Fatwa ID: 05677

Answered by: Mufti Jamal Ahmed

Question:

Is there any difference between man and woman salah in the light of Qur’an and Sunnah?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

There are fundamental differences in men and women in the structure of the body, which helps to serve the role each of them has been created for.  Men have been given the duty to earn a living and provide for their family whilst the women is to take care of the household affairs.  There are differences in rulings even in salah and hajj etc.

In salah, a woman is to pray in a manner that displays more modesty.  A woman will raise her hands to the shoulders and place them on the chest.  In the ruku, they will bend only to the extent that their hands reach the knees.  In sajdah, they will crouch as much as they can, keeping their upper body close to the thighs and the arms should be placed on the ground. In qa’dah she should sit on the ground whilst keeping her both feet to the right.

All the four Imams have reported similar differences in the salah of men and women based on the sayings of the prophet, his companions, the tabioon and the continuous practices of the ummah since the prophet’s time.

Extracted from Majmua Maqalaat, vol. 2,  pg. 409-430

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Mufti Jamal Ahmed

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham