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THE MODE OF PRAYER (SALAAT) FOR WOMEN
Prayer to be
offered by women differs from that of men only in the practical manner of its
offering and not in the spiritual sense. The Prayer times, the supplications,
the number of prostrations, bows, etc., do not differ. The difference in the
physical aspects of Prayer arise from the fact that women’s physique differs
from that of men, and follow from the commands which Allah (The Supreme) has
stipulated for them in the Holy Quran and through the Hadith of the Holy Prophet
.
Most differences relate to clothing, concealment of body, posture and concealment of voice. Prior to listing the differences in women’s mode of Prayer, we provide references from the Holy Quran and Hadith which are the PROOFS of, and form the main bases of these differences:
1. [Surah
Noor Verse 31] And command the Muslim women to keep their gaze low and to
protect their chastity, and not to reveal their adornment except what is
apparent, and to keep the cover wrapped over their bosoms; and not to reveal
their adornment except to their own husbands or fathers or husbands’ fathers, or
their sons or their husbands’ sons, or their brothers or their brothers’ sons or
sisters’ sons, or women of their religion, or the bondwomen they possess, or
male servants provided they do not have manliness, or such children who do not
know of women’s nakedness, and not to stamp their feet on the ground in order
that their hidden adornment be known; and O Muslims, all of you turn in
repentance together towards Allah, in the hope of attaining success.
2. [Surah
Ahzab Verse 59] O Prophet! Command your wives and your daughters and the women
of the Muslims to cover their faces with a part of their cloaks; this is closer
to their being recognised and not being harassed; and Allah is Oft Forgiving,
Most Merciful.
3. [Surah
Ahzab Verses 32 - 33] O the wives of the Prophet! You are not like any other
women - if you really fear Allah, then do not speak softly lest the one in whose
heart is a disease have any inclination, and speak fairly. And remain in your
houses and do not unveil yourselves like the unveiling prevalent in the times of
ignorance, and keep the prayer established, and pay the charity, and obey Allah
and His Noble Messenger; Allah only wills to remove all impurity from you, O the
People of the Household, and by cleansing you make you utterly pure.
4. Abdullah ibn Umar (may
Allah be well pleased with him) narrates that the Holy Prophet
said, 'When a woman sits
in Sajdah by putting one thigh upon the other (i.e. close to one another)
and at the time of Sajdah (prostration) her stomach touches her thighs
and she also takes full consideration of Hijaab, then Allah Taãla looks
at her and says to the angels, 'Bear witness that I have forgiven her.' (Baihaqi,
Kanzul Ummaal)
5. Once the Holy Prophet
saw two women offering
Prayer and he said, 'When you (women) make Sajdah (prostrate) then let
the limbs of your body touch one another and make them touch the ground.' Surely
in this (prostration posture) women are not similar to men.' (Masaail Abu Dawood)
6. Wail ibn Hajar (may Allah
be well pleased with him) said that the Holy Prophet
taught him to offer
Prayer and he said, 'O ibn Hajar! When you begin your Prayer then lift your
hands up to your ears and show the women that they should lift up to their
chests.' (Tabarrani)
7. Abdullah ibn Umar (may
Allah be well pleased with him) was once asked on how women used to offer Prayer
during the time of the Holy Prophet
. He replied, 'First they
used to read Prayer cross-legged, then they were commanded to cling to
themselves,' (Jaami al-Masanid).
8. Narrated Abu Huraira (May
Allah be well pleased with him), The Holy Prophet
once said: "The saying 'Sub
Han Allah' is for men and clapping is for women." (If something happens in
the prayer, the men can invite the attention of the Imam by saying "Sub
Han Allah". And women, by clapping their hands). (Bukhari)
1.
Concealing
the body (Satr-e-Aurat) – that is to conceal/cover the necessary parts of
the body. For men, this consists of the body between the navel up to and
including the knees. For women this consists of the entire body, except the
face, hands and soles of the feet. Women must hide their faces from strangers
whilst not in Prayers. Wearing clothes that are so thin that body colour is
exposed will make the Prayer void. Similar is the case of the head scarf if the
shine of hair is revealed. In fact, wearing such clothes is prohibited even
outside Prayer. Before beginning Prayer the woman should make sure that (other
than her face, palms and the soles of her feet) her entire body is properly
covered with opaque clothes. If she offers Prayer in thin clothes which reveal
the colour of the skin or the shine of her hair, it will render the Prayer void.
It is obligatory to also hide the neck, ears, hair-locks hanging from the head,
and the wrists.
2.
If any part of the body (other than her face,
palms and the soles of her feet) is exposed up to one fourth of its area, and
she proclaims the “Takbeer Tahreemah” (“Allahu Akbar”) without hiding it,
then the Prayer will be deemed to have not started at all. If one fourth or more
of it gets exposed during the Prayer for a time in which "Subhaan-Allah" can be
recited thrice, it will render the Prayer void.
3. While saying “Takbeer Tahreemah” (Allahu Akbar) a woman should raise her hands only up to her shoulders (and not up to the ears) and should not take them out of her cloak.
4.
In the Qiyaam (standing position), she
should place her left palm on the middle of her chest and the right palm over
the left.
5.
While bowing, she should only bow a little, enough
for her hands to touch her knees, without holding them. The fingers should be
kept straight. She should stand with her knees slightly bent, and her arms close
to her body.
6.
She should perform the prostration with her body
drawn together i.e. she should keep the abdomen joined with the thighs, the
thighs with the calves, the shins with the ground, the arms to the sides and the
wrists spread on the ground. Further, instead of keeping the feet upright, both
feet should be spread out towards the right.
7.
While in Qaadah (sitting position), instead
of keeping the right foot upright, both feet should be slid out towards the
right, with her sitting on the left foot.
8.
For women, praying in a room is better than
praying out in the courtyard, and praying in a basement is better than praying
in a room. (Abu Dawood).
1.
Women are
exempted from offering Prayer whilst in state of impurity (due to menses or
childbirth).
2.
Women should
take extra care during "Wuzu and Tayammum" by moving ornaments (such as
rings) in order not to leave the area below them - whereas nail polish should be
totally removed.
3.
If several
persons are praying in the same room, women should pray behind the men. They
should not stand in line with the men.
4. Women should offer their five daily Prayers, Taraweeh and Witr individually. It is Makrooh Tahreemi for them to offer Prayer with congregation. (Shaami Vol.1). A woman cannot be a leader (Imam) in any congregational Prayer.