[8] Exception for women: Women may slap/tap out of necessity during the prayer, as one hand is mentioned in the Hadith below, but this will not hold for a man, e.g., عَنْهُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يُرِيدُ الْحَاجَةَ وَ هُوَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَقَالَ يُومِئُ بِرَأْسِهِ وَ يُشِيرُ بِيَدِهِ وَ يُسَبِّحُ وَ الْمَرْأَةُ إِذَا أَرَادَتِ الْحَاجَةَ وَ هِيَ تُصَلِّي تُصَفِّقُ بِيَدِهَا .
From him, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Hammad, from Al Halby, (It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah -asws having been asked about the man who wants the need (something) and he is in the Salāt . So, he -asws said: ‘He can gesture by his head, and indicate by his hand, and he should Glorify; and the woman, when she wants the need (something), and she is praying Salāt , she can slap/tap with her hand ’.
[9] Similarly, in another Hadith a praying lady can hit her hand on her thigh to indicate her need: وَ سَأَلَهُ عَمَّارُ بْنُ مُوسَى عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَسْمَعُ صَوْتاً بِالْبَابِ وَ هُوَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَيَتَنَحْنَحُ لِيُسْمِعَ جَارِيَتَهُ أَوْ أَهْلَهُ لِتَأْتِيَهُ فَيُشِيرَ إِلَيْهَا بِيَدِهِ لِيُعْلِمَهَا مَنْ بِالْبَابِ لِتَنْظُرَ مَنْ هُوَ فَقَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ وَ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ وَ الْمَرْأَةِ يَكُونَانِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ وَ يُرِيدَانِ شَيْئاً أَ يَجُوزُ لَهُمَا أَنْ يَقُولَا سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ قَالَ نَعَمْ وَ يُومِيَانِ إِلَى مَا يُرِيدَانِ وَ الْمَرْأَةُ إِذَا أَرَادَتْ شَيْئاً ضَرَبَتْ عَلَى فَخِذَيْهَا وَ هِيَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ.
Ammar bin Musa asked him -asws about a man who hears a sound at the door while he is praying, so he clears his throat (to get the attention of) his maid or his family or He holds out his hand to show her who is at the door, so she could see who it was. He -asws said, “There is no problem with it and about a man and a woman who are praying and they want to do something, is it permissible for them to say ‘سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ’ (Glory be to God).
He -asws said, “Yes,” and they can point out toward that which they want, and if a woman wants something, she taps her thighs while she is praying .