Question Summary:
What are the views of the four Madhāhib regarding the position of a female’s forearm while in Sajdah?

Question Detail:

What are the views of the four Madhāhib regarding the position of a female’s forearm while in Sajdah?

Answer :

Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Nabī Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam has prohibited men from spreading their arms on the ground like a dog while in Sajdah.  This prohibition is specific to men and does not extend to females.  Consider the Hadīth recorded by Imām Muslim Rahimahullāh:
 
وَيَنْهَى أَنْ يَفْتَرِشَ الرَّجُلُ ذِرَاعَيْهِ افْتِرَاشَ السَّبُعِ (صحيح مسلم)
Nabī (Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallalm) prohibited that a man should spread his arms (in Sadjah)like a dog spreads its arms.
Sahīh Muslim
 
In fact, there are many Ahādīth that prove that a female should keep herself contracted while in Sajdah.  Consider the following Ahādīth:
عن يزيدَ بن أبي حبيب أنَّ رسولَ الله مَرَّ عَلَى امرأتينِ تصليانِ، فقال : «إذَا سَجَدْتُمَا فَضُمَّا بعضَ اللحمِ إلى الأرضِ، فإنَّ المرأةَ لَيْسَتْ في ذلِكَ كالرجلِ (مراسيل لابي داؤد، ج 1، ص 117، مؤسسة الرسالة – بيروت)  
“When you make prostration, keep your body attached to the ground because a woman has not been created like a man”
Marāsīl Li Abī Dāwūd 
 
وعن على قال إذا سجدت المرأة فلتحتفز ولتلصق فخذيها ببطنها (مصنف عبد الرزاق، ج 3، ص 138، المكتب الإسلامي) 
Alî (Radhiyallahu Anhu) says, “When a woman prostrates, she must practise ihtifâz and keep her thighs close to her stomach.”
Musannaf Abd al-Razzāq
 
قال إبراهيم النخعي: كانت المرأة تؤمر إذا سجدت أن تلزق بطنها بفخذيها كيلا ترتفع عجزتها ولا تجافي كما يجافي الرجل (السنن الكبري للبيهقي، ج 2، ص 314، دار الكتب العلمية)
“Ibrâhîm رحمه الله says that when a woman prostrates, she should join her thighs to her stomach without raising her posterior and without stretching her limbs out like a male.”
Al-Sunan al-Kubra Lil Baihaqī
 
 
Hence, women should conceal their bodies as far as possible in Salāh. Women should contract themselves in the various postures of Salāh. In Sajdah they should not keep their elbows standing upright. This is the view of all four Madhāhib.[1]  Consider the following texts:
 
Hanafi Madhab
وتنضم في ركوعها وسجودها، وتفترش ذراعيها (رد المحتار، ج 1، ص 504، سعيد)
And a woman will contract herself in her Ruku’ and her Sajdah.  She will spread her forearms on the ground (in Sajdah).
Raddul Muhtār
 
Shāfi’ Madhab
وَفِي الْمَجْمُوعِ عَنْ نَصِّ الْأُمِّ أَنَّ الْمَرْأَةَ تَضُمُّ فِي جَمِيعِ الصَّلَاةِ أَيْ الْمِرْفَقَيْنِ عَلَى الْجَنْبَيْنِ (حاشية الشيرانوي، ج 2، ص 76، دار صادر)
And in Majmū’, a text from al-Umm is quoted saying, “A female will contract herself in the complete Salāh.  In other words, her elbows will be on her sides.
Hāshiyah al-Shīrānwī
 
Mālikī Madhab
(قَوْلُهُ: يُنْدَبُ كَوْنُهَا مُنْضَمَّةً) أَيْ بِحَيْثُ تَلْصَقُ بَطْنَهَا بِفَخِذَيْهَا وَمِرْفَقَيْهَا بِرُكْبَتَيْهَا (حاشية الدسوقي، ج 1، ص 249-250، دار الفكر)
It is preferred for the female to contract herself in such a way that her stomach is attached to her thighs and her elbows are attached to her knees (in Sajdah).
Hāshiyah al-Dasūqī
Hambalī Madhab
لَكِنْ تَجْمَعُ نَفْسَهَا فِي نَحْوِ رُكُوعٍ وَسُجُودٍ (شرح منتهي الارادات، ج 1، ص 205، عالم الكتب)
A female should contract herself in Rukū’ and Sajdah.
Sharh Muntaha al-Irādāt
 
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Abdul Azīm bin Abdur Rahman,
Student Darul Iftaa
U.S.A.
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.