What is the major and minor nakedness (awrah) and the nakedness (awrah) of a Muslim during prayer?
The 'awrah (intimate parts) is divided into a severe ('awrah mughallazah) and a light ('awrah mukhaffafah) one according to the Hanafi and Maliki schools. For the Hanafis, the severe 'awrah for both men and women is the two private parts (front and back). For the Malikis, it differs by gender: a man's severe 'awrah in prayer is his two private parts, while for a woman, it is everything except her chest and extremities. One who prays with the severe 'awrah uncovered must repeat the prayer. As for the Shafi'is and Hanbalis, they did not categorize the 'awrah; rather, they stated that covering the two private parts takes precedence if a covering for the entire 'awrah is not available. The limits of the 'awrah in prayer are: the two private parts are 'awrah by consensus. What is between the navel and the knee is 'awrah according to the majority. The Hanbalis added the obligation of covering one of the shoulders in obligatory prayers. For a woman, her entire body is 'awrah in prayer except for her face, without disagreement. Regarding the hands and feet, there is a difference of opinion, and the majority permits uncovering the hands but not the feet.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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