Women Praying in Congregation
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Praying for One Who Died in a State of Disbelief
Question: Is it permissible to pray over a person whose funeral we know believes that the awliya (close friends of Allah) can benefit or harm, and who calls upon them for aid and performs actions that are all considered shirk (associating partners with Allah) in the ruling of Islam? Is it permissible to pray over one who died in this state, or one who did not pray except on public occasions such as the festivals and the like?
Answer: One who dies in the state you mentioned, such as calling upon the dead for aid and believing that they can benefit or harm, or one who intentionally abandoned prayer and died in this state, is a disbeliever, may Allah protect us from that. He is not prayed over, nor is he buried in the Muslim cemeteries.Allah said regarding the hypocrites: [Surah al-Tawbah: 84], so one who dies in a state of disbelief in Allah and shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah is not prayed over, not washed, and not buried in the Muslim cemeteries.
If you are certain that he died in this state and did not repent, then you do not pray over him; either because he persisted in the major shirk (associating partners with Allah) that I mentioned, or because he was persistent in intentionally abandoning prayer and died in that state. This person is not prayed over, as we mentioned, may Allah protect us from that, because he died in a state of disbelief and shirk (associating partners with Allah).
[Women Praying in Congregation]
Question: If there is a group of women in one house, is it obligatory for one of them to lead them in all the obligatory prayers?
Answer: Yes, it is permissible for women to pray in congregation, and for one of them to lead them, but she does not stand in front of them; rather, she stands in their row.
Question: But she is asking whether it is obligatory, meaning are they required to pray in congregation in every obligatory prayer?
Answer: Regarding the obligation: it is not obligatory for women to pray in congregation. Congregation is only obligatory for men. As for women, congregation is not obligatory for them, but it is permissible for them, or recommended for them, to pray in congregation and for one of them to lead them, as we mentioned, with her position being in the row of the women.
Question: Does that mean their prayer in congregation is better than their prayer individually?
Answer: That is hoped for, if Allah wills.
Question: Is it permissible to pray over a person whose funeral we know believes that the awliya (close friends of Allah) can benefit or harm, and who calls upon them for aid and performs actions that are all considered shirk (associating partners with Allah) in the ruling of Islam? Is it permissible to pray over one who died in this state, or one who did not pray except on public occasions such as the festivals and the like?
Answer: One who dies in the state you mentioned, such as calling upon the dead for aid and believing that they can benefit or harm, or one who intentionally abandoned prayer and died in this state, is a disbeliever, may Allah protect us from that. He is not prayed over, nor is he buried in the Muslim cemeteries.Allah said regarding the hypocrites:
And do not pray [the funeral prayer, O Muhammad], over any of them who has died - ever - or stand at his grave. Indeed, they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger and died while they were defiantly disobedient.
وَلَا تُصَلِّ عَلَى أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ مَاتَ أَبَدًا وَلَا تَقُمْ عَلَى قَبْرِهِ إِنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَمَاتُوا وَهُمْ فَاسِقُونَIf you are certain that he died in this state and did not repent, then you do not pray over him; either because he persisted in the major shirk (associating partners with Allah) that I mentioned, or because he was persistent in intentionally abandoning prayer and died in that state. This person is not prayed over, as we mentioned, may Allah protect us from that, because he died in a state of disbelief and shirk (associating partners with Allah).
[Women Praying in Congregation]
Question: If there is a group of women in one house, is it obligatory for one of them to lead them in all the obligatory prayers?
Answer: Yes, it is permissible for women to pray in congregation, and for one of them to lead them, but she does not stand in front of them; rather, she stands in their row.
Question: But she is asking whether it is obligatory, meaning are they required to pray in congregation in every obligatory prayer?
Answer: Regarding the obligation: it is not obligatory for women to pray in congregation. Congregation is only obligatory for men. As for women, congregation is not obligatory for them, but it is permissible for them, or recommended for them, to pray in congregation and for one of them to lead them, as we mentioned, with her position being in the row of the women.
Question: Does that mean their prayer in congregation is better than their prayer individually?
Answer: That is hoped for, if Allah wills.