Can Women Pray Outside?

Question:

Assalamu ‘Alaykum.

Someone told me that women should not pray outside in public because it would be inappropriate for non-mahram men to see them bowing and prostrating.
She then told me that women are allowed to pray sitting in the car for this reason if they do not have the opportunity to still get to the mosque during prayer time.
What is the correct view in Islam?

Answer:

Wa ‘alaykum assalam wa rahmatullah wa brakatuh.

I pray you are well.

No, women’s prayer is not immodest, and it is not inappropriate for them to pray publicly. The dress of Muslim ladies is modest, the bowing is minimal, and the sujud ensures the body is in the least visible position. How is this inappropriate?

Ladies have been praying in public since the Prophet’s time (Allah bless him and give him peace). There are millions of ladies at the Hajj, and they don’t have special provision for their prayer there, do they?

It wouldn’t be permissible to sit and pray in a car without a genuine need. For that, I suggest you recommend to your friend to study the laws of the prayer in detail. We have many free courses available. It will make things very clear.

May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.
Abdul-Rahim

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History, he moved to Damascus in 2007, where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital. He was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.