What is the awrah of a man? 3 best answers
C J. Ahmed-08.03.2023
The word "awrah" generally means nakedness and every form of society has some rule or regulation with regards to nakedness. The awrah for a m a n is on ly his private parts and everything else can be exposed without any worry. The awrah mentioned in Islam is the area that needs to be covered and it differs among men and women according to the situation or whether the person is a Muslim or not.
1. Like all the other issues pertaining to religious rulings, scholars are divided on how much a man should cover in front of a man and how much a woman should cover in front of a woman. In the teaching of Islam according to the Quran and authentic hadiths, the awrah for a man in front of a man is only his private parts and anything else can be uncovered.
Narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri:
The Prophet (sal) said: A man should not look at the private parts of another man, and a woman should not look at the private parts of another woman. A man should not lie with another man without wearing lower garment under one cover; and a woman should not be lie with another woman without wearing lower garment under one cover.
(Abu Dawud-authenticated by Albani)
2 Some scholars are of the view that the awrah for men is what is between the navel and the knees. This argument could be accepted if there are no opposing evidences but the truth is there are many hadiths stating otherwise. The hadiths proving that the Thigh is not an awrah is as follows.
Narrated by Aisha (rali):
"The Prophet was sitting with his thigh exposed when Abu Bakr asked, and received permission to enter. The same thing happened with 'Umar. However, when Uthman sought permission to enter, the Prophet covered himself with his clothes. When they left, I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, you permitted Abu Bakr and 'Umar to enter while your thigh was exposed. When 'Uthman asked permission to enter, you covered yourself with your clothes.' He said, 'O 'Aishah, should I not be shy of a man who, by Allah, even the angels are shy of'?"
(Bukhari, Muslim and others)
Some argue that in the above hadith, the narrator was not shure whether the prophet (sal) uncovered his thigh or his shank But the below hadiths clearly mention that the prophet (sal) uncovered his thigh to everyone implying the thigh is not an awrah.
3 Hadiths proving that the thigh is not an awrah for a man
Anas (Rali) Narrates:
"During the battle of Khaibar, the Prophet's gown was withdrawn from his thigh until I could see its whiteness."
(Bukhari)
If the thigh was an awrah the prophet (sal) would have never exposed his awrah like this. The other hadth is as below
Abu'l-'Aliyat al-Bara Narrated:
"Ibn Ziyad delayed the prayer. 'Abdullah b. Samit came to me and I placed a chair for him and he sat in it and I made a mention of whit Ibn Ziyad had done. He bit hit lips (as a sign of extreme anger and annoyance) and struck at my thigh and said: I asked Abu Dharr as you have asked me, and he struck my thigh just as I have struck your thigh, and said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (Sal) as you have asked me and he struck my thigh just as I have struck your thigh, and he ( Prophet (Sal)) said: Observe prayer at its prescribed time, and if you can say prayer along with them. do so, and do not say." I have observed prayer and so I shall not pray."
(Sahih Muslim)
It is clear from these hadiths that the awrah for a man is only his private parts
The word "awrah" generally means nakedness and every form of society has some rule or regulation with regards to nakedness. The awrah for a m a n is on ly his private parts and everything else can be exposed without any worry. The awrah mentioned in Islam is the area that needs to be covered and it differs among men and women according to the situation or whether the person is a Muslim or not.
1. Like all the other issues pertaining to religious rulings, scholars are divided on how much a man should cover in front of a man and how much a woman should cover in front of a woman. In the teaching of Islam according to the Quran and authentic hadiths, the awrah for a man in front of a man is only his private parts and anything else can be uncovered.
Narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri:
The Prophet (sal) said: A man should not look at the private parts of another man, and a woman should not look at the private parts of another woman. A man should not lie with another man without wearing lower garment under one cover; and a woman should not be lie with another woman without wearing lower garment under one cover.
(Abu Dawud-authenticated by Albani)
2 Some scholars are of the view that the awrah for men is what is between the navel and the knees. This argument could be accepted if there are no opposing evidences but the truth is there are many hadiths stating otherwise. The hadiths proving that the Thigh is not an awrah is as follows.
Narrated by Aisha (rali):
"The Prophet was sitting with his thigh exposed when Abu Bakr asked, and received permission to enter. The same thing happened with 'Umar. However, when Uthman sought permission to enter, the Prophet covered himself with his clothes. When they left, I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, you permitted Abu Bakr and 'Umar to enter while your thigh was exposed. When 'Uthman asked permission to enter, you covered yourself with your clothes.' He said, 'O 'Aishah, should I not be shy of a man who, by Allah, even the angels are shy of'?"
(Bukhari, Muslim and others)
Some argue that in the above hadith, the narrator was not shure whether the prophet (sal) uncovered his thigh or his shank But the below hadiths clearly mention that the prophet (sal) uncovered his thigh to everyone implying the thigh is not an awrah.
3 Hadiths proving that the thigh is not an awrah for a man
Anas (Rali) Narrates:
"During the battle of Khaibar, the Prophet's gown was withdrawn from his thigh until I could see its whiteness."
(Bukhari)
If the thigh was an awrah the prophet (sal) would have never exposed his awrah like this. The other hadth is as below
Abu'l-'Aliyat al-Bara Narrated:
"Ibn Ziyad delayed the prayer. 'Abdullah b. Samit came to me and I placed a chair for him and he sat in it and I made a mention of whit Ibn Ziyad had done. He bit hit lips (as a sign of extreme anger and annoyance) and struck at my thigh and said: I asked Abu Dharr as you have asked me, and he struck my thigh just as I have struck your thigh, and said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (Sal) as you have asked me and he struck my thigh just as I have struck your thigh, and he ( Prophet (Sal)) said: Observe prayer at its prescribed time, and if you can say prayer along with them. do so, and do not say." I have observed prayer and so I shall not pray."
(Sahih Muslim)
It is clear from these hadiths that the awrah for a man is only his private parts