Lesson Twenty two
The female prayer:
The female prayer is different from the male, concerning the dressing and the place. So, during prayer, they (females) have to cover their whole body except their faces and hands. These parts of the body are only exposed during their prayers and when at home. If they want to leave, to go out door, they have to cover the whole body without exception. Their prayers should be done in their homes and White colour dress is preferable for them in prayer if possible. This is because it shows signs of love, purity and reminds them of the pilgrims and death that will one day take any of them and will be dressed and buried in the similar dress. This will lead to the increase of her faith, the fear of God, perfect concentration in prayer and she would wholly turn her mind to God. They are not permitted to pray in the mosque mixed with male because of distractions and temptations and their prayers in home have more reward than in the mosque. With the clear evidence from the prophet(cpth) saying (hadith), when one lady called Umu Hamid Ansaria, the wife of Abi Hamid Saadi, after she professed or embraced Islam and became full of spiritual love of the prophet (cpth) and prayers with him for the sake of God, she told him that: "Oh! The Messenger of God I love performing prayers with you" i.e. she likes praying with the Prophet in his mosque. He then replied her: "I know that you really like praying with me but your prayer in your house is far more better than your prayer in the mosque" reported by Imam Ahmad. Then, a mosque was built for her in her home in which she was offering her prayers in it till death.
In reality, a woman is naked when she goes out door; Satan will receive her and beautifies her to men’s look for temptation thus misleading her and we should not accept it. They have to be very strict in guiding themselves from this temptation outdoor by covering themselves wholly, for it is said that: "Temptation is sleeping God’s curse to he who awakes it" . see – Al-Jami-u swaghir, no /5975/. And God says: (And stay or stabilize in your houses and do not display yourselves like that of the time of ignorance and perform As-salat (Prayer), give Charity, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah wishes only to remove Ar-rijs (evil deed and sins) from you, O members of the family (of the prophet)(cpth) and to purify you) Fortress 33, Al-Ahzab, verse 253-254
The words ‘stay’ means, to be stable and constant in one place, there is a link between the two words Stay in your houses and Perform Prayer, in the same verse showing a clear evidence of the female prayers in their houses. If she does so by obeying God and His Messenger (cpth), she will be like the pure wives of the Messenger (cpth) in purity and God will save her from all danger, Satan and evil. He will also purifies her forever and gametes her with happiness forever.
God says again: (And remember (the Graces of your Lord), that which is recited in your houses of the verses of Allah and wisdom (glorify his Praises, in the legal ways) verily Allah is Ever most Courteous, Well-Acquainted with all things) Fortress ..., Al-ahzab, verse 34.
These noble verses are addressing the wives of the prophet (cpth) and since they are the ideals of all women throughout life till the last day, it is also addressing all women in the world who truly believe in God. God wants them to shade themselves in their houses, obeying Him and His Prophet (cpth), performing prayers, giving charity and remembering what (Qur’an) is recited to them in their houses not in the Mosques.
Dearest students, all Muslims both male and female have to live by the roles of the Book of God (Qur’an) and the tradition of the Prophet (cpth). Females have their domain while the males have their domain in Islam. God and His prophet (cpth) do not want the Mosques to be like the museum where the honoured mothers of the world are mixed with the males. That will turn away the hearts or minds from the right prayers, thus damaging the hearts.
It is not permissible for a female to pray with any part of her body exposed other than the face and the hands as earlier mentioned so it is obligatory for her as God has ordered, to distance herself from men by performing her prayer in her house. And the prophet never limited the covering of themselves only in prayers but throughout life. Concerning her dressing in prayer as earlier said white colour is preferable which covers her from head to feet except the face and hands; this directs her spirit to God because what affects eyes also affects the spirit. Females are naturally different from males so, the beauty of her hairs and the general body gives her temptation that diverts her from concentrating in prayer and her prayer should be done very silently in her heart. If she wants to go outdoors, she should cover her whole body from head to feet as the wives and the daughters of the prophet (cpth) used to dress. No one should know who she is. She has to know that she is responsible. God says: (O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e. screen themselves completely, but one eye to see the way if she can’t). That they can’t be known, so as not to be disturbed their hearts. And Allah is ever Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful) Fortress 33, Al-Ahzab verse 59. See the photo below...
When a girl or a woman does so, she gets the real prayer (link with Al’lah) then she tastes the high sweet and pleasure of this communication with Al’lah. At this point she keeps performing her prayer, full legal addressing and the whole legislations of God. Finally she gains the pleasure of Al’lah and His paradise.
