Womens Salaat - Some objections and their clarifications

Women's Salaat - Some objections and their clarifications

[The first part of this article ran here.  This is the second part]

 

First objection

 

There is no difference in the Salaat of men and women as the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  Offer Salaat as you see Me offering it.  Thus, women should also offer Salaat in the same manner.

 

Clarifications

 

The Arabic word used here “Salloo” is a masculine pronoun.  Thus, this command is for men alone.

 

Even if we accept that women are included in this command, this command does not include all aspects of Salaat.  In some articles of Salaat like standing, Ruku’, prostration, etc, there is a difference in the way Salaat is offered by men and women.  Apart from them, the Obligatory articles, the Compulsory articles, the Sunnah articles of Salaat are the same for men and women.  The difference in the Salaat of men and women is established by Hadith related in Sunan Baihaqui, Musannaf ‘Abdur Razzaq, Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaiba, Kanz Ul ‘Ummaal, Jame’ Ul Masaneed, Mo’jam Kabeer Tabarani, Kitaab Ul Aathaar Lil Imam Muhammad, Musnad Imam Azam and many other canons of Hadith.

 

As per your deductions, the aforementioned Hadith of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) means that women should place their hands on their chests because as per your deduction, men should place their hands on their chests.  Then why do you object if the scholars of the Hanafi School of jurisprudence deduce that women should place their hands on their chests?

 

In the opinion of the Hanafi School of jurisprudence, men should place their hands below their navels and women should place their hands on the chests.  Both of them are established by Hadith.

 

If the aforementioned Hadith proves that the ruling of Salaat for men and women is the same, then those who follow this line of reasoning should permit womenfolk to do these things as well:  1.  Men and women should both lead the Salaat.  2.  The Khutba has been declared as equal to Salaat.  Women should also be allowed to give the Khutba in the mosque.  3.  Women should be allowed to lead other women in Salaat.

 

Second objection

 

Where women should place their hands in Salaat is not established by Hadith but is deduced through reasoning (Qiyas).  All the rulings of the Hanafi School are like this only.

 

Clarification

 

If something is not clearly mentioned in the Holy Quran and Hadith, then those verses of the Holy Quran and those Hadith in which a similar issue is dealt are contemplated over and a ruling is given.  This is reasoning, Qiyaas.  This is nothing wrong or sinful.  Where women should place their hands in Salaat, this is not clearly mentioned.  Thus, deductions are drawn based on those Hadith which suggest it.  Those Hadith have been mentioned earlier.

 

If the scholars of Hanafi School reason, i.e. perform Qiyaas and deduce the ruling, then you please tell us, without any reasoning, where women should place their hands while standing in Salaat?  Please bring forth a Hadith which clearly mentions that women should NOT place their hands on their chests.

 

That women should place their hands on their chests, and their Salaat is different than that of men in some aspects is not opposing the Hadith of “Offer Salaat as you see Me offering it.”  In fact, it is as per the Hadith related in Maraseel Abu Dawood, Musannaf ‘Abdur Razzaq and Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaiba.  This ruling for women is suggested by the words of the Hadith.  On the other hand, those who denounce this, they themselves oppose many Hadith.  Look at one example:

 

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Sa’eed bin Yazeed, he says:  I asked Hadhrat Anas bin Malik (May Allah be well pleased with him):  Did the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) offer Salaat in His shoes?  He said: Yes.  (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 386)

 

Now, do those who claim that the Hanafis are wrong, follow this Hadith?

 

Third objection

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) has said:  Offer Salaat as you see Me offering it.

 

By saying that the Salaat of men and women is different (in some details), the Hanafi scholars are misguiding the Ummah.

 

Clarifications

 

That the Salaat of men and women is different is established by Hadith and Traditions.  This is not against the Sunnah, but is surely as per the Sunnah.

 

If a great Hadith-expert like Hadhrat ‘Ata (May Allah be well pleased with him) and other Successors have not considered the aforementioned Hadith to be against this Hadith, then how can the claim of today’s people be acceptable that to follow the former is to go against the latter Hadith?  Is the knowledge of the Successors more dependable or the knowledge of these people?

 

It cannot be that we abandon the Hadith of Musannaf ‘Abdur Razzaq and Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaiba and follow the hollow claims of these people.