The Etiquette of Women in Prayer

There is no call to prayer (adhan) or iqama for a woman, nor is there a Jumu’ah prayer (Jumu'ah) or congregational prayer (Jama'ah) for her. When a woman stands in prayer, She gathers her feet together and does not spread them apart, placing her hands on her chest at the location of her breasts. When She bows, She places her hands on her knees, on her thighs, so as not to bend too much and cause her back to rise. When She goes to prostrate, She sits first and then prostrates, pressing her face to the ground and placing her arms on the ground. When She rises to stand, She lifts her head from the prostration and sits on her buttocks, not in the way a man would sit. Then, She rises to stand without raising her back and hips, moving smoothly. When She sits for the tashahhud (testification), She raises her legs and brings her thighs together. A free woman (Hura) does not pray except with a veil (niqab), while a slave woman (ama) prays without a veil.

"A woman prays in a dress (dir'aa) and a head covering (miqna'a) if it is thick, meaning it is concealing."

Hadith.1082 - Yunus ibn Ya'qub asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) about a man who prays in one garment. Imam (as) said: "Yes." He then asked: "What about a woman?" Imam (as) said: "No, and it is not proper for a free woman (Hurr) to pray when she menstruates except with a khimar (headscarf), unless She does not find it."

Hadith.1083 - Ali ibn Ja'far asked his brother Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim (as) about a woman who has only one cover (milhafa). How should She pray? Imam (as) said: "She should wrap herself in it and cover her head, and then pray. If her legs are exposed and She is unable to cover them in any other way, then there is no harm."

Hadith.1084 - In a narration from Al-Mu'alla ibn Khunays, he asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) about a woman praying in a shirt (dir') and a cover (milhafa) without a waistcloth (izar) or headcover (miqna'a). Imam (as) said: "There is no harm if She wraps herself in it, and if it is not wide enough to cover her, She should make it long."

"There is no obligation for a slave woman (amā) to wear a headcover (qina'ah) in prayer, nor for a woman who is 'mukātabah' (a slave who has entered into a contract to pay for her freedom) if her master has not required it as part of the terms of her contract, until She has fulfilled all the terms of her contract. The same rules that apply to a slave in all legal matters apply to her as well."

Hadith.1086 - I asked him about a slave woman (amā) who gave birth, and whether the headcover (khimar) would be required for her. Imam (as) said: "If it were required for her, She would have to wear it when She menstruates, but there is no requirement for her to wear a headcover in prayer."

"If She is trustworthy (māʾmūnah), there is no harm."

Hadith.1088 - It is narrated: "The best places for women to pray are their homes. A woman's prayer in her house is better than her prayer in a public prayer area (ṣuffah), and her prayer in the public prayer area is better than her prayer in the courtyard of her house. Her prayer in the courtyard is better than her prayer on the roof of her house. And it is disliked for a woman to pray on a roof that is not enclosed (muḥajjar)."

Hadith.1089 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "Do not place women in upper rooms (ghuraf), nor teach them writing, nor teach them Surah Yusuf. Teach them spinning (al-mighzal) and Surah al-Nur." And when a woman makes the tasbih (glorification of God), She should knot her fingers, for they will be questioned on the Day of Judgment.