The Ideal Muslimah- lesson 3- Umm Yusif

Chapter 1: The Muslim Woman and Her Rabb

1.   Prayer in the Mosque (cont.) (p. 12)

2.   She Attends Eid Prayers

Umm `Atiyyah said:

"The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) commanded us to bring out to the Eid prayers the adolescent and prepubescent girls, those who usually remained in seclusion, and virgins, and he ordered those who were menstruating to keep away from the prayer-place." [Muslim]

"The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) commanded us to take them out on Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, the adolescent and prepubescent girls, the menstruating women, and those who usually remained in seclusion, so that they could share in the festive occasions of the Muslims, but the menstruating women were not to pray. I said, `O Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), one of us does not have a jilbab.' He said, `Let her sister dress her in one of her own jilbabs.' [Muslim]  

3.   She Prays Sunnah and Nafil Prayers

The Muslim women does not limit herself to the five daily obligatory prayers; she also prays those sunnah prayers which the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) used to perform regularly (al-rawatib), and prays as many of the nafil (supererogatory) prayers as her time and energy allow. These prayers include salat al-duha, sunnah prayers following maghrib, and prayers offered at night. Nafil prayers brings a person closer to Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala).

"My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I will love him. When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him; and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it." [Fath al-Bari, 11/341, Kitab al-riqaq, bab al-tawadu]