In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh Your query consists of two

questions, namely: 1. Is there a difference in the salat of men and women? 2. Respond to the article that states The way in which women pray is the same as the way in which men pray Hereunder, we wish to present answers to the above questions. Is there a difference in the salat of men and women? In Sharia, many laws that apply to women are different to those that apply to men. Amongst these laws are the laws of salat. The variation that exists between the salat of men and women were prescribed by none other than Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam). This remained the practice of the entire ummah till this day and is also reflected in the verdicts and practices of the Sahaba and Tabiun. The Ulama and Fuqaha of all four mazhahib, namely Hanafi, Maaliki, Shafiee and Hambali, have maintained the difference that exists between the salat of men and women. In the recent past, there has being a group amongst the muslims who call themselves Ahlul Hadith, claim that the laws of salat are common to both men and women. Hence, they conclude that women should perform salat exactly as men do. They claim that the Hadith in which Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) states: Perform salat as you see me perform salat (Sahih Bukhari #631) is general and applies equally to both men and women. However, it should be realized that our own

interpretation and logical inference of this Hadith cannot compare with the other Ahadith in which Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) clearly draws a difference between the salat of men and women, leaving aside the many verdicts and practices of Sahaba and those after them that are found in the collections of Hadith. The Muhadithun have dedicated separate chapters in their books outlining the salat of women such as Imam Ibn Abi Shayba, Imam Abdur Razaq and others. In brief, this article will highlight the differences that exist in the salat of men and women which are substantiated from the Ahadith and the verdicts and practices of the Sahaba and those after them. Also, answers will be given to the objections raised by the Ahlul Hadith sect on this issue. We have not intended to gather all the Ahadith and verdicts of the Ulama on this topic. However, be assured that the relevant Ahadith and verdicts of the Ulama pertaining to this issue are mentioned with there references. Sharia has prescribed distinct laws for men and women in many issues pertaining to salat. Hereunder, are examples of a few: 1. Men can lead women in salat but women cannot do so.

Abu Bakrah narrates that Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: Never will those people succeed who have appointed a women over them (Sahih Bukhari, vol 2, pg 1052, Qadeemi)

Jaabir bin Abdillah (radiyallaahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: Know that a woman should not lead a man in salat (Baihaqi AlKubra, vol 3, pg 90, Idaratut Talifaat Ashrafiyya)

2. Men should say Subhanallah loudly for the purpose of correcting someone in salat, while women are only allowed to clap their hands.

Abu Huraira (radiyallaahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: Tasbeeh is for men and clapping is for women (Sahih Bukhari, vol 1, pg 160, Al-Mizaan)

3. Jummuah salat is fardh upon men but not on women.

Tariq bin Shihab (radiyallaahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: Jummuah in congregation is an obligatory duty upon every muslim except four: a slave, a woman, a child and one who is sick (Mustadrak Al-Hakim-declared Sahih by Hakim and agreed by Dhahabi, vol 1, pg 425, #1062, Ilmiyya) 4. The reward of congregational salat for men is twenty seven times more than that of an individual salat. Contrary to this, the more rewarding salat of a woman is that which is most concealed and performed within the confines of her home and of her innermost living quarters.

Abdullah bin Masood (radiyallaahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: The salat of a woman in her makhda (partition) is better than her salat in her hujrah (chamber); and her salat in her hujrah is better than her salat in her bait (house) (Sahih Ibni Khuzaimah, vol 3, pg 95, Al-Maktab al-Islami)

Abdullah bin Masood (radiyallaahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: The most beloved salat to Allah of a woman is the one that she performs in the darkest spot of her home (Majma AlZawaaid- Hafidh Haythami has classified all the narrators as authentic, vol 2, pg 35, Maktaba Al-Qudsi) 5. There is a big difference in the awrah of men and that of women in salat. Woman are required to cover their entire body including the hair and leaving only the face, hands and feet exposed, whereas this is not the requirement for the salat of men.

Aysha (radiyallaahu anha) reports that Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: Allah does not accept the salat of a woman without a scarf (Mustadrak AlHakim-declared Sahih upon the conditions of Muslim by Hakim and agreed by Dhahabi, vol 1, pg 380, #917, Ilmiyya) 6. Women are not allowed to call out the Azaan whereas men are encouraged to do so.

Ibn Umar (radiyallaahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: There is no Azaan and nor is there Iqamah upon women (Baihaqi Al-Kubra, vol 1, pg 408, Idaratut Talifaat Ashrafiyya) 7. Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) has not allowed women to raise their hands up to the ears in salat as men do.

Abdu Rabbihi reports: I saw Ummu Darda raising her hands up to her shoulders in salat (Juz Rafi Yadain by Bukhari, pg 66, #50, Dar Ibn Hazam)

Waail bin Hujar (radiyallaahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: O Waail bin Hujar! When you perform salat, make your hands in line of the ears; and woman should make their hands in line of their breasts (Majma Al-Zawaaid, vol 9, pg 374, Maktaba AlQudsi)

8. Woman cannot stand in the Saff (row) of men. They have to stand at the behind the men.

Anas (radiyallaahu anhu) reports: An orphan and I performed salat behind Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and my mother, Ummu Sulaim, stood behind us (Sahih Bukhari, vol 1, pg 236, #871, Dar Al-Fikr)

9. Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) has clearly differentiated between the sajdah of men and women.

Yazid bin Abi Habib (radiyallaahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) once passed by two women who were performing salaat. He said: When you make sajdah, attach your body to the ground, for indeed, women are not like men in this matter.(Maraseel of Abi Dawood, pg 118, #87, Muassasah Al-Risalah)

(The narrators in the above Hadith are reliable and not rejected-Ilaau Al-Sunan, vol 3, pg 26, Idara Al-Quran) 10. Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) has clearly differentiated between the sitting posture of men and women in salat.

Abdullah Bin Umar (radiyallaahu anhu) reports that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: When a women sits in salaat, she should place the thighs of one leg upon the thighs of the other and when she makes sajda, she should attach her belly to her thigh so that it is as concealing as possible, for indeed Allah Taala looks at her saying: O my angels, I make you witness that I have indeed forgiven her. (Al-Baihaqi, vol 2, pg 223, Idara Al-Taleefaat)

(The above Hadith is reliable due to the fact that it is supported by many other Ahadith- Ilaau Al-Sunan, vol 3, pg 33, Idara Al-Quran)

Verdicts and practices of Sahaba and Tabiun with regards to a womens salat: 1.
:

Ali (radiyallaahu anhu) said: "When a woman makes sajdah (prostrates), she should practise ihtifaaz and keep her thighs close together (Musannaf Ibni Abi Shayba, vol 2, pg 504, #2793, Al-Majlis al-Ilmi) ("Ihtifaaz": where a woman draws herself close together and leans onto one side by resting on their left buttocks and completely contracting themselves).

2.
:

Ibn Abbas (radiyallaahu anhu) was asked about the salaah of a woman; he replied: "She must draw herself close together and do Ihtifaz (Musannaf Ibni Abi Shayba, vol 2, pg 505, #2794, Al-Majlis al-Ilmi)

3.
:

Khalid bin lajlaaj reports: Women were commanded to do tarabbu' when they sat in salah and that they should not sit like men on their buttocks (Musannaf Ibni Abi Shayba, vol 2, pg 506, #2799, Al-Majlis al-Ilmi) (Tarabbu': to sit cross legged). 4.

Nafi reports that Safiyya (radiyallaahu anha) used to perform salat while in the tarabbu position.(Musannaf Ibni Abi Shayba, vol 2, pg 506, #2800, Al-Majlis al-Ilmi) 5.
. :

Nafi reports: The womenfolk of Ibn Umar would do tarabbu while in salat (Musannaf Ibni Abi Shayba, vol 2, pg 507, #2805, Al-Majlis al-Ilmi) 6.
:

Abdullah ibn Umar was asked: how women performed their salah during the era of Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)? He replied: Initially they performed tarabbu'. Then they were ordered to do Ihtifaz (Sharh Musnad Abi Hanifa, pg 191, Ilmiyya)

(The chains of narrators in the above Hadith are authenticIlaau Al-Sunan, vol 3, pg 27, Idara Al-Quran) Note: This Hadith clearly indicates that the practice of Tarabbu was abrogated and women not allowed to sit in the Tarabbu posture anymore. 7.
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Imam Baihaqi states: All the laws of salat in which a woman differs from a man are based on the principle of satr (concealment). This means that the women are instructed to do all that which is most concealing for them (Sunan Al-Kubra al-Baihaqi, vol 2, pg 222, Idarat AlTalifaat) The statement of this great Muhadith, Imam Baihaqi, clearly indicates that there exists a difference in the salat of men and women. 8.

Shaykh Abdul Hayy Lucknawi states: A woman differs from a man in the actions of salat (Al-Siaayah, vol 2, pg 205, Suhail Academy)

Answers to the proofs and objections of the Ahlul Hadith:

Majority of the proofs presented in this article are taken from the book authored by Shaykh Albani titled Sifat Salaat al-Nabi. This book contains many mistakes and was refuted by many Ulama throughout the world like the late Shaykh Hamud al-Tuwayjiri (d. 1992). In fact, the late Shaykh Bin Baaz and Shaykh Salih Al-Munajjid have also given rulings contrary to that which is in the book of Shaykh Albani regarding this issue. So, it seems as though Shaykh Albani was the only scholar claiming that there is no difference between the salat of men and women. Hereunder, is our response to the article: Article states:
Rather the general meaning of the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), Pray as you have seen me praying, include women too

Response: 1. The interpretation of the above Hadith provided by Shaykh Albani was never given by any scholar of the past. Not a single traditional and expert commentator of Sahih Bukhari, including the likes of Ibn Hajar Asqalani, Allamah Aini, Ibn Battaal etc had given this interpretation. It is only Shaykh Albani that has given this interpretation and logically it will be incorrect for us to follow this interpretation of Shaykh Albani. 2. It should be known that the interpretation by Shaykh Albani and his logical inference of this Hadith cannot be accepted at all, because it goes against other Ahadith in which Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) clearly draws a difference between the salat of men and women, aside from the many verdicts and practices of Sahaba and those after them that were mentioned above.

The article states:

Response: 1. This Hadith cannot be used to prove that women are like men in all aspects of Deen. The Ahadith above are sufficient evidence to show that men and women are not equal in all aspects of Deen. The meaning of the above Hadith is that women resemble men with regards to their body constitution. This is because Hawwa (alayhas salaam) was created from Adam (alayhis salam) and thereof the progeny of men and women began. (Maarif Al-Sunan, vol 1, pg 374, HM Saeed) 2. Even if we had to accept this principle that women are like men in all aspects, then this principle only applies to those cases where there are no proofs indicating to the contrary. In the issue of womens salat, there are many Ahadith in which Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) differentiated between the salat of both genders. Surprisingly, this principle is stated in the article but has not being implemented. 3. Not a single traditional Muhaddith and expert commentator of Hadith has interpreted the above Hadith as it is interpreted in this article. Thus, it will be illogical for us to accept this interpretation. The article states:
The other is the hadeeth of Abu Mutee al-Hakam ibn Abd-Allaah al-Balkhi from Umar ibn Dharr from Mujaahid from Abd-Allaah ibn Umar who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and

blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: When a woman sits during the prayer she should place one thigh against the other and when she prostrates she should press her stomach against her thighs, compressing herself in the most concealing manner, for Allaah looks at her and says: O My angels, I call you to bear witness that I have forgiven her. Sunan al-Bayhaqi al-Kubra, 2/222.

this hadeeth is daeef, because it was narrated by Abu Mutee al-Balkhi. Response: According to the principles of Hadith laid down by the Fuqaha and Muhadithun, this Hadith can be relied on, since it is supported by many other Ahadith and verdicts of Sahaba, who were the students of Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam). It is supported by many Shawahid (a term of Usulul Hadith). (Ilaau Al-Sunan, vol 3, pg 33, Idara Al-Quran) The article states:
A third hadeeth was narrated from Yazeed ibn Abi Habeeb, saying that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) passed by two women who were praying. He said: When you prostrate, press some of your flesh to the ground, for women are not like men in that. This was narrated by Abu Dawood in al-Maraaseel (p. 118) and by al-Bayhaqi (2/223). This hadeeth is mursal, which is a category of daeef (weak).

Response: 1. The issue of womans salat is purely a fiqhi issue and has to be dealt with in the light of what the Fuqaha state. They were masters in understanding the meanings of the Ahadith as stated by the great Muhadith and student of Imam Bukhari, Imam Tirmizhi (rahimahullah). The Fuqaha

of all four mazhahib accept Mursal ahadith, but obviously with certain conditions (Athar Al-Hadith alShareef). Therefore, it will totally incorrect to blatantly state that This hadeeth is mursal, which is a category of daeef (weak) indirectly inferring that this Hadith cannot be accepted. We do not wish to go into the discussion of Mursal ahadith, since this is not the purpose of this article. However, all the narrators of the above Hadith are reliable and there is no reason to reject it as stated in Ilaau AlSunan (vol 3, pg 26, Idara Al-Quran)
The article states:

In al-Musannaf (1/242), Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated some reports from some of the salaf which suggest that there is a difference in the way women and men sit (in prayer), but the only evidence that counts is the words of Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Then he narrated from some of the salaf that the way in which men and women pray is the same.

Response: 1. It is incorrect to state but the only evidence that counts is the words of Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).This statement infers that the statements of Tabiun and Ulama cannot be accepted. This is totally incorrect and goes against the teachings of the Quran and the Ahadith. Allah Taala mentions in the Quran:

O those who believe obey Allah and obey his messenger and those in authority amongst you (Sura Nisa: 59)

Early commentators of Quran such as Ibn Abbas, Mujahid and Hasan Basri have stated that those in authority amongst you refer to the Fuhaqa and Ulama (Maarif AlQuran). We are commanded to follow the teachings of Tabiun and Ulama for their teachings are based on the Quran and Ahadith. The author of this article states that only the words of Allah and Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) are the only evidence that count, then why does he quote from the writings of Shaykh Albani etc? The article states:
In al-Musannaf (1/242), Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated some reports from some of the salaf which suggest that there is a difference in the way women and men sit (in prayer), but the only evidence that counts is the words of Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Then he narrated from some of the salaf that the way in which men and women pray is the same. Al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Umm al-Darda used to sit in prayer as a man sits and she was a scholarly woman. Al-Haafiz stated in Fath al-Baari that Abul-Darda had two wives, both of whom were called Umm al-Darda. The older one was a Sahaabiyyah and the younger one was a Taabiiyyah. He suggested that the one who was referred to here by al-Bukhaari was the younger one.

Response: 1. In light of what the author of this article has written, it is incorrect for him to present the above narration as a proof. This is so, because he states that only the words of Allah and Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) count and here he presents the action of a Tabiiyyah as proof.

2. However, it is not sufficient enough to present the above narration regarding the action of Ummu Darda as proof, because there is a narration recorded by Imam Tahawi (rahimahullah) which states contrary to it. The Hadith is as follows:

Ibrahim bin Abi Ablah narrates: I saw Ummu Darda performing salat in the Tarabbu position (Tuhfa AlAkhyaar, vol 2, pg 338, Dar Balansiyya) 3. The author of the article claims that Imam Ibn Abi Shayba recorded from the Salaf that the way in which men and women performed salat was the same. This is absolutely false and incorrect accusations labelled against this great Imam. He has never mentioned this in his Musannaf. Not a single Salaf has mentioned that a woman will perform salat as a man performs salat. The author of this article has probably relied on the book Sifat Salat Al-Nabi authored by Shaykh Albani. This is because the mistake made by Shaykh Albani in his book is the same mistake made by the author of this article. Shaykh Albani claimed that Ibrahim Nakhaee said: A woman will do as a man does in salat. He also adds that this narration has a sahih sanad (authentic chain of narrators). However, this was not what Ibrahim Nakhaee said and nor was this ever his view. The correction words of Ibrahim Nakhaee that appear in Musannaf Ibn Abi Shayba are:
:

A woman will sit as a man sits in salat (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shayba, #2804, Al-Majlis al-Ilmi) Hereunder, are the interpolated words of Shaykh Albani:
: ) : ( ( ) ) 1 / 57 / 2 (

In conclusion we would like to mention that all the Ahadith mentioned in this article are sufficient to prove that there exists a difference between the salat of men and women and it would be incorrect to claim that the salat of both genders are common. We ask Allah Taala to grant us sincerity and make this humble effort a means of exposing the truth. And Allah knows best Wassalam Ml. Talha Desai, Student Darul Iftaa Checked and Approved by: Mufti Ebrahim Desai Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah