# Can I pray in a t-shirt or vest, or in clothes with a picture on them?

*What to wear for salah: pictures on clothes, t-shirts, vests and pictures in the room*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/bin9uqpopma/s/10/
- Date: 2017-04-02 · Kind: question · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: How to Pray Salah According to the Maliki Madhhab- Mufti Abu Layth (41:27–43:53)
- Status: general teaching
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiN9UQPOpMA&t=2487s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/bin9uqpopma/

**Topics:** Prayer; Dress and appearance

**Question as asked:** What do I wear for salah? What if I have a picture on my t-shirt? Do I need to wear a shirt or jacket over a t-shirt or vest? What if there are pictures in the room?

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** Yes, as long as the 'awrah is covered: no special dress is needed, and pictures on clothes or in the room do not invalidate the prayer. One should not deliberately dress down for salah.

**Checked position (checked by two independent reviews, not by the channel):** Mufti Abu Layth says no particular dress is required for salah beyond covering the 'awrah, so a picture on one's clothes, a t-shirt or vest one is already wearing, or pictures in the room do not invalidate the prayer, though one should not dress down for salah.

**Evidence, his words at 42:45:** “if you were already in a t-shirt or you happen to be in a vest as it was and you were now praying that is fine the Salah is accepted” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiN9UQPOpMA&t=2565s)

## Longer summary

Asked what to wear for salah, Mufti Abu Layth says no particular dress is required; the requirement for men and women is that the 'awrah is covered, which for men is between the navel and the knee and for women everything except the hands and face, with some disagreement about the feet. A picture on a t-shirt does not violate the prayer. A man already in a t-shirt or vest need not put on a shirt or jacket, though the scholars say one should not deliberately dress down for salah, such as removing a shirt before praying. Pictures in the room also do not affect the prayer; he refers to his separate answers on whether pictures are allowed.

## Sources and names cited

- 'awrah

## Transcript (machine tier, 41:27–43:53)

[40:50] inshallah Allah subhana is it's not actually an issue some do speak about well the one after could be made up for even if it's after an excessive amount of time because technically it was after the Salam anyway and that's also something that um that can be done and you can look into that you can research these issues further as well um by resorting to either your local imams or just studying inshallah further on courses as well do not restrict your learning just to things like this but this is just to give you some insight this is an interesting question what do

[41:29] I wear for Salah well well well well well you don't have to actually dress up so to speak for Salah in a in in a particular uniform or anything like that you would just be for men as and women as long as your AA is covered okay that is the requirement now the AA for men is different as as you're all aware uh for men generally it's just between the naval and knee at most really that and for women um everything with the exception of the hands and the face and with some uh disagreement defeat as well

[42:07] so now the that is generally the a that has to be covered as long as that is covered you would pray your Salah um some people ask questions like what if I've got a picture like what if I'm wearing a t-shirt and it's got a picture on it of something does that violate my Salah uh no it does not the Salah is intact uh it is not violated in any way you can perform your Salah like that okay um some people have asked what if I've got a t-shirt on and short sleeves do I need to wear this is for let's say men I've got a t-shirt or a vest you know do I

[42:45] need to wear a shirt do I need to wear a jumper or a jacket no you do not you can perform your Salah in that um as long as that's how you generally were what the tend to say is you know don't kind of dress down for Salah like if you normally if I was sitting here with a shirt and I think well I know it's Salah time so what I'm going to Inu I'm going take my shirt off and then pray no you shouldn't do that but if you were already in a t-shirt or you happen to be in a vest as it was and you were now praying that is fine the Salah is accepted uh inshallah it's not violated in any way okay so these are some another question people ask which

[43:25] is I suppose not directly linked to the the clothes but it ties in with the question on pictures on the clothes what if there's pictures in the room that you're praying once again this does not impact your Salah okay this does not um violate your Salah in any way but um and you know and people will have and I've answered the question on whether pictures are allowed or not in in other questions and you can refer to that there something also Worthy to be considered at this stage is what if your trousers for men are below your ankles does that impact your

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment BiN9UQPOpMA/s/10. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/bin9uqpopma/s/10/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.
