abu Dawud from Jabir, who said: "I traveled with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and I was wearing a burdah (outer garment). I attempted to overlap its ends, but it did not reach, and it had tassels (42). So, I folded it, then overlapped its ends..."
(37) From here until his statement: "therefore it is not permissible to prioritize it," it appears in M as: "If he finds only what can cover his nakedness, he should cover it and leave his shoulders uncovered. If it is not possible to tie it, he should secure it with something and pray in it." (38) Preceded on page 293. (39) Vol. 2, page 148. See: what preceded on pages 295, 296. (40) From here to the end: "has no substitute," it appears in the original as: "And he argued for this by saying that covering the shoulders is more authentic than covering the thighs, and that standing has a substitute." (41) In the original: "And the correct [position] is the first, because of what is narrated." The story narrated by Abu Dawud from Jabir, a portion of it preceded on page 293, and the takhrij of the hadith also preceded there. (42) In M: "danadib." Dhabadhib refers to fringes and ends.
