and the hands. This is because it is forbidden for a woman in ihram to cover them with gloves, just as it is forbidden for her to cover her face with a niqab, therefore they are not part of the 'awrah, like the face. Furthermore, custom dictates their appearance and uncovering, and need necessitates uncovering them for taking and giving, just as need necessitates uncovering the face for selling and buying; therefore, uncovering them in prayer is not forbidden, just like the face. The second narration is that they are part of the 'awrah, and it is mandatory to cover them in prayer. This is the opinion of al-Khiraqi, and Abu Bakr ibn Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Harith ibn Hisham (5) said something similar, for he said: The entire woman is 'awrah, even her fingernail; because it was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that he said: "The woman is an 'awrah." Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (6), who said: A hasan sahih hadith. This is a general statement requiring the covering of her entire body, and leaving the face is due to need, so all else remains subject to the evidence. The statement of Ibn 'Abbas has been contradicted by Ibn Mas'ud, for he said regarding the words of the Almighty: "And not show their adornment except what is apparent of it." He said: The clothing. The appearance of what is not customary to show is like the appearance of the face, and since the need to uncover them is like the need to uncover it, it is not correct to draw an analogy between them. Furthermore, what they mentioned is invalidated by the feet, for they usually appear, like the appearance of the hands, yet covering them is mandatory, and they are more similar to them than to the face, so including them with them is more appropriate. As for the rest of the free woman's body, it must be covered in prayer, and if any part of it is uncovered, her prayer is not valid, unless it is a small amount. This is the opinion of Malik, al-Awza'i, and al-Shafi'i. Abu Hanifa said: The feet are not part of the 'awrah, because they usually appear, so they are like the hands, and because they are washed in wudu', so they are not part of the 'awrah, like the face and hands. If less than a quarter of a woman's hair, or a quarter of her thigh, or a quarter of her stomach is uncovered
(5) Abu Bakr ibn Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Harith ibn Hisham al-Makhzumi, one of the Tabi'un jurists in Medina and one of the Seven Jurists. He was called 'the monk of Quraysh' and died in the year ninety-four. Tabaqat al-Fuqaha by al-Shirazi 59, Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 12/30-32. (6) In: The chapter 'Haddathana Muhammad ibn Bashar', from the chapters on breastfeeding. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 5/122.
