The danger of women crowding men in the Sacred Mosque
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The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. After this, a message was sent by a listener named Muhammad al-Muqbil from Riyadh. The brother Muhammad presents an issue, saying: I would like to bring to your attention an important matter, which is what I see every year in the blessed month of Ramadan when I go to perform 'Umrah and spend some days there. I see many women, may Allah guide them, striving to perform all the obligatory prayers in the Sacred Mosque, which exposes them to harassment by men in the passageways and when entering and exiting the Haram. He says this is contrary to the Shari'ah, because as far as he knows, a woman's prayer in her home is better than her prayer in the mosque. However, these issues are often debated by some women, who say that their prayer in the Haram is equivalent to a hundred thousand prayers, and they do not want to lose this great virtue, unlike their prayer in their apartment. I ask you to clarify this matter and whether you suggest specific solutions so that women are safe from mixing and crowding with men? May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh:
There is no doubt that crowding involves danger and fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), and the sins that may occur in it may be more than the reward obtained from 'Umrah and prayer in the Sacred Mosque.
The sin is greater if fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) occurs, or if there is crowding and evil between men and women. There is no doubt that 'Umrah is mustahabb (recommended), not obligatory. If committing forbidden acts and sins results from the recommended 'Umrah, then 'Umrah is not permissible in this case, because the harm and loss are greater than the benefit. Also, regarding the questioner's statement about some women saying that prayer in the Sacred Mosque is equal to a hundred thousand prayers: Yes, this is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). However, this is not specific to the Sacred Mosque around the Ka'bah, but it is general for the entire Haram, praise be to Allah. So, prayer in the Haram receives this great multiplication. The woman is commanded to pray in her home, whether in the Haram or elsewhere; her prayer in her home is better for her, to avoid fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Abi Dawud 566 This is general for Makkah and other places. So, the woman's home is better for her. The reward she gets by going out to pray in the Haram is obtained by her praying in her apartment, because it is inside the Haram. Also, her prayer in her apartment or home provides cover for her, protection for her, and safety from sins and risks. Also, specifying Ramadan for 'Umrah and the people's rush to it, as if it were Hajj, as if it were the Hajj season, this causes crowding, causes fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), and causes the loose behavior of women and children in the streets day and night, and their being lost and the lack of supervision by their guardians. These are fitnahs (trials, discords or temptations) and warnings. And 'Umrah, praise be to Allah, is prescribed in every year, not specific to Ramadan; it is prescribed in all months and every year. So, a person should choose times when there is no crowding if he is going with women; he should choose times when there is no crowding, even if it is not in Ramadan, and he will obtain the reward and recompense, if Allah wills. The result is that 'Umrah in Ramadan is mustahabb (recommended) and has virtue, but if it leads to sins and fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), then leaving it is better than doing it. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. He also wants some solutions, such as designating specific doors for women to enter and designating a part of the Sacred Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque for women to remain in without mixing with men, and so on, Shaykh Salih.
The Shaykh:
All of this exists, praise be to Allah. Places have been designated for women in the two mosques, the Sacred Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, and specific entrances have been designated for them, but the issue is discipline,
The presenter:
We seek help from Allah.
The Shaykh:
and a person's striving for safety; this is the issue; because some people do not care, so responsibility is lost in that case. Yes?
The presenter:
May Allah.
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. After this, a message was sent by a listener named Muhammad al-Muqbil from Riyadh. The brother Muhammad presents an issue, saying: I would like to bring to your attention an important matter, which is what I see every year in the blessed month of Ramadan when I go to perform 'Umrah and spend some days there. I see many women, may Allah guide them, striving to perform all the obligatory prayers in the Sacred Mosque, which exposes them to harassment by men in the passageways and when entering and exiting the Haram. He says this is contrary to the Shari'ah, because as far as he knows, a woman's prayer in her home is better than her prayer in the mosque. However, these issues are often debated by some women, who say that their prayer in the Haram is equivalent to a hundred thousand prayers, and they do not want to lose this great virtue, unlike their prayer in their apartment. I ask you to clarify this matter and whether you suggest specific solutions so that women are safe from mixing and crowding with men? May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh:
There is no doubt that crowding involves danger and fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), and the sins that may occur in it may be more than the reward obtained from 'Umrah and prayer in the Sacred Mosque.
The sin is greater if fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) occurs, or if there is crowding and evil between men and women. There is no doubt that 'Umrah is mustahabb (recommended), not obligatory. If committing forbidden acts and sins results from the recommended 'Umrah, then 'Umrah is not permissible in this case, because the harm and loss are greater than the benefit. Also, regarding the questioner's statement about some women saying that prayer in the Sacred Mosque is equal to a hundred thousand prayers: Yes, this is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). However, this is not specific to the Sacred Mosque around the Ka'bah, but it is general for the entire Haram, praise be to Allah. So, prayer in the Haram receives this great multiplication. The woman is commanded to pray in her home, whether in the Haram or elsewhere; her prayer in her home is better for her, to avoid fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Do not prevent the female servant your women from visiting the mosques of Allah.
لا تمنعوا إماء الله مساجد الله وبيوتهن خير لهن،The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. He also wants some solutions, such as designating specific doors for women to enter and designating a part of the Sacred Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque for women to remain in without mixing with men, and so on, Shaykh Salih.
The Shaykh:
All of this exists, praise be to Allah. Places have been designated for women in the two mosques, the Sacred Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, and specific entrances have been designated for them, but the issue is discipline,
The presenter:
We seek help from Allah.
The Shaykh:
and a person's striving for safety; this is the issue; because some people do not care, so responsibility is lost in that case. Yes?
The presenter:
May Allah.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، 4373- خطر مزاحمة النساء للرجال في المسجد الحرام - الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.