"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The tasbih is for men and clapping is for women.'"
The Book of Forgetfulness (In Prayer)
Sunan an-Nasa'i - Hadith 1209
Hadith Text
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The tasbih is for men and clapping is for women.'"
Meaning and Context
This hadith establishes the prescribed method for alerting the Imam during congregational prayer when an error occurs. Tasbih refers to saying "Subhanallah" (Glory be to Allah), while clapping means striking one hand against the other.
Legal Ruling (Hukm)
Scholars agree this is a legislative command, not merely descriptive. Men must use verbal tasbih to notify the Imam of mistakes in prayer, while women use physical clapping. This distinction preserves modesty, as a woman's voice is part of her 'awrah (private domain) in prayer settings.
Wisdom Behind the Distinction
The differentiation serves multiple purposes: it maintains proper prayer decorum, prevents fitnah (temptation) that could arise from women's voices during devotion, and upholds Islamic guidelines on gender interaction. Clapping effectively alerts without compromising modesty requirements.
Scholarly Consensus
All four Sunni madhahib affirm this ruling. The Hanafis, Malikis, Shafi'is, and Hanbalis all maintain that tasbih is sunnah for men and clapping for women when needing to alert the Imam during salah, based on this authentic narration.