Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Is there a same way of performing namaz for man and woman or what are the differences between prayer of man and woman?

Give answer with authentic hadiths what are the ways of performing sajda for man and woman?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Prayer difference between man and woman

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person,  no grave, no prophet,  no imam,  no dai,  nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

To the best of our knowledge, there is no specific command or guidance from the Messenger of Allah (saws) stating the difference between the postures of the male or female believing slave while in the state of prayer.  Bukhari related that the Messenger of Allah (saws) gave a general command to the believers, men and women alike: ‘Pray as you have seen me pray.’

There is a mention of some companions like Hadrat Abdullah ibn Umar (r.a.) who asked his women to crouch close to their bodies when performing the ‘rukoo’ and ‘sujood’ while praying in public, so that they would be able to honor their ‘satr’ in a better manner and thus their curves while bending would not be very obvious to the non-mehram men, if they were around.  But that guidance from the scholar and companion of the stature of Hadrat Abdullah ibn Umar (r.a.) would not in any way effect or contradict the guidance of the Messenger of Allah (saws) for the believing men and women alike: ‘Pray as you have seen me pray.’

Your Question: what are the ways of performing sajda for man and woman?

There is only one way to perform the sajdah, and that is the way done and taught by the Messenger of Allah (saws) to the believers, men and women alike: to bow or prostrate oneself in absolute humility to the One and Only Lord in a way where the forehead, the palms, the knees, and the toes rest on the ground.  

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan