Understanding the Similarities in Men’s and Women’s Prayer in Islam
There is no difference between the prayer of men and women
It has become common among people that the prayer of women is different from that of men. However, the reality is that the prayer of women is exactly the same as that of men. Women should perform their prayers in the same manner as men do. I will clarify this with reference to the texts so that you can be sure that women are indeed required to perform their prayers just like men.
To begin, I would like to offer some practical and observational reasoning to help understand the argument logically. The idea of a different prayer for women in our society emerged later, particularly after people began to follow other leaders instead of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and started adopting their teachings. From this, the followers of these sects began to create a completely distinct method for women’s prayer. This included different positions for raising the hands, folding the hands, bowing, prostrating, and sitting—making everything different for women compared to men. However, most of us have visited the Haramain (the two Holy Mosques) and seen women praying in the same manner as men. These Arab women have been praying this way since the time of the Prophet and the Companions. Islam began here and spread from here to the rest of the world, so the way women pray here serves as an important lesson, indicating that the correct and original way for women to pray is the same as that of men. This is not only true for Arab women but also for women around the world who follow the Qur’an and Hadith directly, free from sectarian influence, and who pray in the same way as men. This is because the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) prescribed a single method of prayer for all, without specifying different methods for men and women.
Now, let’s turn to the evidence. First, let’s reflect on the Qur’an. Allah (SWT) revealed the Qur’an in one book, and all the verses in it include both men and women. There is no separate Qur’an for women and another for men. Any verses that address either men or women specifically are to be understood as such, but the general verses include both men and women. The same is true for Hadith. All six major authentic collections of Hadith (Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood, Nasa’i, Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah) have a section called “Kitab al-Salat” (The Book of Prayer). From the beginning to the end of this section, the complete details of prayer—its actions, positions, and supplications—are discussed. If we compile all the Hadiths from these books, there are hundreds of them, but not a single one specifies that the prayer of men is different from that of women.
A well-known female scholar from Pakistan approached the prominent Hanafi institution “Al-Jami’ah al-Binoria al-‘Alamiya” and asked about the specific references related to the prayer of women from the six authentic books of Hadith, specifically regarding prostration and Tashahhud (testification). The response she received was that asking for references from the six authentic books was inappropriate and that she should refer to “Bashiti Zewar” (a book on the Hanafi school of thought) to learn how to pray. This response indicates that those who claim that women have a different way of praying have no authentic evidence from the major Hadith collections.
Are Women the Same as Men in General Islamic Rulings?
Now, let’s understand a basic point: women are the same as men in terms of the general rulings in Islam, except for specific rulings that are exclusively for men or women. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
إنما النساء شقائق الرجال (السلسلة الصحيحة:2863)
Translation: Women are the counterparts of men in religious rulings.
With this in mind, consider the Prophet’s clear instruction regarding prayer:
Abu Sulayman Malik bin Huwairith (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
أَتَيْنَا النبيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ، ونَحْنُ شَبَبَةٌ مُتَقَارِبُونَ، فأقَمْنَا عِنْدَهُ عِشْرِينَ لَيْلَةً، فَظَنَّ أنَّا اشْتَقْنَا أهْلَنَا، وسَأَلَنَا عَمَّنْ تَرَكْنَا في أهْلِنَا، فأخْبَرْنَاهُ، وكانَ رَفِيقًا رَحِيمًا، فَقَالَ: ارْجِعُوا إلى أهْلِيكُمْ، فَعَلِّمُوهُمْ ومُرُوهُمْ، وصَلُّوا كما رَأَيْتُمُونِي أُصَلِّي، وإذَا حَضَرَتِ الصَّلَاةُ، فَلْيُؤَذِّنْ لَكُمْ أحَدُكُمْ، ثُمَّ لِيَؤُمَّكُمْ أكْبَرُكُمْ (صحيح البخاري:6008، 7246، 631)
Translation: We came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and stayed with him for twenty nights. He noticed that we were missing our families, so he asked us about them. We informed him, and he was compassionate and kind. He said, “Go back to your families and teach them, and tell them to pray the way you have seen me praying. When the time for prayer arrives, one of you should call the Adhan, and the oldest among you should lead the prayer.”
This Hadith shows that the companions, after staying with the Prophet (peace be upon him) for a period of time, were instructed to teach their families and perform prayer exactly as they had seen him pray. The families included women as well, and if there were a separate method of prayer for women, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have clearly stated that they should pray differently. However, he did not mention such a distinction, indicating that the way women pray is the same as the way men pray. The instruction to “pray as you have seen me pray” is decisive in this regard.
Furthermore, the Hadith is general, meaning it includes both men and women, as women are included in the general rulings of Sharia. You have already seen this evidence above.
The same principle applies to another Hadith from Sahih Muslim, which further clarifies that the prayer of men and women is identical. Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
ولقَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَسولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلَّمَ قَامَ عليه فَكَبَّرَ وكَبَّرَ النَّاسُ ورَاءَهُ، وهو علَى المِنْبَرِ، ثُمَّ رَفَعَ فَنَزَلَ القَهْقَرَى حتَّى سَجَدَ في أصْلِ المِنْبَرِ، ثُمَّ عَادَ، حتَّى فَرَغَ مِن آخِرِ صَلَاتِهِ، ثُمَّ أقْبَلَ علَى النَّاسِ فَقالَ: يا أيُّها النَّاسُ إنِّي صَنَعْتُ هذا لِتَأْتَمُّوا بي، ولِتَعَلَّمُوا صَلَاتِي (صحيح مسلم:1216)
Translation: I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stand on the pulpit and say Takbir, and the people behind him also said Takbir. He then bowed, stepped back, and prostrated at the base of the pulpit. After completing the prayer, he turned towards the people and said, “O people! I did this so that you may follow me and learn how to pray like me.”
This Hadith shows that the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed prayer in front of the people to teach them its method. It is important to note that women prayed behind him in the mosque, and when he explained his actions, he emphasized that the people should follow him in prayer. This includes both men and women, indicating that the prayer of men and women is identical. If there had been a difference in the way men and women should pray, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have clearly instructed them accordingly. However, since he did not, it is evident that women’s prayer is the same as men’s.
Prayer is a matter of worship, and when Jibril (Gabriel) came down from the heavens, he taught Prophet ﷺ how to pray and informed him of the prayer times. In Sahih Bukhari, Abu Mas’ud رضي الله عنه narrated that he heard Prophet ﷺ saying:
سَمِعْتُ رَسولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ يقولُ: نَزَلَ جِبْرِيلُ فأمَّنِي، فَصَلَّيْتُ معهُ، ثُمَّ صَلَّيْتُ معهُ، ثُمَّ صَلَّيْتُ معهُ، ثُمَّ صَلَّيْتُ معهُ، ثُمَّ صَلَّيْتُ معهُ يَحْسُبُ بأَصَابِعِهِ خَمْسَ صَلَوَاتٍ(صحيح البخاري:3221)
Translation: Jibril (Gabriel) came down and led me in prayer. I prayed with him, then I prayed with him again, and then again, and so on until I had prayed five times. He counted the five prayers on his fingers.
Prayer is an act of worship, and not a single act can be performed according to one’s own will. It is divinely ordained. After the death of the Prophet ﷺ, how could any imam or scholar have the authority to declare a different way of praying for women, or how could any follower assume they are allowed to worship according to the opinions of scholars instead of following the Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ? We see that in the Hanafi tradition, women’s prayer is described as being completely different from men’s. This is a deviation in worship and altering the religion of Allah. Al-hafiz wal-aman.
From the above proofs, it is clear that the prayer of women is the same as that of men. However, there is one specific proof related to women that I will mention as well.
The great companion Abu Darda رضي الله عنه’s wife, Umm Darda رضي الله عنها, is mentioned by the famous hadith scholar, Imam Bukhari رحمہ الله, in his three books that Umm Darda used to pray in the same way as men. Let us look at this proof from the three books:
- First book: In Sahih Bukhari, under the chapter “باب سنة الجلوس في التشهد” (Chapter: The Sunnah of Sitting in the Tashahhud), Imam Bukhari mentioned:
“وكانت ام الدرداء تجلس في صلاتها جلسة الرجل وكانت فقيهة”.
Translation: Umm Darda رضي الله عنها was a scholar, and she used to sit in her prayer in the manner of a man, i.e., she would sit in the tashahhud position like a man.
- Second book: Abd Rabbah bin Sulaiman bin Umayr Shami رحمہ الله said:
رَأَيْتُ أُمَّ الدَّرْدَاءِ “تَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهَا فِي الصَّلَاةِ حَذْوَ مَنْكِبَيْهَا حِينَ تَفْتَتِحُ الصَّلَاةَ , وَحِينَ تَرْكَعُ وَإِذَا قَالَ: «سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ» رَفَعَتْ يَدَيْهَا , وَقَالَتْ:«رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ»(جزء رفع الیدین للبخاري : 24)
Translation: I saw Umm Darda رضي الله عنها raise her hands in prayer at shoulder level when she began the prayer, when she bowed, and when the Imam said “Sami’ Allahu liman hamidah” (Allah hears the one who praises Him), she raised her hands and said, “Our Lord, to You is all praise.”
- Third book: Imam Bukhari, in his book Al-Tarikh al-Saghir (906), mentions this incident with the same wording as in the previous Hadith, narrated through Makhul, and Shaykh al-Albani رحمہ الله declared its chain of narration as authentic in Sifat Salat al-Nabi on page 189.
This specific Hadith is a clear proof that women, like men, perform the prayer in the same manner. If anyone claims that only one woman prayed like men and others did not, such an assertion is ignorance and misunderstanding. The Hadith does not mention that only one woman prayed like men, but it describes the position of one woman who prayed in that manner. A significant point here is that if the prayer of this woman had been contrary to the Sunnah, the narrator would have corrected her or mentioned that she was deviating from the prescribed way of prayer. The fact that the narrator only describes her posture shows that her prayer was in accordance with the Sunnah, and that the women of that era prayed the same way as men.
Hadith from the Sahihayn regarding prostration
Now, let us look at a Hadith from the Sahihayn regarding prostration. Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
اعْتَدِلُوا في السُّجُودِ، ولَا يَبْسُطْ أحَدُكُمْ ذِرَاعَيْهِ انْبِسَاطَ الكَلْبِ(صحيح البخاري:822)
Translation: “Be moderate in prostration and do not spread your arms like a dog.”
In this Hadith, the Prophet ﷺ addressed everyone, saying no one should spread their arms like a dog while prostrating. Does this order not apply to women? Certainly, it applies. Based on this Hadith, women will also prostrate in the same way as men, ensuring that they do not resemble the posture of a dog.
In conclusion, a woman should perform her prayer exactly as a man does, provided the man is following the prayer of the Prophet ﷺ. The intention, Takbir, raising the hands, standing, bowing, Qawma, prostration, sitting, and Salam must all be done according to the Hadith, and these actions are the same for both men and women. There is no difference in the number of Rak‘ahs, the words of Dhikr and Dua, or in the quality and descriptions of prayer. This is because there is no valid proof to differentiate the prayers of men and women.
Lastly, I would like to address the misconception held by some who, citing the modesty and shyness of women, have created an artificial way of prayer for them. Some followers prevent their women from going to the mosque but still instruct them to pray in a manner different from men. However, in the time of the Prophet ﷺ, women used to attend the mosque of the Prophet and pray behind him. It should have been the case that the prayer of women in the mosque was different because they prayed in the same mosque as men, but the Prophet ﷺ never prescribed a separate way of prayer for women.
Protecting Women’s Chastity, Dignity, and Modesty in Islamic Prayer
Indeed, a woman is a woman, she is a symbol of modesty and hijab. Therefore, the appropriate rules for women regarding prayer were clearly outlined by the Prophet ﷺ. Let us look at a few Hadiths regarding this matter.
(1) A woman’s prayer is more virtuous in her home than in the mosque. The Prophet ﷺ said:
صلاةُ المرأةِ في بيتِها أفضلُ من صلاتِها في حجرتِها وصلاتُها في مَخدعِها أفضلُ من صلاتِها في بيتِها
(Sahih Abu Dawood: 570)
Translation: A woman’s prayer in her home is more virtuous than in her room, and even more virtuous in her inner chamber than in her room.
(2) A woman can pray in the mosque, but she should not wear perfume. Zaynab al-Thaqafiyah رضي الله عنها reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
إذا خرجتْ إحْداكنَّ إلى المسجدِ فلا تقْرَبنَّ طِيبًا
(Sahih al-Jami: 501)
Translation: When any of you women goes to the mosque, she should not approach any perfume.
(3) A mature woman should not pray without a headscarf. Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha رضي الله عنها narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
لا يقبلُ اللَّهُ صلاةَ حائضٍ إلَّا بخِمارٍ
(Sahih Abu Dawood: 641)
Translation: Allah does not accept the prayer of a menstruating woman unless she wears a headscarf.
(4) In the mosque, women’s rows will be behind the men’s rows. Sayyiduna Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
خَيْرُ صُفُوفِ الرِّجالِ أوَّلُها، وشَرُّها آخِرُها، وخَيْرُ صُفُوفِ النِّساءِ آخِرُها، وشَرُّها أوَّلُها
(Sahih Muslim: 440)
Translation: The best of the rows of men is the first, and the worst is the last. The best of the rows of women is the last, and the worst is the first.
(5) A woman cannot lead men in prayer, nor can she raise her voice while praying with men. If the imam makes a mistake, she will not call out but will instead signal him by clapping her hands. Suhail ibn Sa’d رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
التسبيحُ للرجالِ، والتصفيحُ للنساءِ
(Sahih al-Bukhari: 1204)
Translation: Saying “Subhanallah” (Glory be to Allah) is for men, and clapping (by striking one hand on the other) is for women.
These rulings are related to protecting women’s chastity, dignity, and modesty. The purpose is not to suggest that a woman’s prayer is different from a man’s, but to provide certain rulings for women’s benefit while considering their modesty and honor.
Some people deceive the Ummah by saying that since women are given separate rulings from men, their prayer must be different. This is a complete misinterpretation. These rulings are made to protect their chastity, not to imply that the method of their prayer is different from men’s. Think of it this way: the Imam says the opening Takbir and starts the prayer. Whether the follower is a man or a woman, they will follow the Imam’s Takbir and enter the prayer. No follower will say Takbeer before the Imam. In the prayer, the Imam leads, and the followers follow him. The one with more knowledge of the Quran will be the Imam, and those who are more knowledgeable or intelligent will stand nearer to him, with those further behind. In the same way, the older men will stand at the front, and the children will be in the rows behind. Does this mean that men’s prayer is different from men’s? Of course not. These are just specific rulings in prayer, but the method is the same. Similarly, there are some specific rulings for women in prayer, but their prayer is the same as men’s.
Some people try to deceive the Ummah by saying that while Hajj should follow the Prophet ﷺ’s method, women are not required to perform Raml (fast walking) during Tawaf and Sa’i, but instead should walk slowly. However, there is no separate proof for women walking slowly. Scholars suggest this due to the women’s modesty. The same goes for the issue of prayer. Women are advised to pray in a more compact manner due to their modesty.
The response to this is:
Firstly, it is incorrect to compare prayer to the Tawaf and Sa’i during Hajj. During Tawaf and Sa’i, one can talk, eat, laugh, or sit if tired, but such actions are forbidden in prayer, and they would invalidate the prayer.
Secondly, the complete method of prayer has been shown to us by the Prophet ﷺ, which applies to both men and women, so there is no need to adopt any method from outside sources. As I have previously stated, in worship, no one is allowed to perform actions of their own accord. The prayer of women in the Hanafi school has been fabricated, and such methods cannot be correct.
Thirdly, while there is no Mursel (direct) Hadith on women not performing Raml, it is supported by various narrations from Aisha رضي الله عنها, Ibn Umar رضي الله عنه, Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه, Hasan and Ataa. Ibn al-Mundhir mentions the consensus on women not performing Raml, and consensus in religion holds weight. However, the matter of prayer is different. Here, everything is based on the authentic Hadiths of the Prophet ﷺ, so no other method or opinion is acceptable. Where there is a clear method from the Prophet ﷺ, no other opinion is needed.
Some people claim that the method of praying compactly for women has been transmitted from the early generations, and they present Mursel Hadiths and narrations. Discussing all these here is unnecessary, but understand this:
The guidance in the Quran and the Hadiths from the Prophet ﷺ is clear and unambiguous, and no other method should be followed. In this matter, there is no room for the opinion of others.
The truth is clear: the way of prayer for women is the same as for men. Women’s prayer may have some different rulings due to their modesty, but the way of performing the prayer remains the same for both men and women.
I pray to Allah to grant the Ummah the ability to follow the truth and to enable both men and women to worship according to the Prophet ﷺ’s method. Ameen.
Written by: Maqbool Ahmad Salafi
Dawah Center Jeddah – Hayy Salamah
