NM's blog

Which of the four jurisprudence schools in Islam is more lax about women's dress? The  Hanafi school  is widely considered the most lenient or flexible ( lax ) regarding a woman’s mandatory dress code ( awrah ).  [1, 2]  While all four Sunni schools mandate modesty, loose clothing, and covering the hair, they differ significantly on exactly how much of a woman's body must be concealed in public or during prayer.  [3, 4, 5, 6]  The primary differences demonstrate why the Hanafi school provides the most flexibility: 1. Inclusion of the Feet The Hanafi View:  Uniquely, the standard position in the  Hanafi school  rules that a woman’s  feet are not part of her  awrah . This applies both in public and during prayer ( salah ). Therefore, wearing sandals or exposing the feet is permitted.  [2, 7, 8, 9]  The Other Three Schools:  The Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali schools all rule that  the feet must be fully covered , esp...