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Is it permissible to pray with shoes on?

Lecture 1 min read
SourceLecture
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saleh al-Uthaymeen· محمد بن صالح العثيمينSenior Scholar

Fatawa Nur 'ala ad-Darb, vol. 4, p. 211

Praying in shoes is established by the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. He used to pray in his sandals. However, if there is impurity on them, they must be removed and cleaned. In our time, when carpets are laid in mosques, it is better not to wear them inside to preserve cleanliness.

Evidence

Hadith

[Sahih [al-Bukhari 386](/hadith/bukhari/386)](/hadith/bukhari/386): The Prophet ﷺ prayed in his sandals.

Key Takeaway

Praying in shoes is permissible — and was done by the Prophet ﷺ — provided the shoes are clean of impurity; today, mosques being carpeted, removing shoes is the established custom.

Librarians, not Muftis

SunnahAnswers is a curated index of scholarly opinions — we collect, organize, translate, and present them. We do not author or rule. For binding rulings on your specific situation, consult a qualified scholar.

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