Question:
Is it right to fold pants/shalwaar/pajamas/shirt etc. for offering prayers (Salah) ?
Answer:
During prayer (Salah) or other then Salah in normal condition, it is Makrooh-e-Tanzihi to keep the pants below ankles, but not forbidden and Haram. Conditionally when not due to arrogance. Because to wear the cloth with intention of arrogance in such a way that ankles get hides is Makrooh e tehrehmi . In Ahadees strict menace is present on this. As it is mention in Ibney Maaja-
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّہِ صَلَّی اللَّہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنَّ الَّذِی یَجُرُّ ثَوْبَہُ مِنْ الْخُیَلَاءِ لَا یَنْظُرُ اللَّہُ إِلَیْہِ یَوْمَ الْقِیَامَۃِ۔
Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) stated that Undoubtly one who slide his cloth with arrogance ,on day of judgment Almighty Allah will not gaze with mercy on him.
And if not due to intention of arrogance then it is Makrooh-e-tanzihi.
As it is mention in the book Alamgiri
– إسبال الرجل إزارہ أسفل من الکعبین إن لم یکن للخیلاء ففیہ کراہۃ تنزیہ
To keep the pants(tehband) below the ankles for any man if is not due to arrogance, Then is Makrooh-e-tahrimi.
(Jild16,Kitabul Karahat,Baab Altas’a,Almaktabah AlShamlah)
Therefore to keep the cloth below ankles with the intention of arrogance in prayer (Salah) is Makrooh-e-tahrimi and if is not due to arrogance then it is Makrooh-e-tanzihi.
Similarly to fold the lower part of pant/shalwar etc. or to pull shalwar from the place of drawstring (azarband) for the purpose of keeping them above ankles in prayer is Makrooh-e tahrimi.
As it is mention in Sahi Bukhari
عَنْ النَّبِیِّ صَلَّی اللَّہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَسْجُدَ عَلَی سَبْعَۃٍ لَا أَکُفُّ شَعَرًا وَلَا ثَوْبًا
It is narrated from Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) that prophet peace be upon him stated that I have been ordered to offer sajdah with seven bones and not to wrap the clothing.
It is present in Raddul Muhtar
The shrinking or to warping cloth as like to folding the sleeve upside or to warping or shrinking daman is Makrooh, though doing so for purpose to avoid from dirt.
(Kitab Alsalah,Baab Mayfadadul salah.Al Maktabah Al Shamlah)
Therefore to offer Namaz without folding the lower part of pant is permissible. But in condition of folding it is abhorrence tahremi.
Allah knows best.
By Mufti Haider Ali Qadri
