Fatwa ID: 02450

Answered by: Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Question:

Can we pray salah with shoes on?

Answer

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

If one’s shoes are clean and free from impurities, then it is allowed to perform Salah in them when one is in an area where shoes are normally worn. As for whether the shoes have to be flexible enough to enable correct posture for Sajdah, this is certainly preferable but not necessary as pointing one's toes towards the Qibla is an emphasized Sunna of the prayer (Tahtawi on Maraqi al-Falah p.365 v.1)

However, one should not pray Salah with shoes on in the Masjid. The time and era of the Prophet  was different. Masjid Nabawi had pebbles on the floor and did not have carpet. For this reason the Jurists have stated that it is Makrooh to pray with shoes on in the Masjid (which are fitted with carpets) even if the shoes do not have impurity on them. (Fatawa Mahmoodiyah p.66 v.13)

In the Holy Quran, Allah  commanded Saaiduna Musa Alayhis Salam to take off his shoes when he was on the sacred valley of Tuwa.

‘Remove your shoes, you are in the sacred valley of Tuwa’. (Surah Taha v.12)

The commentators of the Holy Quran have derived that one should remove his shoes when entering sacred places. (Maariful Quran p.83 v.6)

Only Allah Knows Best

Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham