Thursday, November 1, 2012

Is the wife’s prayer validif she prays on her own in front of her husband or next to him when he is praying?

I want to know if a husband is praying his sunnah prayer and a wife
her fard prayer in the same room seperstely, is it still necessary for
the wife tostand behind him like in the next row? or if she is1-2
steps behind is ok? or she can stand besides him but little away?.
Praise be to Allaah.
If each of them is praying on his or her own, then she may
standwherever she wants, next to her husband or in front of him or
behindhim, because there is no connection between their prayers.
But if she is following him in prayer, then she should stand behind
himas is indicated by the Sunnah. Al-Bukhaari (380) and Muslim (658)
narrated from Anas (mayAllah be pleased with him) that his grandmother
Mulaykah invited the Messenger ofAllaah (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) to eat some food that she had made. He ate some of it,
then he said: "Get up and I will lead you in prayer." Anasibn Maalik
said: I went toa reed mat of ours that had turned black from long use,
and sprinkled it with water, then the Messenger of Allaah (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) stoodon it, and the orphan and I stood
behind him, and the old lady behind us, and the Messenger ofAllaah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led us in praying two
rak'ahs, then he left..
If the husband and wife are both praying behindthe same imam, or if
men and women of praying behind an imam, the Sunnah is for the winning
to be behind the men. But if the woman in that case prays parallel to
the man, the prayer of all is valid according to the majority of
scholars, because there is no evidence to indicate thatit is invalid.
If a man and a woman pray together behind one imam, or the men and
women pray behindone imam, the Sunnah isfor the women to pray behind
the men. But if the woman prays alongside the man in that case, the
prayer is valid for both according to the majority of scholars,
because there is no proof to indicate that it is invalidated.
The Hanafis are of the view that if a woman prays beside men without a
barrier, that invalidates the prayer of three of the men: one onher
right, one on her leftand the third behind her, according to the
conditions that they mentioned. But their opinion is not valid because
there is no evidence to that effect, as has been explained inthe
answer to question no. 79122
But the scenario asked about here does not come under this difference
of scholarly opinion, because the one who is praying on her own is not
followingher husband, and they are not both following another imam. So
there is no difference of scholarly opinion as to the validity of the
prayerof both, even if she stands in front of her husband or next to
him.
And Allah knows best.

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