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WELCOME LIFE
IN MAKKAH STUDYING
ABROAD Q&A TRANSLATIONS ARTICLES INTERACTIVE SCHOLARS RECOMMENDED COMMERCE
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Part Two: The Evidences Against Nevin Reda and Those who Promote Muslim Women Leading Prayers [ In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful... ] That said, there is actually ample evidence, as we will see, that it is impermissible for women to lead mixed-gender prayers: - 1 - The hadeeth of Aboo Bakrah, who reported that Allah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:
"A people who place a woman in charge of them This is an authentic narration, reported by al-Bukhaaree. [8] Although it was said in a particular context, its wording is general, and as such, scholars have used it as evidence that a woman should not lead men in prayer. [9] Reda rejects this narration, impugning the credibility of its narrator, the noble Companion Aboo Bakrah. Aboo Bakrah, it is known, was flogged during the leadership of Umar for accusing al-Mugheerah bin Shu'bah of adultery without the requisite number of witnesses.[10] Aboo Bakrah refused to retract his deposition, so in accordance with the Quranic injunction, Umar would not accept his testimony thereafter. Reda argues that since his testimony in legal matters was not accepted, the narrations he narrates should likewise be rejected. Her
argument, we find, is unsound. There is a well-defined difference between
testimony in legal matters and narration of religious matters, as the
scholars have made abundantly clear. [11] One cannot be gauged by the
other: For example, two or four witnesses may be required in legal matters,
while in religious narrations, one reliable narrator is sufficient.
Aboo Bakrah was an eminent Companion, noted for his piety and righteousness. It is the consensus of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah, based on numerous texts from the Quran and the Sunnah, that all of the Companions are reliable, and that their narrations are to be accepted. [13] Contemplate the following quote from the famous hadeeth scholar, Aboo Zur'ah ar-Raazee (d.264):
And is it possible, were Aboo Bakrah's biography truly damaging, that it would have escaped not just al-Bukhaaree, but all the successive generations of scholars who unanimously accepted his narrations? After traducing this noble Companion, Reda proceeds to question the authority of the most authentic book in Islam after the Quran: Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, where the preceding narration was related. In short, Reda claims that since al-Bukhaaree was human and hence prone to error, we should not accept his judgments blindly. Again, Reda has misunderstood the issue. Yes, al-Bukhaaree was not infallible, and his pronouncements on narrations and narrators outside of his Saheeh are open to scrutiny. But with regard to the Saheeh, it is not al-Bukhaaree's judgment alone that we are relying upon. The entire Ummah, with all of its scholars, for centuries after al-Bukhaaree, have agreed upon the authenticity of the Saheeh, and it is the consensus of the Ummah which is infallible. - 2 - The hadeeth, narrated by both Aboo Hurayrah and Sahl ibn Sa'd, and reported by both al-Bukhaaree [15] and Muslim [16], that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said: "Saying subhaan Allah is for men, and clapping is for women." Muslim added in one narration: "...in prayer." The meaning of this narration, as is plain from the context of Sahl bin Sa'd's narration, is that if the Imam makes a mistake in his prayer, the men should correct him by saying: subhaan Allah, while the women should alert him by clapping. The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), we see, told the women to clap instead of speaking so that their voices would not be heard in the prayer by men. Is it conceivable, then, that they would be asked to lead the prayer and give the Friday sermon? - 3 - The hadeeth reported by Muslim [17] on the authority of Ibn 'Umar, that Allah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:
"Don't prevent the female servants of Allah Aboo Daawood's narration adds: "...but their homes are better for them." [18] And the hadeeth narrated by both Umm Salamah and Ibn Mas'ood, and reported respectively by al-Haakim and Aboo Daawood, that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said: "A woman's prayer in her bedroom is better than her prayer in her waiting-room, and her prayer in her inner chamber is better than her prayer in her bedroom." [19] The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) not only encouraged women to pray at home, he encouraged them to pray in the innermost recesses of their homes, as that is more private and secure. The "progressives," in sharp contrast, not only encourage Muslim women to pray in the masjid, but to lead the prayer and give the khutbah. - 4 - The hadeeth of Aboo Hurayrah, related by Muslim [21], that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said: "The best rows of men are the front rows and the worst (rows of men) are the back rows, and the best rows of women are the back rows and the worst (rows of women) are the front rows." The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said that the best rows for women are the last rows; so then how is it conceivable that they should be requested not only to pray in the front rows, but to lead the prayer and give the khutbah? Reda hilariously suggests that the meaning of "rows" (sufoof) [22] in this narration is not prayer rows, but battle rows, on the basis that "the word 'saff' does not appear in the Quran in connection with prayers, but with battle rows." "It is possible," she argues, "that a tradition (read: hadith) which originally arose in the context of battle was later applied to prayer." This hardly merits rebuttal. If that were the context of the narration, it would mean that the women of the Companions regularly donned armor and fought in rows behind the men – an absurd suggestion. The word saff and its derivatives, moreover, are used twice in the Quran with reference to prayer rows – those of the angels. [23] (It is used only once in the context of battle.) Other than that, the word is not used to mean prayer rows for the simple reason that the subject of (human) prayer rows is not discussed in the Quran. In the Sunnah, though (of which this narration is an example), we find literally hundreds of examples of the word "saff" and its derivatives being used to signify prayer rows. [24] In fact, in general, no other word is used. It is not possible, I might add, that the correct understanding of this narration was withheld from the entire Ummah, without exception, from the time of the Companions until today, and granted to us. Reda then asserts that what she terms "gender segregation" i.e. separation of the sexes in the masjids was not implemented during the Prophet's lifetime (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), but was introduced later. We would be obliged if she would explain just how this happened: Men and women during the life of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) were praying side by side, and then sometime after his death, someone manages to institute "gender segregation" in every masjid on the face of the Earth without there being a murmur of protest! Who did this, when, and where is it recorded? As a matter of fact, there is ample evidence from the Sunnah that men and women should pray separately, most of which is also proof of the incorrectness of female-led Friday prayers. For example: a) The hadeeth reported by Aboo Daawood [25] under the heading: "The Separation of Women from Men in the Masjids": Ibn Umar reported that Allah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said: "Why don't we leave this door for the women?" So Ibn Umar never passed through it until he died. b) The long hadeeth of Jaabir ibn 'Abdillaah, reported by al-Bukhaaree [26] and Muslim [27], in which he describes the 'Eed prayer of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam). He mentions that the Prophet, after delivering the khutbah, "then proceeded until he came to the women, and admonished them and reminded them (of Allah)." It is clear from this narration that the women were praying separately from the men. c) Muslim reports [28] that Sahl bin Sa'd said: "I saw men (praying) behind the Prophet whose loin-cloths [29] were so small, they had to tie them to their necks, as children do." So someone said, "O women, don't raise your heads until the men raise theirs." Many of the Companions, due to their poverty, could not find more to wear than a single loin-cloth. These were such that when they prostrated, their private areas would sometimes be exposed. Hence, the women – who were behind them – were requested not to raise their heads before the men, lest they see them uncovered. d) Al-Bukhaaree reports [30] that Aboo Sa'eed al-Khudree said: The women said to the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), "The men have robbed us of you! Make a day of yours just for us." So he promised them a day in which he would meet them... This narration also shows that it was not customary for the sexes to mingle in mixed gatherings, or else why would the women have asked the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) to make a special day for them? e) Al-Bukhaaree [31] reports that Umm Salamah said: "When the Prophet would make salaam, the women would get up and leave when he finished his salaam, and he would wait a while before standing." Ibn Shihaab (one of the narrators) said, "I believe – and Allah knows best – that he used to wait in order for the women to leave before the men could overtake them." f) Al-Bukhaaree [32] and Muslim [33] report on the authority of Anas bin Maalik that his grandmother invited the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) to eat with them, and that he prayed with them in their home. Said Anas: "The orphan and I formed a row [34] behind him (the Prophet) and the old lady (stood) behind us; he then prayed two rak'ahs and left." This narration clearly shows that the rows of women should be behind – and separate – from the men's. The foregoing narrations not only show that "gender segregation," as Reda terms it, was applied during the life of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), but should make it clear to anyone who contemplates them that female-led Friday prayers cannot be from the religion of Islam... [ Part Three: Scholarly Consensus... ]
FOOTNOTES [8] #4425 [9] See Muhammad bin 'Alee ash-Shawkaanee, as-Sayl al-Jarraar (Beirut: Daar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyyah) vol. 1, p.250 [10] Aboo Bakrah originally had three other witnesses with him: Naafi' ibn al-Haarith, Shibl bin Ma'bad, and Ziyaad bin Abeehi. Aboo Bakrah, Naafi', and Shibl gave their testimony, but when Ziyaad was asked, he was unsure about what he had seen. The fourth witness was thus missing, so the three who gave their testimony were flogged. Hence, when Aboo Bakrah offered his testimony, he believed that he had the requisite number of witnesses, and he refused to repent afterwards because he didn't believe he had done anything wrong. See Siyar A'laam an-Nubalaa' vol. 3. pp. 7,28 Sa'eed ibn al-Musayyab (may Allah have mercy upon him) said, "'Umar flogged Aboo Bakrah, Naafi' ibn al-Haarith, and Shibl. The latter two repented, so 'Umar accepted their testimony. Aboo Bakrah refused, so 'Umar wouldn't accept his testimony – and he was the best of them all." Ibid. pp. 7-8 Al-Hasan al-Basree said, "No better Companion than 'Imraan bin Husayn or Aboo Bakrah ever resided in Basrah." Ibn al-Atheer, Usd al-Ghaabah (Beirut: Daar al-Ma'rifah 1418) [11] See Aboo Haamid al-Ghazaalee, al-Mustasfaa min 'Ilm al-Usool, vol. 2, pp. 223-225 [12] 'Abdullaah Ibn Qudaamah, Raudhat an-Naathir wa Jannat al-Manaathir (Beirut: Daar ar-Rayyaan, 1423) vol. 1, p. 348 [13] See Ibn Abi al-'Izz al-Hanafee, Sharh al-'Aqeedah at-Tahaawiyyah (Beirut: al-Maktab al-Islaamee, 1408) pp. 467-471 [14] As-Sunnah Qabl at-Tadween, Dr. Muhammad 'Ajjaaj al-Khateeb, (Cairo: Maktabah al-Wahbah, 1408) p.405 [15] #1203, 1204 [16] #106, 107 [17] #442 [18] Sunan Abee Daawood (567); see also Irwaa' al-Ghaleel (515) [19] See Saheeh al-Jaami' (3833) [20] See the hadeeth and its various wordings in Saheeh al-Jaami' (8128-8131) [21] #132 [22] "Saff" is row, singular; "sufoof" is plural. [23] 37:1, 165 [24] For example, the narration, "Straighten your rows (sufoof), for straightening the rows (sufoof) is from the perfection of the prayer." Al-Bukhaaree #723; Muslim #433 [25] #467 [26] #978 [27] #885 [28] #133 [29] In Arabic, "izaar" – a towel-like cloth worn on the lower body. [30] #101 [31] #870, under the heading, "Women Praying Behind the Men" [32] #380 [33] #658 [34] A derivative of the word "saff" is used here.
MORE FROM THIS SERIES Part Three: Scholarly Consensus Part Four: The Hadeeth of Umm Waraqah Part Five: Conclusion - Contrast and Compare
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