Performing Salaah with shoes

Undoubtedly, there are narrations which prove that Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam performed Salaah with shoes. Hadrat Abu Saeed Khudri Radiallahu Anhu narrates that Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam led the Salaah one day and removed his shoes during Salaah. The Sahaaba then removed their shoes. When Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam terminated his Salaah, he questioned them as to why they had removed their shoes? They said, “We saw you removing your shoes (hence we followed suit).” Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Jibraeel Alaihis Salaam came to me and informed me that there is impurity attached to them, hence, I removed them.”

However, we are Muqallids and follow the teachings of the Fuqaha. When the jurists reach a conclusion in a particular matter, they study all the Ahadith on the subject and then conclude on the matter. Therefore, we cannot study a single Hadith and reach conclusion by saying that it is Sunnah to perform Salaah with shoes,hence, we too, should be performing Salaah with shoes. In this day and age, our Masajid are fully carpeted, whereas the Masajid were not carpeted during the era of Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam, in fact, stones were spread all over Masjid-un-Nabawi. If a person enters the Masjid with shoes nowadays, then he will dirty the carpet even though the shoes may be free of impurities, hence, Allamah Shaami Rahimahullah states that if one fears dirtying the Masjid carpets with his shoes, then he should not wear them (in the Masjid) even though they may be Taahir (free of impurities). Some of the jurists have even stated that entering the Masjid with shoes is considered as disrespect.

Fataawa Aalamghiri states that it is Makrooh to wear shoes and enter the Masjid, even though the shoes may be perfectly clean, thus, a person should not perform Salaah with shoes in the Masjid.

Yes, if a person is performing Salaah in some open field such as an Eidgah where Salaah is performed on the grass, then performing Salaah with shoes will be acceptable (if free of impurities and the toes are able to bend towards the Qibla in Sajda), but then too, it is necessary for one to refrain from doing so, as such an action could lead to Fitna.