Written by: Shaykh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani (May Allah Protect Him)
Question:
The Hanafi scholars observe differences in the method of prayer between men and women. What is the Shariah basis for this?
Answer:
The method of prayer that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) demonstrated is the same for both men and women, as the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"Pray as you have seen me praying."
(Bukhari, Book of Adhan: Chapter on Mercy for People and Animals 6008, Ahmad 5/52, Irwa’ al-Ghaleel 213)
It is important to remember that from Takbeer-e-Tahreema (the opening Takbeer) to Salaam (the concluding greeting), the format of prayer is identical for both men and women. This includes Takbeer-e-Tahreema, Qiyam (standing), hand positioning, Dua-e-Istiftah (opening supplication), Surah Al-Fatiha, Ameen, followed by another Surah, Raf’ al-Yadayn (raising the hands), Ruku’, second standing, Sajda (prostration), sitting, first Tashahhud, pointing with the finger, final sitting, sending Darood on the Prophet, Dua, and Salaam. All specific supplications recited at each position are also identical.
In Hanafi literature, distinctions are made between men’s and women’s prayer postures, such as men raising their hands to the ears and women only to the shoulders, men placing their hands below the navel in Qiyam, and women placing them on the chest. Additionally, in Sajda, men are advised to keep their thighs away from the stomach, whereas women are instructed to keep them close to the body. However, no authentic and explicit hadith supports these differences.
"Know that the Sunnah of raising hands in prayer is common to both men and women, with no hadith indicating a difference between them in this regard, nor does any hadith specify a difference in the height to which the hands are raised. The Hanafi claim that men should raise hands to the ears and women to the shoulders for better modesty lacks any Shariah evidence.”
(Nayl al-Awtar 198/2)
Commentators of Bukhari, such as Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (رحمه الله) and Allama Shams al-Haq Azeemabadi (رحمه الله), further clarify:
"No hadith specifies a difference between men and women regarding raising the hands during Takbeer."
(Fath al-Bari 222/2, Awn al-Ma'bud 263/1)
Regarding Hand Placement:
Both men and women are commanded to place their hands on their chest during Qiyam. Assigning a separate rule for women to place hands on the chest and men below the navel lacks any authentic evidence.
Allama Abd al-Rahman Mubarakpuri (رحمه الله), in his commentary on Tirmidhi, states:
"It is the stance of Imam Abu Hanifa that men place hands below the navel and women on the chest, with no opposing narration from him or his companions."
(Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi 213/1)
Allama Nasir al-Din al-Albani (رحمه الله) comments:
"Placing hands on the chest is established by the Sunnah; opposing this practice is either weak or baseless."
(Sifat Salah an-Nabi, p. 88)
"When you prostrate, let some part of your body touch the ground, for women’s prostration differs from men’s."
Allama Nasir al-Din al-Albani (رحمه الله) remarks on this hadith:
"It is Mursal, thus invalid as evidence."
(Sifat Salah an-Nabi, p. 89)
Moreover, another narration from Ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما) advises women to bring their bodies close to the ground in Sajda for modesty. However, Imam al-Bayhaqi (رحمه الله) mentions that such weak narrations should not be used for establishing rulings.
"The Prophet (ﷺ) forbade emulating animals in prayer by sitting as camels, looking around like foxes, or placing elbows on the ground like dogs."
(Zad al-Ma'ad 1/116)
The authentic way of performing Sajda, as narrated in hadith collections, describes that:
"When the Prophet (ﷺ) performed Sajda, he neither spread his arms nor pressed them against his body."
(Bukhari, Book of Adhan: Chapter on Sunnah for Sitting in Tashahhud 828)
The Quran does not mention any distinction in prayer form between men and women. Similarly, there is no authentic narration from the Prophet (ﷺ) indicating a difference in prayer posture between men and women. Furthermore, the wives of the Prophet and female Companions followed the Prophet’s manner of prayer, as evidenced by:
"Um Darda (رضي الله عنها) would sit in prayer as men did, and she was a knowledgeable woman."
(Bukhari’s Al-Tarikh al-Saghir, p. 90)
➊ Covering:
Women must cover their heads and feet for the validity of their prayer.
"Allah does not accept the prayer of a menstruating woman (an adult woman) without a head cover."
(Ibn Majah 655, Abu Dawood 641, Ahmad 6/150)
For men, it is mandatory to keep their garments above the ankles during prayer.
➋ Position in Female-led Congregational Prayer:
A woman leading women in prayer should stand in the middle of the front row, not ahead.
➌ Error Correction:
When the Imam errs in prayer, men should say "Subhan Allah," while women clap.
➍ Missed Prayers:
Women are exempt from making up missed prayers during menstruation.
➎ Row Placement:
The best row for women is the last, while for men it is the first.
These rulings are valid but should not be confused with unfounded distinctions in prayer format. The variations presented by Hanafi scholars lack evidence from the Quran and Sunnah.
Question:
The Hanafi scholars observe differences in the method of prayer between men and women. What is the Shariah basis for this?
Answer:
The method of prayer that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) demonstrated is the same for both men and women, as the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"Pray as you have seen me praying."
(Bukhari, Book of Adhan: Chapter on Mercy for People and Animals 6008, Ahmad 5/52, Irwa’ al-Ghaleel 213)
It is important to remember that from Takbeer-e-Tahreema (the opening Takbeer) to Salaam (the concluding greeting), the format of prayer is identical for both men and women. This includes Takbeer-e-Tahreema, Qiyam (standing), hand positioning, Dua-e-Istiftah (opening supplication), Surah Al-Fatiha, Ameen, followed by another Surah, Raf’ al-Yadayn (raising the hands), Ruku’, second standing, Sajda (prostration), sitting, first Tashahhud, pointing with the finger, final sitting, sending Darood on the Prophet, Dua, and Salaam. All specific supplications recited at each position are also identical.
In Hanafi literature, distinctions are made between men’s and women’s prayer postures, such as men raising their hands to the ears and women only to the shoulders, men placing their hands below the navel in Qiyam, and women placing them on the chest. Additionally, in Sajda, men are advised to keep their thighs away from the stomach, whereas women are instructed to keep them close to the body. However, no authentic and explicit hadith supports these differences.
Statements from Scholars on the Absence of Differences in Prayer
Imam Shawkani (رحمه الله) states:"Know that the Sunnah of raising hands in prayer is common to both men and women, with no hadith indicating a difference between them in this regard, nor does any hadith specify a difference in the height to which the hands are raised. The Hanafi claim that men should raise hands to the ears and women to the shoulders for better modesty lacks any Shariah evidence.”
(Nayl al-Awtar 198/2)
Commentators of Bukhari, such as Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (رحمه الله) and Allama Shams al-Haq Azeemabadi (رحمه الله), further clarify:
"No hadith specifies a difference between men and women regarding raising the hands during Takbeer."
(Fath al-Bari 222/2, Awn al-Ma'bud 263/1)
Regarding Hand Placement:
Both men and women are commanded to place their hands on their chest during Qiyam. Assigning a separate rule for women to place hands on the chest and men below the navel lacks any authentic evidence.
Allama Abd al-Rahman Mubarakpuri (رحمه الله), in his commentary on Tirmidhi, states:
"It is the stance of Imam Abu Hanifa that men place hands below the navel and women on the chest, with no opposing narration from him or his companions."
(Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi 213/1)
Allama Nasir al-Din al-Albani (رحمه الله) comments:
"Placing hands on the chest is established by the Sunnah; opposing this practice is either weak or baseless."
(Sifat Salah an-Nabi, p. 88)
Differences in Sajda
In Sajda, it is claimed that men should distance their thighs from the body, while women should curl inwards. This practice is derived from a Mursal (interrupted) Hadith stating:"When you prostrate, let some part of your body touch the ground, for women’s prostration differs from men’s."
Allama Nasir al-Din al-Albani (رحمه الله) remarks on this hadith:
"It is Mursal, thus invalid as evidence."
(Sifat Salah an-Nabi, p. 89)
Moreover, another narration from Ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما) advises women to bring their bodies close to the ground in Sajda for modesty. However, Imam al-Bayhaqi (رحمه الله) mentions that such weak narrations should not be used for establishing rulings.
Key Evidence Supporting Unified Prayer Format
In various narrations, acts like spreading one’s arms on the ground in Sajda are prohibited, as they resemble the behavior of animals. Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله) elaborates:"The Prophet (ﷺ) forbade emulating animals in prayer by sitting as camels, looking around like foxes, or placing elbows on the ground like dogs."
(Zad al-Ma'ad 1/116)
The authentic way of performing Sajda, as narrated in hadith collections, describes that:
"When the Prophet (ﷺ) performed Sajda, he neither spread his arms nor pressed them against his body."
(Bukhari, Book of Adhan: Chapter on Sunnah for Sitting in Tashahhud 828)
The Quran does not mention any distinction in prayer form between men and women. Similarly, there is no authentic narration from the Prophet (ﷺ) indicating a difference in prayer posture between men and women. Furthermore, the wives of the Prophet and female Companions followed the Prophet’s manner of prayer, as evidenced by:
"Um Darda (رضي الله عنها) would sit in prayer as men did, and she was a knowledgeable woman."
(Bukhari’s Al-Tarikh al-Saghir, p. 90)
Differences Permissible in Women’s Prayer Outside Form
Apart from the form of prayer, a few points of distinction for women in prayer are accepted:➊ Covering:
Women must cover their heads and feet for the validity of their prayer.
"Allah does not accept the prayer of a menstruating woman (an adult woman) without a head cover."
(Ibn Majah 655, Abu Dawood 641, Ahmad 6/150)
For men, it is mandatory to keep their garments above the ankles during prayer.
➋ Position in Female-led Congregational Prayer:
A woman leading women in prayer should stand in the middle of the front row, not ahead.
➌ Error Correction:
When the Imam errs in prayer, men should say "Subhan Allah," while women clap.
➍ Missed Prayers:
Women are exempt from making up missed prayers during menstruation.
➎ Row Placement:
The best row for women is the last, while for men it is the first.
These rulings are valid but should not be confused with unfounded distinctions in prayer format. The variations presented by Hanafi scholars lack evidence from the Quran and Sunnah.