The Deception of Barelvis in the Matter of Seeking Assistance"

 The Deception of Barelvis in the Matter of Seeking Assistance"
✍️ Written by:  🎓 Shaykh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi, Jeddah Dawah Center, As Salamah - Saudi Arabia 
〰️🌸🍃🌸🍃🌸〰️

Barelivism is a way of seeking help from someone other than Allah, prostrating to someone other than Allah, considering someone other than Allah as a problem solver and a fulfiller of needs. Therefore, when Barelvis ask for children, wealth, and protection from calamities, they call upon the dead. They seek children, rain, wealth, rather everything from the dead, and in times of hardship, they call upon someone other than Allah. This is why all their attention is focused on graves, shrines, and the dead. However, this is the path of Shirk that leads to Hell. 
When they are presented with the commandments of Allah and the sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon Him), instead of accepting the Truth, they refute the one who preaches the truth and present false arguments to support their beliefs. In this article, I will expose the reality of one of their false arguments. The issue is that when we tell Barelvis not to seek help from anyone other than Allah, they respond by saying, "Then why do you ask your mother for food, your father for money, and a tailor for clothes? Etc." They present many such arguments. However, the response of the Barelvis is completely false. Let us understand the reality of this argument.
 Seeking help, which is called 'istianat' in Arabic, has two types. 
(1) The first type of istianat is 'ma taht al-asbab', which means seeking help from others in matters that are within their power and capability, such as asking a mother for food, a father for money, or a tailor for clothes. These individuals have the authority and ability to provide these things, so it is permissible to seek help from them in these matters. However, they do not have the power to grant children, hence we cannot ask them for children.
(2) The second type of istianat is 'ma fawq al-asbab', which means seeking help from someone other than Allah in matters that are beyond their power and capability, or seeking something from someone who does not have the authority to provide it. This is Shirk, and we should only ask Allah for such things. There are two types of seeking help, but Barelvis mix them up and deceive people by saying that it is permissible to seek help from someone other than Allah. However, we know that we can only ask creatures for things that Allah has given them the power to provide, which is related to the first type of istianat. We cannot ask creatures for things that Allah has not given them the power to provide.
For example, consider a hadith from Bukhari. The Prophet (peace be upon Him) said to his daughter Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with Her):
يَا فَاطِمَةُ بنْتَ مُحَمَّدٍ، سَلِينِي ما شِئْتِ مِن مَالِي، لا أُغْنِي عَنْكِ مِنَ اللَّهِ شيئًا.(صحيح البخاري:4771)
 "O Fatimah, take whatever you want from my wealth, but in the court of Allah, I cannot benefit you at all." The Prophet (peace be upon Him) had the authority to give wealth in this world, so he told His daughter to take whatever she needed, but in the hereafter, He could not benefit her at all. This shows that we cannot ask creatures for things that Allah has not given them the power to provide.
Now, after udnerstanding the above, if someone asks why seeking help from someone other than Allah is Shirk, the answer is that du'a (supplication) is a form of Worship, and all forms of worship are solely for Allah alone. 
Nu'man bin Bashir (may Allah be pleased with Him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon Him) said: 
الدُّعَاءُ هُوَ الْعِبَادَةُ "، ثُمَّ قَرَأَ: وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ سورة غافر آية 60 ". (سنن ترمذی:3372، صححہ البانی)
"Dua (supplication) is worship." Then He recited the verse: 
«وقال ربكم ادعوني أستجب لكم إن الذين يستكبرون عن عبادتي سيدخلون جهنم داخرين»
"And your Lord says: 'Call upon Me, I will respond to your invocation. Indeed, those who are too proud to worship Me will enter Hell humiliated.'" (Ghafir: 60)
This narration combines a Hadith and a Quranic verse. The hadith shows that dua is a form of worship, and we know that all forms of worship are solely for Allah's sake. This means that calling upon anyone other than Allah is contrary to worship, which is considered Shirk.
The Quranic verse also shows that we should only call upon Allah, and He will respond to our dua. Those who do not call upon Allah will be thrown into Hell. This is why Allah has commanded us at multiple places to worship only Him, such as in the verse:
وَقَضٰی رَبُّکَ اَنْ لَّا تَعْبُدُوْا اِلَّا اِیَّاہُ(الاسراء :23) 
 "And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him." (Al-Isra: 23)
Someone may ask, "Then why has Allah commanded us to seek Wasila (intercession) or seek help from salah (prayer)?"
A Barelvi even said that Allah had prescribed 50 prayers obligatory, but due to Moosa's (peace be upon him) request, they were reduced to 5. So, why do you pray only 5 times? Why don't you pray 50 times?
Let it be clear that we do not pray five times because of Musa (peace be upon him), but because Allah has commanded us to do so. Allah has prescribed five daily prayers obligatory, and we follow this command.
Secondly, there are three types of wasila (intercession) that are permissible for us to use when calling upon Allah:
1. First wasila: Using Allah's beautiful names (Asma-ul-Husna) as wasila, we can call upon Allah through His names.
2. Second wasila: Our good deeds, we can call upon Allah by our good deeds, just like the three people who were trapped in the cave used their good deeds as wasila.  
3. Third wasila: Living righteous monotheist people, we can ask a living pious and righteous person to pray for us, just like the noble companions asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) to pray for them during his lifetime, and like Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), the uncle of the Prophet (peace be upon him), to pray for them, and like we say to living people, "include me in your prayers" or "Pray for me", this wasila is permissible.
Any other type of wasila, such as using the wasila of a creature or a dead person, is not permissible. Those who use such wasila, like saying “accept my prayers through prophet’s wasila,” or “accept my prayers through saint’s blessings”, are doing something that is not permissible.
The verse in Surah Ma'idah that commands us to use wasila means that we should use our good deeds as wasila to Allah, and similarly, seeking help from prayer is also a form of using good deeds as wasila, which is a permissible type of wasila.
In conclusion, a believer should only call upon Allah for help, as Allah and His Messenger have commanded us. Let’s see below some of the evidences and reform our beliefs and actions according.
We recite the verse 
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
"You alone do we worship, and You alone do we ask for help" in every rak'ah of our prayer, which means we promise Allah that we will not seek help from anyone else, but only from Him. This verse prohibits us from seeking help from anyone other than Allah. 
And Allah has clearly forbidden us from calling upon anyone other than Him, saying:
وَلَا تَدْعُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّـهِ مَا لَا يَنْفَعُكَ وَلَا يَضُرُّكَ فَإِنْ فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذًا مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ(یونس:106)
 'And do not call upon anyone besides Allah who cannot benefit or harm you, for if you do so, you will be among the wrongdoers.'  
Allah has made it clear that the dead you call upon for help cannot even answer your call until the Day of Resurrection, Allah says:
وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنْ يَدْعُو مِنْ دُونِ اللَّـهِ مَنْ لَا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَهُمْ عَنْ دُعَائِهِمْ غَافِلُونَ * وَإِذَا حُشِرَ النَّاسُ كَانُوا لَهُمْ أَعْدَاءً وَكَانُوا بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كَافِرِينَ(الاحقاف:5-6)
"And who is more astray than those who call upon others besides Allah, who will not answer their prayers until the Day of Resurrection, and who are even unaware of their calls, and when all will be gathered, they will become their enemies and reject their worship. Similarly' . the Prophet (peace be upon him) taught us that when you ask, ask Allah, and when you seek help, seek it from Allah. As the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
إِذَا سَأَلْتَ فَاسْأَلِ اللَّهَ وَإِذَا اسْتَعَنْتَ فَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللَّهِ(ترمذی:2516، صححہ البانی)
'When you ask, ask only from Allah, and when you seek help, seek only from Allah.' He also said: 
وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْأُمَّةَ لَوِ اجْتَمَعَتْ عَلَى أَنْ يَنْفَعُوكَ بِشَيْءٍ لَمْ يَنْفَعُوكَ إِلَّا بِشَيْءٍ قَدْ كَتَبَهُ اللَّهُ لَكَ، وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى أَنْ يَضُرُّوكَ بِشَيْءٍ لَمْ يَضُرُّوكَ إِلَّا بِشَيْءٍ قَدْ كَتَبَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ۔
'Know that if the entire ummah gathers to benefit you, they cannot benefit you more than what Allah has decreed for you, and if they gather to harm you, they cannot harm you more than what Allah has decreed for you.'
 A Muslim should believe that no one besides Allah has the power to benefit or harm them.
Therefore, in all matters, we should only call upon Allah. And when we help each other in worldly affairs, it is a separate matter, and Allah and His Messenger have commanded us to cooperate in good deeds. Allah says: 
وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ(المائدۃ:2)
 'Cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.'  
And the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
ما أَرَى بَأْسًا مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنكُم أَنْ يَنْفَعَ أَخَاهُ فَلْيَنْفَعْهُ.(صحيح مسلم:2199)
 'Whoever among you can benefit their brother, let them do so, without hesitation.'
🤲 Finally, I pray to Allah to keep us steadfast on the path of Tawhid, to protect us from Shirk and innovation, and to guide those Muslims who have gone astray

Death: The Best Preacher and Advisor

Death: The Best Preacher and Advisor
Written by: Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salfi, Jeddah Dawah Center, As-Salamah - Saudi Arabia 

One of the signs of the nearness of Qiyamah (Judgment Day) is the speed of time and its contraction, so that news from one corner of the world reaches the other corner in an instant. Today's situation is such that any incident that occurs in the world spreads across the globe in a moment, and everyone becomes aware of it in no time.
Death has been a part of life since the beginning of creation, and every era has buried its dead. This process has continued uninterrupted since the beginning of creation. However, there is a big difference between the death of the past and the death of today. In the past, people used to be shaken by a single death, while today we see hundreds of deaths and do not take any lesson from them.
We hear and read news of death every moment on social media, and we see horrific scenes of murder and bloodshed. We see life as fleeting and death as common and abundant, which makes our hearts hard and resistant to advice.

There is a big difference between the death of the past and the death of today. In the past, people used to be shaken by a single death, while today we see hundreds of deaths and do not take any lesson from them. We hear and read news of death every moment on social media, and we see horrific scenes of murder and bloodshed. We see life as fleeting and death as common and abundant, which makes our hearts hard and resistant to advice.
Death is a great advisor, and that is why the Prophet (peace be upon him) has commanded us to remember death frequently, so that we may develop a sense of accountability for the Hereafter, become disillusioned with the worldly life, and cultivate a desire to do good deeds and avoid evil ones. Visiting graves, even without a funeral, is also recommended, so that we may take heed and prepare for our own death.
Let us reflect on the prayer recited during a visit to the graveyard. If we ponder over it thoughtfully, we will realize that we too are among the dead, lying alone in our graves, and that we too will be questioned by Munkar and Nakeer (the angels of death). We too can fall prey to the temptations of them grave and its isolation. 
Here are the three prayers mentioned in Sahih Muslim, with slight variations in wording:
1- السَّلَامُ علَيْكُم أَهْلَ الدِّيَارِ مِنَ المُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ، وإنَّا، إنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَلَاحِقُونَ، أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ لَنَا وَلَكُمُ العَافِيَةَ{صحيح مسلم:975}
Translation: "Peace be upon you, O believers and Muslims, and we will join you, Allah willing. We pray for forgiveness and safety for ourselves and you."
2- السَّلَامُ علَى أَهْلِ الدِّيَارِ مِنَ المُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَيَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ المُسْتَقْدِمِينَ مِنَّا وَالْمُسْتَأْخِرِينَ، وإنَّا إنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بكُمْ لَلَاحِقُونَ{صحيح مسلم:974}.
 Translation: "Peace be upo the believers and Muslims of these households, may Allah have mercy on us and on you, and may we join you, Allah willing."
3-السَّلَامُ علَيْكُم دَارَ قَوْمٍ مُؤْمِنِينَ، وَأَتَاكُمْ ما تُوعَدُونَ غَدًا، مُؤَجَّلُونَ، وإنَّا، إنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ، بكُمْ لَاحِقُونَ، اللَّهُمَّ، اغْفِرْ لأَهْلِ بَقِيعِ الغَرْقَدِ{صحيح مسلم:974}
Translation: "O households of believers! Peace be upon you, and may Allah grant you salvation. What was promised to you has come to pass, and we too will join you, Allah  willing. O Allah, forgive the inhabitants of Baqi' al-Gharqad (a cemetery in Medina)."
In these prayers, the Prophet (peace be upon him) has taught us two things: first, to pray for forgiveness and safety for the deceased, and second, to acknowledge that we will soon join them, God willing. When we visit the graveyard and recite these prayers, do we not realize the transience of this world, the reality of the Hereafter, and the certainty of death? Do we not feel that, despite our physical presence in the graveyard, our reality is similar to that of the dead? That is why I say that death is a great preacher and advisor, it does not deliver long sermons or write lengthy treatises, but it teaches us valuable lessons through its mere presence.
There are countless lessons hidden in death, but only those who are willing to learn can benefit from them. 
There is a world of advice in the lap of death and the funeral of the deceased. A beautiful body, a strong and healthy person, who once spread light and joy in the world, is now lying helpless and motionless. His condition is so fragile and delicate that he needs others to perform his final rites, like bathing, shrouding, and burying him. The oppressor's desires have been fulfilled, but severe punishments await him, while the righteous person has passed away, but the blessings of the Hereafter await him.
Many people who were once wealthy and influential are now lying alone in their graves, with no one to mourn their loss. They had everything in life, but now they have nothing - no home, no clothes, no wealth, no relationships, no helpers. Yet, many prayers and blessings are being recited for them, and they are enjoying the blessings of the Hereafter in their dark and narrow graves.
Therefore, my Muslim brothers! Death is not just a passing event, but it contains countless lessons and warnings for us. Let us learn from death and prepare for our own departure from this world. Let us soften our hearts and become pious, so that we may benefit from the lessons of death. To learn from death, we need to not only soften our hearts but also become habitual in worshiping Allah and become embodiments of taqwa (piety). One who is negligent in worship and disobedient to Allah's commands can never learn from death, nor can their heart be moved to tears.
May Allah soften our hearts and guide us on the path of Taqwa. Amin.

Women and men's prayer is no different

 Women and men's prayer is no different
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✍Written by: Sheikh Maqbool Ahmad Salafi Hafizahullah , Jeddah Da'wah Center - Saudi Arabia 

It has become common among the people that women's prayer is different from men's, whereas the reality is that women's prayer is exactly the same as men's, meaning women should also perform their prayer in the same manner as men.
I will clarify this in the light of religious texts so that you can be convinced that women should also perform their prayer like men. Firstly, I want to present an experiment and observation to prepare you to understand the logical arguments.
This is that the concept of separate prayer for women in our society is a later development. Since people started following others besides Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and imitating them, the followers of these leaders started performing separate prayers. The scholars who follow these leaders have created a complete and specific artificial method for women to perform their prayer.
They have made everything different for women, such as raising their hands, folding their hands, bowing, prostrating, and sitting. However, many of us have visited the holy cities and seen Arab women performing prayer like men. These Arab women have been performing prayer like men since the time of Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions.
This is where Islam originated and spread to the world, so the method of prayer here gives us awareness that the correct and original method of women's prayer is the same as Arab women are performing. It's not just Arab women who perform prayer like men, but wherever there are sisters who act upon Quran and Hadith, leaving aside imitation, they perform their prayer like men.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has taught only one method of prayer, and he has not taught separate methods for men and women. 
Now let's move on to the arguments. First, let's look at the Quran. Allah has revealed only one book, the Quran, in which all the verses include both men and women. It's not like there's a separate Quran for women and a separate Quran for men. However, if a verse is specific to a woman or a man, it will be considered specific to that person, but if it's not specific, then men and women are both included.
Similarly, the Hadith also has the same situation. In the six most authentic books of Hadith (Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood, Nisai, Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah), each book has a chapter on prayer. Under this chapter, from start to finish, all the details of prayer, including rakats, qualities, and supplications, are mentioned. If we collect these Hadiths, they will be in the hundreds, but not a single Hadith says that men's prayer is separate from women's prayer.
A woman asked a question to the famous Hanafi institution "Al-Jamia-tul-Banuriyah Al-Islamiyah" in Pakistan, saying that she wants to know the reference for women's prayer in Islam, just like she is starting to learn. She only wants references from the six authentic books (only about prostration and tashahhud). The institution replied that asking for references from the six authentic books is a great audacity. They wrote that the questioner should read the prayer method from "Bahishti Zewar" and perform the prayer according to that method. In short, you can see this fatwa on the institution's website ((https://www.onlinefatawa.com)) under ID 32164.
From this fatwa, you can understand that those who say that women have a separate prayer method do not have a single argument from the authentic books of Hadith.
Now understand a basic point that women are also equal to men in Islamic issues, meaning that whatever command Allah has given, it includes women as well, except for specific commands that are specific to men or women.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 
إنما النساء شقائق الرجال(السلسلة الصحيحة:2863)
Translation: Women are like men in terms of religious rules.
Keeping this command of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in mind, let's look at his important command regarding the prayer of men and women. 
Abu Sulaiman Malik bin Huwairith (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
أَتَيْنَا النبيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ، ونَحْنُ شَبَبَةٌ مُتَقَارِبُونَ، فأقَمْنَا عِنْدَهُ عِشْرِينَ لَيْلَةً، فَظَنَّ أنَّا اشْتَقْنَا أهْلَنَا، وسَأَلَنَا عَمَّنْ تَرَكْنَا في أهْلِنَا، فأخْبَرْنَاهُ، وكانَ رَفِيقًا رَحِيمًا، فَقَالَ: ارْجِعُوا إلى أهْلِيكُمْ، فَعَلِّمُوهُمْ ومُرُوهُمْ، وصَلُّوا كما رَأَيْتُمُونِي أُصَلِّي، وإذَا حَضَرَتِ الصَّلَاةُ، فَلْيُؤَذِّنْ لَكُمْ أحَدُكُمْ، ثُمَّ لِيَؤُمَّكُمْ أكْبَرُكُمْ
(صحيح البخاري:6008، 7246، 631)
 Translation: We came to Madinah in the service of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and we were all young and of the same age. We stayed with the Prophet (peace be upon him) for twenty days. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) thought that we might be missing our families, so he asked us about those whom we had left behind in our homes. We told him the whole story. He was very kind and compassionate. He said, "Go back to your homes and teach your people about religion and tell them, and pray as you have seen me praying. When the time for prayer comes, one of you should call the azan, and the eldest among you should lead the prayer."
Looking deeply at this Hadith, it becomes clear that some Companions learned the method of prayer and religion from the Prophet (peace be upon him) and went back home. He commanded them to go and teach these things to their family members, including their wives. If the method of women's prayer was different, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have explained it clearly, saying, "You men pray like me, and teach your women to pray separately." But he didn't say that. This Hadith "Pray as you have seen me praying" is decisive in this matter. Moreover, this Hadith is general and includes women as well, because women are like men in terms of religious rules, as you have already seen the evidence for this above. 
The above Hadith  "وصَلُّوا كما رَأَيْتُمُونِي أُصَلِّي"  "Pray as you have seen me praying" is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari at three places. Now, let's look at a clear Hadith from Sahih Muslim that states that men's and women's prayers are exactly the same.
Sahih Muslim narrates from Sahl bin Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him):  
ولقَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَسولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلَّمَ قَامَ عليه فَكَبَّرَ وكَبَّرَ النَّاسُ ورَاءَهُ، وهو علَى المِنْبَرِ، ثُمَّ رَفَعَ فَنَزَلَ القَهْقَرَى حتَّى سَجَدَ في أصْلِ المِنْبَرِ، ثُمَّ عَادَ، حتَّى فَرَغَ مِن آخِرِ صَلَاتِهِ، ثُمَّ أقْبَلَ علَى النَّاسِ فَقالَ: يا أيُّها النَّاسُ إنِّي صَنَعْتُ هذا لِتَأْتَمُّوا بي، ولِتَعَلَّمُوا صَلَاتِي
(صحيح مسلم:1216) 
Translation: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stood on the (pulpit) and said the takbir, and the people said the takbir behind him, and he performed the prayer on the pulpit. Then he came down and prostrated at the base of the pulpit, then he turned and faced the people and said: "O people! I did this so that you may follow me and learn how to pray like me."
This Hadith shows that the Prophet (peace be upon him) climbed the pulpit to teach the Companions how to pray, so that they could clearly see the quality and manner of the prayer. We also know that women used to pray behind him in the Prophet's Mosque. When he finished praying on the pulpit, he addressed the Companions and said: "O people! I did this so that you may follow me and learn how to pray like me." Was this clear command not for women? And was the prayer he performed on the pulpit not for women? Yes, it was. The Prophet's (peace be upon him) actions on the pulpit and his clear command to learn the prayer from him clearly indicate that men's and women's prayers are exactly the same.
If there was a difference in the method of women's prayer, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have taught women separately when he taught men on the pulpit in the Prophet's Masjid Al-Navabi, but he did not do so, which is strong evidence that women will pray like men.
Prayer is a matter of worship, and Jibreel (peace be upon him) descended from heaven to teach the Prophet (peace be upon him) how to pray and informed him of the times of prayer.
Sahih Bukhari narrates from Abu Mas'ood (may Allah be pleased with him) that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: 
سَمِعْتُ رَسولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ يقولُ: نَزَلَ جِبْرِيلُ فأمَّنِي، فَصَلَّيْتُ معهُ، ثُمَّ صَلَّيْتُ معهُ، ثُمَّ صَلَّيْتُ معهُ، ثُمَّ صَلَّيْتُ معهُ، ثُمَّ صَلَّيْتُ معهُ يَحْسُبُ بأَصَابِعِهِ خَمْسَ صَلَوَاتٍ
(صحيح البخاري:3221)
Translation : "Jibreel (peace be upon him) came down and prayed with me, and I prayed with him, then he prayed with me, then I prayed with him, then I prayed with him, and he counted the five prayers on his fingers."
Prayer is a worship that cannot be performed according to one's own will, it has been revealed by Allah. How can any imam or scholar have the authority to describe a separate method of prayer for women two hundred or three hundred years after the Prophet's (peace be upon him) death? Or how can any follower have the permission to worship Allah according to the sayings of scholars, leaving the Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him)? We see that in the Hanafi school, women's prayers are described as completely different from men's. This is an innovation in worship and a change in Allah's religion.
الحفظ والاماں
The above-mentioned arguments clearly show that women's prayers are the same as men's. However, I consider it appropriate to mention another specific argument related to women. 
The great Companion Abu al-Darda al-Ansari's wife, Umm al-Darda, may Allah be pleased with her, is mentioned by the Faqih of the Ummah, Amir al-Mu'minin in Hadith, Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, in his three books, that Umm al-Darda used to pray like men. Let's learn about this argument with the text of the three books.
First book: In Sahih Bukhari, under the chapter "Bab Sunnat al-Julus fi al-Tashahhud" (Chapter: The Sunnah of Sitting in Tashahhud), Imam Bukhari mentions:
"وكانت ام الدرداء تجلس في صلاتها جلسة الرجل وكانت فقيهة".
Translation: "Umm al-Darda was a Faqihah (scholar) and she used to sit in her prayer like men."
Second book: Abdul Rahman bin Sulaiman bin Umair al-Shami, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
رَأَيْتُ أُمَّ الدَّرْدَاءِ "تَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهَا فِي الصَّلَاةِ حَذْوَ مَنْكِبَيْهَا حِينَ تَفْتَتِحُ الصَّلَاةَ , وَحِينَ تَرْكَعُ وَإِذَا قَالَ: «سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ» رَفَعَتْ يَدَيْهَا , وَقَالَتْ:«رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ»(جزء رفع الیدین للبخاري : 24)
Translation: "I saw Umm al-Darda raising her hands up to her shoulders (رفع اليدين) in prayer, when she started the prayer, when she bowed, and when the Imam said 'سمع الله لمن حمده' (Allah hears the one who praises Him), she raised her hands رفع اليدين and said, 'ربنا ولك الحمد' (Our Lord, and to You is the praise)."
Third book: Imam Bukhari mentions the suspended narration in his book al-Tarikh al-Saghir (906) through the chain of Makhul, and Sheikh al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, has authenticated its chain in Safwat al-Tafasir on page 189.
This specific Hadith is a specific proof in the chapter of women that women will also pray like men. If someone says that only one woman prayed like men and the rest of the women did not pray like men, it is pure ignorance and shortsightedness. The Hadith does not mention that only one woman prayed like men, but rather the narrator describes the sitting posture of the woman he saw. Here, a big scientific point is also understood that if the prayer of this Companion's wife was against the Sunnah, the narrator would have certainly objected or mentioned that the woman was going against the Sunnah. The narrator's mere description of the posture is proof that the woman's prayer is like that of men, and the women of that era also prayed like men.
In this context, consider a narration from Sahihain regarding prostration, Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:
اعْتَدِلُوا في السُّجُودِ، ولَا يَبْسُطْ أحَدُكُمْ ذِرَاعَيْهِ انْبِسَاطَ الكَلْبِ(صحيح البخاري:822)
Translation: "Be moderate in prostration, and none of you should spread his arms like dogs."
In this Hadith, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, addressed everyone, saying that none of you should spread your arms like dogs while prostrating. Is the woman not included in this command? Yes, she is. Based on this Hadith, women will also prostrate like men and avoid the posture of dogs while prostrating.
In summary, a woman should pray exactly like a man, and the man who prays like the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The intention, Iqamah, Takbir, Raf' al-Yadayn, Qiyam, Ruku, Qawmah, Sujud, Jalsa, Qa'dah, and Salam should all be in the light of Hadith, and all these actions are the same for men and women. Just as women will also pray the same number of rak'ahs as men, and recite the same words during prayer as men, there is no difference in rak'ahs, dhikr, and du'a between men and women, and no difference in quality and attributes, because there is no authentic proof of distinction.
I also want to remove the misconceptions of those people who, in the name of modesty and honor of women, create artificial methods of prayer for them. The followers of the sects prohibit their women from going to the masjid, yet they describe a separate method of prayer for women, whereas in the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him), women used to attend the Prophet's Masjid  (Masjid Al-Nabvi) and pray behind the Prophet (peace be upon him). It should have been that the prayer of the women who attended the masjid should have been separate, because they used to pray in the same masjid as men, whereas the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not describe a separate prayer for women. Indeed, a woman is a woman, she is a thing of modesty and veil, therefore, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) described the suitable rules for women regarding prayer. See some ahadith in this regard:
(1) A woman's prayer at home is better than praying in the masjid. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 
صلاةُ المرأةِ في بيتِها أفضلُ من صلاتِها في حجرتِها وصلاتُها في مَخدعِها أفضلُ من صلاتِها في بيتِها(صحيح أبي داود:570)
 Translation: A woman's prayer in her own house is more virtuous than praying in the courtyard, and praying in the courtyard is more virtuous than praying in the room, and praying in the room is more virtuous than praying in the inner room.
(2) A woman can also pray in the masjid, but she should not come with perfume. Zainab Thaqafiya (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 
إذا خرجتْ إحْداكنَّ إلى المسجدِ فلا تقْرَبنَّ طِيبًا(صحيح الجامع:501) 
Translation: When any of you women go to the masjid, do not come close to perfume.
(3) A mature woman should not pray without a veil, narrated by Ummul Mu'minin Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
لا يقبلُ اللَّهُ صلاةَ حائضٍ إلَّا بخِمارٍ(صحيح أبي داود:641)
 Translation: Allah does not accept the prayer of a mature woman without a veil.
(4) In the masjid, when men and women pray together, the row of women should be behind the men. Narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
خَيْرُ صُفُوفِ الرِّجالِ أوَّلُها، وشَرُّها آخِرُها، وخَيْرُ صُفُوفِ النِّساءِ آخِرُها، وشَرُّها أوَّلُها( صحيح مسلم:440)
 Translation: The best row for men is the first row, and the worst row is the last row. And for women, the worst row is the first row (when the rows of men are near them) and the best row is the last row (which is farthest from men).
(5) A woman cannot lead men in prayer, nor can she raise her voice while praying with men. If the male Imam makes a mistake, she will not make a sound with her tongue at that time, but will alert the Imam to the mistake by clapping her hands. Narrated by Suhail bin Saad (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
التسبيحُ للرجالِ، والتصفيحُ للنساءِ (صحيح البخاري:1204)
 Translation: Clapping (in a specific way, one hand on the other) is for women, and saying Subhan Allah is for men.

These commands are all related to protecting women from mischief, safeguarding their chastity and modesty, and taking care of their shyness. The purpose of these commands is not that women's prayers are different from those of men, but rather that women's prayers are the same as men's, but some special commands have been given in their favor, considering their chastity. Some people deceive the Ummah by saying that women are being given separate commands, therefore their prayer is different from men. This is a complete deception. Here, some separate commands are being given to women, considering their chastity, but this does not mean that the method of women's prayer is different from men.
Understand it in this way that the Imam will say the first Takbir Tahrima and start the prayer, whether the follower is a man or a woman, the follower will say Takbir after the Imam and enter the prayer. No follower will say Takbir before the Imam. Then in all the states of prayer, the Imam will be first and the follower will follow the Imam, the one who is more knowledgeable about the Quran among the followers will become the Imam, the ones who are more intelligent and aware among the followers will stand closer to the Imam, then the ones after them, then the ones after them. In the row formation, the bigger men will be in the front, and the children will be in the back rows. Does this mean that men's prayers are also different from men? Absolutely not. These are some commands related to prayer, but the method is the same.
Similarly, there are some special issues related to prayer for women, but their prayer method is also the same as men's.
Some people deceive the Ummah by saying that Hajj should also be performed according to the method of the Prophet (peace be upon him), but in Tawaf and Sa'i, women should not perform Raml (brisk walking) but walk slowly, and there is no separate evidence for women walking slowly. Scholars, considering women's modesty, order them to walk slowly, similarly, the issue of prayer is the same. Due to women's modesty, they are told to pray with their bodies closed. The answer to this is, firstly, it is wrong to compare prayer with Hajj's Tawaf and Sa'i, in Tawaf and Sa'i, a person can talk, eat, laugh, sit if they get tired, etc., but these things are forbidden in prayer, rather, these things will invalidate the prayer.
Secondly, the complete method of praying has been taught to us by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), in which both men and women are included, so there is no need to take the method of prayer from anyone else. And I have already mentioned that in worship, no one will act according to their own will, whereas among the followers, the entire prayer of women is artificial, how can it be correct?
Thirdly, although there is no Marfu' Hadith regarding women not performing Raml, it is proven from numerous narrations. It is narrated from Ayesha (may Allah be pleased with her) in Baihaqi, from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), and Hasan and Ata' in Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah. Ibn al-Mundhir has reported consensus that women do not perform Raml, and consensus is also a proof in religion. But the matter of prayer is different from Raml, here everything is proven from Marfu' Ahadith, i.e., the complete method of prayer from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and where the method of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), is present, there is no room to adopt anyone else's method or statement. 
The point is that where the Sharia is silent, if the Ummah reaches a consensus on something, then it is a proof, but where the Sharia is present, there is no need for anyone's statement or consensus. Some people deceive by saying that the method of women praying with their bodies closed is narrated from the Salaf, rather, some Marfu' narrations are also found regarding this, some of which are presented. This is not the place to mention and analyze all of them. Try to understand this from a couplet: "When the statement of Mustafa (peace be upon him) is present, do not look at anyone's statement or action."
Allah has ordered following Him and His Messenger in numerous places in the Quran, i.e., religion will be taken only from Allah and His Messenger. Second, regarding the difference in the method of prayer between men and women, whatever evidence is presented, whether it is a statement or a Hadith, nothing is proven and authentic. When something is not proven at all, then it is useless to take evidence from it, rather, you have seen the fatwa of Jamia Banuriya above, according to their account, not a single evidence of difference in men's and women's prayer is found in the six authentic books of Hadith, namely Sahih Sitta, whereas in all these six books, all the Muhaddithin have mentioned all the Marfu' narrations (the method of prayer of the Messenger of Allah) from the beginning to the end of prayer, including all the details, even the smallest aspect of prayer is not left unmentioned.
The rest of the evidences from which the Hanafis argue and consider women's prayer to be different are all unreliable. To know the reality of these, it is beneficial to study the brief book "Is the method of women's prayer different from men?" by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf (may Allah have mercy on him). This book has been published by Darussalam and is available on Kitab and Sunnah Dot Com. 
🤲 May Allah grant people the ability to follow the truth and grant all Muslims, men and women, the ability to worship according to the method of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).