Mass prayer: Muslim women discouraged by Imams
| ‘Attempt’ made by Muslim Women Welfare Organisation the trigger |
CUTTACK: The attempt made by a few Muslim women to offer mass prayer at a masjid here last month drew severe flak from religious heads, who then issued a ‘fatwa’ (religious edict) to thwart any such attempts in future.
The controversy surfaced for the first time in the city on November 23 when some 100 Muslim women, under the banner of the Muslim Women Welfare Organisation (MWWO), gathered at Mangalabag mosque to offer mass prayers. They were, however, denied entry into the mosque by the head priest.
Anjuman-Islamia Ahle Sunnat-o-Jammat, the apex body of the community in the city, issued a fatwa to all the 33 mosques in the locality to stop women from praying at public places. Imams of the mosques had already started implementing the fatwa, which was issued in the form of a guideline by an authorised Mufti.
“Women should not enter mosques, as the Shariat prohibits them from doing so,” said Wajhul Qamar, the Mufti.
“The fatwa entrusts Imams to enlighten Muslim men on the Shariat (code of law derived from Koran and the teachings of Prophet Mohammed), especially on the code and conduct of women through discourses during Friday prayers at mosques,” said M.A. Ahad, secretary of the organisation.
“When Koran has banned women from offering mass prayers in mosques, how can they be allowed to do so now?” questioned a senior political leader and former State minister Mustafiz Ahmed.
“The fatwa, we hope, will be effective in bringing in self-regulation among women through their husbands,” he added.
Secretary of the state unit of the MWWO Farhat Amin, who reportedly led the women for a mass prayer, in a release, however, clarified that neither the women had any intention of offering prayers nor did they seek permission from the head priest to prayers in the masjid last month. She alleged that she was misquoted in newspapers
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It is permissible for women to pray in mosque. The Imams should manage for them separate partition in Mosque.
The Right to Go to the Mosque
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said:
“If someone’s wife asks his permission to go to the mosque, he should not deny it to her.”
Women should be covered Islamically, according to the Muslim woman’s dress requirements (see Her Dress).
Valuable khutbah,prayer,& dua should not be missed by women, the future is under their custody of caring children. We should not expect fitna rather help her by separate place by partition in mosque as it is in some places in Indian mosque and abroad Madinah
At the same time, a woman’s prayer in her home is better, from the standpoint of her household duties and duties as a mother. Also it is better in the sense that it prevents unnecessary mixing with men. The Prophet (SAW) also stated on another occasion:
“But their homes are better for them.” (Reported by Abu Dawud and Ahmed)
Hadith – Bukhari 1:832, Narrated Salim bin ‘Abdullah ,also in 7:165
My father said, “The Prophet said, ‘If the wife of any one of you asks permission (to go to the mosque) do not forbid her.”
There must be some partition or balcony for women to perform prayer in mosque.