Question:
Is performing or leading Salaah in a short Jubbah disliked? I was stopped from leading salaah in such jubbas.
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Performing Salaah in a short sleeve Sunnah garment (Jubbah) is permissible and not disliked.
The misconception may have stemmed from what the Fuqaha (scholars) have mentioned, that it is disliked (makruh) to offer Salaah with rolled-up sleeves, as it is against the etiquettes and respect for the noble Ibaadah of Salaah.
Ibn Abidin (Rahimahullah) states: “It is Makruh to enter into Salaah with the sleeves rolled-up, and to roll-up the sleeves whilst in Salaah will invalidate the prayer, for it will be considered to be excessive movement.” (Radd al-Muhtar, 1/ 640)[1]
Therefore, performing Salaah with short sleeves where the elbows are exposed is not makruh (disliked) in itself. What is disliked is the use of thiyāb al-bidhlah which has been described as dirty clothes or clothes that a person would not wear when visiting important people. Although the Salaah would be valid, it is disliked to perform Salaah in such clothes, e.g. vests, sports shirts, old torn up clothing.
The short-sleeve Jubbah does not fall under such disrespectful or shabby clothing, and will be permissible to pray in or lead Salaah without any dislike[2]. While some Fuqaha have disliked performing Salaah in short sleeve clothing, this is in the context of their local customs (ʿUrf), in our context such clothing is not regarded as inappropriate. One should make an effort to always perform Salaah in Sunnah clothing.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best.
Mufti Arshad Ali
Darul Iftaa, Jaamia Madinatul Uloom (Trinidad)
www.fatwa-tt.com /www.jaamia.net
[1] لدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (1/ 640)
وَقَيَّدَ الْكَرَاهَةَ فِي الْخُلَاصَةِ وَالْمُنْيَةِ بِأَنْ يَكُونَ رَافِعًا كُمَّيْهِ إلَى الْمِرْفَقَيْنِ. وَظَاهِرُهُ أَنَّهُ لَا يُكْرَهُ إلَى مَا دُونَهُمَا. قَالَ فِي الْبَحْرِ: وَالظَّاهِرُ الْإِطْلَاقُ لِصِدْقِ كَفِّ الثَّوْبِ عَلَى الْكُلِّ اهـ وَنَحْوُهُ فِي الْحِلْيَةِ، وَكَذَا قَالَ فِي شَرْحِ الْمُنْيَةِ الْكَبِيرِ: إنَّ التَّقْيِيدَ بِالْمِرْفَقَيْنِ اتِّفَاقِيٌّ. قَالَ: وَهَذَا لَوْ شَمَّرَهُمَا خَارِجَ الصَّلَاةِ ثُمَّ شَرَعَ فِيهَا كَذَلِكَ، أَمَّا لَوْ شَمَّرَ وَهُوَ فِيهَا تَفْسُدُ لِأَنَّهُ عَمَلٌ كَثِيرٌ
[2] عن أبي هريرة أن سائلا سأل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن الصلاة في ثوب واحد، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: أولكلكم ثوبان، رواه البخاري (٣٥٨). قال في الأصل (١/١٢): قلت: أرأيت الرجل يصلي في ثوب واحد يتوشح به أو في قميص واحد وهو صفيق هل تكره له ذلك؟ قال: لا اكرهه ولا بأس بذلك. قلت: وكذلك لو كان إمام قوم؟ قال: نعم، انتهى۔