Question:
Assalamualaikum Mufti. What is the correct placement of saf when a wife is praying with her husband?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
This issue is mentioned by the jurists when they discuss the placement of saf in prayer which consists of men, women, intersex and children. Among the dalil that becomes the madar (the pivot) of discussions pertaining to this issue is what is narrated by Anas bin Malik RA who said:
أَنَّ جَدَّتَهُ، مُلَيْكَةَ دَعَتْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِطَعَامٍ صَنَعَتْهُ فَأَكَلَ مِنْهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ " قُومُوا فَلأُصَلِّيَ لَكُمْ " . قَالَ أَنَسٌ فَقُمْتُ إِلَى حَصِيرٍ لَنَا قَدِ اسْوَدَّ مِنْ طُولِ مَا لُبِسَ فَنَضَحْتُهُ بِمَاءٍ فَقَامَ عَلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَصَفَفْتُ أَنَا وَالْيَتِيمُ وَرَاءَهُ وَالْعَجُوزُ مِنْ وَرَائِنَا فَصَلَّى لَنَا رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ
Anas b. Malik said that his grandmother Mulaikah the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to take meals which she prepared for him. He took some of it and prayed. He said: ‘Get up, I shall lead you in prayer’. Anas said: I got up and took a mat which had become black on account of long use. I then washed it with water. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood upon it. I and the orphan (Ibn Abi Dumairah, the freed slave of the prophet) stood in a row behind him. The old women stood behind us. He then led us in two raka'at of prayer and left.
Sahih al-Bukhari (380)
Based on the above hadith, there are lessons to be extracted from it as the following:
- The above hadith shows the permissibility to pray Sunnah prayer in congregation.
- Encouragement for the homeowner to seek for blessings with the presence of pious people and scholars by performing prayer in congregational in their home.
- The Prophet PBUH intended to teach them the actions in prayer.
- The same is for actions in prayer for women. This is because, it is too little and limited for them to learn from the Prophet PBUH in a mosque. So, when the Prophet PBUH prayed in Mulaikah’s house, she can observe the action, learn from them and then teach others.
- This hadith also indicates that the prayer of a mumayyiz child is valid.
- The above hadith also explains that children also have their place in the saf.
- The same goes for women who stand behind the men during prayer.
Those are some lessons from the hadith extracted by Imam al-Nawawi Rahimahullah when he was commenting on the above hadith. Refer Syarah Sahih Muslim, Al-Nawawi (5/293).
Hence, it can be understood that if a woman becomes the ma’mum to a man, whether the man is her father, brother or husband, then her position is behind him (the imam). This aligns with the excerpt which is also narrated by Anas bin Malik RA which said:
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلَّى بِهِ وَبِأُمِّهِ أَوْ خَالَتِهِ . قَالَ فَأَقَامَنِي عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَأَقَامَ الْمَرْأَةَ خَلْفَنَا
the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led him, his mother or his aunt in prayer. He made me, stand on his right side and made the woman stand, behind us.
Sahih Muslim (1056)
Imam al-Nawawi Rahimahullah said: If those who are present to perform prayer are among men, children, intersex and women, then men are prioritised, followed by children, intersex and women. Refer Al-Majmu' Syarah Al-Muhazzab, Al Nawawi (3/132).
In his other statement, Imam al-Nawawi said: Our ashab (companions) said: ‘All of these (the placement), its ruling is mustahab (Sunnah) and going against it is makruh, but not to the extent of invalidating the prayers.’
Imam al-Mawardi in his book Al-Hawi Al-Kabir (2/340) cited the statement of Imam al-Syafie which said: “When a man becomes the imam, then the ma’mum (a man) should stand on his right side. If the ma’mum is among khunsa mushkil or a woman, each one of them should stand behind him (the imam) one in each different saf.
If a man becomes the imam to a woman, then the woman should stand behind him and not beside him. This is in accordance with the saying of the Prophet PBUH:
خَيْرُ صُفُوفِ الرِّجَالِ أَوَّلُهَا وَشَرُّهَا آخِرُهَا وَخَيْرُ صُفُوفِ النِّسَاءِ آخِرُهَا وَشَرُّهَا أَوَّلُهَا
The best rows for men are the first rows, and the worst ones the last ones, and the best rows for women are the last ones and the worst ones for them are the first ones.
Sahih Muslim (440)
Conclusion
After we presented some opinions of the fuqaha followed by the above shara’ evidences, we state that if a woman prays together with her husband, then she should stand behind him. May Allah SWT give us clear understanding in religion. Ameen.