Differences between the postures of women and those of men in performing Salah

Q. Are there any differences between the postures of women and those of men in performing Salah?

A. In general, Islamic principles apply equally to both women and men, without any differences, unless there is something in the Shari'ah that specifies otherwise. As for Salah, in light of the Hadith and the opinions of the scholars of Islam, it is clear that some postures of women differ from those of men.

The Shari'ah refers to women as "aurah" – a term meaning something a person feels ashamed to expose. The concept of "aurah" serves as the basis for many of the Islamic laws concerning women. For instance, when a woman leaves her home, she must cover herself entirely with her jilbab, and she must not speak to a "ghair mahram" (a male stranger) except in cases of necessity. There are also restrictions on her voice; she is not allowed to give the Azaan or Iqaamah, and, unlike a man, she must recite "Qira'ah" in Salah softly, such that only she can hear. Similarly, in Salah, any postures that contradict the principle of "aurah" are not recommended for her.

While performing Salah, a woman must avoid spreading the different parts of her body at any time. Allaamah Jalaaluddeen Al-Suyuti (Rahimahullah) reports a Hadith in his Tanwir-ul-Hawaalik, a commentary on the Mu'atta of Imam Malik. According to this Hadith, Hadhrat Waa'il Bin Hujr (Radiyallahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) said:

"When you perform Salah, raise your hands up to your ears, and a woman must raise them up to her breasts."

In a Hadith found in the Marasil of Imam Abu Dawood, Hadhrat Yazeed Bin Abu Habib (Rahimahullah) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) passed by two women who were performing Salah. He said to them:

"When you perform Sajdah, place part of your flesh (belly) on the ground, for a woman is not the same as a man in this posture."

This Hadith from Yazeed Bin Abu Habib (Rahimahullah) is a mursal Hadith, as it is narrated by a Taabi'i who does not mention the link between Nabi-e-Karim (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) and himself. However, this disconnection is not a sufficient reason to reject the Hadith, as mursal Ahaadith have always been accepted by the Taabi'in (Rahimahumullah) up to the second century Hijri, as stated by Ibn Jarir (Rahimahullah). Moreover, mursal Ahaadith are valid according to the Aimmah, including Imam Abu Hanifa (Rahimahullah), Imam Malik (Rahimahullah), and Imam Ahmad Bin Hambal (Rahimahullah). As for the Hadith of Yazeed Bin Abu Habib (Rahimahullah), it is also valid according to Imam Shafi'i (Rahimahullah), as he does not reject mursal Ahaadith that are supported by the fatwas of the Sahabah (Radiyallahu anhum) or the 'Ulama-e-Deen. In fact, there is the fatwa of two Sahabah-e-Kiraam (Radiyallahu anhum), namely Hadhrat 'Ali (Radiyallahu anhu) and Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Abbas (Radiyallahu anhuma), which supports the Marasil Hadith reported by Yazeed Bin Abu Habib (Rahimahullah).

According to Musannaf Ibn Abu Shaibah, when asked how a woman should perform her Salah, Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Abbas (Radiyallahu anhuma) said:

"Let her compress herself (her body) and not spread out."

Also, according to Musannaf Ibn Abu Shaibah, Hadhrat 'Ali (Radiyallahu anhu) said:

"When a woman performs Sajdah, she should crouch up and bring one leg closer to the other."

According to Musannaf Abdur Razzaaq, Hadhrat 'Ali (Radiyallahu anhu) said:

"When a woman performs Sajdah, she should compress herself and bring her belly closer to her legs."

According to Musannaf Ibn Abu Shaibah, Hadhrat Mujahid (Rahimahullah) said:

"When a man performs Sajdah, it is Makruh for him to place his stomach on his legs as a woman does."

This shows that, according to Imam Mujahid (Rahimahullah), the way a woman should perform Sajdah is different from that of a man.

Hadhrat Hassan Basri (Rahimahullah) said:

"A woman should compress herself (bring the body together) in Sajdah."

When asked about the manner in which a woman should raise her hands in Salah, the eminent Taabi'i Hadhrat Ataa Ibn Abi Rabah (Rahimahullah) said:

"She raises her hands up to her breasts."

According to Musannaf Abdur Razzaaq and Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaibah, Hadhrat Ibn Jurayj (Rahimahullah) asked Hadhrat Ataa (Rahimahullah) in these words:

"Should a woman raise her hands as a man does?"

Hadhrat Ataa (Rahimahullah) replied:

"A woman should not do as a man does."

While demonstrating the manner in which a woman should do it, Hadhrat Ataa (Rahimahullah) raised his hands very low and then joined them. Thereafter, he said:

"Certainly, a woman has a posture which a man does not have."

That is to say, the posture of a woman is different from that of a man. According to another narration from Musannaf Abdur Razzaaq, Hadhrat Ataa (Rahimahullah) said:

"When a woman performs Ruku, she should bring her arms close to her belly and compress her body as much as she can. When she performs Sajdah, she should bring her arms close to her body, her belly and breasts close to her legs, and compress her body as much as she can."

According to Musannaf Abdur Razzaaq and Musannaf Ibn Abu Shaibah, Hadhrat Ibrahim Bin Yazeed An-Nakh'i (Rahimahullah), a great Taabi'i of the first century Hijri, said:

"The woman was ordered to leave her arms and belly on her thighs when she performs Sajdah; she should not spread out in order to avoid lifting her posterior as a man does."

Similarly, according to Musannaf Abdur Razzaaq, Hadhrat Hassan Basri (Rahimahullah) and Hadhrat Qatadah (Rahimahullah) said:

"When a woman performs Sajdah, let her compress herself and not spread it out in order to avoid lifting her posterior."

Regarding the manner in which a woman should sit in Salah, Hadhrat Ibrahim An-Nakh'i (Rahimahullah) said:

"Women were ordered to clasp both thighs together on one side."

According to Musnad Imam Abu Hanifah (Rahimahullah), when asked about the manner in which a woman should perform Salah, Hadhrat Abdullah Bin 'Umar (Radiyallahu anhuma) said:

"At the time of Nabi-e-Kareem (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam), when women sat, they would cross their feet, and then they were ordered to perform 'Ihtifaaz'."

Allaamah 'Ali Al-Qari (Rahimahullah) said that 'Ihtifaaz' means "to tighten" — i.e. not to spread out. Therefore, they were ordered to sit on the hip and spread their feet to the right side.

In his Kitaab-ul-Umm, Imam Shafi'i (Rahimahullah) said:

"Allah Ta'ala has ordered women not to display themselves, and Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) has also given the same instruction. I prefer that a woman compresses her body and brings her belly close to her thighs and performs Sajdah as decently as she can. I prefer this for her in Ruku and in Sajdah."

In Al-Mughni, Ibn Qudamah (Rahimahullah) said:

"In general, all the regulations that apply to men also apply to women because the command of the Shari'ah also includes them (women), except that women, unlike men, should not move away because they are 'aurah'. Thus, I prefer that they compress their bodies because it is more decent for them."

Explaining the way a woman performs Sajdah, Sheikh Ibn-ul-A'rabi (Rahimahullah) said:

"As for a woman, it is recommended that she put her forearms (on the ground) and bend down. She does not hold her body straight like a man; she brings her belly closer to her thighs because it is more decent for her."

It is therefore obvious that the most recommended way for women is the one where there is more decency. A posture where she has to spread out is not correct. Moreover, from the Hadith of Nabi-e-Kareem (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam), the fatwas of the Sahabah-e-Kiraam (Radiyallahu anhum), and the Taabi'in (Rahimahumullah), along with the views of the Aimmah (Rahimahumullah), it is clear that they all agree that some postures of women in Salah are different from those of men.

Therefore, note the following differences between the Salah of a woman and that of a man:

At the beginning of the Salah (for the Takbir al-Tahrimah), a woman raises her hands up to her shoulders or breasts without spreading her arms. She keeps her hands on her chest, under her jilbab or burqa. In contrast, a man raises his hands up to his ears and places his hands under his navel.
In Ruku, a woman's Ruku' must be slight, just enough for the tips of her fingers to touch her knees, without spreading her arms away from her body and spreading her fingers. A man, on the other hand, must hold his knees by spreading his fingers. His back must remain straight, with his head held level with his back, and his arms must be spread out from his body without bending the elbows.
In Sajdah, a woman must not keep her feet straight but should place them horizontally on the ground to the right. She should not spread her arms away from her body and must compress herself as much as possible, keeping her stomach on her thighs and her forearms on the ground. In contrast, a man must keep his belly away from his thighs and his arms away from his body. Both feet must be placed perpendicular to the ground, with the toes bent towards the Qiblah. His forearms must not be placed on the ground.
In the Jalsah (or Qaidah), a woman must perform tawarruk, sitting on her hip with both feet spread horizontally to the right on the ground. A man, however, must sit on his left foot, which is spread horizontally on the ground, while his right foot is placed perpendicular to the ground, with the toes bent towards the Qiblah.

It should also be noted that a man, unlike a woman, is allowed to recite the Qira'at aloud in certain Salah.

Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta'ala, the Lord of all worlds, Himself created woman differently from man in many aspects. Therefore, it is entirely natural that there are certain principles in the Shari'ah that are specific to women.

[English version of "Différences entre les postures de la femme et celles de l'homme dans la pratique de la Salah" – Al Haadi – Vol. 2 No. 8]