O Muslim, you must cover the ʿawrah with a garment that does not cling to the skin or reveal its contours. Allah the Exalted says, “O children of Adam, We have sent down to you garments to conceal your nakedness” (Qur’an 7:26). Concealing the ʿawrah with proper clothing is therefore both required and obligatory.

The ʿawrah of a male—according to the Islamic legal definition—extends from the navel to the knee. ʿAli (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “Do not expose your thigh, and do not look at the thigh of a living person or a dead one,” recorded by Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah. In another narration he said, “Cover your thigh, for the thigh is ʿawrah,” related by Malik, Ahmad, and al-Tirmidhi, who graded it sound (ḥasan).

Despite these clear texts, we sadly see many men, especially when engaged in sports, uncovering their thighs and covering only the most private part. This is a blatant violation of the revealed instructions. They must take heed, abide by the rulings of their religion, and ignore practices that conflict with them.

As for women, the whole body is ʿawrah. The Prophet ﷺ said, “A woman is (entirely) ʿawrah,” a report authenticated by al-Tirmidhi. Umm Salamah once asked, “May a woman pray in a long shirt and a head-cover without a lower wrap?” He replied, “Yes, as long as the shirt is long enough to cover the tops of her feet,” narrated by Abu Dawud. Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah also transmit from ʿA’isha (may Allah be pleased with her): “Allah does not accept…"