Fatwa #388022 April 2002United Kingdom
Its been said that it’s a sin and therefore wajib to repeat your salat if you fold up your trousers during prayer, this is if your trousers regularly hang below your ankles could you explain please?
Question
According to an Islamic book its been said that it is makruh-e-tahrimi (sin) in namaz to fold the trousers from the feet or the waist and so makes it wajib for your to repeat the namaz. So if you don?t wear trousers that hang above your ankles then make sure you don?t fold them in namaz. You previously said that you must fold them in namaz whether they hang above your ankles or not. I am constantly getting frustrated with people who have different views on one aspect, this was the same for the view of the beard, some say its sin some say its makrooh and have no clear proof. Please, this will have an affect to the Muslims who are learning, they will become frustrated and fail to learn aspects of Islam regarding the Sunnah of prophet Mohammed pbuh and so give up. The most knowledgeable should have one view, as that will bring unity with Muslims, with different views, people will be divided. Please do something about these issues.
Answer
There has always been differences of opinion among Ulama on various Shar'ee%0D%0Arulings. A distinct example is that of the different rulings among the four%0D%0Aillustrious Fuqahaa (jurists); Imaam Nu'maan ibn Thaabit Abu Hanifa, Imaam%0D%0AMuhammad ibn Idrees Shaaf'ee, Imaam Maalik ibn Anas Maalik, Imaam Ahmad ibn%0D%0AHanbal.%0D%0A%0D%0AEach one of the four was an ocean of knowledge and had the necessary skills%0D%0Aand requirements to deduce rulings from the Qur'aan and Hadith in matters%0D%0Anot express and explicit in the Qur'aan and Hadith. As Muqallids, we place%0D%0Aour trust in the deductions of one particular Imaam, and follow his ruling%0D%0Aon any given matter. The Ulama of today are also bound by the rulings of any%0D%0Aone Imaam. They do not have the qualifications like anyone of the four%0D%0Aillustrious Imaams and neither is their drops of knowledge comparable to the%0D%0Avast oceans of knowledge of the illustrious Fuqahaa.%0D%0A%0D%0AIt may well be that a person not having the necessary qualification issue a%0D%0Aruling and creates confusion in the mind of simple minded but sincere%0D%0Apeople. It is precisely for this reason that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi%0D%0AWasallam) advised, 'Verily this knowledge (of Shari'ah) is Deen (religion),%0D%0Aso be careful from who you seek your religion.' (Mishkaat vol.1 Chapter of%0D%0AKnowledge).%0D%0A%0D%0AReverting to the original question, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam)%0D%0Aprohibited from lowering the pants below the ankle. The prohibition is%0D%0Ageneral, for Salaat and out of Salaat. However, the intensity of the%0D%0Aprohibition is more in Salaat. Ideally and in principle, a person should not%0D%0Awear trousers below the ankles, but if a person is wearing such a trousers,%0D%0Ait is either the person performs Salaat by folding his pants above the%0D%0Aankles to comply with the Hadith prohibiting the flow of the pants below the%0D%0Aankles, thus, making his Salaat Makrooh. Surely, folding the pants is the%0D%0Asolution to avoiding the sin. There is no Hadith prohibiting folding the%0D%0Apants. Any such reference is a distortion of people ignorant of Hadith. We%0D%0Ahope the above answers your query.%0D%0A%0D%0Aand Allah Ta'ala Knows Best%0D%0A%0D%0AMufti Ebrahim Desai