Q: I am a member of a Musjid committee. My question is about the ladies facility at the Musjid.
Some committee members feel that we must invite the sisters to attend some Musjid programs, especially which take place on special occasions and in Ramadhaan, in the separate ladies facility at the Musjid. There is no intermingling in the Musjid. These programs may also include meals served to them.
Other committee members are of the view that this must be avoided.
Please advise which is the correct policy to adopt in this issue.
A: The Islamic perspective in regard to women is that they should remain within their homes and they should not leave their homes unnecessarily.
In the mubaarak era of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam), though women were permitted to come to the Musjid for the congregational Salaah, they were encouraged to perform their salaah in their homes. The era of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) was the golden era of Islam and it was a time where fitnah was not prevalent. Hence, permission was granted to women by Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam).
However, during the era of Sahaabah, when fitnah began to be witnessed through women leaving their homes to attend the congregational salaah in the musjid, the Sahaabah began discouraging women from coming to the masjid for salaah.
Among the Sahaabah who discouraged women from coming to the masjid were the following Sahaabah:
1. Hazrat Umar
2. Hazrat Aaisha
3. Hazrat Zubair
4. Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar
5. Hazrat Abdullah bin Masood
6. Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu anhum).
Hazrat Aaisha (radhiyallahu anha) is reported to have said, "Had Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) been alive today and had witnessed what the women are doing, he would have certainly prevented them from coming to the musjid like how the women of the Bani Israeel were prevented from coming to the Musjid (when they began making mischief in the musjid)."
The four schools of Islamic Fiqh viz. Hanafi, Maaliki, Shaafie and Hambali, have all ruled that it is better for a woman to perform her salaah within the confines of her home as this is better and safer for her deen.
Some of the Fuqahaa have given permission for women coming to the Musjid subject to four conditions being found:
1. The women should not apply perfume when leaving their homes
2. They should not adorn and beautify themselves when leaving their homes thereby attracting men towards them
3. There should be no fitnah found through them coming to the Musjid or while they are in the Musjid
4. There should be complete segregation between the men and women in the musjid (i.e. that should be no contact between the men and women in any way).
In today's times, on account of the overwhelming fitnah everywhere and women no longer upholding the abovementioned conditions, the latter day Ulama have ruled that it is not permissible for women to come to the masjid for Salaah.
Hence, in order to educate women, other methods should be adopted e.g. women listening to the bayaan over the receiver or the husband teaching his wife and family deen within the home etc.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
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