Image yourself wanting to enter a house of God, may it be a Church or Temple, perhaps you would like to go meditate and pray to Buddha but your denied entrance because the priest, monk, Imam, or random worshipper prevents you from walking into the building to worship. Even though your religious text told you specifically you are equal to any other follower and even the founder of the religion allowed all people to eat, drink, sleep in the prayer area, how would you feel? Disgruntled, perplexed, angry? This is how many Muslim women feel when they are barred entry into the house of God to pray. While some men may recite they do so to protect women or may recite a hadith that says a women can pray at home instead at the mosque on Fridays as evidence that women shouldn’t be allowed into the masjid, all assumptions are false.

Most Modern Mosques, especially in the United States do have prayer spaces for women. These prayer spaces are not equal, and often are unkempt and dirty. While the men’s spaces are decorated with beautiful artwork, the women must be subjected to a dingy room and look through television screens to see a lecture or follow in prayer. This situation makes it almost impossible to listen to any lecture/sermon given because either women talk through the sermons or the audio is of bad quality. Now not all prayer spaces are unequal, but all are not ornate or decorated as the men’s spots. Still giving the impression that women are second class citizens and not the male’s equlivant. Women are denied the access to pray behind the men in the men’s section of the mosque, even when there are less than five people in the entire building.

The clear difference between separation of the sexes, and separating the sexes by giving the women an unequal, lesser quality, prayer space which may or may not be easy to get to and often times prevents a female worshipper from the same access to the imam or sheik in which she can ask her questions.

The fact that a woman can not pray in the same prayer space as the men during the main prayer times (most mosque don’t care if you pray in the main hall during off times) is still a sexist notion, and segregating women because of children is an unfair and un-Islamic act. Prophet Muhammad himself allowed children to run around the masjid and even play on his back while he prayed.

Truth

There are many verses in the Quran relating to mosques, which urge believers who seek guidance, light, and knowledge to frequent mosques. Some examples are:

“Only they shall maintain the mosques of God who believe in God and the Last Day, preform the prayer and give the alms, and fear non but God..” (9:18)

“Say, “My Lord has commanded justice. So set your faces (toward him) at every place of prayer, and call upon Him, devoting religion entirely to Him…” (7:29)

“O children of Adam! Put on your adornment at every place of worship, and eat and drink, but be not prodigal..” (7:31)

“and that places worship are for God; so do not call upon another alongside God.” (72:18)

Adornment is translated as zinah, which is both positive and negative in the Quran. It refers to worldly sources of beauty or status that are part of God’s provision for human beings but are also potential sources of pride, temptation or worldliness that lead to forgetfulness of God and the hereafter. It can also refer to clothing or any other item used to beautify oneself. However, this verse appears after Adam and Eve are stripped naked by Satan, so it most likely refers to the clothing used to cover one’s nakedness rather than ornamentation. It’s interesting how the Children of Adam are instructed to put on adornment in places of worship but women every else are instructed to cover their adornments. This is one of the leading theories on why women’s face and hands are adornments (24:1 and 3:33). While, if women must cover face and hands in public in places of worship; i.e. Mosques, Churches, etc. she must remove her face veil and gloves.

Another idea from commenters on 7:31 is that it relates to practices of Arabs before Islam, who circumambulated the Ka’bah naked, placed arbitrary restrictions on certain foods and limited their overall consumption of food during their pilgrimage to the Ka’bah. A few reports indicate that the Quraysh established a rite that only clothing that could be worn and the only food that could be eaten in the sacred precincts of Mecca were the clothing and food of the Quraysh. So, the people would fast and be naked, instead of following the rule. This verse is thought to be used to end such practices by telling people to wear their adornments and eat and drink. Prodigal, which may mean to not exceed the bounds of what is lawful to consume or be excessive and wasteful in one’s consumption.

Places of worship is translated as masajid, the plural of masjid which means a place of prostration and masjid which means the instrument of prostration. Masjid is a standard word used by Muslims for “mosque” from which the English word derives. However, here it is taken as a reference to all house of worship for all religion or to the whole earth. Which is associated with the hadith of the prophet: “The earth has been made a place of prostration (masjid) for me, and has been purified” The Quran references to the Mosque in Mecca as the “House of Allah” and the “Sacred House,” and inviting all, men and women, to visit. As well as mentioning the sacred mosque in Jerusalem, the Farthest Mosque. Examples are:

“Truly the first house established for mankind was that at Bakkah, full of blessing and a guidance for the worlds. Therein are clear signs: the station of Abraham, and whosoever enter it shall be secure. Pilgrimage to the House is a duty upon mankind before God for those who can find a way…” (3:96-97)

“God has made the Ka’bah, the Sacred House, a support for mankind, and the sacred month, and the offerings, and the garlands, this that you might know that God knows whatsoever is in the heaven and whatsoever is on the earth, and that God is knower of all things.” (5:97)

“Glory be to Him Who Carried His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We have blessed, that We might show him some of Our signs. Truly He is the hearer, the Seer.” (17:1)

“And [remember] when We assigned for Abraham the place of the House, [saying], “Ascribe no partners unto Me, and purify My House for those who circumambulate, and those who stand, and those who bow and prostrate.” (22:26)

Jasser Auda mentions that English translators mistranslate the Arabic words that refer to dwellers and visitors of the mosque as “men” or “mankind”. In 3:96 the word “al-naas” is rendered as men or mankind by every major translator instead of its meaning “the people”. Standard Arabic recognizes “alnaasi “as for the people, and al-naas as the people. One translation of the verse by Arberry does translate it as the people. However, in 5:97 the exact same word al-nasi is translated to men and not for the people. To Auda this shows that translators/interpreters of the Quran are influenced by their “pre-assumptions and biases when it comes to the issues of women in the mosque”.

The word rijal appears in two verses that urged believers to attend the mosque. Rijal is refereeing to the attendees of the mosque. These are verses 24:36-37 and 9:108. Rijal is translated as persons but has interpreted it to mean “men”, which excludes women. Muhammad Sarwar does not translate rijal to mean men in his Quranic translation, but instead as people. The issue with translating the words wrongly is that it excludes women. It breeds the argument that there is no room for women in the mosque. While non-Muslims can further conclude that Islam is a sexiest religion, by these translations.  The word rijal in colloquial Arabic does refer to males but Quranic Arabic (high Arabic) implies both males and females. Looking at other verses of the Quran, God says, “and on its elevations are rijal who recognize all by their mark” (7:48), and “Among the believers are rijal true to what they promised Alllah.” (33:23) These two verse are clearing talking about both females and males.

When the Quran discusses males only, the word rijal is coupled with the word nisa in the same sentence. Rijal means men, and nisa means women, one example is 48:25 which states: “They are the ones who disbelieved and obstructed you from al-Masjid al-Haram while the offering was prevented from reaching its place of sacrifice. And if not for believing men[rijal] and believing women [nisa] whom you did not know – that you might trample them and there would befall you because of them dishonor without [your] knowledge – [you would have been permitted to enter Makkah]. [This was so] that Allah might admit to His mercy whom He willed. If they had been apart [from them], We would have punished those who disbelieved among them with a painful punishment.” It is not possible to understand the Quran correctly without a good command of the Arabic languages. The Quran is the best reference for figuring out what its own Arabic means. In the Mukhtar As-Shiaha, a classic Arabic-Arabic dictionary it states: Niswatun rijal (here, the word rijal is used as an adjective for females) ….and a woman can be called rajulah (singular female form of rijal)…It is also reported that Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, was known to be a rajulah in terms of her opinions.

The Quran clearly mentions in 2:114 that a person shall not prevent people from frequenting the mosques. “And who does greater wrong than one who bars [entrance to] the mosque of God, lest His name be remembered therein, and strives for their ruin? They are those who should not enter them, save in fear. Theirs is a disgrace in this world, and theirs is a great punishment in the Hereafter.” Some scholars have tried to specify the mosques mentioned, some point to the Temple in Jerusalem and the Ka’bah in Mecca since they are named masjid in the Quran. Most have taken a broader context saying that it applies to anyone who prevents people from entering any house of worship.

The hadiths of the Prophet include hundreds of authentic narrations indicating women’s normal presence in the mosque at all times and on all occasions at the time of the Prophet (s). There is one particular story that is narrated by Bukhari about an African Female slave who was freed and decided to live in a tent in the mosque. The young African woman narrates:

“A baby girl from the tribe that had enslaved me came out wearing a red leather scarf decorated with precious stones. The scarf fell from her or she placed it somewhere. A bird passed by that place, saw the scarf o the ground and mistook it for a piece of meat. The bird took the scarf and flew away with it. The baby’s family searched for scarf and when they could not find it, they accused me of stealing it and started searching me aggressively. They even searched my private parts. By Allah, while I was being searched, the same bird returned and dropped the red scarf on them. So, I told them, ‘This is what you accused me of and I was innocent. Here is your scarf.’” Aisha adds: “The Family then freed that young, lady, and she immediately came to Allah’s Messenger (s) and embraced Islam. She then set up for herself a tent with a low roof in the mosque and lived in it. She used to visit me occasionally and chat with me. Every time she sat down with me, she would start by reciting the following poem:

The Day of the Scarf was one of my Lord’s miracles.

With his Grace, He rescued me from the disbelievers.”

It’s clear from this hadith that it was normal for a woman who was not married to the Prophet to talk to him. It was normal for a woman to enter the masjid and live in it (some people did complain) when she had nowhere else to go.  Another narration by Ibn hajar states: “The Messenger of Allah (s) actually let Sa’d stay in Ruaydah’s tent in the mosque. She was known for her skills in treating the wounded. The Prophet (s) said, ‘Let Sa’d stay in her tent so that I can visit him from a close distance.” Him that is mentioned is mentioning that Sa’d Ibn Muaz was wounded in the Battle of the Ditch.  Rufaydah was a female companion and physician who set up a tent in the Mosque. Imam Muslim recounts a hadith that is narrated by Al-Shab’bi : “We entered upon Fatimah bint Qays, and she said, ‘It was announced that the people should gather for prayer, and then I was among those heading for the Prophet’s Mosque. I was in the Front row of women, which was right behind the last row of men, when I heard the Prophet (s) saying while he was on the pulpit: ‘The cousins of Al-Dary sailed the sea.”

Bukhari wrote that Asma bint Abu Bakr narrated: “I came to Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, the Wife of the Prophet(s) when the sun had eclipsed, and found out that all people were standing in prayer…when the Prophet (s) finished the prayer, he thanked and praised Almighty Allah.”

Asma bint Abu Bakr narrates a little further on the same story: “The sun eclipsed during the lifetime of the Prophet (s), peace be upon him…then, I came and entered the mosque, and saw the Messenger of Allah (s) standing up in prayer. I joined him in prayer, but he kept standing up so long that I felt I needed to sit down. Yet, I would notice a weak woman standing next to men, and then I would say to myself, “she is even weaker than me” and I would keep standing…”

Bukhari and other narrated that Aisha said: “The believing women, covered with their veiling sheets, used to attend the dawn prayer with Allah’s Messenger, and after finishing the prayer they would return to their homes.” Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet, narrates that during the lifetime of the Prophet, when women finished the prayer and sunnah prayer, they would leave.  Asma narrated that: “I heard the Prophet (s) saying,’ Whoever of you women believes in Allah and in the Last Day should not raise her head until we men raise our heads after prostration, lest they should see the private parts of men.’” Asma added: ” This was because their lower garments were short, knowing that most of them at the time could only afford to wear a namirah.” The men wore short clothes, with no underwear or pants, when the men would go down to prostrate sometimes their genitals would show on accident. Women kept their heads down at the same time as men, to prevent them from being flashed, sexually turned on, distracted because they are being flashed. It is also is to protect men from being embarrassed by flashing people, or from being in trouble from some angry husband, father, or etc.

Atikah bint Zayd, Umar Ibn Al-Hkattab’s wife, used to offer the fajr (dawn) and the isha (night) prayers in congregation in the mosque. Some attendees of the mosque asked her, “Why do you come out for the prayer even though you know that Umar dislikes it? It makes him jealous.” She replied, “Then, why does not he forbid me from doing that? “They answered, “What prevents him is the statement of Allah’s messenger (s)’Do not prevent women from going to Allah’s mosques.’” Ibn Hajar commented: “Indeed, when Umar was stabbed, Atikah was in the mosque praying behind him.”

Bukhari and Muslim narrated Aisha(r): “Allah’s apostle invited me on a day of Eid to watch the Abyssinians who were playing in the mosque, displaying their skill with spears. He asked: Would you like to watch? I answered: ‘Yes.’ So, I stood behind him and he lowered his shoulder, so I can put my chin on it. I did and leaned with my face on his cheek and watched. Eventually, he asked me several times if I wanted to leave I replied every time: ‘Please wait’. I was not interested in watching, really, but on that day I wanted women especially to know my status with him. Therefore, appreciate a young lady’s keenness to be playful.”

Al-Tabarani narrates:Bilal Ibn Abdullah Ibn Omar Ibn Al-Khattab narrated to me that one day his father Abdullah Ibn Omar said: ‘Indeed, I heard the Messenger of Allah (s) say, “Do not deprive the female slaves of all of their share in the mosques.’”  Bilal said, “As for me, I shall forbid my household females, but whosoever wishes to let his women go out, let him do so.” Thus, my father Abdullah turned to Bilal and said, “May Allah curse you! May Allah curse you! May Allah Curse you! You hear me say that the Messenger of Allah ordered that women are not to be deprived and you say otherwise.” Abdullah wept and angrily departed.” Other narrations state that Abdullah slapped Bilal.

Another account narrated by Al-Tirmidhi: “We were at Ibn Omar’s, when he said, the messenger of Allah said, ‘Permit women to go to Mosques at night.’ His son said, ‘By Allah, we would not permit them to do so as they would do mischief.’ Ibn Omar replied, ‘I say that the Messenger said such and such, and you say, ‘we would not allow them?’” Abdullah Ibn Omar  narrated this hadith and clearly indicates that the prohibition of women from visiting mosque is contrary to the Prophet’s command. Bilal wanted to avoid fitnah or dasghal or mischief.  So, he applied the method known as sadd al-dhara’I or “cutting the roots”, which is the logic of prohibiting something lawful to prevent something unlawful from happening. Most scholars ignore Abdullah’s hadith narration.Instead they relied on one narration by Aisha( r ), spoke, ” If the Messenger of Allah (s) had seen the unlawful innovations that women have introduced, he would have definitely prevented them from going to the mosque, as the women of the Children of Israel have prevented from their temples.” Umm Humaid narrated that the prophet (s) told her: “Your prayer in your house is better for you than your prayer in the congregation.” So, her nephew narrates, Umm Humaid ordered that a prayer place be prepared for her in the furthest and darkest part of her house, and she prayed there until she died.”

Aisha’s hadith above states that “if” the prophet (s) saw any wrong doing by women, he would have banned them. She does not state women are banned or should be banned. Her statement is also made in a certain context, and no jurist in Medina during her time judged that her statement indicated a change. Umm Humaids hadith is authentic but not complete.  Al-Tabarani, and others, gives more detail that explains the context of this hadith Umm Humaid and her husband had an argument about her regular attendance to congregational prayer. Umm Humaid visited the Prophet (s) with a group of women and said, “O messenger of Allah, we like to pray with you, but our husbands prevent us from coming to the mosque.”

Abu Humaid Al-saedi, the husband, lived beyond the borders of Medina at the time and had their own farms, own Bani Saedah Council and their own Mosque. The Prophet only intended to resolve a martial disagreement between Umm Humaid and Abu Humaid, about the long distance she walked five times a day to pray at the same Mosque as the prophet. His advice was for Umm Humaid to comprise with her husband and pray in the tribe’s mosque or at home. Auda does dispute the narration that she chooses the “darkest” spot, because other narrations of women praying in congregation does not state women prayed in dark locations or farthest spots. One un-authentic narration, which appears in fatwas relating to niqabs, hijabs, and seclusion, is the narration that claims that the Prophet (s) asked his daughter Fatima what is best for a woman. Fatima answers, “that she should see no man and that no man should see her.” The Prophet (s), according to the narration, then hugged her and said, “good offspring descending from one another.” This hadith contradicts statements of the Quran about women’s interaction with men in various circumstance and events, along with hadiths. There are plenty of hadiths that involve Fatima being seen in public in various context and dealing with men.

Some narrations appear to ridicule women, one such one is a man must redo his prayer if a woman passes in front of him as well as in the mosque. Imamas Muslim and Ahmad narrated that Abu Hurairah said that the Prophet (s) said, “Prayer is interrupted by a woman, a dog or a donkey, when they pass in front of a praying person.” On the contrary it is reported that Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (s) said, “a person’s prayer is not interrupted by a woman, a dog, or a donkey, and push back whoever passes closely in front of you while you are praying.” Both hadiths are considered authentic, but both contradict each other, one must be right. It is considered common curtesy to not walk in front of someone prayer or talk near them, or else they could be distracted and must start over.

Aisha reported that: “Abdullah Ibn Ubaidillah Ibn Omair reported that when Aisha was asked about the narration that the passing of a dog, a woman, or a donkey interrupts a man’s prayer, she stated, ‘Why are you mentioning Muslim women in the same context with these animals?’ In another narration, she said, ‘How come you hold us equal to a donkey and a dog?’ and in a third narration, ‘I have witnessed occasions in which I would wake up while the Prophet (s) was offering prayer with me lying interposed between him and the qiblah like the brier of a corpse in a funeral prayer.’” Muhammad Ibn Al-Hassan Al-Shaibani commented that, “this means that there is no harm if a man prays while his wife is lying, standing or sitting in front of him or to his side.” Al-Shafi also commented saying, “If a woman’s presence in front of a praying person does not invalidate his prayer, then her passing in front of him does not invalidate it either.” Abu Dawud noted that if two reports or narrations conflict, then the practice of his companions after him should be referred. 

Another hadith in Bukhari’s collection calls women bad omens, even though in another book Bukhari says there is no such thing as a bad omen. Abu Hurairah’s narration, Aisha said: “Abu Hurairah did not recall this correctly. The Prophet (s) was praying against those who claimed that bad omens are in a house, a woman, and a horse. Abu Huraira came late and heard only the las t part of the hadith and did not hear the first part.” So, Aisha rejected Abu Hurairah’s narration on the basis of the weakness of its content (matn) rather than the weakness of its chain of narrators (sanad).

Women and the Mosque present day

Women prayer areas in the mosque, in the Americas, Europe, Africa, or etc, rarely provide enough room or space for women to gather comfortably or pray comfortably. Some Arab countries even have separate buildings and South Asians typically don’t allow women into a mosque. Some mosque restricts women from using back doors, having to go through weird alleyways or dimly lit areas just to enter the masjid. Refusing her from entering through the main entrance. Some Western masjids have prayers spaces for women in basements, in a balcony inside or outside the mosque, even in small rooms in the back. Giving them a tv to watch the imam. Women’s spaces are always smaller than the main prayer hall, which is always for the men. Women’s areas are always overcrowded on holidays and during Friday events. Some mosques will even take away women’s prayer area and give it to the men, making the women pray in some other random spot. Women outnumber men in Islamic activities and in celebrations in countries where Muslims are a minority, making their spaces small is quite odd. Some Masjids won’t decorate the women’s area, give them less nice things than the men’s area. Children are abundant in the women’s area, making the space even smaller and are a distraction for women when they pray. A few men will shut doors between the two spaces while praying so they don’t have to hear the crying of children.

Masjids that are being built today, have built better quality spaces for women or have made just one prayer room for all. The size of the women’s area and the isolated feeling is still an issue, though (especially during Ramadan). There is no way for a woman in most masjids to ask questions. . Some masjids have created lecture halls where all the people can participate in lectures.

Ibn Abbas reported: “A pretty woman, who was described as one of the most beautiful women, used to preform prayers in the Prophet’s Mosque in the women’s line. Some men used to go into the first row to avoid seeing her, and some other used to lag behind so that they would be in the las row. When the men in the last row bowed, some of them would look behind in order to stare at her. They continued to do that until Allah revealed: ‘And indeed, we know those of you who hasten forward, and indeed, We know those of you who lag behind.”

This hadith blames the men for not controlling themselves, not the pretty woman. Women are forced into small prayer areas or in areas that they cannot be seen so men don’t make fitnah. However, it is clear by this verse that beautiful women and women generally are not the ones to blame when it comes to men’s sexuality. Some argue that normal interaction will increase temptation between men and women. What’s more a better place than a place of worship surrounded by people for young people to meet?

Menstruation is another barrier that some women face when wanting to come to the masjid. Some masjids may ban women or prevent women from altogether from entering the holy space. Women themselves may as well be under the idea that they may not enter a masjid while on their period. The house of God is not off limits to anyone; not non-Muslims, not menstruating women, or anyone who is sick or poor. Not coming to mosque while sick, might be common curtesy. One verse in the Quran states:

‘O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated, until you know what you are saying, or in a state of ritual impurity except those passing through a place of prayer, until you have bathed.’ (4:43)

This passage states that you can enter a mosque in a state of impurity, but just cannot pray.  Hanabali jurist deemed it permissible for a person to stay in the mosque in case he/she has performed wudu. The use of hadith narrated by Sa’id ibn Mansur and Al-Athram from Ata’ Ibn Yasar that he said, “I saw some of the companions of the Prophet (s) in a state of ritual impurity while staying in the mosque after performing ablution.” Some jurist say a woman who is menstruating or is in her postpartum period is allowed to stay in the mosque whether they have performed ablution or not. The hadith “I do not allow a menstruating woman or ritually impure person to enter the mosque” is weak and contradicts surah 4:43. There is no valid proof preventing anyone who is in ritual impurity from entering the mosque. Imam Ahmad, Al- Muzni, Abu Dawud, Ibn-Mundhir and Ibn Hazm maintained this view. They also drew upon the hadith narrated by Abu Hurarirah and recorded in Al-Bukhari and Muslim and others that, ‘a Muslim never become impure.’

Since a non-Muslim can enter the mosque without wudu, then Muslims can do so as well. Women are told to read and learn in Islam and are told to come to the mosque to listen to lectures regardless of menstruation. The narration by Aisha of the African woman who lived in the mosque also had menstruating while living there. Ibn Hazm stated: “this was a woman residing in the mosque of the Prophet (s) and as a woman, she normally has menses. Yet, the Prophet did not prevent her from staying there. Something that is not banned by the Prophet is lawful.”

Conclusion

Any barring of women from entering the masjid is un-Islamic. Muslims are not the only religion that separates men in women in religious spaces; Jewish Temples/ synagogues, Christians churches, and others also separate the sexes. While it isn’t perse unfair to separate the sexes, it is unfair to give one gender unequal and inadequate space. Often forcing women to walk down dark alleyways or enter from a complete obscure entrance. With the recent mosque shootings, these separate spaces have become dangerous. Women sides are targeted because of their obscure entrance locations make it easier for attackers to enter the house of worship.

There is nothing wrong for a mosque to have separate spaces for men and women (sometimes I enjoy the separate space), but the problem lies when women are given unequal space and are unable to participate in questions. Most Friday sermons, do not allow anyone to ask questions. Yet, If a woman does have questions she is unable to ask them. Women who do wish to pray behind the men should be permitted to do so. As it is proven during the prophet’s day there were no separate rooms or spaces for women. Women prayed behind the men. Informing both men and women of their rights to the mosque is the first step to a better future.

Check out the book Reclaiming the Mosque by Jasser Auda , where I got most my sources.