How Do Women Place Their Feet in Prostration?

Answered by Ustadha Shaista Maqbool

Question

I am confused about whether my toes should be pointing towards the Qibla during sajda.

I have been told two things:

1. My feet should be off to the right both while in prostration and while sitting.
2. I have also been told that my toes should be pointing to the Qibla during sujud, but my feet should be off to the right while sitting.

Which is correct?

Answer

It is a confirmed sunna for men to point their toes towards the Qiblah while in prostration.

As for women, it is not a sunna for them to prop up their feet during prostration. Ibn Abideen mentions the latter in his Hashiya as a quote from Al-Bahr of Ibn Nujaym.

Hence, a woman’s feet would be pointing towards the right as a consequence of her sitting position (see below).

In sitting, the sunna for men is iftirash i.e., to womensit on his left foot and stand up on his right foot.

As for a woman, she sits in the tawarruk position by sitting on her buttocks, putting one thigh on the other, and bringing out her left foot from under her right hip [Hashiyah al-Tahtaawi].

So naturally, her foot would be pointing in her right direction.

[Ustadha] Shaista Maqbool
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Arabic References:

وذَكَرَ فِي البَحْرِ أنَّها لا تَنْصِبُ أصابِعَ القَدَمَيْنِ كَما ذَكَرَهُ فِي المُجْتَبَى [حاشية ابن عابدين (ط. دار الفكر)، ١\٥٠٥]