these three garments: a full-length shirt, a head-covering, and an outer wrap. He did not mention trousers, but confined himself to these because it is narrated from Umar, Aishah, and Umm Salamah (1) that a woman prays in a full-length shirt and a head-covering. Thus, if she confines herself to the full-length shirt and head-covering, that suffices; however, her hands must be covered with gloves and her feet either with socks or by having the full-length shirt extend down fully—according to the view that the hands and feet must be covered.
According to the stronger view, however, which was preferred by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (2) and the author of al-Insaf (3), covering the hands and feet is not obligatory. On this basis, it is sufficient if the full-length shirt reaches the feet and its sleeves reach the wrists.
(1) Ibn Abi Shaybah, no. 6167, and al-Bayhaqi, 2:235, narrated from Umar ibn al-Khattab: “A woman prays in three garments: a dir' (long shift), a khimar (head covering), and an izar (wrapping garment).” Ibn Kathir said: “Its chain of transmission is sound according to the criteria of al-Bukhari and Muslim.” *Musnad al-Faruq*, 1:151.
- Abd al-Razzaq al-San'ani, 3:128, and Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah, cited above, no. 6168, narrated from Ali ibn Abi Talib: “A woman prays in a full-length dir' and a khimar.” Aisha confirmed it, saying: “He spoke the truth.”
- Abd al-Razzaq, cited above; Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah, cited above, no. 6171; Abu Dawud, *Kitab al-Salah*, chapter: “How much a woman prays in,” no. 639; and al-Bayhaqi, *al-Ma'rifah wa al-Athar*, 3:145, narrated from Umm Salamah: “She prays in a khimar and a full-length dir' that covers the tops of her feet.” Similar reports are narrated from Abdullah ibn Abbas, Abdullah ibn Umar, Umm Habibah, and Maymunah bint al-Harith. See *al-Musannaf* of Abd al-Razzaq al-San'ani and *al-Musannaf* of Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah, at the passages cited above.
(2) See *Majmu' al-Fatawa*, 22:114-115.
(3) See *al-Insaf*, 3:206, 209.