What is the ruling on a woman in ihram praying in the mosque and leaving her house?
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The questioner : Or for the Friday prayer.
The Shaykh : Yes. I say that it is better for a woman to pray in her house, whether she is in ihram or not. It is better for her to pray at home. Even here, in the Sacred Mosque, it is better for a woman to pray in her house. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in Madinah:Sunan Abi Dawud 566 and their houses are better for them. He is the one who said Jami` at-Tirmidhi 325Sahih (Darussalam) regarding everything else except the Sacred Mosque. So, for a woman in Madinah, is it better for her to pray in the Prophet’s Mosque or in her house? In her house. Likewise, here it is better for a woman to pray in her house. We are very sorry to see women now pushing aside men for a lesser matter, which is her praying in the Sacred Mosque. We say that her praying in her house is better, and there is no doubt about this. We say this based on the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). As for coming and pushing aside men, harming men, and stepping over their necks, as we have witnessed and perhaps you have witnessed, this is contrary to the Sunnah and contrary to what is befitting for a woman. The best place for a woman on earth is her house, as Allah the Exalted said: "And remain in your houses." As for the woman in ihram, it is not permissible for her to leave her husband’s house, in which she is residing after his death, except for a valid excuse. She does not leave to visit her relatives, to visit a sick person, or for any other reason, except for dire necessity. For dire necessity, such as needing treatment, needing to provide testimony in court, or something similar. In that case, there is no harm. She goes out during the day, otherwise she remains in her house. This is part of the mercy and justice of Islam, because her staying in her house, in a furnished room with a carpet and comfort, is better, without a doubt. She prays on the roof and goes out to the courtyard; there is no obstacle. This is a thousand times better than what women used to do in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. Do you know what they did in the pre-Islamic age when a husband died?
Yes, she stays in a small, dilapidated house. That is, in a bad house, a small tent in the house, for a full year. She does not bathe and does not touch water, and the blood of menstruation has filled her nose, and the bad smells remain in this place for how long? A full year. And when she comes out after the year, she takes a camel dung. Do you know what camel dung is? I think you do? Camel dung means what comes out of the rear of a camel. She takes a camel dung and throws it. A sign of what? That her staying in this bad, dilapidated place is easier for her than being thrown with camel dung.
This was the case in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is only four months and ten days," andSunan an-Nasa'i 3540Sahih (Darussalam), meaning, why should you not be patient for four months and ten days? How long is the waiting period for a woman whose husband has died? If she is pregnant, it is until she gives birth. If she is not pregnant, what is it? Four months and ten days. If a pregnant woman gives birth before her husband is washed, her waiting period ends and her mourning ends. For this reason, it is possible for a woman whose husband has died to marry before he is buried. Is this possible or not? Legally, it is possible, but usually it is not possible, because if she gives birth after the death of her husband, even by a moment, the waiting period and the mourning end. And if the pregnancy remains in her womb for ten months, she stays for ten months. The important point is to say that it is not permissible for a woman in ihram to leave her house except for what? This story?
The Shaykh : Yes. I say that it is better for a woman to pray in her house, whether she is in ihram or not. It is better for her to pray at home. Even here, in the Sacred Mosque, it is better for a woman to pray in her house. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in Madinah:
Do not prevent the female servant your women from visiting the mosques of Allah.
لا تمنعوا إماء الله مساجد اللهSalat is this Masjid of mine is better than a thousand Salat
صلاة في مسجدي هذا خير من ألف صلاةYes, she stays in a small, dilapidated house. That is, in a bad house, a small tent in the house, for a full year. She does not bathe and does not touch water, and the blood of menstruation has filled her nose, and the bad smells remain in this place for how long? A full year. And when she comes out after the year, she takes a camel dung. Do you know what camel dung is? I think you do? Camel dung means what comes out of the rear of a camel. She takes a camel dung and throws it. A sign of what? That her staying in this bad, dilapidated place is easier for her than being thrown with camel dung.
This was the case in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is only four months and ten days," and
One of you used to throw a piece of dung after a year had passed
كانت إحداكن ترمي بالبعرة على رأس الحول
Source
قناة «فضيلة الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين»، 4 - 45 - دروس وفتاوى المسجد الحرام للعام 1417 هـ - الدرس الرابع - الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.
