Is It Permissible for a Woman to Lead a Congregation of Women in Prayer?
Answered by Shaykh Dr. Basem Hussayn Itani
Question
Is it permissible for a woman to lead a congregation of women in prayer?
Answer
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. Blessings and peace be upon the Imam of the God-fearing, his family, and all his companions:
The Ruling for a Woman Leading Women in Prayer
In the Hanafi School, it is disliked for a woman to lead a congregation of women in prayer, whether the prayer is obligatory or supererogatory, except in the funeral prayer. If a woman leads women in prayer, she should stand in the middle of them, though the prayer remains disliked. However, the prayer is not invalidated if she stands in front of them like the congregation of men.
The Meaning of “Dislike of Prohibition” (Karaha Tahrimiyya)
The well-known view in the books of the school here is that this is the dislike of prohibition (karaha tahrimiyya). This means that the one who does the action is sinful, and the one who abstains is rewarded, though its prohibition is less than the forbidden. Nevertheless, if they pray in this manner, they are sinful, and if they leave it, they are rewarded for that. [al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya]
The Reason behind the Ruling
The ruling is such because a woman may encounter conditions such as menstruation and postnatal bleeding, where she does not pray or fast, so she cannot fulfill the right of leadership in these times. Also, the call to prayer (adhan) and the establishment of prayer (iqama) are disliked for women because they are public announcements.
The dislike also stems from the fact that these acts are imitating the acts of men in leadership. Leadership is a specifically masculine quality.
Additionally, men may hear the women’s loud recitation, leading to temptation (fitna). Their congregation in the mosque may lead to separation from the men’s congregation, and no scholar has stated the permissibility of that.
A Case for the Dislike of Preference (Karaha Tanzihiyya)
However, after some investigation into this matter, we find that some expert scholars in the Hanafi School held the opinion that a woman leading women has a dislike of preference (karaha tanzihiyya). This means that leaving it off is better than doing it.
Those who hold this opinion have multiple evidences, including that our dear beloved mother Aisha led women in obligatory prayer, as did our mother Umm Salama (Allah be pleased with them). Their act indicates the permissibility for the sake of teaching, or for demonstrating its permissibility. [Kamal ibn al-Humam, Fath al-Qadir; Zafar Ahmad al-Thanawi, I‘la al-Sunan]
Conclusion
Only some narrations about the female Companions who did that have been authentically reported. Their congregation was not established as a customary practice for them despite the presence of motivations to attain its virtues. The fact that this practice was nearly abandoned in that era is an indication that they did not deem it preferable, and this is what is intended by it being disliked, meaning it is contrary to preference.
And Allah, Glorified and Exalted, knows best.
[Shaykh] Dr. Basem Hussayn Itani
Shaykh Dr. Bassem Hussayn Itani was born in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1965. He earned his Ph.D. in Islamic Studies in 2005. Among his mentors were Shaykh Muhammad Taha Sukkar, Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, Shaykh Mulla Abdul ‘Alim al-Zinki, Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri, Shaykh Abdul Razzaq al-Halabi, Shaykh Dr. Mustafa Dib al-Bugha, Shaykh Dr. Wahba al-Zuhayli, Dr. Muhammad al-Zuhayli, and others, may Allah have mercy on them all.
Shaykh Itani has a rich background in both academic and administrative fields. He has held significant positions in many governmental and non-governmental institutions in Lebanon and abroad. This includes his role as a member of the Academic Committee at SeekersGuidance and a senior teacher with the free online global seminary.
From 2020 to 2021, he served as the Dean of the College of Da‘wa – University for Islamic Studies (Lebanon) – Postgraduate Studies. He was the Director of Dar Iqra for Islamic Sciences from 1998 to 2018. Shaykh Itani is a well-versed teacher in several academic subjects, including Fiqh, Usul, Aqida, and Tafsir. He has supervised and examined numerous Master’s and Doctoral theses at various universities and colleges in Lebanon.
His contributions to Islamic sciences are also evident in his writings and research. His notable works include “The Relied-upon Statements of Imam Zufar in the Hanafi School,” “Collective Ijtihad: The Sublimity of Thought in the 21st Century,” and “Custom and its Impact in Islamic Jurisprudence.” Shaykh Itani has actively participated in numerous scientific conferences and seminars, both in Lebanon and internationally. He is linguistically adept, excelling in Arabic, proficient in French, and comfortably conversant in English.
