Title

I want to know that is there any difference between Salaah of Muslim men and Muslim women? ....My second question is that it is said that women should throw her hair ..

Question

I want to know that is there any difference between Salaah of Muslim men and Muslim women? for example it is said that women should put their hands on their chest while men should put their hands slightly below the stomach. similarly to this the sajdah of both men and women are different. so is there any authentic hadith/sunnah in which it is stated that men and women should offer prayer by seperate ways?

My second question is that it is said that women should throw her hair (if damaged or if she had a cutting) in moving, flowing water. Is there any authentic hadith regarding this matter?

Answer

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful  

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh

1. Salaah is an Ibaadah carried out by both men and women. However, the manner in which the salaah is performed differs. Many postures of the salaah of women differ from that of men in order to maintain the principle of modesty and concealment. Many Ahadith substantiate this fact. Hereunder are a few Ahadith: 

·        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 Ta’ala 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)

·        Waail Bin Hujr (radiyallaahu anhu) says that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “O Waail, when you commence salaat, lift your hands in line with your ears and women should lift it in line with the chest (shoulder). (Kanz Al-Ummal, vol 7, pg 431, Muassasah Al-Risalah)

·        The Prophet (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. Indeed, women are not like men in this matter”. (Salaat, Shaykh Fadlur Rahmaan, pg 24)

The above Ahadith very clearly make distinction between the salaat of men and women.

2. We are unable to locate any authentic Hadith regarding women disposing unwanted hair into flowing water. However, the Fuqahaa have explained that such hair should be buried or thrown away in some place of purity and not in places such as the toilet, bathroom etc. (Fatawaa Al-Hindiyya, vol 5, pg 358, Rasheediyya / Fatawaa Mahmudiyya, vol 19, pg 448, Faruqiyya)    

عن عبد الله بن عمر قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا جلست المرأة في الصلوة وضعت فخذها على فخذها الاخرى وإذا سجدت الصقت بطنها في فخذيها كالستر ما يكون لها وان الله تعالى ينظر إليها ويقول يا ملائكتى اشهدكم انى قد غفرت لها(البيهقي)

يا وائل بن حجر إذا صليت فاجعل يديك حذاء أذنيك والمرأة تجعل يديها حذاء ثدييها.(كنز العمال)

 أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مر على امرأتين تصليان فقال : « إذا سجدتما فضما بعض اللحم إلى الأرض فإن المرأة ليست في ذلك كالرجل »(مراسيل أبي داود )

فَإِذَا قَلَّمَ أَطِّفَارَهُ أَوْ جَزَّ شَعْرَهُ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَدْفِنَ ذَلِكَ الظُّفْرَ وَالشَّعْرَ الْمَجْزُوزَ فَإِنْ رَمَى بِهِ فَلَا بَأْسَ وَإِنْ أَلْقَاهُ فِي الْكَنِيفِ أَوْ فِي الْمُغْتَسَلِ يُكْرَهُ ذَلِكَ لِأَنَّ ذَلِكَ يُورَثُ دَاءً كَذَا فِي فَتَاوَى قَاضِي خَانْ .(فتاوي الهندية)

And Allah knows best

Wassalam

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai