This epistle by Shaykh al-Islām is indeed one of his truly great treatises. Despite its brevity, a student will rarely find much of its material even in the large juristic encyclopaedias. It deals with the attire that is obligatory for both men and women during the prayer. With decisive proofs the author establishes that the required dress is not limited to the garment a man uses to cover his ʿawrah (private parts) outside the prayer; rather, something further is obligatory—namely, covering the shoulders as well. This ruling is due to the sanctity of the prayer, not because the shoulders themselves form part of the ʿawrah.

He substantiates this with the Prophet’s statement: “None of you should pray in a single garment that does not cover his shoulders,” together with other ḥadiths ⦗12–13⦘. This is an important matter long neglected by the vast majority of worshippers, who pray wearing the so-called shayāl shirt that leaves no more than a thin strip of the shoulders covered, heedless of Allah’s words: “Take your adornment at every place of worship” [Qur’an 7:31].

How excellent is the author’s citation ⦗17⦘: “Ibn ʿUmar—may Allah be pleased with him—said to his servant Nāfiʿ when he saw him praying bare-headed, ‘Tell me: if you were to go out to meet the people, would you appear like this?’ He replied, ‘No.’ Ibn ʿUmar said, ‘Then Allah is worthier that one beautify himself for Him.’” The final sentence has even been transmitted in some routes as marfūʿ (traced back to the Prophet) from Ibn ʿUmar, and its wording in a narration of al-Bayhaqī is: “When any of you prays, let him wear two garments, for Allah is worthier that one adorn himself for Him.” 1

In my view, the reason for this neglect of the requisite etiquette in prayer goes back to two factors: