In America, in recent times, a strange phenomenon has happened: Mixed Masaajid. These are not Muslims in the traditional sense, people who have submitted their wills (desires, thoughts and feelings) to Allah. Instead they are trying to mold and shape Islam into what they want it to be.
Below in this article we will examine whether or not there is any allowance for this in Islam at all.
Prayer is Mandatory
All Muslims are obligated to pray, and all Muslims are encouraged to pray congregational prayers. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said,
“The prayers were made obligatory on the Prophet , upon whom be peace, the night of his ascension to heaven. At first, they were fifty in number, but were reduced several times until they were five. Then it was proclaimed, ‘O Muhammad, the order is not changed. These five are (equivalent) to the fifty” (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi: 213)
The Prophet Peace be upon him also said:
“The prayer in congregation is twenty seven times superior to the prayer performed by person alone.” (Bukhari: vol. 1 book 11 no.621)
It is understood that men lead women, but can women lead other women, and can women lead men? This is what will be discussed below.
Can Women Lead Women?
Firstly can women lead women in prayer?
“It is related from ‘Aishah that she would make the adhan and iqamah and lead the women in prayer, standing in the middle of the row. Related by al-Baihaqi” (Sabiq, Fiqh us-Sunnah page 105).
Another piece of evidence is found in Sheikh Salih Al Fawzan’s book “Summary of Islamic Jurisprudence” on page 196.
“It is also viewed permissible for a woman to perform congregational prayer with other women, while being separated from men; whether their leader (in prayer) is a woman or a man. In support of this view, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) ordered Umm Waraqah to have a prayer caller and to lead the people of her home in prayer. This hadith is related by Ahmad and the compilers of sunan (Ahmad: 27273 [6/453] and Abu Dawud: 592 [1/282]); and this act was done by other women Companions of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) (Fawzan, 196).
Can Women Lead Women in Friday Prayers?
It is now clear that women can lead other women in prayer. Can women lead women in Friday prayers? It is a strange question, as why would a woman do such a thing, when she could attend the Friday sermon in the mesjid? The Friday prayer is to be performed by the imaam of the mesjid, which cannot be a woman. There is no such thing as women only masaajid, so unless the woman is leading men, there is no way she could lead women only in a mesjid for Friday prayers. Moreover it was never done until modern times, and is a clear bid’ah by that fact alone.
Can Women lead Men?
That leads into the next question which is whether or not women can lead men in prayers. I have not found any evidence for that position. But there is an abundance of evidence against it. Firstly in general men are leaders and maintainers of women. Allah says in the Quran:
“Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allaah has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support them) from their means” (Quran 4:34)
The Prophet (peace be upon him said):
“No woman should lead a man in prayer, nor should a bedouin lead an immigrant (to medina), nor should a wicked man lead a believer in prayer except when he overpowers him with his authority so he (the believer) is afraid of his sword and whip (i.e. he is afraid of his power)(ibn majah: 1081)”
Does it get any clearer than that? The Prophet Peace be upon him also said,
“Do not prevent the female servants of Allah (women) from (going to) the mosques of Allah, but they should go while they are not perfumed.” (Ahmad: 9625)
“…But they should go while they are not perfumed.” This means that women are allowed to go to the mosque on the condition they they should not be perfumed, lest they tempt men with their perfume, thus diverting men’s eyes to them.” (Fawzan, 210)
So how will a woman give the Friday sermon, stand in front of the men, and recite the Quran loudly, if generally women are a temptation to men?
Prophet Peace be upon him said,
“After me, I have not left any affliction more harmful to men than women” (Al-Bukhari: 5096)
Abu Bakrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No people will ever succeed who appoint a woman as their leader.” (al-Bukhaari: 4425)
How will a woman lead men in prayer, if the Prophet (Peace be upon him) made clear the impermissibility of women being leaders at all?
Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The best rows for men are those are the front and the worst are those at the back, and the best rows for women are those at the back and the worst are those at the front.” (Muslim: 440)
If the best rows for women are in the back, then how will a woman lead men, while she’s in the front?
Narrated from Sahl ibn Sa’d al-Saa’idi that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Whoever notices anything amiss during the prayer, let him say tasbeeh, for if he does so it will be noticed; and clapping is only for women.”(Al-Bukhaari: 684)
If women are not to even raise their voices to alert men of a mistake in prayer, then how will they lead the prayer themselves? This hadeeth clearly indicates their voice in prayer is best to not be heard by men. How will they say the takbeer, recite quran and give the tesleem when they are forbidden to do so?
“Narrated from Anas ibn Maalik that he prayed behind the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and with him was his grandmother and an orphan. He said: The orphan and I stood in a row behind him, and the old woman stood behind us” (Muslim:658).
Even the old woman, who would not arouse anyone was to pray behind a man and a boy, so how would she lead (be in front) of men or boys?
In conclusion the matter is abundantly clear. Men are to lead women in prayer. Women may lead other women in prayer. Women are to never lead men in prayer.
All those women-led “mosques” across America should fear Allah and submit their wills to Allah. If their goal is to earn paradise then they should know they are only earning hell. If their goals is to just please themselves and worship themselves, then they are doing so splendidly.
References
Al-Fawzan, S. (2005). A Summary of Islamic Jurisprudence. Ak-Maiman Publishing House.
Khan, M.M. (2009). Sahih Bukhari
Sabiq, A. (1985). Fiqh us-Sunnah. American Trust Publications.
Sahih International. (1997). Quran (English).
Siddiqui, A. (2009). Sahih Muslim (Vols. 1-43).
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