A Prayer Guide For Pregnant Muslim Mothers

Of recently I have tried very hard to observe my prayers as a muslim who is heavily pregnant (I am 6 months going on to 7 right now). My husband has advise me to perfom the prayers (salah/solat) while sitting down, but I find it hard to balance myself, sitting myself with my legs tucked under like we normally do for the sitting between two Sujuds / Prostrations.

I am reluctant to leave my prayers and I totally agree with Lulua –  a senior member on the myiwc.com – islamic Web-Community

There is no ruling or valid excuse for a pregnant woman to miss her prayers. If she is physically incapable of performing her prayer while standing, then that will classify her to offer her prayers sitting. And if not physically able to perform her prayers even sitting, then she is to perform her prayers lying down. In any case, the prayer is an important aspect of a muslims’ admittance and acceptance in Islam, and without the prayer, there is no Islam. The companions of the prophet(SAAW) and the following scholars after their times have issued many statements and rulings to this effect…i.e. that one who leaves the prayers without valid reason (acceptable according to the laws established in the Quran and Hadith), then they have entered into kufr, i.e. non-islam. And Allah knows best.

Pregnancy is a difficult time, sure, but the woman is at a time in her life now when she is in more need of guidance and help from Allah, more so than previously. Why should she wish to cut off her form of communication with her Almighty Lord and Master? In fact, if she will make the proper cleansing (wudhu) in preparation, and commence to perform the prayer in the most perfect and devoted manner that she can, and continue during this prayer to ask Allah to relieve her of any discomfort or pain that she is going thru, then surely He will help her, if not alleviate her discomforts, then to at least help her to handle and bear the discomforts that she is going thru.

I am a woman, and a mother as well. And I can reassure you that I am quite familiar with the pains and discomforts and difficulties that a woman goes thru during pregnancy. But to leave the prayers due to those discomforts and difficulties only serves to increase them. When you turn to Allah in full faith that He hears and listens and responds to you prayers, then He does not abandon you. But when you abandon Allah, and abandon your responsibilities and duties to Allah, then He also abandons you. He is there for us all whenever we need Him, and in any way. But we must make the move to approach Him, and the best and foremost method of approach is of course thru the prayer. This prayer, although dedicated and performed for Him, is in fact for the individual, to create a firm and strong link or bond with the Creator, and therefore keep open the path of communication in order that when the individual needs anything (which we need many things daily), then he has the ability to ask, and the open line with which to communicate. By ignoring the prayer, for any reason (no matter how valid or important it may seem), then we in fact close off that line of connection which is so direly important to our very souls and even our existence.

Below is a translation taken from Darul Nu’man Forum –  Is my solah perfect? on how to perform prayers (salah/solat) when you are heavily pregnant. I find that it is perfect and I am confident my prayers are acceptable in the eyes of Allah s.w.t. I hope it will be a guide to all pregnant muslim women who are looking for proper ways to pray during such difficult months.

As the words taken from Bayan Masturat by Syed Ahmad Khan

The 2 rakaah prayers of a pregnant woman is far more better that 80 rakaah of those (women) who are not pregnant

Wallahualam.

A MUSLIM PRAYER GUIDE TO PREGNANT LADIES

1.Prepare the chair behind yourself (while you are standing for the tabiratul ihram or Takbirat Al Ihram)

2.Rukuk (Ruku) – place yourself sitting on the chair. Both palms on your thighs and as you move your body forward slightly to rukuk, the hands move forward stopping when your palms reach your knees.

3.Standing up from Rukuk(Ruku)/Bowing – Straighten yourself back to an upright sitting position and placing you palms back on to your thighs.

4.Sujud / Prostrations – Move your body forward, a little bit more than when your did for your rukuk, the hands move forward stopping when your palms reach your knees.

5.Sitting between the 2 Sujud / Prostrations – Straighten yourself back to an upright sitting position and placing you palms back on to your thighs. Then the tuma’ninah (pause)

6.Repeat Position 4 for the second sujud.

7.Raise yourself from the chair and stand for the second raka’at(raka’ah) (or the next raka’at(raka’ah))

8. For every rukuk repeat position 2 and every sujud repeat positions 4 & 5

9. For your tahyat-awal(tashahhud) and tahyat-akhir (tashahhud-akher) – place yourself sitting on the chair, palms on your thighs you recite the tahyat-awal (first portion of the tashahhud) or the tahyat-akhir (tashahhud-akher).