:salam2:
Okay so now I'm really confused. Hijab? Niqaab? Behind a wall? In another room? Not allowed at all? In the back? Different doors? Stay home?
I think my brain is going to fall out of my ear now
Aww, I hope it doesnt sis! Let's make it easy okay inshaAllaah?
1) Are women allowed to go to the masaajid of Allaah to pray? -- Yes
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, who said: "I heard the Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace be upon him) say: ‘Do not prevent your women from going to the mosque if they ask your permission.’" Bilaal ibn ‘Abdullah said, "By Allaah, we will prevent them." (Ibn ‘Umar) turned to him and told him off in an unprecedented fashion, saying: "I tell you what the Messenger of Allaah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said, and you say ‘By Allaah, we will prevent them’!!" (reported by Muslim, 667)
2) Should they attire themselves properly when going to pray? -- Yes
--- This can be hijaab or niqaab inshaAllaah and everyone is of different positions, but whilst in Salaah we know women should wear proper clothing yes? Alhamdulillah.
3) Does it have to be behind a wall/barrier? -- No.
--- I have no idea why it seems that it is presumed in this thread here thinking that I demand a wall? It's not that I believe it is fard - as in obligatory, but I do in many cases believe it is better
only because yes it is the Masaajid of Allaah and for women the more privacy they have the better they will be able to concentrate. And it also seems to be presumed that I'm blaming the women and not even glancing at the males, but the thing yes --
men will be accountable if they wrongly look at women, inside the Masjid or outside. However, whilst inside why bother being that distraction for lewd or wayward minded guys, or give shaytaan a chance to attack others?
So yes, being such that it was in the time of the Messenger of Allaah it doesnt matter what anyone says - it is definitely
allowed.
4) Can it be in another room? -- Yes it
can be however that is at times difficult only because you cannot have anyone see the Imaam if needed. Now some people put a sliding barrier which they open up slightly in times of Salaah, or have a way to see the Imaam which makes things easier but again it all depends on the situation at the masjid itself. Certain places don't have the space or accommodations to be able to do such a thing so they do have scrumpy places for women, and that's something that needs to be worked out inshaAllaah within the individual communities if possible.
5) In the back? -- Yes, there is always a certain order to things in Islaam. At first glance feminists might feel like this is a back of the bus degrading sort of thing to women - but truly it's not at all. Various places have various designations for different people, not for purposes of discrimination, but rather ease and order. In a masjid the women pray towards the back of the masjid going forward and the men from the front coming backwards. That leaves spaces in between for filling in, and the men wont be tempted to look, or wont see the backsides of the women.
6) Different doors? -- Some people say this is good and better as again it lets women and men go their ways without bumping into each other, having issues getting through and by etc. Is it required? Not necessarily - does it make things easier many times? Yes.
7) Stay at home? -- If you wish. For women it is not required that they come to the masjid. If they want to, then that is fine inshaAllaah, but we have many responsibilities and duties which at times prevent us from being able to attend the masjid, so Allaah has lifted the burden of obligation from us, and has given us the ability to gain the same reward in our own homes as long as we pray with sincerity.
:salam2:
Otherwise, I think the arguments of sister Samiha are quite shallow. When we take our deen from the Prophet and the salaf, we never alter it to fit our state of imaan. Neither did the Prophet tell us any formula, how to dimension the laws of Islam according to the level of imaan of the society. I am sorry sister Samiha, I dont buy that.
wa 'alaykum salaam wa rahmatullah
I am sorry you find my words shallow, May Allaah grant me more knowledge so that I am able to express myself in a more understandable manner. I have not much more to say about this matter and leave you with the words of our mother 'Aisha radiAllaahu anha :
It was proven that ‘Amrah bint ‘Abd al-Rahmaan said: I heard ‘Aa’ishah, the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), say: “If the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had seen the way the women are behaving, he would have forbidden them to go to the mosque as the women of the Children of Israel were forbidden.” It was said to ‘Amrah: Were the women of the Children of Israel forbidden to go to the mosque? She said: Yes.
Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh.
The only thing I have been trying to say is that behavior, comportment, hayaa' is all part of the conditions of being in and around the masjid, and sometimes I feel it is
better if people cannot adhere to them - be they men or women - that there is a separation to prevent any consequences thereof.
Samiha - You're bringing up a specific example which has nothing to do with the general point being made. Every community should evaluate their own space and capacity in order to accommodate as many people as possible.
I completely agree with Saif. He said it much better than I could. It has been said that women are not the same as women were back when, so the rules should be changed. Well, men aren't the same either. Muslims in general are nothing like the Prophet and the Muslim men around at that time. Does that mean we change every rule and every example to fit what we THINK is proper for today? If so, we have a lot more to change than just what room people are in when they pray.
The example I gave was not directly related to the topic, but merely pointing out that it wasn't a case of disrespect in many circumstances but rather often lack of ability or capacity which prevents women getting better accommodations. I was trying to show it wasn't disrespect, because it was a personal case.
Does that mean that in some places they don't disrespect women? No... I've seen in Bangladesh myself when I went some people found the idea of a woman going to a masjid as preposterous or ridiculous. However I am not the owner of such people, we have the Qur'aan and Sunnah and the allowance for women to go so Alhamdulillah we stick with that. If we can teach others - use hikmah and understanding that's wonderful... but to go on a feminist parade about it? I don't see it as correct.
As for the final point, are men the same? Of course not. I apologize that I did not mention the men in my previous posts. It was only because it was the women who were protesting that I mentioned them mainly. But of course it also applies to the men, and if they know the conditions of the masaajid, and how to behave when there are women around. It is a responsibility on either end, not solely for the women and not only for the men, a cooperation on either spectrum. Now I suppose the real questions come to us.
Do we understand the conditions of the masjid? If the answer is yes, then walhamdulillah then may Allaah bless all of you and increase you in khayr, for whatever part of the masjid you pray in, as you will adhere to what is correct. Be it in the same room or otherwise.
If we dont understand or know them then this gives us a chance or opportunity to inshaAllaah ... so that we will be able to hold our heads high with dignity as Muslims where ever we pray inshaAllaah.
A post was made before outlining some of them:
Going to Masjid
BarakAllaahu feekum for all of everyone's input. We should not put anyone down because of things they may or may not be used to, and we ourselves should look to our own actions and evaluate them. I pray Allaah guides us all to the truth and what is good. Again forgive me for any misgivings that may have transpired.
wasalam
