Shortened Question:
What is the correct method for a Hanafi woman to perform her Salat?
Question:
I follow the Hanafih Madhab. I know women perform Salat differently from men. What is the correct way for women to perform her Salat?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Anas Radiayallahu Anhu reports, that Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi wa Salam said:
The woman who observes her five daily Salat, fast during the month of Ramadan, preserves her chastity and obeys her husband, will enter Janah by whichever door she please.[1]
Salat is an important ibaadat and it will be the first thing that a person will be questioned about on the Day of Qiyamah. The Salat of the women is more conservative than of the men. The different postures are designed to safeguard the satar of the woman at all times and to maintain her modesty.
It is narrated by Baihaqi that:
The fundamental difference between the Salat of males and females is concealment (of the female). [2]
The posture of the woman should be as follows:
FOR QIYAAM (STANDING)
In the standing position a woman should raise her hands close to her shoulders[3] then lowering them recite Allahu Akbar and place her hands on her chest with both palms facing towards the chest. The inner palm of the right should be placed on the back of the palm of the left hand. Unlike men she will not make a ring with her fingers.[4]
RUKU (KNEELING)
During ruku her back should be slightly bent to the extent that she is able to touch her knees. Her fingers should be placed close together and placed on her knees, without grasping her knees. Her knees should be slightly bent. Her elbows should be placed close to her sides and the ankles of both her feet kept together.[5]
SAJDAH (PROSTRATION)
When she goes into Sajdah, her knees should touch the ground first, followed by the hands with the face between the palms. The nose should touch the ground first followed by the forehead. The forearms should be placed flat on the ground close to her body. The fingers should be flat and facing the Qibla. Both feet should be placed outwards towards the right hand side and her stomach touching her thighs, her arms attached to her sides and her forearm spread on the ground. Her elbows should be pressed against her sides. She should draw herself closely together.
When going into Tashahud position she should sit up straight with her feet remaining outwards, towards the right. Her palms with her fingers close together and pointing towards the Qibla should be placed on her knees.
Attached below are illustrations of the different postures of the woman in Salat.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Saeed Ahmed Golaub
Islamic Solutions
Jamaica
The hands as seen here are raised to the
shoulders with both palms facing outwards.
The hands in this picture are exposed for clarification
Purposes only and should not be otherwise be
Exposed in Salat.
Both hands are placed on the chest. The inner palm
of the right hand is placed on the back of the palm of the left hand.
The back slightly bent should be slightly bent
during Ruku (kneeling position).
In Ruku (kneeling position) the fingers should be
placed close together and placed on the knees.
Unlike men women should not grasp their knees.
The hands are exposed for clarification
Purposes only and should not be exposed in Salat.
During Sajdah both feet should be placed
outwards towards the right side.
Her stomach should be pressed against her thighs.
Her forearm should be placed flat on the floor,
close to her body and her elbows pressed against her sides.
The hands are exposed for clarification
Purposes only and should not be exposed in Salat.
Frontal view showing her head between
her palms while the forearms are placed flat on the floor.
[1]:3254 -[17] (صَحِيحٌ)
وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الْمَرْأَةُ إِذَا صَلَّتْ خَمْسَهَا وَصَامَتْ شَهْرَهَا وَأَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا وَأَطَاعَتْ بَعْلَهَا فَلْتَدْخُلْ مِنْ أَيِّ [ص:972] أَبْوَابِ الْجَنَّةِ شَاءَتْ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو نعيم فِي الْحِلْية مشكاة المصابيح (2 / 971)
[2]:3196 – أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو سَعْدٍ الْمَالِينِيُّ، أنبأ أَبُو أَحْمَدَ بْنُ عَدِيٍّ الْحَافِظُ، ثنا عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحِيمِ، ثنا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، ثنا بَقِيَّةُ، ثنا عُمَرُ بْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، عَنْ مَكْحُولٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: ” إِذَا نَسِيَ أَحَدُكُمْ صَلَاةً فَذَكَرَهَا، وَهُوَ فِي صَلَاةٍ مَكْتُوبَةٍ فَلْيَبْدَأْ بِالَّتِي هُوَ فِيهَا، فَإِذَا فَرَغَ صَلَّى الَّتِي نَسِيَ ” قَالَ أَبُو أَحْمَدَ رَحِمَهُ اللهُ: عُمَرُ بْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ مَجْهُولٌ لَا أَعْلَمُ يَرْوِي عَنْهُ غَيْرُ بَقِيَّةَ قَالَ الشَّيْخُ رَحِمَهُ اللهُ: وَجُمَّاعُ مَا يُفَارِقُ الْمَرْأَةَ فِيهِ الرَّجُلُ مِنْ أَحْكَامِ الصَّلَاةِ رَاجِعٌ إِلَى السِّتْرِ، وَهُوَ أَنَّهَا مَأْمُورَةٌ بِكُلِّ مَا كَانَ أَسْتَرَ لَهَ
[3]:” والمرأة ترفع يديها حذاء منكبيها ” هو الصحيح لأنه أستر لها ” الهداية في شرح بداية المبتدي (1 / 48)
[4]:(وَوَضَعَ) الرَّجُلُ (يَمِينَهُ عَلَى يَسَارِهِ تَحْتَ سُرَّتِهِ آخِذًا رُسْغَهَا بِخِنْصَرِهِ وَإِبْهَامِهِ) هُوَ الْمُخْتَارُ، وَتَضَعُ الْمَرْأَةُ وَالْخُنْثَى الْكَفَّ عَلَى الْكَفِّ تَحْتَ ثَدْيِهَا (كَمَا فَرَغَ مِنْ التَّكْبِيرِ) بِلَا إرْسَالٍ فِي الْأَصَحِّ (وَهُوَ سُنَّةُ قِيَامٍ) ظَاهِرُهُ أَنَّ الْقَاعِدَ لَا يَضَعُ وَلَمْ أَرَهُ الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (1 / 487)
[5]:وَأَمَّا الْمَرْأَةُ فَتَنْحَنِي فِي الرُّكُوعِ يَسِيرًا وَلَا تُفَرِّجُ وَلَكِنْ تَضُمُّ وَتَضَعُ يَدَيْهَا عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهَا وَضْعًا وَتَحْنِي رُكْبَتَيْهَا وَلَا تُجَافِي عَضُدَيْهَا لِأَنَّ ذَلِكَ أَسْتَرُ لَهَا. الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (1 / 494)