Islamic Guidelines for Wearing and Praying in Sandals
Islamic Guidance on Wearing and Praying in Sandals Islam advocates that Muslims maintain good ways and hygiene always. In this context, the intention of using sandals and praying in sandals can be associated. While the Sunnah has emphasized regarding the step upon filth when using sandals, it also clarifies that one can pray with a clean pair of sandals.
We are also taught that we need to maintain ourselves and the environments around us clean and to prepare ourselves for Salah.
Things to Do When Sandals Encounter Something Dirty
On the authority of Abu Hurairah (RA) The Messenger of Allah () has stated:
Source: Abu Dawud 385
It help us to understand a good principle about shoes and cleanliness: "If your shoes walk on anything impure, and then walk on pure earth, the earth itself will clean them."
This is particularly the case where someone is walking outside, where feet can step over dirty ground, or where people walking barefoot on Saturday need to take off their sandals to go into a mosque.
Can I Prayer With Sandals?
Yes. The Prophet PBUH himself has been seen to pray in shoes. (RA) narrated by Abu Maslamah: The Prophet PBUH was asked whether he performed the Salah with his shoes on and he said 'Yes'.
Sa'id Abu Maslamah (RA) asked Anas (RA):
Did the Messenger of Allah ()pray with his sandals on?
Anas (RA) replied:
Yes.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 5850
Thus this narration shows us that it is permissible to pray with your shoes on as long as your shoes are pure (meaning free of filth). This does not mean that you have to wear your shoes but you can.
Conversely, a devotee may wish to pray without footwear.
Checking Your Shoes for Impurities before Salah
Look you shoes before salah For us the story which came most about the requirement of check up of line before heading towards prayer is introduced by ABU SA'ID AL-KHUDRI (RA) that when in the congregation the serbet of ALLAH (PBUH) did prayer the serbrt of ALLAH (PBUH) kept down his shoe and he was to the left side and other in the congregation put his shoe in the same line.
" Prophets (pbuh) had just told us that Jibreel (AS) told the prophet (pbuh) that he saw impurity or something harmful on his shoes."
Why? Then the Prophet (p.b.u.h) asked his companions this question. The explanation then given is that, when any of us happens to visit the mosque, he should observe his shoes to see if there is any dust or injury to them. If there is, then one should wipe or remove it.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud 650
And this narrations teaches us that on our shoes we should notice all the dirt, damage or impurity on shoes.
Make Sure Your Shoes Are Clean before Praying
Sunnah tell us that our shoes must be examined to see whether they are clean. So if we notice that there is dirt or impurity on our shoes then we should wipe or wash the impurity before we say our Salah. It is for this reason that we should always make it a practice to check our shoes, especially if we are praying outside and our feet might have walked over some dirt. Clean shoes will ensure that dirt and impurities are not brought into the praying area.
The key message here is to:
Examine your shoes and get rid of dirt and debris before praying.
Can You Wear Shoes or Sandals When Praying Outside?
If someone is praying outside, then it is allowed to wear good cleanliness shoes or sandals as the conditions and situation may allow. The hadith of Anas (RA) supports this such as the prophet (PBUH) was praying with shoes on. One should also consider whether they are praying onto a prayer mat or carpet and whether it would be better to pray with shoes on or off.
In general, one ought to be as clean as they are able to be; clean shoes and a clean prayer area. If that is via riding in sandals, then that's effective, if that is via removing sneakers, or wiping away mud and mud on shoes, then that is effective.
What Can We Learn From These Hadiths
From the narrations we may learn the following lessons:
5. Keep Feet Clean Prior To Salah and Focus on what is made apparent to you: Get your shoes ready, or clean before you do salah. 6. Shoes or Sandals can be used to pray: Prophet (saww) was seen as praying on his shoes. 7. Wipe off dirt or impurities: Get your shoes checked before you do salah to see if they have any visible impurities; wipe away if you do.
4. The soil has the function of purifying the shoes: When it is stepped on by dirty things, and then contact with the soil, the soil will play the role of purification.
5. Follow sunnah to the best effect: Let us try to be mindful in our actions that we put cleanliness and concern for our Salah into practice.
Basic Checklist Prior to Salah: Shoes & Shoes
Before starting your prayer, remember to:
-It is good to check your shoes for dirt or damage
-Gently wipe dust or dirt if necessary
-Ensure the prayer space remains clean
-If praying on a prayer mat/carpet remove the shoes
-If the shoes are clean and the situation permits then pray with the shoes
-If you prefer to remove the shoes and are able to then pray barefoot These are all easy steps we can take in following the Sunnah.
Conclusion As Muslims, we need to always remember to prioritize cleanliness even in small things like our footwear. If we wear shoes for prayer or not, we must make sure that we check our shoes before we begin our prayer. We must also educate ourselves on the ruling on wiping soil over the shoes so that we know soil can indeed be used as a cleansing agent, and heed the potency of our shoes in increasing our Khushoo in prayer.