Wearing jeans, etc.

Can we wear jeans, etc. and fold them while offering Salaat?

Islam permits wearing clothes of different designs and types.  It has only given some guidelines for this.  The garment should cover the body adequately enough, there should be no indecency/nudity in it and the lower garment of men should not fall below the ankle.  There are severe warnings for this mentioned in the Hadith:

Translation: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah Ta'ala be well pleased with him) who narrates from the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam):  The part of the lower garment, which is below the ankle is in hell.  (Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 2, Pg. No. 5341)

There is another Hadith in Sahih Bukhari on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah Ta'ala be well pleased with him):

It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah Ta'ala be well pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  In Qiyamah, Allah Ta'ala will not cast His gaze of mercy on the person who trails his clothes behind him.  (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 5342)

In light of these Hadith, the jurists have said that letting the garment fall below the ankles out of pride is Makruh Tahrimi (strictly undesirable) and if it is not out of pride, it is Makruh Tanzeehi (undesirable).  As given in Radd Ul Muhtaar, Vol. 5.

Another advantage of keeping the garment above the ankles is that it is safe from all kinds of dirt, filth, etc.  As given in this Hadith of Musnad Imam Ahmad Bin Hambal:

……………..Listen!  If you keep your lower garment above your ankles, then it stays more safe and clean.  (Musnad Imam Ahmad Bin Hambal, Hadith No. 22008)

We are missing out on this because of heedlessness and carelessness.  We should act upon this and persuade our relatives/friends/acquaintances also to do so.

Any garment, be it jeans or of any other type, should not be so tight that the body is outlined.  Wearing these kind of clothes is Makruh.  Thus, avoiding tight-fitting clothes is better.  It is Makruh to fold the pants, etc. and offer Salaat.

And Allah knows best.

Mufti Hafidh Syed Ziauddin Naqshbandi Qadri

[Professor, Islamic Law, Jamia Nizamia,
Founder/Director Abul Hasanaat Islamic Research Center]