The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The saying 'Sub Han Allah' is for men and clapping is for women." (If something happens in the prayer, the men can invite the attention of the Imam by saying "Sub Han Allah". And women, by clapping their hands).
Actions while Praying
Sahih al-Bukhari 1203
Hadith Text
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The saying 'Sub Han Allah' is for men and clapping is for women." (If something happens in the prayer, the men can invite the attention of the Imam by saying "Sub Han Allah". And women, by clapping their hands).
Scholarly Commentary
This noble hadith establishes the proper etiquette for correcting mistakes during congregational prayer. The wisdom behind this distinction lies in preserving the dignity and modesty of prayer. Men are instructed to use verbal remembrance (dhikr) by saying "Subhan Allah" (Glory be to Allah) as it is more dignified and does not disrupt the spiritual atmosphere.
Women are instructed to clap because their voices could potentially cause distraction (fitnah) to men praying behind them. The clapping serves as a gentle, non-verbal signal that effectively draws attention without compromising the sanctity of prayer. This ruling demonstrates the profound wisdom of Islamic jurisprudence in addressing practical needs while maintaining spiritual decorum.
Scholars have unanimously agreed that this method should only be used when necessary to correct an error in prayer, such as when the imam forgets a rak'ah or makes a mistake in recitation. It should not be used for trivial matters or unnecessarily.
Legal Rulings
This hadith establishes a binding sunnah for all Muslim congregations. Men must use "Subhan Allah" and women must use clapping when needing to alert the imam during prayer.
The clapping for women should be gentle, using the palms of both hands, not excessive or loud enough to cause disturbance.
If a woman mistakenly uses verbal correction or a man uses clapping, the prayer remains valid but they have abandoned the recommended sunnah.