What advice do you have for a woman who has many young children and .....

[bamalli]

What advice do you have for a woman who has many young children and

*QUESTION*

A woman prays in her house, having many young children and no family members
or servants to assist her. She feels that her prayers are always deficient
or unacceptable as a result of her lack of concentration due to the
children's constant activities. What is your advice to her?

*ANSWER* by Shaykh Muhammad 'Umar Baazmool, instructor at Umm Al-Quraa
University in Makkah

This woman, so long as she offers the prayer with its prescribed manner,
after being purified (having* wudhoo'*), reciting (*Soorah Al-Faatihah* ),
standing, bowing, raising up, prostrating, sitting, prostrating again, with
*tama'neenah* (resting fully in each position), then her prayer is valid *in
shaa' Allaah*.

And she should feel free of any blame by offering this prayer, by Allaah's
Permission. She (also) gets the reward for all of her work in the house and
taking care of her children.

One time the Messenger (*sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam*) was leading the
people in prayer in the masjid, and he shortened the prayer. So they said, *"O
Messenger of Allaah! You have prayed in a way that we have not seen from you
before!"* or a phrase similar to this.

He replied (*sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam*):

*"I heard the crying of a child, and I supposed that his mother was praying
with us, so I wanted to free his mother for him."* [1]

So here the Messenger of Allaah (*sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam*), praying
one of the obligatory prayers in congregation, shortened the prayer, showing
concern for this child. So in this there is evidence to support that if a
woman was to shorten her (recitation in her) prayer due to her
responsibilities toward her house or her child, while she has no assistance,
then there is no harm in that, so long as she offered her prayer in the
manner ordained in the *Sharee'ah*. And Allaah, the Mighty and Exalted, says
[2]:

*( So fear Allaah to the best of your ability )*

And the Messenger (*sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam*) said:

*"...And when I have ordered you with something, then do as much of it as
you are able."* [3]

Therefore she offers the prayer to the best of her ability, fulfilling her
duty and thus freeing herself from any blame. In addition, she will be
rewarded by Allaah, the Glorified and Exalted, for being a good wife to her
husband, taking care of the family, and staying on top of all her
responsibilities. By these things she reaps great rewards and obtains lofty
virtues. And by these things, her reward is with Allaah, the Glorified and
Exalted.

She will also have a magnificent reward from Allaah, the Glorified and
Exalted, for all her patience and forbearance, (as Allaah says) [4]:

*( Verily those who persevere will receive their reward without measure )*

*FOOTNOTES*

[1] from an authentic hadeeth collected by Ahmad, see *The Prophet's Prayer
Described* (p.25 of the English version) *sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam*

[2] the meaning of S*oorah At-Taghaabun* (64):16

[3] *Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree* #7288 (13/317 of *Fat-hul-Baaree* )

[4] the meaning of *Soorah Az-Zumar* (39):10


surah as sajda 11. Say: "The angel of death, who is set over you, will take
your souls, then you shall be brought to your Lord."