WHY ARE WOMEN, NOT ALLOWED IN THE MOSQUE?

"ANSWER BY DR ZAKIR NAIK"

The question asked is, why are not women, allowed in the Mosque – And in brief, it is difficult. There is no statement in the QURAN  or the Sahih Hadith, which prevents women from entering the Mosque.

Some people quote a particular Hadith, and say that the Prophet said… ‘It is better for the women to pray in the house, than the Mosque – It is better for her to pray in the house, in her inner room, than in her house’. They are taking hold only of one source, and neglecting all the other sources.

You should realize the context of this Hadith. Prophet Mohammed also said that…  ‘When you pray in the Mosque in congregation, you get 27 times, more Sawab. So a lady questioned Prophet Mohammed… ‘We have got infants, we have got household work… how can we go to the Mosque?’ – So in reply to this, the Prophet said that…‘If a lady prays in the house, it is better than the Mosque – It is preferable for her to pray in the room, than the house’ – If she has infants or problems, then she will get the same Sawab There are several Hadiths which indicate that women were never prevented from entering the Mosque.

There is a Hadith which says that…‘Prevent not the servant of Allah, who are females, from entering the Mosque. Another Hadith says… ‘The Prophet ordained the husbands, that if your wives want to go to the Mosques, do not prevent them – And severalHadiths are there, I will not go to the details. But Islam gives permission for a woman to enter the Mosque – But there are separate and equal facilities

We do not believe in intermingling of sexes. Why we do not believe… as the question was asked earlier.If we have intermingling of sexes…and as we know what happens in the other Religious places – People come more for to Eve teasing and bird watching, than to pray. Therefore, Islam does not believe in intermingling of sexes. There are separate entrances for man and woman – separate places of ‘Wuduh’, ablution, for man and woman. Man and woman are made to stand separately, and a woman cannot stand in the front, because… because if a woman stands in front, but natural the man behind will be disturbed. In Islam when we pray, we stand shoulder to shoulder – And the medical doctors, they tell us that… ‘The female has 1 degree higher… one degree higher temperature.’ If you have a lady next to you, you will feel warm and soft – Instead of concentrating… instead of concentrating on Allah (SWT), you concentrate on the lady.

That is why in Islam, the women have to stand behind. You go to Saudi Arabia… women are allowed in the Mosque, you go to London… women are allowed in the Mosque, you go to America… women are allowed in the Mosque – It is only in India, that they are prevented, and a few countries close by. You go to the Haram-Sharif in Mecca, in Masjid-e-Nabwi, they are allowed. But Al-Hamdullillah there are few Mosques in India, even in Bombay, which have started allowing women in the Mosque – Hope the other Mosques will follow.