The Place of Women’s Prayer in the Mosque
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Fatwa No. ( 19175 )
Q: We are writing to you from New Zealand , from the capital city of ( Wellington ), where the Muslim community here is on the verge of starting the
project of the Wellington Capital City Mosque , which – if Allah wills – will accommodate ( 955 ) worshippers, but a question was raised during the last discussion session regarding the signing of the project’s commencement, which is: If it is possible for all the worshippers to be on a single floor of the mosque, which is easily available, is it permissible to place the women on a second floor of the mosque? Some of our colleagues said: The second floor poses a danger to the children, and it is contrary to the Sunnah, where the women are behind the children, on a single floor, and on the same ground floor. They say that we pray and above our heads are women in the same mosque; this has not been reported in the Sunnah. We are aware that we are able to build the mosque on a single ground floor, with a rear section to accommodate the women, so that everyone is on a single floor. We ask you to inform us of the correct opinion according to what has been reported in the Sunnah, knowing that we will act in accordance with what comes in your fatwa.
A: If the mosque is made a single ground floor where everyone, men and women, pray, and the women are behind the men, that is better and more convenient for the worshippers, and it is in accordance with the Sunnah. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: We are writing to you from New Zealand , from the capital city of ( Wellington ), where the Muslim community here is on the verge of starting the
project of the Wellington Capital City Mosque , which – if Allah wills – will accommodate ( 955 ) worshippers, but a question was raised during the last discussion session regarding the signing of the project’s commencement, which is: If it is possible for all the worshippers to be on a single floor of the mosque, which is easily available, is it permissible to place the women on a second floor of the mosque? Some of our colleagues said: The second floor poses a danger to the children, and it is contrary to the Sunnah, where the women are behind the children, on a single floor, and on the same ground floor. They say that we pray and above our heads are women in the same mosque; this has not been reported in the Sunnah. We are aware that we are able to build the mosque on a single ground floor, with a rear section to accommodate the women, so that everyone is on a single floor. We ask you to inform us of the correct opinion according to what has been reported in the Sunnah, knowing that we will act in accordance with what comes in your fatwa.
A: If the mosque is made a single ground floor where everyone, men and women, pray, and the women are behind the men, that is better and more convenient for the worshippers, and it is in accordance with the Sunnah. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.