Praying while wearing a T-shirt
Fatwa No: 92162

Question

Is it allowed to Offer Prayer while Wearing T-Shirt (With naked Elbows). I heard its Makrooh to Offer Prayer in T-Shirt. Kindly Advice.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

 

There is no impediment for a man to perform prayers in a short sleeve garment that does not cover his elbows. As far as we know, no scholar implicitly stated that prayer with uncovered elbows is disliked for a male. No doubt, the prayer of a man who is completely adorned, wearing his best clothes is preferable, for the saying of Allaah which means: {O children of Aadam, take your adornment [i.e. wear your clothing] at every Masjid, and eat and drink, but be not excessive.}[Quran 7:31]

Imaam Ash-Shawkaani wrote explaining the above verse: " 'adornment' here means the clothes the people normally put on in order to look good. They are ordered to adorn themselves whenever they attend the prayers in mosques."

However, if uncovering the elbows in the prayer is contrary to the adornment and an indication of carelessness in a given community, then it should be avoided.

Allaah Knows best.

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