Question: In terms of salat’s becoming invalid, is there a distinction between a part of one’s awrah becoming uncovered by itself and one’s deliberately uncovering it in salat?
ANSWER
There is a difference between these two. Salat is invalidated immediately if one uncovers a limb of awrah (parts of the body that must be covered) deliberately. However, if it opens up by itself, salat is not invalidated unless it remains open for the duration of a rukn (the time it takes to say “Subhanallah” three times). For example, if a woman opens the hanging part of her hair, her salat becomes invalid immediately. If it opens up by itself, her salat is not invalidated unless she remains in that position as long as a rukn.

Question: It is written in the book Se’adet-i Ebediyye in its section dealing with the nullifiers of salat, “If one’s awrah parts remain open long enough for one to say ‘Subhanallah’ three times in a rukn, one’s salat becomes nullified.” Is what nullifies salat the opening of an entire limb or the opening of a quarter of it?
ANSWER
Salat is nullified if a quarter of a limb, not an entire limb, is exposed because it is further stated in Se’adet-i Ebediyye in its section dealing with the covering of awrah, “If one-fourth of one of a man’s or a woman’s awrah parts remains bare as long as one rukn, his or her salat becomes nullified.” In science of fiqh, one-fourth of a limb is counted as the entire limb. For example, applying masah on the head is obligatory in wudu’. Masah on one-fourth of it is counted as masah on the entire head. Similarly, the arm is a limb. If one-fourth of a woman’s arm is exposed in salat, her salat is nullified. If one-fourth of a man’s arm is exposed, his salat becomes makruh.

Question: The head covering I use for salat is so thin that my hair can be seen through it. Is it permissible for me to perform salat wearing it?
ANSWER
It is written in fiqh books, “Thin cloth that lets the shape or color of the thing under it be seen is equal to none.” For this reason, you must perform salat wearing a thick head covering.

Question: Though you send us postings about this subject, I fail to understand whether salat is valid or not when a garment fits the body closely and shows the shape of a part of it. My pants are so tight that they clearly display the shape of my private parts. Are my salats valid?
ANSWER
Even though they reveal the shape of a part of your body, your salats are valid because it is written in the book İslam Ahlakı:
“If the color of the skin covered by thin cloth is apparent, it nullifies salat. However, if cloth fits closely to a body part and shows its shape, it does not nullify salat.”