Q: I am a female and have been praying differently from men in ruku and sajdah e.g. in ruku I don’t bend my back completely. Am I performing Salaah correctly?
A. Sayyidina Ibni Abbaas (Radhiyallaahu Anhu) was asked about the Salaah of a woman, to which he replied: She will be compact and withdrawn (during Salaah). (Musannaf Ibni Abi Shaybah)
Abdullah bin Umar says: When a female sits in Salaah she will place one thigh on top of the other (since this provides for greater concealment). (Kanzul-Ummaal)
The great Imam Shaafi (Rahmatullahi alayhi) states: “I instruct females to conceal their bodies during Ruku and Sujood by drawing their limbs close to their bodies. For undoubtedly Almighty Allah commanded them with concealment, and so did the Messenger of Allah. Imam Bayhaqi says, commenting on this ruling of Imam Shaafi: By this the great Imam is referring to the Hadeeth wherein Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa Sallam) commanded ladies to keep the body limbs close to each other in sujood.”
Imam Shaafi states further: And I also prefer them to hang their cloaks loosely when making Ruku’ and Sujood, so that the clothing do not silhouette the shape of the body. (Ma’rifatus-Sunan of Bayhaqi)
Imam Ibni Hibbaan, a famous Scholar of Hadeeth states in his book that the more concealed a woman is in her Salaah, the more rewarding it is for her.
Khalid bin Hallaj says: In Salaah women should not sit like men, out of fear that part of her body (aurah) may be exposed. He further states that some narrations allow women to sit cross legged in Salaah.
What you are doing is correct.
Mufti Siraj Desai