Benefits of the Hadith: (Tasbih for Men, and Clapping for Women)

The Shaykh : In this hadith, there are benefits: One is that if a person becomes distracted by something during his prayer that does not prevent him from praying, there is no harm in it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) heard the crying of a child while he was praying, or we tell people: "Block your ears," so if it does not distract him, there is no harm. It is well known that if something happens to a person, he will hear it or see it. If he hears it or sees it, then the function is that men say tasbih and women clap. If someone asks: What is the wisdom in using tasbih instead of, for example, praise? Why did the Messenger not say: "Let them praise Allah"? Because this often happens due to forgetfulness; the imam forgets and adds or subtracts, or stands in the place of sitting, or sits in the place of standing. Forgetfulness is something from which Allah is exonerated; He is exalted from it. So it was appropriate that the notification be by what? By tasbih, which indicates the exaltation of Allah from all deficiency. Another benefit of this hadith is that tasbih does not invalidate the prayer, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) commanded it, or informed about it as a confirmation. If it had invalidated the prayer, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would have clarified that the prayer is invalidated by it. If someone asks: If the one praying turns to something other than tasbih when something happens to him, such as clearing his throat or raising his voice with what he is reciting, is there no harm? We will come to the issue of clearing the throat, if Allah wills. Another benefit of this hadith is that an action for the sake of public benefit or pressing need in prayer does not invalidate it. This is based on his saying: because clapping is an action, but it is for what? For pressing need sometimes, or for public benefit. If it is for the imam's forgetfulness, it is for the benefit of the prayer. If it is for something that happened to the person, such as someone asking for permission to enter or the like, it is for pressing need. Another benefit of this hadith is the wisdom of the Islamic Shari'ah in distinguishing between men and women in rulings according to what wisdom requires. The wisdom here is that a woman's voice should not be heard by men except for pressing need. If a woman said tasbih, men would hear her, and she might have a deep voice, causing the listener to be tempted. Therefore, women were commanded to clap instead of saying tasbih, and men were commanded to say tasbih because men's voices with men do not harm and do not affect a person. Another benefit of this hadith is the exclusivity of women to clapping when they are in prayer with a congregation of men. If the congregation is purely women, does the woman say tasbih or clap? If we look at the generality of the wording, we say that she claps, because the hadith is absolute. If we look at the meaning, we say there is no harm in her saying tasbih, because only women would hear her. However, taking the apparent wording is preferable; we say that she claps, even if there is only a congregation of women with her. Another benefit of this hadith is that clapping for women is in prayer. As for outside of prayer, there is no doubt that it is better for a person not to notify by clapping, for fear of imitating women. Rather, he should notify by word, contrary to some people who, when they call someone and they do not notice, start clapping. What he should have done is not clap; if he called him and he did not notice, he should repeat the call and raise his voice. Now, if someone asks: What do you say about what happens when one is pleased with something and claps for it?
The answer is: We see no harm in that, because this is a recent custom that all people, Muslims and non-Muslims, have followed. It is a sign of a person's pleasure with what he heard or saw, and it does not contradict the hadith in its saying: because that is in prayer. If someone asks: Does not Allah say regarding the polytheists: The clapping, whistling, and shouting are clapping? We say: Yes, Allah said this, but these polytheists made this an act of worship, worshipping Allah with it. And this person who is pleased with something did not make it an act of worship. Therefore, it is permissible for a woman to notify by clapping, which is what the polytheists do at the Sacred Mosque as worship of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Then he said: "And from Matarif" Questions, yes.