Is it considered free mixing (ikhtilat) for women to sit in one section and men in another section within the same gathering?
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The questioner : Regarding this, it can be said that what you mentioned entails that the forbidden things that occur in a gathering are attributed to this, but in itself, if they are saying it is a family gathering, a modest gathering of relatives, and they are wearing hijab where nothing is visible except the face and hands, and there are no other prohibited matters regarding, for example, any other evil that might make this gathering forbidden.
The Shaykh : I have answered you regarding this; the answer has already been given for this assumption.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : I say, I will remind you of what came before. This assumption has already been answered: it is not free mixing (ikhtilat) if a man sits next to his wife and another man sits next to his wife. This is not free mixing (ikhtilat). This is not free mixing (ikhtilat).
The questioner : Well, what if the men sit together and the women sit together, but in the same gathering, for example, the women in one row and the men in another row?
The Shaykh : Likewise, it is not free mixing (ikhtilat). Likewise, it is not free mixing (ikhtilat). But you must be realistic with me.
The questioner : Let us assume that this is a realistic picture of this. So I...
The Shaykh : No, I do not think this is realistic.
The questioner : This is a reality in gatherings in houses, O Shaykh. He says this.
The Shaykh : No, no, I am not saying that there is no realistic gathering in which something contrary to the Shari'ah does not occur.
The questioner : Yes, exactly.
The Shaykh : This is what I am saying. As for gatherings, these exist. And what does my last statement mean? "Stay away from evil and sing for it." Because you are imagining, as if you are in the first society, the society of the Companions and the people of the three best centuries, who are attested to be the best, who know the rulings of the Shari'ah and stand at the limits without transgressing them, and so on. This is imagination, my brother. Today, its realization is... and therefore I told you just now: if a man and his wife, and another man and his wife, and if two brothers, and so on, and a religious conversation with no laughter, no loud giggling, and I gave you an example of the woman who wore gold teeth, and so on. So be realistic with me, do not be imaginative. However, every question has its answer. I told you, if the gathering is like this, it is not free mixing (ikhtilat). But what are the conversations that take place in such a gathering, which we have described and which is not free mixing (ikhtilat)? Are they conversations of "Allah said" and "The Messenger of Allah said"? Far from it, far from it. Rather, they are conversations about worldly matters. This, if it is free of backbiting and talebearing, and talking about the adornments of this world, and what did you eat, what did you buy, what did you spend? And this is talk, especially if you say men will say it and women will say it, because men today, unfortunately, are like many of the women, and Allah is the One to be sought for help.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : All right, please, now break the material fruit. In the name of Allah.
The Shaykh : I have answered you regarding this; the answer has already been given for this assumption.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : I say, I will remind you of what came before. This assumption has already been answered: it is not free mixing (ikhtilat) if a man sits next to his wife and another man sits next to his wife. This is not free mixing (ikhtilat). This is not free mixing (ikhtilat).
The questioner : Well, what if the men sit together and the women sit together, but in the same gathering, for example, the women in one row and the men in another row?
The Shaykh : Likewise, it is not free mixing (ikhtilat). Likewise, it is not free mixing (ikhtilat). But you must be realistic with me.
The questioner : Let us assume that this is a realistic picture of this. So I...
The Shaykh : No, I do not think this is realistic.
The questioner : This is a reality in gatherings in houses, O Shaykh. He says this.
The Shaykh : No, no, I am not saying that there is no realistic gathering in which something contrary to the Shari'ah does not occur.
The questioner : Yes, exactly.
The Shaykh : This is what I am saying. As for gatherings, these exist. And what does my last statement mean? "Stay away from evil and sing for it." Because you are imagining, as if you are in the first society, the society of the Companions and the people of the three best centuries, who are attested to be the best, who know the rulings of the Shari'ah and stand at the limits without transgressing them, and so on. This is imagination, my brother. Today, its realization is... and therefore I told you just now: if a man and his wife, and another man and his wife, and if two brothers, and so on, and a religious conversation with no laughter, no loud giggling, and I gave you an example of the woman who wore gold teeth, and so on. So be realistic with me, do not be imaginative. However, every question has its answer. I told you, if the gathering is like this, it is not free mixing (ikhtilat). But what are the conversations that take place in such a gathering, which we have described and which is not free mixing (ikhtilat)? Are they conversations of "Allah said" and "The Messenger of Allah said"? Far from it, far from it. Rather, they are conversations about worldly matters. This, if it is free of backbiting and talebearing, and talking about the adornments of this world, and what did you eat, what did you buy, what did you spend? And this is talk, especially if you say men will say it and women will say it, because men today, unfortunately, are like many of the women, and Allah is the One to be sought for help.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : All right, please, now break the material fruit. In the name of Allah.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.