𝗔𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗯𝘀 & 𝗜𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗺𝘀 (23):

مَنْ جَهِلَ شَيْئًا عَادَاهُ People are averse to what they are ignorant of The meaning of this proverb is expressed in the Qurʿān in a more eloquent manner. Allah the Almighty said: { بَلۡ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِمَا لَمۡ یُحِیطُوا۟ بِعِلۡمِهِ} “Rather, they denied that which they encompass not in knowledge...” [Surah Yūnus: 39] A demonstration of this proverb: I prayed with my sandals in Masjidul Haraam (Makkah), on the tiled section - not on the carpets. After Salah I was told off by some uncles from Asia. I tried explaining that it's Sunnah to pray with clean footwear, but they weren't having any of it. Why does this happen? Sheikh Muqbil rahimahullah explained: فإن كثريًا من السنن قد جهلها كثير من الناس ثم هجروها، ثم أصبحوا ينقمون على من عمل بها ويريد إحياءها، ويرمونه بالضلال البعيد. ومن هذه السنن الصلاة في النعال، فقد تواتر أنّ النبي ﷺ صلى في النعال. “Indeed many of the Sunans (pl. of Sunnah) have become unknown to many people, as a result they have abandoned them and began to act hostile to those who implement them seeking to revive them, and they accuse them of being far astray. Among these Sunans is praying in sandals; for it has been established in mutawaatir form that the Prophet ﷺ prayed in sandals.” Source: شرعية الصلاة في النعال Question: What is the ruling of offering prayer while wearing sandals/shoes? Answer: It is Sunnah to do so, provided they are clean. Narrated Abu Maslama Sa'eed ibn Yazeed Al-Azdi: I asked Anas ibn Malik (radhiyallahu anha) whether the Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray with his sandals on. He replied "Yes." [Sahih al-Bukhari, 386] Narrated Aws ibn Thabit al-Ansari: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ((خَالِفُوا الْيَهُودَ فَإِنَّهُمْ لاَ يُصَلُّونَ فِي نِعَالِهِمْ وَلاَ خِفَافِهِمْ)) “Be different from the Jews, for they do not pray in their sandals or their Khuffs.” [Sunan Abi Dawud (652) - graded 'Saheeh' by Sheikh Albani] Question: If someone opts not to pray in their shoes/sandals, where should they place them? Answer: He should place them to his left, but if someone is praying to his left, then he should place them in between his feet. Narrated Abu Hurayrah radhiyallahu anhu: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: ((إِذَا صَلَّى أَحَدُكُمْ فَلاَ يَضَعْ نَعْلَيْهِ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَلاَ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ فَتَكُونَ عَنْ يَمِينِ غَيْرِهِ إِلاَّ أَنْ لاَ يَكُونَ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ أَحَدٌ وَلْيَضَعْهُمَا بَيْنَ رِجْلَيْهِ)) “When any of you prays, he should not place his sandals on his right side or on his left so as to be on the right side of someone else, unless no one is at his left, but should place them between his feet.” [Sunan Abi Dawud (654) graded 'Hasan' by Sheikh Albani]