garment. If he were to wear a garment, he would be greatly distracted; so what should he do?

The answer is that silk reduces this sensitivity. If a person has a skin sensitivity and wears silk, the sensitivity is soothed as long as he is wearing that garment. In that case, we say: Wear a silk garment if you are able; otherwise, pray according to your circumstances...

“The awrah of a man, a female slave, a slavewoman who has borne her master a child, and a slavewoman who has been partially emancipated extends from the navel to the knee...”

His statement, “The awrah of a man, a female slave, a slavewoman who has borne her master a child, and a slavewoman who has been partially emancipated extends from the navel to the knee...”: the author now begins to explain the awrah in detail. According to the well-known position of the Hanbali school, the awrah in prayer falls into three categories: stringent, light, and intermediate.

The light awrah is that of a male child from seven to ten years of age. It consists only of the two private parts. Thus, if he covers his front and rear private parts, the requirement of covering is fulfilled, even if his thighs remain exposed.

The stringent awrah is that of a free woman who has reached puberty. Her entire body is awrah except for her face, for it is not awrah in prayer, even though it is awrah with respect to being looked at. We are obliged to use the term awrah, since we are following the author in the chapter concerning what must be covered in prayer. Even if she prayed in her home with no one present, she would still be required to cover everything except her face.

The intermediate awrah includes all other cases, and its limits are from the navel to the knee. This includes a male from ten years of age onwards, a free female who has not yet reached puberty, and a female slave, even if she has reached puberty.

His statement, “The awrah of a man...” up to his words, “from the navel to the knee.”