On Friday, March 18, 2005, Dr. Amina Wadud, professor of Islamic studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, will be the first woman to lead a public, mixed-gender Friday prayer. She will also deliver the Friday sermon. Dr. Wadud, the author of the groundbreaking book Qur’an and Woman: Rereading the Sacred Text from a Woman’s Perspective, is an esteemed scholar of Islam who affirms the right of Muslim women to be prayer leaders. It is a generally held view in the Muslim world and in the American Muslim community that women cannot lead mixed-gender prayer. This custom is pervasive and goes unchallenged. Research from the Qur’an and the customs of Prophet Muhammad demonstrate that there is no prohibition precluding women from leading mixed-gender prayer and, further, that Prophet Muhammad approved the practice of women leading mixed-gender prayer. **Over the centuries, Muslim women have lost their place as intellectual and spiritual leaders **
*[Note from Faisal: How are they connecting American Muslim Community with “over the centuries” comment. Seems a stretched attempt to connect disjointed political statements]. *
On March 18, 2005 Muslim women will reclaim their right to be spiritual equals and leaders. Women will move from the space tradition has relegated them in the back of the mosque and pray in the front rows.
[Note from Faisal: And that will presumably put them on track to be intellectual and spiritual leaders?]
Faisal, I was taught that women cannot lead prayers as Imams. I will have to do some research to find out a bit more.
I do agree with you, how is this going to open up the door for spirtual and intellectual leadership for women?
Women can not lead mixed gathering of prayers. That is an agreed upon ruling by all the school of thoughts based on AUTHENTIC words of the prophet:saw:.
I wonder if the above mentioned people believe in ahaadeeth.
^ ofourse they can and WILL. Who the heck gave the right to 'rule' on anything to these stupid mullah school of non-thoghts? And did the prophet come and tell you that? even if he did, it is one of those things where he will have a change of mind. so there.
The First Muslim Woman on Record to Lead Mixed-Gender Prayer<<
Research from the Qur'an and the customs of Prophet Muhammad demonstrate that there is no prohibition precluding women from leading mixed-gender prayer and, further, that Prophet Muhammad approved the practice of women leading mixed-gender prayer.
The 50 years old joint venture of CIA and Saudia will come to end very soon. Its going to bite Wahabism back, very bitterly. And I am talking in general, not just this 'innovation'.
I've been told that women can't lead mixed prayers but if it's all women at some gathering then there is nothing wrong with that. I mean even then what is the point?
I think there was a thread on this subject…
There are some reports that women lead the prayers at the time of prophet (pbuh). I am not sure it was mixed or for ladies only
I believe Al Tabari (d. 310 AH) is one of a rarity of scholars who held that it is permissible for a woman to be the imam in prayer in absolute terms, i.e. for both women and men (not sure at this time if he stipulates certain conditions however). This differs with the overriding majority view. One reason for the slight disagreement is based on how to understand the following report (which i’ve abridged):-
"When the Prophet (saw) proceeded to the battle of Al Badr…
Umm Waraqa sought permission from the Prophet (saw) to have a mu’azin in her house.
He (saw) appointed a mu’azin to make the call to prayer in her house, and he commanded her to lead the people of her house in prayer.
Abd Al Rahman said, ‘I saw her mu’azin and he was an old man.’"
(See Sunan Abu Dawud, Vol. 1, #591 and #592)
A couple of initial thoughts:-
It’s not too farfetched to assume that “the people of her house” would include men as well. Someone could counter by saying that since everyone was leaving for Al Badr there wouldn’t be any men (except old men and young boys) left behind so that’s why she was allowed to lead the prayer. This would entail that the Prophet’s (saw) command and the permission granted to her was of a temporary nature and that once the men returned it no longer applied. The onus here would be on the claimant to prove that the command/permission was later rescinded.
Again, it is not too farfetched to assume that the “old man” who made the call to prayer joined them in the salah as well.
If I recall, i think the conclusion drawn by Al Sanani (d. 1182 AH) in his work Subul al Salam is probably the most agreeable. Rather than taking the report to grant permission to women in absolute terms it should be taken to mean that she may lead the “people of her house” (males included) or any other mahrams in prayer but not non-mahrams (unless elderly).
God don’t you people get tired of this Mullah Bashing thingy??? I am just sick of it now. Enough. Please accept the fact that they are much more better muslims and much more educated than ALL of us!!
Liberalism and FemiNazism are slowly taking over Muslim Americans. It never happened before and it’s totally unacceptable for a woman to lead men in prayer
Instead of all the namecalling and bashing, lets actually provide quran and sunnah proof for or against this topic as a few members have already done.
Without that all you folks claiming its ok for women to lead the prayer in a mixed gathering is just a bunch of hooplah... So yeah, bring out the evidence and present it.
