Performing Salaah Wearing Short Sleeves

Our Darul Ifta’s view with regards to performing Salaah in a short sleeve Kurta or shirt is that it is Makhrooh due to the fact that one would feel it undignified to wear such attire when visiting pious and upper-class people and furthermore it is against the regular Sunnah of Nabi H. We have been instructed in the Qur’an to adopt beautiful dress to the Masaajid and our yardstick for fulfilling this command is Rasulullah H. Note the following Hadeeth:

عن أسماء بنت يزيد بن السكن الأنصارية قالت: «كان كم يد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى الرسغ.

(الترمذي١٧٦٥)

Asmâ’ bint Yazeed J reports that Rasulullâh H’s sleeves used to be up to his wrists.

We should bear in mind that one is to cover the satr (i.e. the private parts) and one is to adorn yourself. To cover the satr is compulsory and it is the prerequisite for the Salaah to be correct. In addition to covering the satr we are also required to beautify ourselves for Salaah (and beauty is the beauty of Rasulullâh H).