Is covering both shoulders with clothing obligatory for the validity of prayer?
Chapter on the Description of Prayer
Al-Mughni
Book of Prayer
Primary text
The placement of some covering upon both shoulders is required if the worshipper is able. This position is held by Ibn Al-Mundhir. The primary evidence for this requirement is the Prophet's saying narrated by Abu Hurayrah: 'A man shall not pray in a single garment without something of it being upon his shoulders.' This narration, reported by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, and others, constitutes a prohibition that implies invalidity and takes precedence over analogical reasoning. Furthermore, Abu Dawud narrated from Buraydah that the Messenger of Allah forbade praying in a blanket without draping it over oneself, or praying in trousers without a cloak over the shoulders. This requirement for validity is adopted in the apparent view of the Madhhab because abandoning it during prayer is prohibited, and prohibition implies the invalidity of the acted-upon matter, similar to covering the private parts.
Supporting text
The majority of jurists, including Malik, Al-Shafi'i, and the Ahl al-Ra'y (Companions of Abu Hanifa), hold that covering the shoulders is not obligatory nor a condition for the validity of the prayer, as the shoulders are not considered parts of the private area, thus resembling the rest of the body. A report attributed to Ahmad suggests that leaving one shoulder uncovered results only in disapproval (makruh), not requiring repetition of the prayer, possibly due to partial compliance with the textual command.