Women’s prayer in the Mosque

That women do not go to the mosque for

congregational prayer, however widespread this has become, and however long

standing, is a departure from the sunnah, which some people will call

innovation or bid`ah. The norm in the time of the Prophet and his Companions

was that women were encouraged, not passively tolerated, to come to the mosque

for prayer and education. Men came to pray and learn and women came to pray and

learn. The Prophet emphasised the greater merit of prayer in congregation. This

applies to women no less or more than to men.

​The Prophet ﷺ, said:

“I and the Hour were sent like these two fingers”. Try to imagine

what it means, the awe and dread which this statement puts in the hearts of all

those who heard it. For sure whoever heard it would want to learn from the

Messenger how to prepare for the Hour, and would hasten to his family and

friends to urge them to do the same. It is unimaginable for any Muslim, male or

female who hears these words from God’s Messenger, to ever close the doors of a

mosque, when people come to pray and seek knowledge, as part of preparing for

the Hour.

​A wife of `Umar ibn al-Khattab used

to go to the mosque for the prayers of fajr and `isha|. It was said to her: Why

do you go out when you know that `Umar does not like that, and he feels

jealous? She said: So what stops him from forbidding me? It was said to her:

What stops him is the saying of the Messenger of God, upon him be peace, “Do not

stop the women servants of God from the mosques of God.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

​Salim ibn `Abdullah ibn `Umar

informed [us] that `Abdullah ibn `Umar said: I heard the Messenger of God, upon

him be peace, say: “Do not stop your women from the mosques when they ask your

permission to go there.” His son Bilal said to him: By God, we certainly will

stop them! Then `Abdullah ibn `Umar turned to him, abused him with the most

vehement abuse – I have never heard him abusing (anyone) like that – and said:

I am informing (you of something) from the Messenger of God, upon him be peace,

and you say: By God we will certainly stop them?! (Sahih Muslim)

For a full discussion of these and

other relevant texts, with detailed references, see:

Ibn Hazm on the lawfulness of women attending prayers in the mosque