i actually like this idea. a place for women only where they can discuss matters relating to muslim women in their community. i dont like the idea of women imamat as it goes against the idea of islam but a community center isn’t a bad idea. there are many muslim women scholars who can teach and solve lot of problems for muslim women today. i dont know about india or anywhere else in the world. but i know that women gather in one place ..give out dars and discuss issues and questions with knowledgable muslim women scholars. i know this happens among our relatives here in canada and in pakistan but i dont know if it is common in other areas of the world.
i dont know about the concepts in church or synagogues. but as for working together in the mosque cud be hard because of the segregation and pardah issue. plus there are so many things women would want to know which they cannot ask a male imam due to sharam o haya factor. it is just easier to discuss some issues with a knowledged female rather than a male sometimes.
like in the dars or meeting sessions i have been to, women discuss lot of things regarding their health or general myths or other problems that they cannot discuss in a mixed gender gathering. its pretty interesting and very educating from islamic point of view.
I see. But didn’t women use to ask Muhammad about Islam? Or did they ask his wives? I thought separation in mosques was only for prayer, but I guess its for talking to males as well. I understand your point about the asking a knowledgable female for female questions, but couldn’t that be done in the same mosque in the separate room that they have for women? Is a completely separate mosque really that necessary?
yes women did ask Muhammad (pbuh) about islam because no one else had any knowledge about islam at that time. later women asked his wives and daughter when they needed to know something. if can be done in the same mosque depending upon the size and the capacity. most of the time the women sections are very small in the mosque, cud be hard for women to gather.
dars umm.. i guess it can mean ‘preaching’ ( i am not sure). basically one or more scholars talk about islam and their issues and answer questions asked by audiences.
Here in the US inmost Islamic centers men and women work together within the boundaries of islam. I am the VP at one of these Islamic centers in Michigan. And my office secretary is a sister. Many sisters in our dawah committee our at the forefront. We have 2 full fledged study circles run only by sister inside the center. Our school that is upto high school is run by a sister. However they all understand that Allah or His messenger never suggested a woman be an Imam. So the islamic center for women is fine but really it is the co-existence that should be worked out rather than a seperation. Islamic boundaries can be maintained and both sexes can be active members of the islamic society!
yes women did ask Muhammad (pbuh) about islam because no one else had any knowledge about islam at that time. later women asked his wives and daughter when they needed to know something.
Absolutely NOT. That is the most ridiculous thing I've heard. Women would go specifically to the wives of the Prophet if they had to ask questions about menstruation, and sex and such - as in going up and showing their pad/cloth to ask if their menstruation is finished so they can pray. Obviously they're not going to go up to the Prophet with that sort of thing.
But in all general matters, there was no segregation in that sense. Even when Islam really began flourishing later in the Prophet's life. You do know that women even fought alongside men during the wars?
This is typical desi mentality confusing Islam and paindoo village culture.
I think Muslim women observed hijaab when going in public or when speaking to Prophet Muhammad (SAW). There is even a hadith that states how women would come for prayer (may be Fajr it was) and would return home unrecognized because of their hijaab.
Could you please name the wars where Muslim women have fought alongside men? I’m asking for the sake of general knowledge. I thought Muslim women during the time of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) nursed the wounded during the battles if they were part of it.
Islamic boundaries can be maintained and both sexes can be active members of the islamic society!