At the college it is taught to the students that it is permissible for a woman’s feet to be exposed, not including the ankles. I was informed recently by an alima that there is an authentic hadith in which the prophet ordered the muslims to wear their clothing above the ankles, and that Aisha quickly informed him that in the case of women their awrah would become exposed,
to which the Prophet’s reply was to let them (the women) wear their clothing a hand span under their ankles. Now a hand span under the ankle would more than cover the feet making the feet part of a woman’s awrah and impermissible to be exposed. I anxiously await your reply.
A. In Sahih Al Bukhari, Imam Bukhari has quoted a chapter under the heading, ‘The Chapter- How much clothing should a woman perform Salaah in’.
In this chapter, Imam Bukhari quoted the narration of Ikramah which states, ‘If a woman covers her body with one piece of cloth, then it is permissible’. Imam Bukhari went further to quote the narration of Aisha (RA) in which she states, ‘The Prophet (SA) used to perform Salaah Al Fajr and the believing women used to be present themselves, covered in their veils. Then they will return home and no one used to recognize them’. (Sahih Al Bukhari).
This narration is also, narrated in Sahih Muslim and it is mentioned that, ‘no one recognised the women because of the darkness of the early morning (when they came out for Fajr Salaah). This tradition shows that it is permissible for a woman to perform Salaah in one piece of cloth, when her awrah is covered.
With respect to covering the feet, this is based on whether the feet are awrah or not. Some scholars are of the opinion that the feet are awrah, and must therefore be covered in Salaah. This is the opinion of Imam Shafi, Imam Malik and others.
Other Imams such as Imam Abu Hanifa, Sufyan Thawri and others, have stated that the feet are not awrah, and hence, not essential to be covered in Salaah. This is based on the fact that while explaining what are exempted from the awrah in the verse ‘except what appears thereof’, Aisha (RA) is reported to have said that it means ‘the bracelet and the ring of the toe’-
it means ‘the places where these ornaments are worn’. this will refer to the hand up to the wrist, and the feet (according to this narration). (Bazlul Majhood vol. 1 pg. 354) Many great jurists of the early centuries (based on their understanding of the traditions and verse of the Quran ) have stated that the feet is not awrah, and therefore, would not be compulsory to be covered in Salaah. (Al Hidaya; Ad Durrul Mukhtar).
