Can Women Lead Men in Prayer? Understanding the Islamic View
On social media, many times we have seen pictures of women leading men in prayer. However, in this artificial world, it is hard to trust such things. Nevertheless, there have been two instances where the matter of women leading men in prayer surfaced, and these incidents were met with severe criticism from the Muslim world. The first instance was when the African-American new Muslim, Dr. Amina Wadud, led a congregation of over 100 people in prayer in New York, including both men, women, and children. The second instance occurred when a woman named Raheel Raza led Friday prayers at an Islamic center in Oxford, Canada, where both men and women participated. Recently, there has been a third instance in the news, when a Muslim woman, Jamitha, the General Secretary of the Quran and Sunnah Society, led both men and women in Friday prayers in a Muslim-majority district of Kerala. According to reports, the congregation consisted of around 80 people.
Jamitha, in an interview with news reporters, stated that the Quran teaches equality, and there is no prohibition against women leading prayers. A similar statement was made by Dr. Amina Wadud in her interview. In other words, the argument for a woman leading prayer is that there is equality between men and women, and Islam does not prohibit women from leading prayer.
Before addressing this issue, it is important to understand that the trial (fitnah) caused by women is one of the most dangerous and extraordinary ones in the world. When a fitnah arises due to a woman or is spread by a woman, it becomes extremely difficult to contain the destruction it causes. The Prophet ﷺ said:
ما تركتُ بعدي فتنةً أضرَّ على الرجالِ من النساءِ (صحيح البخاري: 5096)
Translation: “I have not left after me a fitnah more harmful to men than women.”
Islam has granted women rights and privileges similar to those of men. In no way has Islam prohibited women from receiving reward for their actions, their effort, charity, piety, or worship and dealings. However, just as Allah has made certain physical and natural differences between men and women, He has also differentiated between them in certain religious and social matters, which suit their inherent nature.
Many people in our society raise the slogan that Islam is a religion of equality, but the real slogan should be that Islam is a religion of justice, as Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen (رحمه الله) rightly said. There is equality between men and women in certain matters, while in others, there is a difference. Therefore, the slogan of complete equality should not be raised. As for the liberal, Westernized views that claim there should be total equality between men and women—that women should be autonomous, be leaders, and be present in every department, organization, institution, or community—this is an unnatural ideology. This mindset has led to the promotion of alcohol, indecency, promiscuity, and a disregard for modesty, all of which stem from this flawed notion.
Leadership is the right of men alone; thus, no woman can be the leader of a country or community, nor can she be a leader of men. In matters of testimony, two women equal one man; in inheritance, a woman’s share is half that of a man’s. Women must observe full hijab, while men’s awrah extends only from the navel to the knees. Men can marry up to four women, while women can be married to only one man at a time. Silk and gold are permissible for women but forbidden for men. Friday prayers are not obligatory for women, nor is it obligatory for them to attend the mosque for congregational prayers, as their most virtuous prayer is in their homes.
Despite all these differences, there is equality between men and women in many areas of worship and dealings, such as in wudu (ablution), ghusl (ritual purification), prayer, fasting, Hajj, and zakah. There are only minor differences in some rulings, while most things are identical. Allah says:
وَلا تَتَمَنَّوْا مَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ لِلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا اكْتَسَبُوا وَلِلنِّسَاءِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا اكْتَسَبْنَ وَاسْأَلُوا اللَّهَ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيماً (النساء: 32)
Translation: “And do not wish for that by which Allah has made some of you exceed others. For men is a share of what they have earned, and for women is a share of what they have earned. And ask Allah of His bounty. Indeed, Allah is ever, of all things, Knowing.”
Here, the issue is resolved: there is no complete equality between men and women. This is a natural reality, and anyone who opposes this is going against nature. No matter how much the world tries, they cannot make men and women identical in every way. Women will have menstruation, pregnancy, and childbirth, which men do not experience. The difference in their natural composition is a reality that even the greatest scientists cannot erase. In Western countries, where equality is promoted, have they managed to stop men from growing beards or made women grow beards? How can they establish equality in everything? It is impossible to alter nature.
Now, it is evident from the texts that a woman can lead only other women in prayer, whether it is an obligatory or a voluntary prayer, but a woman cannot lead men in prayer—even if she is married, she cannot lead her own husband in prayer. How, then, can an unrelated woman lead an unrelated man in prayer?
A man is the leader of women, and just as a woman cannot be a leader of men in worldly matters, she cannot be an imam or leader in prayer. Women can only attend the mosque as followers (muqtadi), and a separate mosque for women cannot be established. The rules for women attending the mosque are clear: they must avoid actions that may lead to fitnah, such as wearing perfume, speaking loudly, or even raising their voice to correct the imam. Women should not be in the first row of prayer; it is better for them to be in the last row.
A woman cannot lead men in prayer—this is the divine decree and the command of the Prophet ﷺ. This has been the practice of Muslims for fourteen centuries. Those who talk about women’s rights and try to use the excuse of equality to spread fitnah in Islam by encouraging women to lead prayer need to understand that worship is a prescribed matter. It requires evidence for what should be done, not for what should not be done. Even if Islamic law does not explicitly prohibit women from leading men in prayer, its clear teachings indicate that women cannot lead men in prayer. One hadith is sufficient to clarify this:
التسبيحُ للرجالِ، والتصفيحُ للنساءِ (صحيح البخاري: 1204)
Translation: “Taspih (saying ‘Subhan Allah’) is for men, and tasfih (clapping) is for women.”
This hadith clearly indicates that women cannot raise their voice in prayer in the presence of men. If a woman cannot make even a slight sound to correct the imam, how can she lead the prayer?
I am amazed that the matter of leadership in prayer is a purely Islamic issue, and it has nothing to do with non-Muslims. All the scholars, including the Imams of the Salaf and Khalaf, are in unanimous agreement that a woman cannot lead men in prayer. So, what kind of Muslims are those who want to create such fitnah using women? Do they have no religion, or are these women falling prey to the schemes of non-Muslims? May Allah protect us.
Imam Nawawi رحمه الله, in his al-Majmu Sharh al-Muhadhdhab*, after mentioning a weak narration regarding women leading men in prayer from the companion Jabir رضي الله عنه, writes: “Our scholars agree that it is not permissible for a woman to lead men, whether in obligatory or voluntary prayers, even in Taraweeh or any other nawafil.” This is the stance of our madhhab and the consensus of the majority of scholars from both the early and later generations. Additionally, al-Bayhaqi mentions from the seven jurists of Medina, including Imam Malik, Imam Abu Hanifah, Sufyan, Imam Ahmad, and Dawood, that this is their view as well. (*al-Majmu Sharh al-Muhadhdhab, Kitab al-Salah, Fasl Imamat al-Mar’ah fi al-Salah)
It is claimed that Umm Waraqah رضي الله عنها used to lead the women in her community, and this is sometimes cited as evidence. However, this claim is inaccurate. While it is true that she led the women in prayer, the reports from Abu Dawood and Darqutni explicitly state that no men, including the muezzin, participated in her leadership. Thus, it is not permissible for a Muslim woman to lead men in prayer. What happened in Kerala requires strict action so that this fitnah does not rise again.
By MAQUBOOL AHMAD SALAFI
Islamic Dawah Center, Northern Taif (Misrah)