How should a woman's feet be during sajdah (prostration)?

In the Shariat, although certain forms of Ibaadat (worship) are done both by%0D%0Amen and women, yet the manner in which these forms of Ibaadat are fulfilled%0D%0Adiffer. This is especially apparent in Salaat. Many postures of the Salaat%0D%0Aof women differ to that of men in order to maintain the very important%0D%0Aprinciple of modesty and concealment. Many narrations substantiate this%0D%0Afact.%0D%0A%0D%0AHadhrat Abdullah bin Umar (Radhiallaahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah%0D%0A(Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "When a woman sits in Salaat, she should%0D%0Aplace the thighs (of one leg) upon the other and when she makes sajdah, she%0D%0Ashould attach her belly to her thigh so that it is as concealing as%0D%0Apossible. For indeed Allah Ta'ala looks at her saying: 'O my angels I make%0D%0Ayou witness that I have indeed forgiven her'." (Baihaqi Vol.2 Pg.223)%0D%0A%0D%0AWaail bin Hujr (Radhiallaahu Anhu) says that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi%0D%0AWasallam) said: "O Waail, when you commence the Salaat, lift your hands in%0D%0Aline with your ears and women should (only) lift it in line with the chest%0D%0A(shoulders)." (Kanzul Umaal Vol.7 Pg.307)%0D%0A%0D%0AIn another narration, it is stated that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi%0D%0AWasallam) passed by two women who were performing Salaat. He said: "When you%0D%0Amake sajdah, attach your body to the ground. Indeed women are not like men%0D%0Ain this matter." (i.e. they differ in the posture of sajdah). (Maraasil of%0D%0AImaam Abu Dawood (R.A))%0D%0A%0D%0AThe Imaams of all four Mazaahib (schools of thought) attest to the%0D%0Adifferences between the Salaat of men and women.%0D%0A%0D%0AThus, we will now discuss a few aspects pertaining exclusively to the Salaat%0D%0Aof women.%0D%0A* Before commencing the Salaat, a woman must ensure that besides her face%0D%0Aand wrists, all other parts of her body should be concealed. Some women%0D%0Aperform Salaat with their hair exposed, others with their ears exposed,%0D%0Awhile the forearms of others are completely open. Some wear such a thin%0D%0A(see-through) burqa' (head covering) that the hair can be seen through it.%0D%0AAll this is incorrect and not permissible%0D%0A* If any limb, besides the face and wrists are exposed for the duration it%0D%0Atakes to read thrice, the Salaat will be rendered null and void. If it is%0D%0Aexposed less than that, the Salaat will be valid. However it will be makrooh%0D%0Aand she will be sinful.%0D%0A* It is best for women to perform Salaat in a place that is most concealing.%0D%0AThus to perform Salaat in an inner room of the house will be better than%0D%0Aperforming it in the front room or lounge etc. Similarly performing the%0D%0ASalaat in the lounge will be preferred to performing it in the courtyard of%0D%0Athe house.%0D%0A* Whilst saying the Takbeer-a-Tahrima (Allahu Akbar), women will only lift%0D%0Atheir hands till the shoulders and not till the ears like men. They will%0D%0Alift the hands under the burqa (veil). They should not take their hands out%0D%0Aof the burqa.%0D%0A* Women will put their hands on the chest by placing the palm of the right%0D%0Ahand over the back of the left wrist. The fingers should be kept close%0D%0Atogether. Women will not adopt the method of men in placing of the hands.%0D%0A(Tahtawi Pg.141)%0D%0A* Women should stand with both feet close together. There should be no gap%0D%0Abetween the two feet. In ruku also, the same position of the feet should be%0D%0Amaintained. (Bahishti Zewar & Mufti Taqi Uthmani)%0D%0A* First make the intention, then say Allahu Akbar. Thereafter place the%0D%0Ahands on the chest. Then read Thanaa, A'uzu, and Bismillah after which you%0D%0Awill commence with Surah Fateha. On completing Surah Fateha, say A'meen.%0D%0AAfter that, read Bismillah again and read a Surah. After completing the%0D%0ASurah, say Allahu Akbar and go into ruku.%0D%0A* A woman should only bend so much in ruku that she is able to place the%0D%0Ahands on the knees. Women will not make ruku like men by straightening the%0D%0Aback. Their bending for ruku should be less than that of men. Place both%0D%0Ahands on the knees while keeping the fingers closed together. Do not spread%0D%0Athe fingers apart. (Tahtawi Pg.141 & Bahishti Zewar)%0D%0A* Keep the forearms close to the sides and keep the ankles together in ruku.%0D%0A(Ibid)%0D%0A* In ruku, women will not keep the feet completely upright, but rather they%0D%0Awill bend the knees slightly forward. (Shaami & Mufti Taqi Uthmani)%0D%0A* Read three or five times in ruku. Ensure that the 'dh' is pronounced%0D%0Acorrectly.%0D%0A* After saying , lift the head and stand with ease and read or%0D%0A* Sahih Muslim%0D%0A* Women will make sajdah in such a way that the belly will touch the thighs%0D%0Aand the forearms will touch the sides. The forearms will be placed on the%0D%0Aground. Bahishti Zewar%0D%0A* Place the head between the hands in sajdah. Place the forehead and the%0D%0Anose on the ground. The fingers should be kept close together, facing the%0D%0AQibla. The thumb should also face the Qibla.%0D%0A* In sajdah both feet will be placed on the ground facing the right. The%0D%0Afeet should not be kept upright. However, the toes should face the Qibla.%0D%0Ashould be read three or five times.%0D%0A* Thereafter say Allahu Akbar and sit with ease. Sit on the left posterior%0D%0Awith both feet protruding to the right. Place the right thigh on the left%0D%0Athigh and the right shin on the left one. (Tahtawi Bahishti Zewar)%0D%0A* Place both hands on the thighs with the fingers closed together. This is%0D%0Athe method for women. In ruku, sajdah and qa'adah, the fingers will be kept%0D%0Aclose together without any gap in between, while the law for men is that in%0D%0Aruku they will keep the fingers apart and in sajdah they will keep it closed%0D%0Atogether. In all the other postures, the fingers will be kept in their%0D%0Anatural position.%0D%0A* In jalsah the following duaa should be read, whether performing a fardh,%0D%0Asunnah or nafl Salaat.%0D%0A%0D%0ARasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) used to read this duaa. (Tirmizi &%0D%0AAbu Dawood & Haakim)%0D%0A* Thereafter the second sajdah should be made in the same manner as the%0D%0Afirst sajdah was done. Thereafter stand up whilst saying Allahu Akbar. Do%0D%0Anot take support with the hands while standing up. Then read Bismillah and%0D%0ASurah Fateha. Upon ending Surah Fateha, say A'ameen. Thereafter Bismillah%0D%0Aand a Surah will be read. (Behishti Zewar)%0D%0A* Sit in the qa'adah posture after completing two raka'ats. The manner of%0D%0Asitting is the same as that of jalsah. Read At-Tahiyat and when reaching%0D%0AAsh-hadu-al laailaaha illallaahu, join the small and ring finger and and%0D%0Aattach their tips to the palms and form a ring with the middle finger and%0D%0Athe thumb. Lift the index finger, indicating to the oneness of Allah Ta'ala.%0D%0ADrop the index finger when reaching illallaahu. However the other fingers%0D%0Awill remain as is%0D%0A* If it is a Salaat of two raka'at, then maintain this posture till the end.%0D%0ARead the Salawaat (durood) and duaa and thereafter make salaam. If it is a%0D%0ASalaat of four raka'at, stand up immediately after completing the%0D%0AAt-Tahiyaat.%0D%0A* In the third and fourth raka'at also, read Bismillah before commencing%0D%0ASurah Fateha. If it is a Fardh Salaat, go into ruku after completing Surah%0D%0AFateha. However in the Witr, Sunnat or Nafl Salaat one will read a Surah%0D%0Aafter Surah Fateha.%0D%0A* After completing the final qa'adah, say the salaam while turning the head%0D%0Atowards the right. Commence the salaam with the face in the direction of the%0D%0AQibla. Complete the salaam when the face is fully turned to the right. Then%0D%0Abring the face back towards the Qibla and commence the second salaam from%0D%0Athere. Turn the face towards the left as you say the second salaam. Do not%0D%0Acommence the second salaam whilst the head is turned towards the right. Face%0D%0Athe Qibla, then commence the second salaam. Whilst making both the salaams,%0D%0Amake the intention of greeting the angels.%0D%0A* It is Makrooh (reprehensible) for women to perform Salaat in jamaat%0D%0A(congregation). They should perform their Salaat individually. However if%0D%0Athe Mahram males (i.e. those men with whom one cannot get married eg.%0D%0Abrothers, father, grandfather etc.) are performing Salaat with jamaat in the%0D%0Ahouse, a woman can join that jamaat. She will stand behind the men. She%0D%0Ashould not stand in line with the men. (Mufti Taqi Uthmaani)%0D%0A%0D%0AWomen should read their five daily Salaat, Taraweeh and Witr Salaat%0D%0Aindividually. It is Maakrooh Tahrimi for them to perform Salaat with jamaat.%0D%0A(Shaami Vol.1 Pg.418 & Fataawa Rahimia Vol.1 Pg.347)%0D%0A%0D%0AShaykhul Hadith Mawlana Fadhlur Rahmaan Saheb%0D%0A%0D%0AKindly refer to www.alinaam.org.za%2Flibrary%2Fscorrect18.htm%0D%0A%0D%0Aand Allah Ta'ala Knows Best%0D%0A%0D%0AMufti Ebrahim Desai%0D%0AFATWA DEPT.%0D%0A