In Islam can Women lead Prayers?

Women's liberation has reached its peak in the 21st Century. This is because women are now at the forefront in every occupation and in every field. They are almost head to head with men in every concept of the modern civilisation.

Islam has now even reached a new era, by women competing with men in all aspects of the religion. The status which was given to women in Islam doesn't seem to satisfy the 'modern' women, even though this may mean crossing the limits as stated in the Shariah.

On March 18"' 2005, a female Muslim led Jumuah prayer (Friday prayer) which was held at the Synod House in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. This event was organised by the Progressive Muslim Union which educate and empowers Muslim women to reclaim their God-given right to lead self-determined lives. They also want women to reclaim their rights to be spiritual equals and leaders.

The Progressive Muslim Union believe tliat research from the Qur'an and Hadith, demonstrates that there is no prohibition in women leading mixed-gender prayers, and that (he Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam approved of the practice of women leading mixed-gender prayers, but over the Centuries Muslim women have lost their place as intellectual and spiritual leaders.

The congregation was led by a woman, Dr Amina Wadud, after another woman sounded the call to prayer, wearing no headscarf. Dr Amina Wadud is an Islamic Studies Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University. She has also written a book, 'Qur'an and Women: Rereading the sacred text from a woman's perspective.'

Dr Amina Wadud not only lead the prayer but she also gave the sermon (Khutbah) to the congregation, which forced the idea that men should treat women as equals, and not presume Allah to be male.

The congregation consisted of more than a hundred men and women who stood in adjacent rows with no curtain to divide them, they were surrounded by a group of newspaper reporters, photographers and television cameras.

The event was held under the watchful eye of more than two dozen police officers who checked all bags and people entering after the event had to be moved from its original location in Soho gallery due to a bomb threat. The majority of Muslims in America were against this event taking place, and therefore no mosque would allow this kind of incident to be hosted in their mosques, which resulted in the congregation taking place in a Cathedral.

Congregational Prayers: - Salaah is a pillar of Islam and a very important part of our faith. In regards to leading prayer, our Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam has clearly stated in an authentic Hadith:

"When the time of prayer arrives then one of the men should announce the call to prayer, and from amongst you, the eldest man should lead the prayer." (Bukhari)

Allah Taa'la states in the Holy Qur'an: "And bow down with the men who bow down." i.e. when the men offer congregational prayer, it is Sunnat-e-Muakkadah (emphasized Sunnah) for all men to participate. As for the womenfolk, they have no such emphasized responsibilities in regards to offering congregational prayer. If they want to participate, they may, and if not, there is no harm in this. However, we should also bear in mind that the praying position of women is affixed by the Shariah.

"In the first rows, men will take part, then the children, and after them will come the women." (Ahmed : Vol 5)

The wisdom behind this is not because she is a woman, but because of the awkwardness of the position we Muslims take when we prostrate in prayer. These positions would make both men and women uncomfortable when a woman bows down and prostrates in front of men. From this we see that if a woman is to attend congregational prayer, then her standing amongst men is disallowed, then how can her leading a prayer and giving the Friday Sermon (Khutbah) be allowed?!

Salaah is a pure and great obligation of the believers in which they show their helplessness to the Lord Almighty with total devotion and commitment. If a woman was to stand up in the Mosque and lead prayer, then her voice and various other attributes would certainly cause a distraction and allow the Shaytaan (devil) to deliver satanic whispers into ones prayer.

Why Only Men? - Allah Taa'la has sent approximately 124,000 Prophets to guide the nations and all have been men. Allah Taa'la states in the Qur'an:

"And we sent not before you (as Messengers) any but men onto whom we revealed from among the people of townships." (12:109)

Not one has been a woman, and the responsibility of leading prayers is an inheritance of the Prophets. So the real inheritors of leading prayers are the Ulamaa (scholars) as the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam has stated:

"Indeed the Ulamaa are the inheritors of the Prophets." (Tirmizi)

In another Hadith, the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam has stated:

"Take heed! No woman may lead a man in prayer." (Ibn Majah)

Rulings in the Shariah for Women Leading Prayers - According to Hazrat Imam Shaf'ee Rahmatullahi Alayiii and Imam Ibn Hambal, a woman can lead the prayers of other women (non-males), but Imam Malik is against this ruling. However, Imam Abu Hanifah has mentioned that it is disliked (makrooh) for a woman to lead the women in prayers, but if she is to do so, then she may stand in between the rows with the other women, and not alone in front. It is the consensus of all the imam's that a woman cannot lead men in prayer, and if she does such an act, then their prayers are void and their prayers will have to be repeated.

Hadith of Umme Waraqah Radhiallaho Anha - In order to defend her views, Dr Amina Wadud has related the Hadith of Umine Waraqah. (Musnad Ahmed, Abu Dawood)

The Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam along with a few of his companions would go to meet Umme Waraqah on Fridays. When the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam made the call for the Battle of Badr, Umme Waraqah requested to go along so she could help the injured and wounded, thinking maybe Allah will grant her martyrdom in some way. The Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam replied in the negative and said, "Allah will grant you martyrdom in your own home." She requested that the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam appoint someone to give the Azaan (call to prayer) at her house. (Perhaps she had difficulties in telling the time for prayers). So the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam sent an old man to give the Azaan at her household, and also permitted Umme Waraqah to lead the prayers for her house members.

Umme Waraqah had set a condition for her house members which only included a female slave and a slave boy, that after her death, they would be set free. The slave boy and girl had planned to choke her to death so they could be set free. One night they committed this evil act, and Umme Waraqah gained martyrdom as she wished, and as the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam had informed her.

Dr Amina Wadud used this Hadith as the basis of her leading men in prayers.

Dr Amina Wadud's claims cannot be proven from this Hadith. This is because of the following reasons:

The Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam permitted Umme Waraqah to lead prayers only in the household. He didn't permit her to go and lead prayers in the nearby mosque.
The Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam only ordered her to lead prayers for members of the household, and not Ghair Mahram males.
The old man who was appointed as a Muazzin wasn't a member of Umme Waraqah's household. He would give the call to prayer at the specified prayer time, and then go to a nearby mosque. Even if he was to read behind Umme Waraqah, then who would lead while the lady was unable to perform prayers during her menstrual period.
In the Hadith, the husband or son of Umme Waraqah had not been mentioned. If any of them were alive then either of them would had given the call to prayer, and Umme Waraqah would not have requested for a fixed Muazzin.
The Hadith states that only two members of the house were living with Umme Waraqah. One of them a female slave and one was a slave boy, who presumably was immature at that time, otherwise he would have been appointed to give the call to prayer.
Umme Waraqah wasn't granted permission for leading prayers on a daily basis, due to the fact she would be unable to perform Salaah during her menstrual period.
If women were permitted to lead prayers of the household, then the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam would have permitted the most honourable women of Islam, Hazrat Fatima Radhiallaho Anha and Hazrat Ayesha Radhiallaho Anha to lead their own households.
During the period of the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam, women would attend congregational prayers in Masjid-e-Nabawi, but no woman was ever allowed to call the Azaan. Therefore, if no woman was permitted to call Azaan, how would she be allowed to lead prayers which are more superior.
The Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam states: "The Jumuah prayer is obligatory on all Muslims, except for slaves, women, children and those who are ill."
Another Hadith states:

"Four people are exempt from Jumuah. Women, slaves, people who are ill and travellers."

The virtues for performing Salaah in congregation are specifically for the menfolk. Women have been commanded to perform their prayer in their homes. They will recieve more reward if they pray in their homes. If they come to the Mosque, their reward is decreased.

From the above mentioned points, you will see that from the time of the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam until today, no woman in the history of Islam has ever led, or had been required to lead the congregational prayers of mixed-genders, so why all of a sudden? Why has the need risen for a woman in America to lead the prayer?

Women in Islam have been given a status in Islam which was only recently given to the western women, yet do women realise this? Women have been given their value in relation to God, and not to men, but western feminism has forced her to find value in relation to men. They have accepted man as a standard and try to achieve everything he strives for. For example, when a man cuts his hair short, she cuts it short and if he goes out to work, she follows. Not realising that God dignifies man and woman in their distinctiveness, not through their similarity and as mentioned on the 18th of March, they made the very same mistake.