No difference in the time of prayer for men and women

14-1-2014 | IslamWeb

Question:

What are the times of prayer for a woman who does not pray at the mosque? Is it obligatory upon a woman to pray at the time of the Iqaamah (second call to prayer) or does every prayer have its special time?

---

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

The times of prayer for a woman are the same as those for a man and there is no difference between them. However, it is obligatory upon a man to attend the prayer in congregation but this is not so for a woman. It is permissible for a woman to pray at any moment of the time of the prayer. However, it is better for her to pray at the beginning of the time like a man. It is not obligatory upon a woman to pray at the time of the Iqaamah. She can pray in the time of the prayer before or after the Iqaamah. She can know the beginning of the time through its signs if she knows them or through the Athaan if it is called in the due time. This is the basic ruling because the Mu’athin has a position of trust as the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, as was narrated by Ahmad .

As for the questioner’s saying: “Or does every prayer have its special time?” Yes, every prayer has its special time and there is no disagreement in this.

Allaah Knows best.