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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.