The Fiqh Council of North America has issued a fatwa in August 2020 titled “The Inclusion of Women in Masjids.” The fatwa seems to closely follow a 2015 document issued by the Islamic Society of North America’s “Task Force for Women-Friendly Masjids.”

The fatwa includes a great deal that is questionable or simply wrong. We, therefore, have taken this opportunity to set the record straight in order to prevent false information masquerading as Islam to delude unsuspecting Muslims.

The fatwa says:

“The general guideline was set by Prophet Muhammad (saaws) when he ordered that women be allowed to freely attend the masjid. […] The hadith that “the best prayer of a woman is in her house,” cannot be taken as a general guideline, because the great female companions, including the Prophet’s wives, prayed in the Prophet’s masjid.  If the hadith was supposed to apply to all women, the wives of the Prophet (saaws) and the female companions would not have gone to the masjid. The best understanding of this hadith, therefore, is that an allowance exists for some women to pray at home depending on their circumstances (such as Umm Humaid who was instructed to pray in her home), but it cannot be interpreted as a ruling for all women at all times.”

Furthermore:

“In the same vein, Sayyidah Aishah’s remarks that “had the Prophet known what women were innovating, he would have forbidden them from attending the masjid,” cannot be taken as a general guideline, altering the Prophet’s practice of including women in the masjid, because speculation of what the Prophet (saaws) might have intended cannot be used as a proof (see al-Shawkani’s Nail al-Awtar, 3:162).”^[1]

There are several distortions in this passage that need to be addressed.

The General Principle for Women in Islam

The general principle for women is to remain confined to the indoors, unless there is a valid necessity to go out. Imam Qurtubi (d 671 AH) says in his tafseer:

“The Sharia is overwhelmed with texts obligating women to remain confined to their houses, and to avoid leaving them except when necessary.”^[2]

Some of those texts are as follows:

Allah Ta’ala says in Surat al-Ahzab (ayah 33):  “And stay in your houses.” He has ordered the wives of the Prophet ﷺ and all other women to confine themselves to their homes and not to go out without a need, as is mentioned in the tafseer of this ayah by the likes of: al-Jassas^[3], Ibn Kathir^[4], al-Qurtubi^[5] and al-Alusi^[6].

Numerous ahadith of the Prophet ﷺ and athaar of the Companions have emphasized the general principle for women to stay in the confines of their homes.

“Women are ‘awrah (i.e., something shameful to uncover). When she goes out the Shaytan raises his eyebrows looking at her,” and “She is closest to the Pleasure of Allah when she is in her house.” ^[7]

In another hadith, it is reported the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Their houses are better for them.”^[8]

And in another report:

“Women have no share in going out”.^[9]

Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“Confine/restrict women to their houses, because she is ‘awrah.”^[10]

Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“Seek assistance (in keeping women indoors) by keeping them bare of (extra) clothes, because when their clothes are abundant and their adornment beautiful, they are incited to go outdoors.”^[11]

Scholars of hadith and fiqh agreed in the light of the above texts that the general principle for women is to stay at home and avoid going out unless necessary.^[12]

Imam Sarakhsi (d 483 AH) says in al-Mabsut:

“Women have been prohibited from going out and have been commanded to stay in their homes”.^[13]

Imam Qurtubi (d 656 AH) says in his commentary on Sahih Muslim:

“The general principle in taking women out is prohibition, that’s why she is rewarded more for prayer inside her house”.^[14]

Ibn Hajar (d 852 AH) says in his commentary on Sahih al Bukhari:

“The Sharia ordained seclusion for women inside their homes.”^[15]

Going to the Masjid for Prayer

The above texts prove without doubt that the general principle Sharia has laid down for women is to stay in the confinement of their homes and not to go out unless there is a necessity. The question of the permissibility of going out to the masjid for prayer naturally comes to mind. How is it that the Sharia on the one hand obligates women to stay at home and, on the other hand, allows them to attend congregation prayers in the masjid?

The Holy Prophet ﷺ did allow women to go to the masjid for prayer, and the women Companions would avail that opportunity and go to the masjid.

But a close look at the Prophetic narrations makes obvious the fact that the permission for women to attend prayers in the masjid was not the general principle, neither was it even desired from them, rather it was a mere rukhsah, i.e., dispensation or exception to the general rule. Numerous narrations of the Prophet ﷺ emphasize that it is more preferable and desirable for women to pray at home instead of going to the masjid, as is apparent from the following ahadith:

Umm ul Mumineen Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates, that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“The best of the masajid for women is the interior most part of their homes.”^[16]

`Abdullah bin Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“No women prays a prayer that is dearer to Allah than the prayer she prays in the darkest place of her home.”^[17]

`Abdullah bin Mas’ud reported the Prophet ﷺ as saying:

“It is more virtuous for a woman to pray in her house than in her courtyard, and more virtuous for her to pray in her private chamber than in her house.”^[18]

Umm Humaid (may Allah be pleased with her) came to the Prophet ﷺ and said:

“O Prophet of Allah! I earnetly desire to pray behind you (in congregation).” He ﷺ replied: “I know that you desire to pray behind me, and your prayer in (the most remote place of) your house is better for you than your prayer in your chamber, and you prayer in your chamber is better for you than your prayer in your courtyard, and your prayer in your courtyard is better for you than your prayer in the your local masjid, and your prayer in your local masjid is better for you than your prayer (behind me) in my masjid.” (On hearing this from the Prophet ﷺ), she had a prayer place prepared for her in the most inner and darkest part of her house, and she restricted herself to praying there until she passed away.^[19]

The above narrations assert without doubt that the general guideline is that “the best prayer of a woman is in her house” under all circumstances, and that the more her prayer area is concealed and hidden, the greater the reward, and that her prayer alone at home is more rewarding and more worthy of acceptance than her prayer in congregation in the masjid.^[20]

In such a case, the Fiqh Council’s watering down of such an explicit guideline by referring to it as a mere “allowance” that “exists for some women” and in certain “circumstances” that “cannot be interpreted as a ruling for women of all times” is in clear contradiction with the numerous clear texts mentioned above, as well as the unanimous stance held by the pious predecessors.

Imam Ibn Abd al Barr states:

“The previous Ulama did not differ on the fact that a women’s prayer in her house is more virtuous than in the masjid.”^[21]

Ibn Rajab al Hanbali and al Shawkani, who the Fiqh Council cites in its fatwa, state that women’s prayer in their houses is more virtuous than their prayers in the masjid under all circumstances.^[22]

Had there been any obligation or merit for praying in the masjid for women, it would have surely been mentioned and encouraged in the ahadith, as is the case for men.^[23] Higher rewards promised for praying in congregation, as in the hadith: “Prayer in congregation is twenty seven times superior to the prayer offered by alone,”^[24] are specifically for men.^[25]

A close look into the ahadith that allow women to go to the masjid shows that there isn’t mention of any sort of encouragement or promise of reward for going to the masjid.^[26] The context of those ahadith also indicates that it is not a preferred practice, let alone a general guideline, as claimed by the Fiqh Council.

Ibn `Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Do not prevent your women from (going to) the Masajid, and their houses are better for them.”^[27]

This hadith asserts the general guideline discussed above, that prayer in houses is better for women in all circumstances.

Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Do not prevent the maid-servants of Allah from (going to) the Masajid of Allah, however (if they go) they should go unperfumed.”^[28]

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“If the wife of anyone of you seeks permission to go to the masjid, he should not prevent her.”^[29]

The saying of the Prophet ﷺ in these narrations of “not preventing” the women from going to the masjid was understood by the Fiqh Council to be “the general guideline” that “was set by Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)” in which “he ordered that women be allowed to freely attend the masjid.” How they derived that from these ahadith is beyond comprehension, especially in light of what previous scholars understood from these narrations.

This conditional permission to go to the masjid is a mere permissibility, devoid of any indication of being desirous or rewarding. Imam Tabari says:

“The permission to leave the house for the masajid is a mere permissibility, not desired or obligated.”^[30]

Imam Anwar Shah al-Kashmiri states:

“This is a permission that doesn’t display pleasure/approval (from the Prophet ﷺ),”^[31] as is apparent by the conditions applied of having to seek approval, and not using perfume, etc.

Imam Abul Waleed al-Baji states:

“This hadith is proof that the husband is entitled to prevent her from going, and there is no leaving the house for her except with his permission, for if the men weren’t entitled to prevent women it would have been the women who would have been addressed to leave the house (for the masjid), rather than the men being addressed not to prevent, just like the women were ordered to observe the (five daily) prayers, and men weren’t told not to prevent them from that.”^[32]

Imam Bayhaqi has mentioned that Scholars generally agree that the command in, “Do not prevent,” does not imply obligation on men not to prevent them, but rather preferability,^[33] meaning that it was allowed for men not to give permission.

The logic here is worth noting carefully. If the Prophet’s statement, “Do not prevent,” meant men were obligated to give permission, then “seeking permission,” as the hadith mentions, would have no meaning in the first place. “Seeking permission” would only have meaning if the person whose permission was being sought was authorized to accept or reject the request.^[34]  

Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“The best rows for men are the first rows, and the worst ones the last ones, and the best rows for women are the last ones and the worst ones for them are the first ones.”

Here again we see that despite the fact that prayer is one of the pillars of Islam, and the first thing that one will be asked about on the Day of Judgement, one wonders how could the rows in which one is performing such an act of worship be termed as “worst”? Clearly, the vice here is arising due to the close proximity of the women from the men, such that the worst of the rows are those in which men and women closest to each other, not to mean that it is a vice or sinful in any manner, but that it is “on the edge of a water-torn river bank about to collapse.”^[35]

It is this understanding of the general guidelines set by the Sharia that can be observed in the actions and words of the Companions, the Tabi`een, and later scholars.

Umm ul Mumineen Sayyidah `Aishah said:

“Had the Prophet known what women were innovating, he would have forbidden them from attending the masjid.”^[36]

Abu `Amr al Shaybani said:

I heard the owner of this house, i.e., Ibn Mas`ud, taking vehement oaths and saying: “No women prays a prayer that is dearer to Allah than the prayer she prays inside her home, except in hajj and `umrah.”^[37]

Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) would expel the women (sometimes even pelting them)^[38] from the masjid on Friday and say: “Go to your homes, for that is better for you.”^[39]

Al Hasan al Basri was asked about a woman who had imposed a vow on herself to pray two rak`ahs in every masjid in Basrah if her husband was released from jail, to which he replied:

“She should pray in her local masjid (to fulfill her vow, and not in all the masajid of Basrah), because that is inconvenient for her. Had `Umar ibn al Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) lived until he attained her, he would have certainly afflicted her head with pain (for imposing such a vow on herself).”^[40]

Imam Sufyan al-Thawri said:

“Nothing is better for a woman than her house, even if she is of old age.”

And he also said:

“I highly dislike for women to attend Eid prayers these days.”^[41]

Tirmizi reported the same from`Abdullah ibn ul Mubarak.^[42]

`Umar ibn `Abdul Aziz wrote to one of his governors:

“Check on the women in your area. They shouldn’t attend congregational prayers or funerals because they have no right in Friday prayers and funerals.”^[43]

Ibrahim al Nakha`i had three wives and he wouldn’t allow any of them to attend Friday prayers or congregational prayers.^[44]

Ibn Abdul Barr says:

“The sayings of the Fuqaha on this issue are all aligned.”^[45]

The Maliki scholar Al Winasharisi (d 914 AH) puts it nicely saying:

“As for women praying behind non-mahram men in the night or day, that is something which shouldn’t be done because women aren’t entitled to attend congregation for obligatory prayers. How then (should they attend) voluntary prayers? And obligatory prayers are better for them in the inner most part of their homes. And to stay seated in their homes on their spindles is better and more rewarding for them then to go out for any form of apparent worship.”^[46]

One may well ask: If the Prophet Muhammad had clearly indicated his desire that women not attend the masjid, as is evident from the above texts, shouldn’t the female Companions have refrained from coming to the masjid? The Fiqh Council asks this exact question, but misunderstands the issue entirely.^[47]

The correct answer is that, even though the Prophet ﷺ clearly indicated his desire that women not attend the masjid, he didn’t prohibit them. So the matter was choosing the less preferable of two legal options, which is in itself permissible.^[48]

That said, this was nevertheless not the established practice of “the great female Companions, including the Prophet’s ﷺ wives”, contrary to what the Fiqh Council has claimed.

Imam Shafi`i (may Allah have mercy on him) says:

“I do not know that any of the Mothers of the Believers, the Daughters of the Prophet ﷺ, other famous women Companions close to the Prophet ﷺ went out to attend Friday prayers (in the masjid), even though the obligation of Friday prayers in congregation on men is much more than of the other prayers in congregation, neither do I know of any of these women attending other congregational prayers in the masjid in the day or night, neither am I aware that any of these women went to masjid Qubaa’, even though the Holy Prophet ﷺ would regularly come to it to pray, sometimes walking and sometimes riding, and I have no doubt that these pious women were, owing to their closeness to the Prophet ﷺ, very much eager than the other women to avail acts of piety, and were also more learned than the other women Companions, and the Prophet ﷺ would surely not have missed out informing them of what was best and more rewarding for them, even if it was not obligatory, and neither do I know that any of the pious predecessors told any of their women folk to attend Friday prayers or other prayers in the masjid, in the day or in the night, and if there was any reward or virtue in that they would have surely told or permitted them to do so.” [al-Umm 10/133-134)]

Furthermore, explicit evidence shows that the wives of the Prophet ﷺ would pray in their apartments or chambers. Imam Muslim narrates in his Sahih, from Umm ul Mumineen `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that when Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas died, the wives of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent a message to bring his bier into the mosque so that they could offer prayer for him. They (the participants of the funeral) did accordingly, and it was placed in front of their apartments and they offered prayer for him (from inside their apartments).”^[49]

Imam Ibn ul Mulaqqin says: “The wives of the Prophet ﷺ used to pray with the Prophet’s ﷺ prayer from inside their apartments and after him with the prayer of his Companions”.^[50]

Other narrations show that many of those women that were actually attending the masjid were women of old age. Numerous scholars of hadith have narrated from Umm Sulaiman (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said:

“I observed the old women past child bearing, who have no hope of marriage, praying their obligatory prayers in congregation with the Messenger of Allah.”^[51]

Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) also said:

“No prayer area is better for a woman than her house, except in hajj and `umrah, except a woman who has no hope of marriage, i.e., a woman so old that she takes small steps in walking. It is not disliked for such a woman to pray in a place other than her house (i.e., the masjid).”^[52]

Imam Sanad ibn Sinan al Maliki says:

“It seems that this was the established practice of the Companions, because there are no reports that mention that the virgins and others similar to them would pray in the masjid, and if all women Companions went to the Masjid (like the men), they would have filled the masjid, and have been similar in number to men.”

The Case of `Atikah

There is the case of Sayyidah `Atikah (may Allah be pleased with her), narrated in Bukhari by Ibn `Umar. He said:

“One of the wives of `Umar (bin Al-Khattab) used to offer the Fajr and the `Isha’ prayer in congregation in the masjid. She was asked: “Why do you come out for the prayer when you know that (your husband) `Umar dislikes it, and he regards this conduct with disdain (ghairah)?” She replied, “What prevents him from stopping me?” The other replied, “The statement of Allah’s Messenger ﷺ: ‘Do not stop Allah’s women-slaves from going to masajid of Allah’ prevents him.”^[53]

This incident could be used by some to claim that the wives of the Righteous Caliphs used to pray in the masjid. Although there is enough detail in this narration to make that claim devoid of merit, as she would only attend in the darkness, i.e., fajr and `isha, and even then `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) highly disliked it, nonetheless there is more detail to this story.

Ibn Abdil Barr mentioned that when `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) proposed to her through his daughter Sayyidah Hafsah, she accepted on the condition that `Umar would not prevent her from going to the masjid for `Isha prayer. `Umar accepted the condition but continued to express his disapproval to her.

After he was martyred, `Atikah was proposed to by Zubair ibn al Awwam (may Allah be pleased with him). She put forward the same condition, and Zubair accepted the condition and married her.

After the marriage had been consumated, `Atikah prepared to go for `isha one night. Zubair was severely troubled by that. When he could no longer bear her going to the masjid, he proceeded before her one night and sat waiting for her on the way somewhere where she couldn’t see him. When she passed by him he slapped her on her hind, and hid.

She became so averse from going to the masjid, that the next night when the adhan for `isha happened, she didn’t prepare to leave as usual. Zubair asked her: “The adhan just happened, why aren’t you getting ready to go?” She said: “People have become corrupt!” and then she never went to the masjid again.^[54]

“The Prophet’s Mosque Had No Barriers!”

Besides misconstruing the issue of women going to the masjid, the Fiqh Council of North America also uses faulty reasoning to oppose the existence of partitions and screens in the masjid. The fatwa claims:

“Women should be allowed to pray in the main musalla with men, praying behind the men with no barrier in-between men and women, as it was the practice of Prophet Muhammad (saaws). The best procedure for masjids is to give women a choice to pray in the same prayer space as men or behind a barrier.”

The vast majority of masajid today that do have designated women’s spaces nonetheless ensure that women and men remain separated such that the two sexes do not mix and are generally not in view of each other. So how does the Fiqh Council of North America justify their intervention and potential disruption of masjid operations on a continent-wide scale?

What the Fiqh Council is pushing with their fatwa is that all mosques should have at least one gender-mixed space, ideally the main musalla of the masjid. This is outrageous.

“It is well-documented that the masjid of Prophet Muhammad (saaws) and the masjids during the time of the Four Rightly-Guided Caliphs did not have a barrier separating men and women.”^[55]

Agreed. But it is also well documented that the Holy Prophet ﷺ took numerous precautionary measures to ensure that women stay as far away from men as possible to avoid any sort of intermingling and eye contact.

The fatwa makes the following ludicrous claim:

“Some Muslims argue that the barrier is necessary to guard against fitnah (temptation). However the Prophet (saaws) never stated that a women’s presence in the mosque in and of itself is a source of fitnah. The general instruction in the Qur’an to men to avoid fitna is to lower their gaze—not to put a physical barrier that blocks women from the main musalla. The benefit in the rule of having women engaged in the masjid outweighed some hypothetical possibility of fitnah.”

Hypothetical possibility of fitnah? In what alternate reality does this Fiqh Council live in where fitnah between men and women is “hypothetical”?

The acknowledgment of the fitnah between men and women is all but explicit in the extensive measures taken by the Prophet ﷺ in his masjid to separate the genders.

Such measures included but were not limited to:

1. Keeping men in the front rows for prayer and women in the back. Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said: “The best of rows for women are the last rows.” Imam Nawawi says in his commentary of Sahih Muslim:

“The Holy Prophet ﷺ gave preferecence to the last rows of the the women present with men (in the masjid) due to their being farthest from intermingling with men, and (farthest from) seeing them, and (farthest from) thinking about the men on seeing their movements and hearing their speech”.^[56]

2. Encouraging women to limit their time in the Masjid and leave right after prayer. Ibn Hibban reported a narration in the following words:

“It was a habit of the women at the time of the Prophet ﷺ when praying with him ﷺ that they would immediately get up (to leave) after he (ended his prayer with) salam, and the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the men praying behind him would remain in their places (facing forward), and it was only when the Prophet ﷺ got up that the men (behind him) got up (to leave or turn around)”. Ibn Hibban named the chapter he mentioned this hadith under: The mention of what is incumbent on men after their Imam makes salaam in waiting for the women to leave and then getting up for their needs.^[57]

3. Encouraging men to remain facing forward and not turn around to the see the women’s rows until the women have left. Abu Dawud in his Sunan named a chapter: The Chapter of the Leaving of Women Before Men from Prayer, and he mentioned in this chapter the hadith of Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her). She narrates:

“It was a habit of the Holy Prophet ﷺ when he made salam, that he tarried/waited in his place for a short while, and the Companions believed that he would do that so that the women were able to leave before the men.”^[58]

4. Facilitating a separate door in the masjid designated for women to enter and to leave. Ibn ‘Umar reported the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying:

“If we left this door for women (it would have been better)”. Nafi’ said: Ibn ‘Umar did not enter (from that door) until his death.^[59]

5. Ensuring that the voice of women is not heard in the masjid as evidenced by the hadith:

“Glorification of Allah (i.e., saying ‘subhanAllah’) is for men and clapping of hands is for women [when signaling that the imam has made a mistake in prayer].”^[60]

Beyond these tangible measures taken by the Prophet ﷺ to prevent men from seeing and hearing women in the masjid, the women themselves were equally eager to stay away from men and remain unseen by them.

Evidence of this fact includes a chapter in Sahih Bukhari titled: The Chapter of Women Leaving Quickly After Fajr prayer and Their Short Duration of Stay in the Masjid. The chapter mentions the hadith of Umm al Mumineen Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), that:

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to offer Fajr prayer when it was still dark, and the believing women used to return (after finishing their prayer), and nobody could recognize them owing to darkness, or they could not recognize one another.”^[61]

Ibn Battal says in his commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari:

“This is the Sunnah that is followed that the women leave in the dark before the men, so as to conceal themselves so that they are not recognized by any man who happens to come across them.”^[62]

Furthermore, the Sahabiyyat were still encouraged to pray in confines of their homes, as discussed extensively above.

In the light of the above precautionary measures that were undertaken during the times of the best of the believers, i.e., the Companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ, who had the purest of hearts and gazes, it is apparent that the Sharia promotes, encourages, and emphasizes the need for separation between men and women in the Masjid, let alone other places.

Barriers between men and women in the Masjid can be traced as far back as the 5th century, when the great Maliki scholar Abul Hasan al-Lakhmi (478 AH) was asked about a masjid where such a barrier was made, and he considered it a good step and approved it.^[63]

Barriers in the masjid will therefore fall in the category of bid`a hasana, like the compilation of the Holy Quran and the Hadith, the development of Islamic sciences like fiqh and tafsir, the building of madaris and ribats, etc.

Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said: “Whatever the Muslims view as good is good to Allah, and whatever they view as evil is evil to Allah.”^[64]

There is also a basis for this barrier in the Qur’an. Allah says in Surah Maryam [19:17]:

“And she took, in seclusion from them, a screen.”

The tafseer for this ayah mentions that the purpose of the screen was for her to conceal herself from people, so that they could not see her worshipping.^[65]

Conclusion

The Fiqh Council of North America has issued this fatwa with little regard for what the Islamic tradition has said on the question of women’s presence in the masjid. Why? What is the real reason for issuing this ill-informed fatwa, aimed at reforming well-established Muslim practices and changing the very structure of mosques throughout North America?

Are they simply trying to appease the dominant Western doctrine of “women’s equality” and “women’s representation”? As we have discussed before, Muslims should heartily reject these incoherent beliefs, not adopt them.

Already, the West is revising its gender agenda, adding all new genders and even transgenders to the mix. When should we expect the Fiqh Council of North America to issue a fatwa to make concessions to this new norm?

Given their brazen disregard for fiqh, such a fatwa from them would not be far fetched.

Muslim women for over a thousand years have been blessed by following the Quran and Sunna in regards to gender separation. It is difficult to understand why some Muslim women and men today, in the dystopic modern world, want to abandon that guidance in preference for the ever-changing and nonsensical whims of confused disbelievers.

Allah protect and guide us all.

Notes

1. The Fiqh Council has among its Executive Members Yasir Qadhi, Suhaib Webb, and self-titled feminists like Tamara Gray, among others. It is not clear how many of the individuals on the Figh Council are authorized, or even qualified, to give fatwa. http://fiqhcouncil.org/the-inclusion-of-women-in-masjids/ ↑
2. قال القرطبي في «الجامع لأحكام القرآن» (14/178): «الشريعة طافحة بلزوم النساء بيوتهن والانكفاف عن الخروج منها إلا لضرورة». ↑
3. قال الجصاص في «أحكام القرآن» (3/529): «وفيه الدلالة على أن النساء مأمورات بلزوم البيوت، منهيات عن الخروج». ↑
4. قال ابن كثير في «تفسيره» (6/408): «هذه آداب أمر الله تعالى بها نساء النبي ﷺ، ونساء الأمة تبع لهن في ذلك…، أي: الزمن بيوتكن فلا تخرجن لغير حاجة» . ↑
5. قال القرطبي في «تفسيره» (14/179): «معنى هذه الآية الأمر بلزوم البيت، وإن كان الخطاب لنساء النبي ﷺ فقد دخل غيرهن فيه بالمعنى». ↑
6. قال في «روح المعاني» (11/ 187): «أمرهن رضي الله تعالى عنهن بملازمة البيوت، وهو أمر مطلوب من سائر النساء». ↑
7. قال النبي ﷺ: «المرأة عورة، فإذا خرجت استشرفها الشيطان»، رواه الترمذي (1173)، زاد ابن خزيمة في «صحيحه» (1685): «وأقرب ما تكون من وجه ربها وهي في قعر بيتها». ↑
8. روى أبو داود في «سننه» (567) عن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما، قال رسول الله ﷺ: «وبيوتُهن خيرٌ لهن». ↑
9. روى الطبراني في «المعجم الكبير» (13871) وابن عبد البر في «التمهيد» (23/400) عن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما، قال رسول الله ﷺ: «ليس للنساء نصيبٌ في الخروج». ↑
10. أخرج ابن أبي شيبة في «المصنف» (18006) عن ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه قال: «احبسوا النساء في البيوت، فإن النساء عورة». ↑
11. أخرج ابن أبي شيبة في «المصنف» (18007) عن عمر رضي الله عنه، قال: «استعينوا على النساء بالعُرِيِّ، إن إحداهن إذا كثرت ثيابُها وحسنت زينتُها: أعجبها الخروج». ↑
12. Necessary circumstances, as mentioned by the Scholars include: to perform Hajj, to visit her parents and mahram relatives once in a while, and when they are sick, and to offer them condolences, and for urgent necessities when there is no male to suffice for her. These situations are more or less agreed upon by the four schools.
    روح المعاني (22/ 6): «وما يجوز من الخروج، كالخروج للحج وزيارة الوالدين وعيادة المرضى وتعزية الأموات من الأقارب ونحو ذلك، فإنما يجوز بشروط مذكورة في محلها». وانظر: «الموسوعة الفقهية الكويتية» (19/110). ↑
13. قال في «المبسوط» (5/156): «لأنهن مُنِعن من الخروج، وأُمرن بالقرار في البيوت». ↑
14. قال القرطبي في «المفهم» (5/183): «إخراج المرأة من بيتها الأصل منعه؛ ألا ترى: أن صلاتها في بيتها أفضل، ولا تخرج منه في العِدَة». ↑
15. قال ابن حجر: «النساء شرع لهن الاحتجاب في البيوت». انظر: «فتح الباري» (4/277). ↑
16. روى الإمام أحمد في «مسنده» (26542) عن أم سلمة ، عن رسول الله ﷺأنه قال : «خير مساجد النساء قعر بيوتهن». ↑
17. روى البيهقي في «السنن الكبرى» (5362)، عن عبد الله، قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ: «ما صلت امرأة صلاة أحب إلى الله من صلاتها في أشد بيتها ظلمة». ↑
18. روى أبو داود في «سننه» (570) عن عبد الله، عن النبي ﷺ قال: «صلاة المرأة في بيتها أفضل من صلاتها في حجرتها، وصلاتها في مخدعها أفضل من صلاتها في بيتها». ↑
19. روى الإمام أحمد في «مسنده» (27090)، عن أم حميد امرأة أبي حميد الساعدي، أنها جاءت النبي ﷺ فقالت: يا رسول الله، إني أحب الصلاة معك، قال: «قد علمت أنك تحبين الصلاة معي، وصلاتك في بيتك خير لك من صلاتك في حجرتك، وصلاتك في حجرتك خير من صلاتك في دارك، وصلاتك في دارك خير لك من صلاتك في مسجد قومك، وصلاتك في مسجد قومك خير لك من صلاتك في مسجدي»، قال: فأمرت فبني لها مسجد في أقصى شيء من بيتها وأظلمه، فكانت تصلي فيه حتى لقيت الله عز وجل. ↑
20. قال ابن رجب في «فتح الباري» (6/ 19): «صلاة المرأة لا تضعف في الجماعة؛ فإن صلاتها في بيتها خير لها وأفضل». وقال الصنعاني في «التنوير شرح الجامع الصغير» (9/ 18): «الحديث حث للمرأة على جعل صلاتها في أخفى أماكنها، وأن ذلك أفضل لها من صلاة الجماعة». وقال في (9/ 406): «أحب إلى الله: أكثر ثوابًا وأحسن قبولاً». وقال في «المنهل العذب المورود» (4/ 270): «دلَّ الحديث على ترغيب المرأة في صلاتها في بيتها، وعلى أن الفضل في صلاتها يتفاوت بتفاوت الأمكنة في الستر». ↑
21. قال في «التمهيد» (11/196): «لم يختلفوا أن صلاة المرأة في بيتها أفضل من صلاتها في المسجد». ↑
22. قال ابن رجب في «فتح الباري» (8/ 55): «وبكل حال، فصلاتها في بيتها أفضل من صلاتها في المسجد»، وقال الشوكاني في «نيل الأوطار» (3/ 158): «صلاتهن على كل حال في بيوتهن أفضل من صلاتهن في المساجد». ↑
23. «الإقناع في مسائل الإجماع» (1/145): «ولم يختلف العلماء أن ليس على المرأة شهود جماعة، كما هي على الرجل». وقال الدهلوي في «لمعات التنقيح» (3/204): «(وبيوتهن خير لهن) يدل على أن الأفضل للنساء عدم الخروج، وليس شأن الجماعة فيهن من الوجوب والتأكيد كما في الرجال». ↑
24. روى البخاري في «صحيحه» (645)، عن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما، قال رسول الله ﷺ: «صلاة الجماعة تفضل صلاة الفذ بسبع وعشرين درجة». ↑
25. قال في «التنوير» (9/ 18): «وحديث: «صلاة الجماعة في المساجد تفضل صلاة الفذ» خاصٌّ بالرجال». وقال في «المنهل العذب» (4/270): «وما ورد من قول النبى صلى الله تعالى عليه وعلى آله وسلم: «صلاة في مسجدي هذا أفضل من ألف صلاة فيما سواه من المساجد»، فهو محمول على صلاة الرجال دون النساء». ↑
26. Except in the case of Eid prayers. ↑
27. روى أبو داود في «سننه» (567) عن ابن عمر، قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ: «لا تمنعوا نساءكم المساجد، وبيوتهن خير لهن». ↑
28. روى أبو داود في «سننه» (565) عن أبي هريرة، أن رسول الله ﷺ قال: «لا تمنعوا إماء الله مساجد الله، ولكن ليخرجن وهن تفلات». ↑
29. روى البخاري في «صحيحه» عن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما، عن النبي ﷺ: «إذا استأذنت امرأة أحدكم إلى المسجد: فلا يمنعها». ↑
30. قال العراقي في «طرح التثريب» (2/314): «قال محمد بن جرير الطبري: إن إطلاق الخروج لهن إلى المساجد إباحة لا ندب ولا فرض». ↑
31. قال في «فيض الباري» (2/412): « فهذه إباحةٌ لا عن رضًا منه». ↑
32. قال الباجي في «المنتقى شرح الموطأ» (1/342): «قوله: «لا تمنعوا إماء الله مساجد الله»، دليل على أن للزوج منعهن من ذلك، وأن لا خروج لهن إلا بإذنه، ولو لم يكن للرجل منع المرأة من ذلك: لخوطب النساء بالخروج ولم يخاطب الرجال بالمنع، كما خوطب النساء بالصلاة ولم يخاطب الرجال بأن لا يمنعوهن منها». ↑
33. قال في «فيض القدير» (4/293): «قال البيهقي : فيه دلالة على أن الأمر بأن لا يمنعن أمر ندب، وهو قول عامة العلماء». ↑
34. قال في «نجاح القاري» (ص 3792): «وفيه إشارة إلى أن الإذن المذكور لغير الوجوب؛ لأنه لو كان واجباً: لانتفى معنى الاستئذان؛ لأن ذلك إنما يتحقق إذا كان المُستأذَن مُخيَّرا في الإجابة والرد». ↑
35. قال في هامش «فيض الباري» (2/412): «فإن المرء يتعجب منه في أول نظرة، لكون الصلاة خير موضوع، فلا يكون في صفوفها شرا، ولكن إنما جاء الشر فيها من جهة قرب النساء من الرجال، فكل صف كان أقرب منهن، أو كان أقرب منه: كان شرا، لا بمعنى أن فيه شرا الآن، بل بمعنى أنه على شفا جرف هار». ↑
36. روى البخاري في «صحيحه» (869) عن عائشة رضي الله عنها، قالت: «لو أدرك رسول الله ﷺ ما أحدث النساء لمنعهن كما منعت نساء بني إسرائيل». ↑
37. روى ابن أبي شيبة في «المصنف» (7701) عن أبي عمرو الشيباني، قال: سمعت رب هذه الدار ، يعني: ابن مسعود، حلف فبالغ في اليمين: ما صلت امرأة صلاة أحب إلى الله من صلاة في بيتها إلا في حج أو عمرة». ↑
38. روى ابن أبي شيبة في «المصنف» (7699) عن أبي عمرو الشيباني ، قال : رأيت ابن مسعود يحصب النساء يخرجهن من المسجد يوم الجمعة. ↑
39. روى عبد الرزاق في «المصنف» (5201)، وابن المنذر في «الأوسط» (5/319): كان ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه يخرج النساء من المسجد يوم الجمعة، ويقول: «اخرجن إلى بيوتكن، فهو خير لكنَّ». ↑
40. روى ابن أبي شيبة في «المصنف» (7700)، قال : سئل الحسن عن امرأة جعلت عليها إن أخرج زوجها من السجن أن تصلي في كل مسجد تجمع فيه الصلاة بالبصرة ركعتين ، فقال الحسن: تصلي في مسجد قومها، فإنها لا تطيق ذلك، لو أدركها عمر بن الخطاب: لأوجع رأسها. ↑
41. قال سفيان الثوري رحمه الله: «ليس للمرأة خير من بيتها، وإن كانت عجوزا»، وقال: «أكره اليوم للنساء الخروج إلى العيدين». رواه ابن عبد البر في «التمهيد» (23/402). ↑
42. رواه الترمذي (540) تعليقا. ↑
43. روى ابن أبي شيبة في «المصنف» (5194) عن الوصافي، قال: «كنت عند عمر بن عبد العزيز فكتب إلى عبد الحميد: انظر من قبلك من النساء، فلا يحضرن جماعة ولا جنازة، فإنه لا حق لهن في جمعة ولا جنازة». ↑
44. روى ابن أبي شيبة في «المصنف» (7703) عن الأعمش، قال : كان لإبراهيم ثلاث نسوة، فلم يكن يدعهن يخرجن إلى جمعة ، ولا جماعة. ↑
45. قال ابن عبد البر في «التمهيد» (23/403): «أقوال الفقهاء في هذا الباب متقاربة المعنى». ↑
46. قال أبو العباس الونشريسي في «المعيار المعرب» (11/ 227): «وأما صلاة النساء المجتهدات خلف الرجال الأجنبيين بالليل أو بالنهار، فذلك مما لا ينبغي للنساء أن يفعلنه؛ لأن النساء ليس من أهل الجماعة في صلاة الفريضة، فكيف ينبغي لهن ذلك في صلاة النافلة؟ وصلاة الفريضة في قعر بيوتهن أفضل لهن، والقعود في بيوتهن على مغازلهنَّ أفضل لهن من الخروج إلى شيء من العبادات الظاهرة». ↑
47. http://fiqhcouncil.org/the-inclusion-of-women-in-masjids/ ↑
48. قال في «التنوير شرح الجامع الصغير» (7/35-36): «وفي أمره بالإذن للنساء [أن] يخرجن للجماعة دليلٌ على جواز العدول إلى المفضول مع إمكان الأفضل». ↑
49. روى مسلم في «صحيحه» (973) عن عائشة، أنها لما توفي سعد بن أبي وقاص أرسل أزواج النبي ﷺ، أن يمُرُّوا بجنازته في المسجد، فيُصلِّين عليه، ففعلوا فوُقِف به على حُجَرهِنَّ يُصلِّين عليه. ↑
50. قال في «التوضيح» (6/ 618): «وقد كان أزواجه ﷺ يصلين في حجرهن بصلاته، وبعده بصلاة أصحابه». ↑
51. روى ابن عبد البر في «التمهيد» (23/ 400) عن أم سليمان ابنة أبي حكيم أنها قالت: أدركت القواعد يصلين مع رسول الله ﷺ الفرائض». ورواه أيضا الطبراني في «المعجم الكبير» (799)، وابن أبي عاصم في «الآحاد والمثاني» (3308). ↑
52. روى ابن أبي شيبة في «المصنف» (7696)، والطبراني في «المعجم الكبير» (9473)، وعبد الرزاق في المصنف» (5117)، والبيهقي في «السنن الكبرى» (5430): ««ما مصلى لامرأة خير من بيتها، إلا في حج أو عمرة إلا امرأة قد يئست من البعولة فهي في منقليها»، قيل: ما منقليها؟ قال أبو بكر: «امرأة عجوز قد تقارب خطوها». ↑
53. رواه البخاري في «صحيحه» (900). ↑
54. ذكر ابن عبد البر في «التمهيد» (23/ 406) من حديث عاتكة مع عمر: «قال عمر لحفصة: من هذه؟ فقالت: هذه عاتكة ابنة زيد عمرو بن نفيل، فقال عمر: اخطبيها علي…، قال: فذكرت ذلك لها حفصة، فقالت لها عاتكة: أنا أشترط عليه ثلاثا ألا يضربني، ولا يمنعني من الحق، ولا يمنعني عن الصلاة في مسجد رسول الله ﷺ العشاء الآخرة …، فلما انقضت عدتها خطبها الزبير بن العوام فقالت له: نعم إن اشترطت لي الثلاث الخصال التي اشترطتها علي عمر، فقال: لك ذلك، فتزوجها، فلما أرادت أن تخرج إلى العشاء: شق ذلك على الزبير، فلما رأت ذلك قالت: ما شئت أتريد أن تمنعني، فلما عيل صبره خرجت ليلة إلى العشاء فسبقها الزبير، فقعد لها على الطريق من حيث لا تراه، فلما مرت جلس خلفها، فضرب بيده على عجزها، فنفرت من ذلك ومضت، فلما كانت الليلة المقبلة سمعت الأذان فلم تتحرك، فقال لها الزبير: ما لك؟ هذا الأذان قد جاء، فقالت:فسد الناس، ولم تخرج بعد». ↑
55. http://fiqhcouncil.org/the-inclusion-of-women-in-masjids/↑
56. قال النووي في «شرح مسلم» (4/159): «وإنما فضل آخر صفوف النساء الحاضرات مع الرجال لبُعدهنَّ من مخالطة الرجال ورؤيتهم وتعلق القلب بهم عند رؤية حركاتهم وسماع كلامهم». ↑
57. روى ابن حبان أيضًا بلفظ: كُنَّ النِّسَاءُ فِي عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا سَلَّمَ مِنَ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ قُمْنَ، وَثَبَتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَمَنْ صَلَّى خَلْفَهُ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ، فَإِذَا قَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَامَ الرِّجَالُ. وبوّب عليه بابًا فقال: ذِكْرُ مَا يَجِبُ عَلَى الرِّجَالِ إِذَا سَلَّمَ إِمَامُهُمُ التَّرَبُّصُ لِانْصِرَافِ النِّسَاءِ ثُمَّ يَقُومُونَ لِحَوَائِجِهِمْ.↑
58. وقد بوّب أبو داود في سننه بابًا، فقال: بابُ انْصِرَافِ النِّسَاءِ قَبْلَ الرِّجَالِ مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ .. وذكر فيه حديث أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، قَالَتْ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا سَلَّمَ مَكَثَ قَلِيلًا، وَكَانُوا يَرَوْنَ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ، كَيْمَا يَنْفُذُ النِّسَاءُ قَبْلَ الرِّجَالِ.↑
59. Sunan Abi Dawud. ↑
60. Agreed upon.↑
61. بوّب البخاري في صحيحه بابًا فقال: باب سُرْعَةِ انْصِرَافِ النِّسَاءِ مِنَ الصُّبْحِ، وَقِلَّةِ مَقَامِهِنَّ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ .. وذكر فيه حديث عَائِشَةَ -رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا-: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺكَانَ يُصَلِّي الصُّبْحَ بِغَلَسٍ، فَيَنْصَرِفْنَ نِسَاءُ المُؤْمِنِينَ لاَ يُعْرَفْنَ مِنَ الغَلَسِ -أَوْ لاَ يَعْرِفُ بَعْضُهُنَّ بَعْضًا-. قال ابن بطال في «شرحه»: «هذه السنة المعمول بها أن تنصرف النساء في الغلس قبل الرجال ليخفين أنفسهن، ولا يتبين لمن لقيهن من الرجال».↑
62. بوّب البخاري في صحيحه بابًا فقال: باب سُرْعَةِ انْصِرَافِ النِّسَاءِ مِنَ الصُّبْحِ، وَقِلَّةِ مَقَامِهِنَّ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ .. وذكر فيه حديث عَائِشَةَ -رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا-: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺكَانَ يُصَلِّي الصُّبْحَ بِغَلَسٍ، فَيَنْصَرِفْنَ نِسَاءُ المُؤْمِنِينَ لاَ يُعْرَفْنَ مِنَ الغَلَسِ -أَوْ لاَ يَعْرِفُ بَعْضُهُنَّ بَعْضًا-. قال ابن بطال في «شرحه»: «هذه السنة المعمول بها أن تنصرف النساء في الغلس قبل الرجال ليخفين أنفسهن، ولا يتبين لمن لقيهن من الرجال».↑
63. جاء في كتاب «جامع مسائل الأحكام لما نزل من القضايا بالمفتين والحكام» المشهور بـ«فتاوى البرزلي» (1/391): «وللنساء عادة أنهن يصلين في الجامع، وفي سقائفه، ويكثر الناس يوم الجمعة، فربما اتصلت صفوف الرجال بالنساء، وربما خالط بعض النساء الرجال. واتفق رأي القاضي وبعض الشيوخ على أن تجعل مقصورة في بعض السقائف منه للنساء، وتثبت للسترة بالآجر، ويصلي النساء فيها في أوقات الصلاة. فقام محتسب من طلبة العلم، وقال: لا يُحدَث في الجامع ما لم يكن فيه قديماً حتى يستشار أهل العلم… فأجاب أبو الحسن اللخمي رحمه الله (ت 478هـ):…وإذا كان الموضع الذي تصلي النساء فيه للرجال إليه حاجة –ولو لم يسبقه النساء– لصلى فيه الرجال لم يبن هناك شيء، ومنع النساء الإتيان، والرجال أحق به. ولو لم يضق على الرجال، ولم يحتاجوا لذلك الموضع، كان بناء سترةٍ بينهم وحاجز حسَناً». وانظر أيضا: «المعيار المعرب» (8/441).↑
64. (Musnad Ahmad 3589)↑
65. قال الطبري في «جامع البيان» (18/162): «فاتخذت من دون أهلها سترا يسترها عنهم وعن الناس». وقال الواحدي في «الوجيز» (ص 677): «تتستَّر به عنهم». وقال الشوكاني في «فتح القدير» (3/387): «أي: اتخذت من دون أهلها حجابا يسترها عنهم لئلا يروها حال العبادة». ↑

Further Reading in English

Women Attending the Masjid (PDF) by Mufti Zameelur Rahman

Masjid Partition: Its Place in the Shari`ah by Dr. Mateen Khan

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