The Benefit of Scientific Seminars and Women’s Attendance at Them

Question:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings. To proceed: I ask the honorable scholars (may Allah preserve them all) to clarify to the people the benefit of these seminars, and why women are not invited to them, given the great benefit therein and the need of Muslim women. It is suggested that the rear area of the Eastern Mosque be designated for them. I ask that this be highlighted in this seminar, because many people do not know that women attend. So please draw attention to this.

Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions. To proceed: These seminars contain much good and numerous benefits.
Therefore, it is incumbent upon anyone who hears of such a seminar to hasten to attend and benefit from it, even if it is in another country or another village, for knowledge is worthy of being traveled to, just as the righteous predecessors used to travel from land to land to transmit knowledge and narrate, even for a single hadith. Especially in this age when scientific circles have become few, it is incumbent upon anyone who hears of a scientific seminar in any place to strive to attend it and benefit from it in any country. Likewise, women should benefit from this, but on the condition that they go out veiled and covered, far removed from the causes of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: In one narration it was added: And there is also care to avoid attention-grabbing clothing or tabarruj (a woman's display of her adornment) or the like of that which harms society. If they go out veiled and covered with a good intention to hear the benefit and attend the circles of knowledge, this is a good matter. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered women to go out for the 'Id prayer to benefit from the sermons on the days of 'Id, because of the great good in them, and because the sermons are repeated throughout the year, and the need for them is pressing. Therefore, he ordered them to go out to attend, even the young girls. This is with regard to the aforementioned points of hijab, covering, and staying away from the causes of fitnah. We will work, if Allah wills, to cause that by installing speakers in the eastern lamps, so that the benefit is complete for everyone, if Allah wills. We will also work, if Allah wills, to have the minaret speakers connected to this, so that those who pass by, and those who are somewhat far from it, can attend and benefit; because some people may pass by and not know about these seminars. It is incumbent upon every brother to inform those behind him, as has been mentioned in some seminars and some lectures, that it is incumbent upon everyone who attends knowledge to convey what he benefits from, and what knowledge he has that is connected and preserved with its evidence. Let him be certain so that he does not transmit except with certainty that he heard such and such, and preserved such and such, so that he benefits others. But he must beware of transmitting a thing in a way other than its proper form, thereby harming the Muslims, and harming the one from whom he transmitted, until what he did not say is attributed to him. So let the transmitter and the one who conveys strive to transmit as he heard, without addition or subtraction, and let him be a preserver of what he heard so that he does not mix it with other things.
And the speakers, if Allah wills, will be present, if Allah wills, in the minarets and in the eastern lamps, so that those who attend from the women and those who pass by from the people around the mosque may benefit. We ask Allah for success and guidance for everyone.