Q: In one of the Hadiths, the Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have said: Any person who is overcome by sadness or grief and supplicates, saying: "O Allah! I am Your servant, son of Your servant and Your female servant. My forelock is in Your Hand. Your decision concerning me shall certainly come to pass. Just is Your Judgment about me...etc. Is it permissible for a woman to say in this Du'a' and similar ones, "I am Amatuk (I am your female servant)", or should she say "I am 'Abduk (lit. I am Your male servant)"?
A: The matter is open to choice, In sha'aAllah (if Allah wills), but it is better for her to say: Allahumma inni amatuka wa abnatu 'abdika wa abnatu amatika (O Allah, I am Your female servant, daughter of Your male and female servants), and so on. This is more appropriate and more befitting for her. However, if she says the wording that is reported in the Hadith, there is no problem In sha'aAllah, because even though she is female, she is one of the Servants of Allah (Exalted be He).