Re: Woman leads Muslim prayer service in Toronto
I hail from toronto.
I think the mosque in question is actually a “progressive muslim” community center. If it is, then aside from female-led prayers, they have also been known to publicize and organize mixed-geneder (male/female shoulder to shoulder) congregations.
Asra Nomani and Dr. Aminah Wadud have also been doing the same. They’re all a part of the same organization.
Now, let’s all relax and look at this academically.
Is there a case for female led prayers? In fact, yes…a “weak” (but plausible) hadith in which Umm Waraqah was commanded by the Prophet (pbuh) to lead her community in prayer while most of the able menfolk were off to war.
There are a lot of other arguments posited, mostly along the lines of lack of explicit prohibition.
It must be said that the reasons typically offered by traditional scholars to bar women from leading prayers are also tangential to Islamic sources, and often rely on pop-psycology.
BUT…prayer is a core ritual, and the single (weak) account of Umm Waraqah leadinging prayer even in the context of the hadith was extrodinary. I’d suggest that for such an important ritual, we’d leave it as it was practiced for most of the Prophet’s life. For such important rituals, I’d think we shouldn’t play around. And let’s just leave it at that rather than disparage our sisters…it’s nothing personal, we’re just trying to be like our beloved Prophet…that’s all.
For the pro-female led stance, see:
http://www.pmuna.org/archives/2005/04/hina_azams_crit.php#more
For an academic rebuke, see:
This is a sensitive issue, so guys let’s not be pigs. I may not pray behind a sister, but I’d gladly lay my life for her…let’s prioritize things right for once.
…more later, once I’m rested up.
And people complain that saudi lwas are too strict.
