Studying Islam

Post Reply

Username

Invalid Username or Password

Password

Format

Message Icon

Message

- Forum Code is ON
- HTML is OFF

Smilies

[quote]The visits of the women to the mosques for regular prayers is Makrooh in the eyes of Hanafi scholars, so in those countries or regions where Hanafis are in majority there are no separate sections for the prayer of women.

In Prophet’s time and later in Abu Bak’r era, a number of women prayed in the mosques five times a day. However the majority of them prayed in their houses except for Friday prayer and the two Idds. A majority prayed in their homes because the Prophet (Pbuh) preferred it for them. Narrated Umme Salma that the Prophet (Pbuh) said: The best mosque for the women is the most secluded room of their houses. (Musnad-e-Ahmad)

Later when many evils crept in the society, the ladies visits to the mosques became still less advisable for fear of evil teasers especially for Fajr and Isha. It is well known that Hazrat Umar did not like his wife Aatika’s visit to the mosques. Aatika knew it but continued praying in the mosque saying, If you want to keep me from going to the mosque I shall forsake it only if you forbid in clear cut words. Hazrat Umar never forbade her as the Prophet (Pbuh) had said: Do not bar the bondswomen of Allah from visiting the mosques (for prayers) though their homes are better for them. (Abu Dawood, Ahmad)

If your women ask your permission to come to mosques at night (for Maghrib and Isha), then let them come. (Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood, Tirmizi, Nasai)

Hazrat Umar could not forbid her but he thought of another way of making her understand. One early morning when Aatika was going to the mosque, he threw a pebble on her from a dark corner. Aatika became scared thinking it the act of some scoundrel and abandoned going to the mosque for prayers.

Later when the evils grew still more, Hanafi scholars ruled that the visits of women to the mosque (for prayers) became Makrooh. (Fatawa Aalamgiri)

The times and needs have changed since then. At the time of the above ruling of Hanafi scholars, women had no compulsion to pray in the mosques. Though the evils are more widespread today, the social needs have compelled women to come out of their homes for other needs, like shopping, education and jobs. If a lady is in her college, place of work or a public place at the time of a prayer, she has no alternative other than praying in a lawn before the eyes of a large number of men or skip the Salat at its appointed hour. Both of the above are undesirable. Her praying in a mosque in a separate section secluded for women would have been much better than in any other place where she becomes a singular source of attraction. Not praying at the time of prayer is also not permitted by Quran. It declares: Salat at appointed hours has been enjoined on the believers. (4:103)

The best course today is to provide a women’s section in all the mosques, which could be closed, for Fajr and Isha prayers, the two being in the dark hours. The women who are out of their homes for different needs should be permitted to pray at the appointed time of a Salat in the mosques at Zohar, Asr and Maghrib. The information that women’s Salat is preferred in their houses may be displayed in their section to educate and inform those women who might wish to visit the mosques though they could have easily prayed at their homes. If such women still come to the mosque for some prayers from their houses, they may not be barred in the light of Hadiths of the Prophet (pbuh). It is time that the Hanafi scholars reconsider their earlier fatwa.[/quote]

Mode

Check here to be notified by email whenever someone replies to your topic

Show Preview