format_quote Originally Posted by
Donia
Hamza
JazakAllah for the info. Thanks!
I have a couple of questions that I hope you can answer inshallah.
I have been told before that it is better and there is more reward for a woman to pray at home... I was also told that it is better if she were to pray in one particular area (like the same spot every prayer if possible) and if it is secluded like a bedroom. Ever heard that?
Also what is nafl?
I did make dua for you brother and I hope Allah ta'aala will accept it and accept all our duas inshallah.
The Shariah has ordained distinct rules for men and women in many important questions of salah. For example,
• Jumuah is fardh upon men but not on women, and the Eid prayer is wajib for men but again not for women.
Sayyiduna Tariq bin Shthab ( رضئ الله عنه ) reports that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ), said, 'Jumuah in congregation is an obligatory duty upon every Muslim except four people: a slave, a woman, a child, and one who is sick.’'
Sayyidatuna Umm Atiyyah . says as part of a longer hadeeth, 'We have been forbidden from following funerals and there is no Jumuah upon us.
• The reward of congregational prayer for men is twenty seven times more than an individual prayer. Contrary to this,
the more rewarding prayer of a woman is that which is most concealed and performed within the confines of her innermost living quarters.
Women receive the same blessing for praying at home that men receive for going to the mosque.
Traditionally, Muslim women were encouraged to stay at home in order to create a peaceful, loving environment for their families. There is also the need to protect women from being exposed to negative influences and harassment outside the home.
Islam, being a practical religion, also understands that it would be difficult for women if they were required to go to the mosque. When a woman is busy running a home and taking care of her children, going to the mosque five times a day would become an undue hardship.
This is not to say that women may not visit the mosque. The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, said, " Do not prevent the female slaves of Allah from coming to the mosques of Allah. When a wife of one of you asks for permission to go to the mosque, she should not be refused this permission." [Bukhari and Muslim]
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud ( رضئ الله عنه ) reports that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said, 'The prayer of a woman in her makhda' (partition) is better than her prayer in her hujrah (chamber), and her prayer in her hujrah is better than her prayer in her bait (house).'
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ( رضئ الله عنه ) narrates that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said, The most beloved salah to Allah of a woman is one that she performs in the darkest spot of her home.'
• Unlike men women should not give adhan or say the iqamah.
Sayyidatuna Asmaa (R) narrates as part of a longer hadeeth that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said, 'There is no adhan iqamah or Jumuah upon women.'
Sayyidatuna Ibn Umar (R) says 'There is no adhan or iqamah upon women.'
• There is a great difference in the awrah of a man and that of a woman in salah. Women must cover their entire body including the hair, leaving only the face, hands and feet exposed.
Ummul Mu'mineen Aisha (R) reports that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said, 'Allah does not accept the salah of a mature female without a scarf.'
• Women cannot lead men in salah.
Abu Bakrah (رضئ الله عنه ) reports that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said ‘Never will those people succeed who have appointed a woman over them.’
Jabir bin Abdullah (رضئ الله عنه ) reports as part of a longer hadeeth that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said, Know that a woman should not lead a man in salah.'
• For the purpose of correcting or deterring someone in salah men should say 'subhanallah' loudly, whilst women are only allowed to clap their hands.
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (رضئ الله عنه ) reports that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said, 'Tasbeeh is for men, and clapping is for women.’
The different postures, positions and rulings concerning the prayers of the female are not the invention of a group or an individual but teaching of the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) himself. He was the very first person differentiate between the prayer of a man and a woman.
Yazid bin Abi Habib reports that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) passed by two women who were praying salah. He said, 'When you prostrate, let part of your body cling to the earth, for women are unlike men in this regard'.
Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (رضئ الله عنه ) narrates that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said, 'When a woman sits in salah she should place one thigh over the other, and when she prostrates she should press her stomach to her thighs in a manner that is the most concealing for her. Indeed Allah looks at her saying, "Oh my angels! I make you witness that I have forgiven her."
Sayyiduna Wail bin Hujr ( رضئ الله عنه ) reports that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said, 'Oh Ibn Hujr! When you pray make your hands level with your ears. And the woman shall raise her hands close to her bosom.'
We derive some very important and fundamental principles about the prayer of a woman from all the above ahadeeth.
• The laws of salah are not always the same for men and women.
• The sunnah posture of a female in any position of salah is that which is the most concealing for her.
Imam Baihaqi says,
'All of the laws of salah in which a woman differs from a man are based on the principle of satr (concealment). This means that the woman is instructed to do all that which is more concealing for her. The following chapters of hadeeth explain this meaning in detail.'
As mentioned earlier, this variation in the salah of a woman has been prescribed by none other than the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) himself. It has remained the practice of the whole ummah till this day and is also reflected in the rulings of the Sahabah and Tabi'un. The ulama and fuqaha of all four schools have always recognised this difference and, as is evident in their books of fiqh, have always observed the above principles whenever making a ruling about the salah of a woman. Following are a few narrations detailing the verdicts and practice of the Sahabah & together with the verdicts of some of the Tabi 'un and the ulama of the different schools of fiqh:
Verdicts and practice of the Sahabah ( رضئ الله عنهم )
Khalid bin al Lajlaaj reports as part of a longer hadeeth that women were ordered to do tarabb'u when sitting in salah.
Nafi' narrates that Safiyyah ( رضئ الله عنها ) would pray and do tarabb'u.
Nafi' also narrates that the womenfolk of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar's (رضئ الله عنه ) family would do tarabb'u.
Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (رضئ الله عنه ) was once asked, 'How did women pray their salah during the time of the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) ' He replied, 'They used to sit cross legged until they were told to practice ihtifaz
Sayyiduna Ali (رضئ الله عنه ) says, 'When a woman prostrates she should do ihtifaz and press her thighs together.', and in Abdul Razzaq's narration 'press her thighs against her stomach.'
Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas ( رضئ الله عنه ) was asked about the prayer of a woman. He replied, 'She should pull herself close together and do ihtifaz.’
Verdicts of the Tabi'un and other ulama.
Ibn Jurayj reports,
'I asked Ataa: "Should a woman motion with her hands at the time of takbeer as a man does?" he replied, "She should not raise her hands with takbeer in the manner of men." Ataa then demonstrated (the way in which she should.) He placed his hands very low and then pulled them towards him. He then said, "The posture of a woman in salah is not that of a man."
Ataa also says, 'A woman should pull herself together when she bows down into ruk'u: she should bring up her arms to her stomach and pull herself together as much as possible. When she prostrates she should bring up her arms close to her and press her bosom and stomach against her thighs: she should pull herself together as much as possible.
Hasan al Basri says, 'A woman should pull herself close together in sujud.'
Hasan and Qatadah both say, 'When a woman prostrates she should pull herself together as much as possible. She should not allow for any space between her limbs so that her posterior is not raised.'
One certain author has argued that all the descriptions of the Prophet's ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) prayer are equally applicable to both men and women and there is nothing in the sunnah that excludes women from any of them. Insha Allah the contents of this chapter will answer that claim. The author then goes on to say that this is the view of Ibrahim al Nakhai who said, 'A woman's actions in the prayer are the same as a man's.' - transmitted by Ibn Abi Shaibah (1/75/2), with a saheeh sanad from him.
This is not what Ibrahim al Nakhai said at all nor is it his view. His narration transmitted by Ibn Abi Shaibah actually reads, 'A woman will sit in salah just as a man does.'563 This somehow has been misquoted as 'A woman's actions in the prayer are the same as a man's.'!
In fact, Ibrahim al Nakhai's other narrations quite clearly contradict the above report. His view about the prayer of a woman as reported by Ibn Abi Shaibah and others is as follows:
Ibrahim al Nakhai says, 'When a woman prostrates she should press her stomach against her thighs. She should not raise her posterior nor should she allow for any space or distance between the limbs of her body as a man does.'
He also says, 'When a woman prostrates she should bring her thighs together and press her abdomen to them.'
He also says, 'A woman should sit to one side in salah.'
Imam Baihaqi says,
'All of the laws of salah in which a woman differs from a man are based on the principle of satr (concealment). This means that the woman is instructed to do all that which is more concealing for her. The following chapters of hadeeth explain this meaning in detail.'
Ibn Qudamah al Maqdisi al Hanbali quotes Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal in his al Mughni as saying, 'I consider sadl 56S to be better for a woman.' He also qoutes the narration of Sayyiduna Ali ( رضئ الله عنه ) who says, 'When a woman prays salah she should do ihtifaz and press her thighs together.'
Imam Ahmad was asked about how a woman should prostrate and sit for tashahhud. He replied, 'She should do whatever is more concealing for her.' He added, 'She should do tarabb'u in tashahhud and draw her legs to one side (sadl).'
According to the narration of Abu Dawood, Imam Ahmad was asked about how a woman should sit in salah. He replied, 'She should press her thighs together.'
Qadhi Iyadh has also quoted from some Salaf that the sunnah for women is tarabb'u.
All the above quite clearly demonstrates that the prayer of a woman is different in some aspects from that of a man, and that this distinction was first made by none other than the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ), and then maintained by the prominent Sahabah and Tabi'un. Furthermore, as can be seen in their works, there is almost universal agreement amongst the scholars of all schools of fiqh on this issue.
List of differences between the prayer of a man and a woman.
Some of the differences as mentioned in the Hanafi books of fiqh are listed below.
In all the postures and movements of salah, including qiyam, ruk'u, sajdah, and tashahhud a woman should adopt that which is the most modest and concealing for her.
At the beginning of salah a woman should not raise her hands to her ears but only to her shoulders or close to her bosom.
In qiyam, women are to place their hands on their bosoms. They can fasten them in any one of the different ways 'akdh' (grasping) or 'wadh' (placing) described in part two, or they can simply rest the right palm on the left one.
Unlike men, in ruk'u, women should tuck their arms into the body and not spread them outward. They should also merely place their hands over their knees with closed fingers, and not grasp them with the fingers spread wide open. In fact, women should try to keep their fingers close together in all the postures of salah.
During prostration men should allow for some space and distance between their stomachs and thighs, and arms and the side of the body, whilst women should press these limbs together.
Again in prostration, men should raise their arms off the ground and allow for some distance but women should let them cling to the ground.
During the sitting of tashahhud, men are to rest on their legs and raise their right foot with the toes facing qiblah, whereas women are to take out both their legs towards the right hand side of the body and rest on the posterior without raising their right foot
When making RUKU a WOMAN should only BEND over sufficiently so that her HANDS reach her KNEES.
The HANDS should be placed on the KNEES, with the FINGERS kept together.
In RUKU the ELBOWS should TOUCH the sides of the BODY and the FEET kept TOGETHER.
(How Glorious is my Lord the Great.)
TASMEE : To say 'Semi Allahu Leman Hamedah.'
QAWMAH : To stand up after RUKU.
Now stand up straight and whilst coming up say: TASMEE
(Allah has listened to him who has praised Him.)
Then in the upright position say: THAMID
Rabbana Lakal Hamd.
Trans : O Our Lord! Praise be to You.
If one does NOT stand erect after RUKU and merely lifts ones head and goes into Sajdah then the NAMAAZ. will NOT he VALID, and it will be NECESSARY to repeat the NAMAAZ.
The Salah as offered by women differs from that of men in the following aspects. Women should be careful about what is required of them:
How women should pray which differs to men
1. Before they begin their Salah, women should make sure that their whole body, except the face, the hands and the feet, is covered with clothes.Some women offer their Salah with the hair on their head remaining uncovered. Some have their wrists left uncovered. Some women use scarfs so thin or small that their hair tresses are visible dangling down underneath. If, during the Salah, any part of the body, even if it be equal to one-fourth, remains uncovered for a time during which one could say (Subhana Rabbi-al-Azim) three times, the Salah itself would not be valid. However, should the uncovered portion be less than that, Salah would take place but the sin shall stay.
2. For women, making Salah in the room is better than doing it in the verandah and doing it in the verandah is better than doing it in the courtyard.
3. While starting the Salah, women should not raise their hands upto their ears, instead, they should raise them upto their shoulders, and that too, from within the scarf or other outer wrap being used. Hands should not be taken out of this cover.
4. When women fold their hands on the chest, they should simply place the palm of their right hand on the back of the left forehand. They should not fold their hands on the navel like men.
5. In Ruku’, women are not required to straighten their backs fully like men. Women should bend less as compared to men.
6. In the position of Ruku’, men should open up their fingers while placing them on the knees, but women are required that they place their hands on the knees with fingers close together, that is, there be on space between fingers.
7. Women should not stand on legs absolutely straight, instead, they should stand with knees slightly bent forward.
8. In Ruku’, men are required to keep their arms stretched, away from the sides. But, women should stand with their arms close to their sides.
9. Women should stand with both feet close together. Specially, both their knees should just about be joined together. Let their be no separating distance between legs.
10. While doing Sajdah, the method prescribed for men is that they should not lower their chest until such time that their knees come to rest on the floor. But this method is not for women. They can, right from the start, lower their chest and go for Sajdah.
11. Women should do their Salah in a manner that the stomach-wall come to rest against the thighs and the arms stay close to the sides. In addition to that, omen do have to position their feet, upright, they should spread them on the floor sliding them out towards the right.
12. Men are prohibited to place their elbows on the floor while making Salah. But, women should place the whole arm, including the elbows, on the floor.
13. When sitting between Sajdah and when reciting (at-Tahiyyaat), sit on the left hip, side both feet out to the side and let the left foot reset on the right calf of the leg.
14. Men are required that they be careful about keeping their finger upon when bending for Ruku’, and keeping then close together in Sajdah, and then, leave them as they are during the rest of the Salah, when they make no effort either to close or open them. But, it required of women, under all conditions, that they keep fingers close together, that is leave no space between them. This is required all along in Ruku’, in Sajdah, between two Sajdah and in the Qa’dahs.
15. It is makruh (reprehensible) for women to make a jama’ah (congregation) The very act of offering their Salah alone is better for them. However, should mahram-members of the family be making their Salah with jama’ah within the house, there is no harm if they join in with them in the jama’ah. But, in a situation like this, it is necessary that they stand exactly behind men. They should never stand next to them in the same row.
Perform Salah Correctly
by Mufti Taqi Usmani
Types of prayer
There are four types of Prayers:
1. Fardh
Fardh is an Arabic world, which means compulsory or obligatory. The Five daily prayer i.e., Fajr, Dhuhr, 'Asr, Magrhib and 'Isha are obligatory prayers. It is a sin to intentionally skip a Fardh Prayer. If a prayer is missed because of forgetfulness or due to some unavoidable circumstances, then offering the missed Prayer as soon as possible will rectify this mistake.
2. Sunnah
The Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, offered extra Raka'at of Prayer in addition to those of Fardh Prayers. These are called Sunnah Prayers. It is considered necessary by all jurists to offer these prayers. The willful neglect of Sunnah Prayers is censurable in the sight of Allah.
Following are the Sunnah Prayers:
a. Two Rak'at of Sunnah Prayer should be offered before the Fardh Prayer of Fajr. However, if a person joins the congregation without having offered Sunnah due to circumstances beyond his control, he can offer these after the Fardh prayer.
b. Four Rak'at of Sunnah Prayer before Fardh and two Rak'at after the Fardh in Dhuhr Prayer. In case one is unable to perform four Rak'at Sunnah before the Fardh in Dhuhr Prayer, one should offer these after the congregational Fardh Prayer. (Note: Followers of Hanfi school of thought offer two Sunnat while some other Muslims offer four Sunnat after Fardh in Dhuhr Prayer.)
c. Two Rak'at of Sunnah after the Fardh of Maghrib Prayer.
d. Two Rak'at of Sunnah after the Fardh of 'Isha Prayer.
3. Wajib
Wajib prayers are necessary and willful neglect is considered sinful. However, if someone misses any of these due to unavoidable circumstances, Qadha (make-up of missed prayer) is not required.
The following are Wajib Prayers:
a. Three Rak'at of Vitr after 'Isha
b. Two Rak'at of Eidul-Fitr and Two Rak'at of Eidul-Adha(Only for men)
c. Two Rak'at are offered while performing the Tawaaf of K'aba.
4. Nawafil
Nawafil plural form of an Arabic word Nafl which means voluntary or optional prayer.
Following are some of the Nawafil Prayers:
a. Eight Rak'at of Tahajjud
b. Two Rak'at after the four/two Rak'at of Sunnah at the end of Dhuhr Prayer
c. Four Rak'at before Fardh of 'Asr Prayer
d. Two Rak'at after the two Rak'at at the end of Maghrib Prayer
e. Four Rak'at of Ishraaq Prayer
f. Two Rak'at offered when one enters a mosque
g. Two Rak'at offered when seeking blessing fro God Almighty
h. Two Rak'at offered as Salat-ul-Hajaat
i. Two Rak'at offered as Thanksgiving Prayer
One may offer as many Nawafil Prayers as one wish. However, Nawafil should not be offered during the forbidden times for Prayers. Nawafil should not be offered between 'Asr and Maghrib Prayer. It is preferable to offer Nawafil Prayers at home rather than in a mosque. However, it is matter of personal choice and there is no compulsion in this matter.
THE RAKAATS IN PRAYER
(A single round of bodily actions within a Prayer, is called a “Rakaat”. )
Dawn (Fajr) Prayer: Total of 4 “Rakaats” - in the following order: 2 Emphasised Sunnah (Muakkadah), 2 Obligatory (Farz).
Thereafter you can also read Nafl -Ishraq namaz which can be done 20minutes after sunrise and if you stay seated after Fajr and pray 2 x 2 rakat of nafl and it is reward of nafl hajj and umra inshallah!
After Ishraq namaz you have breakfast and then you can pray Chasht namaz up until at least an hour before midday (Zawaal) you can pray upto 2 rakats upto 12 rakats of nafl and it is great reward inshallah!
Afternoon (Zohr) Prayer: Total of 12 “Rakaats” - in the following order: 4 Emphasised Sunnah (Muakkadah), 4 Obligatory (Farz), 2Emphasised Sunnah (Muakkadah), 2 Voluntary (Nafil).
Evening (Asr) Prayer: Total of 8 “Rakaats” - in the following order: 4 Non-Emphasised Sunnah (Ghair Muakkadah), 4 Obligatory (Farz).
Sunset (Maghrib) Prayer: Total of 7 “Rakaats” - in the following order: 3 Obligatory (Farz), 2 Emphasised Sunnah (Muakkadah), 2Voluntary (Nafil).
After the 2 sunnah you can pray Nafl salatul Awabeen which is a prayer you can do of minimum of 6 rakats which is 3 x 2 nafls and you can do upto 12 rakats and it is reward of upto 12 years of nafl worship reward subhanallah!
Night (Isha) Prayer: Total of 17 “Rakaats” - in the following order: 4 Non-Emphasised Sunnah (Ghair Muakkadah), 4 Obligatory (Farz), 2 Emphasised Sunnah (Muakkadah), 2 Voluntary (Nafil), 3 Essential (Wajib Witr), 2 Voluntary (Nafil).
The best Nafl prayer of all is Tahajjud namaz which you can read from 2 to 12rakats Nafl and you pray this in the third portion of th night at least an hour before subh sadiq(dawn) it is great reward and dua's are accepted more than any other time of the day and night! It is the best way of getting the closest to Allah and getting the highest ranks of paradise inshallah!
Some Sunnah Prayers are Emphasised (Muakkadah ) - for which Shariah has stressed upon. Leaving it without proper excuse makes one liable for censure, and abandoning it makes one a sinner, disqualified from giving witness and deserving of fire. (These should not be purposely abandoned even during travel.) Some Imaams have said that one who abandons these will be deemed astray, and a sinner although his sin less than that of leaving an Essential (Wajib). Leaving the Sunnah habitually is close to forbidden (Haraam) and it is feared that (We seek Allah's refuge) such a person may remain deprived of the Holy Prophet's intercession. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has proclaimed: "Whoever abandons the Sunnah will not obtain my intercession."